Month: November 2013

The students of Lawnwood Elementary School were busy collecting non-perishable items this month for The Harvest Outreach Center. The students loaded over 40 extra-large boxes for the center to distribute over the holidays. Pictured, from left, are ESE teacher and student council co-chair Kara Watkins, Ashon Moore, Alex Jules, Brisaldo Castro, and Dominick Peterson.

Bayshore Elementary School student council members sponsored a food drive to collect non-perishable food for those in need. Students organized the food so it could be dispersed to families in the community. Pictured are fifth grade students Kara Godown, left, student council treasurer from Megan Krinsky’s class, and Andyara Dew, student council secretary from Christine Mueller’s class.

St. Lucie County sheriff’s deputy and school resource officer Todd Hogan, a former sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, recently visited Dan McCarty School and spoke with eighth grade students in the “Elite Eight” program, which features students who have expressed an interest in participating in community service and becoming better students. Deputy Hogan spoke to the students about his experience in Air Force and his tour in Afghanistan. He also thanked them for the gift packages that were sent over to his men from Dan McCarty and how much they were appreciated. Pictured is SRO Hogan describing his helicopter shown in … Read More

The Fort Pierce Central JROTC program started a food drive to support Big Brothers, Big Sisters of St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties in order to provide Thanksgiving meals for families in need. With the help of the Army JROTC program, led by LTC Nevárez and 1SG Randall, the Fort Pierce Central High School faculty and students, with the help of the girls’ soccer team, collected enough non-perishable food items to feed over 30 families, successfully exceeding their goals and expectations of 15 families. Each family received a large bag, containing Thanksgiving-related items plus a whole turkey. The program has held … Read More

Students in Megan Castiglia and Susan Poveromo’s third grade classes at Northport K8 School were visited recently in the media center by Pilgrims direct from the Port St. Lucie American Legion Post 318. Pictured are Walter Sawyer, standing far right, as John Alden, with Rita Woodburn as Governor Bradford’s wife, Ann Mallardi as Priscilla Mullens and Gianna Vallee as Becky, a young child on the Mayflower. The ensemble told the students that 102 people were on the Mayflower crossing and only about half survived the trip, with only five women surviving. They spoke of the hardships the Pilgrims endured and … Read More

Eighth grade students in Kip Wright’s Language Arts classes at Palm Pointe Educational Research School at Tradition have been focusing on their writing. Students were privately provided their benchmark test writing scores, and correlated their score to an FCAT equivalent on a data wall in the back of their class, and can personally monitor their progress and growth over the next couple of months. Students worked diligently on the revisions of their essays with help and assistance from other student writers.  Mr. Wright remarked that seeing his students share information for the betterment of the writing process and self is amazing.  … Read More

Reading mentorships are flourishing at Northport K-8 School. Students are excited to meet in small, informal groups with interested, concerned and effective instructors using a multi-pronged approach. Students have been meeting with mentors to read in the media center, on the patio, in the cafeteria and in the hallways to discuss books that interest the student groups. Reading mentors include media specialist Lynne Gruszka, reading coach Deb Mock, math coach Josie Bailey, and the newest reading mentor, Northport dean Agnes Brooks. Students are learning about the mentor programs through the morning announcements, through classroom teachers and by word of mouth. … Read More

Southport Middle School seventh graders participated in a carousel activity to develop context for Mildred D. Taylor’s novel “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.” Students were assigned research topics and worked in groups to design posters on economic and social issues of the 1930s. The students then used the posters to teach their classmates about their research topic. By the end of the activity, all students were equipped with background knowledge the 1930s and prepared for a deep understanding of the issues faced by the Logan family and other characters in the novel. Pictured are Jelisea McIntyre, from left, Stephanie … Read More

Port St. Lucie High teacher Valerie Arendas escorted 22 students in her Forensics, Paralegal & Criminal Justice program interested in a pre-law course of study recently to Keiser University for a fun, interactive and educational field trip. Students met the judge presiding over a mock case and were sworn in as witnesses, and a jury deliberated the case presented to them. Pictured are the students in the college reception area.

Students and staff at Mariposa Elementary School recently enjoyed an assembly with remarks presented by the esteemed international Strength Team, rated #1 in the nation for school assembly programs. The group’s presentations promote anti-bullying, anti-peer pressure, anti-drugs, and anti-alcohol, while respecting others and academic excellence. A great morning was had by all with this motivating message on making the right choices and was received with applause, laughter, and cheering. Pictured is one of the team members addressing a question from the audience.

Clifford the Big Red Dog recently visited Frances K. Sweet Elementary School to promote the school’s fall book fair. Pictured is Clifford (Justin Adrian) with student Alex Neil with his purchase from the book fair. All profits from the book fair will be used to purchase new books for the Media Center.

First grade students at F. K. Sweet Elementary School have been learning about colors. They started with a black piece of paper and created the center of a sunflower with the neutral brown. Next, they used warm colors to create the petals. Last, they used cool colors to create a dot pattern in the background. The students noticed how the warm colors come forward and cool colors recede. Pictured in Cary Schott’s art resource class, top row from left, are Fayth Coley, Brandon Padilla Costilla, and Kanosha Hartwell. Bottom row, from left, Iris Vargas, and Nathan Downey.

Kinde3rgartners at St. Lucie Elementary School recently wrote thank you notes and made paper doll soldiers for members of unit 1-44 AMD in Fort Hood, Texas.  Kindergarten teacher Suzanne Burke hand-delivered the notes personally to her daughter’s unit over Veteran’s Day weekend.

Northport K-8 School administration, teachers, tutors and staff came together for a special Thanksgiving luncheon recently to count blessings and share camaraderie. The turkeys were carved by Principal Glenn Rustay for each of the lunch sessions and each administrator thanked the staff for digging in their heels and doing the very important and difficult work of educating students. The Thanksgiving luncheon is an annual event at Northport. The 28-year old school is steeped in tradition while constantly analyzing, evaluating and implementing new educational initiatives. The joy and beauty of the holiday season is not lost on the Northport K-8 School … Read More

Northport K-8 School parents packed the second grade classroom of teacher Lorena Paez recently as her students performed a rousing rendition of the fable, “Stone Soup.” Students demonstrated their fluency skills in a Readers Theater performance to concerned and attentive parents and then sang a song about sharing and Thanksgiving. The moral of the story “Stone Soup” fit into the classroom lesson as well as the mission of the school that caring and giving, even just a little, make for a better and stronger community. Pictured are Mrs. Paez, parents, family members and second graders.

Students at Southport Middle School are joining forces to combine the study of art and history. Eighth grade students rolled out clay slabs, and sixth grade students are working on Mesopotamian red clay table. Pictured are students in Linda Doyle’s class, who joined seventh grade students in making hand-built and press-mold clay bowls using coils, spirals, and spheres of clay. Students are working on the red clay tablets with Phoenician coded messages in collaboration with the social studies department. Pictured, from left, are Jakahl Hurst, Ms. Doyle, Jayde Davidson, Kaylin Beverly, Katherine Avra and Skylar Willoughby.

Lakewood Park Elementary students had the opportunity recently to visit a local restaurant during a teacher’s night. Teachers and staff worked the front desk, drive through window and made french fries, while free food item certificates were awarded to the students who could recite the Kid’s at Hope Pledge to Principal Dianne Young and Assistant Principal Tammy Smith. A percentage of the proceeds of the event will be returned to the school and will be used for incentives for students.  Staff member Simone Catrambone donated her time to paint faces for the students. Thanks go to the parents, students, staff, and restaurant … Read More

Lawnwood Elementary School fifth grade teacher James Johnson has challenged his colleagues to match or beat the amount of food his students have collected for the upcoming holiday season. Johnson boasted that his is such a caring class this year, he is excited to see how enthused they are to help others during the holiday season. Johnson is pictured with students Giselle Cerda, center, and Phillip Adams.

Students in Todd Hibbard’s sixth grade class at Southern Oaks Middle School recently completed their extra credit Sumerian clay tablets. Students submitted over 80 tablets. Pictured, from left, are Bernardo Desir, Dominic Adams, Logan Feldherr, Caden Ayers and John Lamplough, who are just a few of the students whose tablets are on display. Sumerian clay tablets were written in cuneiform and were used to keep track of records and trade many centuries ago. Cuneiform uses wedge shaped symbols to represent objects. Students get really involved when they get to mix art with history.  

Southern Oaks Middle School faculty and staff raised $546 for the Treasure Coast Food Bank, which will provide 3,822 meals across the Treasure Coast this Thanksgiving. The campaign was led by seventh grade science teacher Maureen Davis. Pictured is Assistant Principal Mary Beth Forsyth as she presents the monies raised to a Treasure Coast Food Bank representative.