Faculty and Staff of Sam Gaines Academy are proud to announce that  58 middle school students met eligibility qualifications for the National Junior Honor Society.   These students have maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, exemplary conduct, manners and behavior as well as leadership qualities.  Dr. Donna Mills challenged and encouraged the students as the guest speaker at the Induction Ceremony this past March 20th.   We are proud of our 58 colts in our middle school National Junior Honor Society, and we are excited for what the future holds for each one.

Lawnwood Elementary students are practicing “Metric Math Activities” by walking the campus and measuring everything in sight. This measuring exercise will culminate with a play starring several K-2nd grade students as the planets who compare and contrast their celestial bodies’ distance from the sun and the Earth. Pictured from left:  Alexis Nieves, Madison Talley, and Raul Pozniak.

The kindergarteners of Frances K Sweet have yet again proved that they can truly perform the Greatest Show on Earth. Students were everything from clowns, lions, elephants, jugglers, to tightrope walkers. Students entertained their families and members of the community. Pictured in the Incredible Growing Machine is Lennon Paquette, assisted by clowns Skye Graham (left) and Tylarith Limear.

Child hunger is not just a health problem; it is an education problem as well. When a child is hungry they cannot focus on their studies because they do not know where their next meal is coming from, this is called food insecurity. In a recent Feeding America study, St. Lucie County has a food insecurity rate at 26.7%. Grace Packs is a weekly weekend backpack program that provides necessary food items to students in need. Dan McCarty will be starting this program for its students in need this Friday, April 11.

Over spring break, a group of seventeen French Club students and three teacher chaperones from Fort Pierce Central High School departed from Miami International en route to Paris, France. Each day the group sampled a variety of cuisines at various restaurants that ranged from traditional French fare to the food of the French Caribbean, West Africa, and others. The trip included stops at the Louvre and Orsay Museums to admire Leonardo DaVinci’s famous “Mona Lisa” and the works of Vincent Van Gogh. Visits to famous landmarks included the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Champs Elysées, the Versailles Palace, the Arc of … Read More

2014 Statistics:  37 regional fairs held throughout the state representing 67 counties 890 students participated in the State Fair at Lakeland St Lucie County Results:  12 of the 14 students representing St Lucie Public Schools won awards. (Pictured) Robert M. Bacchus  (BIOCHEMISTRY) LPA High School Senior Division 1st  Place Senior Division Biochemistry ($300 cash award) 1 of 8 senior students chosen as BEST IN FAIR-GRAND AWARD YING SCHOLARS to represent St. Lucie Public Schools and the State Of Florida at the International Science Fair ($1,000 cash award) Stephanie B. Fisher (BOTANY)  SLW Centennial High School Senior Division National Youth Science … Read More

At the School Board Meeting on April 8, 2014 Monte Kosoff and Roxanne Wells of the United Way of St. Lucie County presented awards to the schools with the highest student campaigns. Morningside Elementary students collected $1,092, Palm Pointe Educational Research School $832, Treasure Coast High School $500, and Southern Oaks Middle $450. Pictured are the Director of Communications & Work Place Giving Roxanne Wells, Assistant Principal of Treasure Coast High School Henry Sanabria, Principal of Palm Pointe Educational Research School Debra Snyder, School Board Chairman Debbie Hawley, Campaign Coordinator at Southern Oaks Middle School Brooke Martino, Superintendent Genelle Yost, … Read More

Ms. Denski’s along with Ms. Gaudreau’s Spanish and French classes had the opportunity to visit Vizcaya in Miami on March 21, 2014.  The extraordinary estate was built by James Deering.  The European- inspired estate includes a house filled with rare art and furnishings, ten acres of gardens on Biscayne Bay, and a historic village that is currently being restored for public enjoyment.  With its phenomenal man-made and natural resources, Vizcaya introduces visitors to America’s Gilded Age.  The foreign language students were able to experience first hand the historical sights where one of America’s wealthiest industrialist lived in breath-taking opulence inspired … Read More

Northport K-8 School 8th grade Mariner student, Albert Morgan will be attending a very special three day conference in Anaheim, California this month. Albert will be representing the Chuck Hill Unit of the Port St. Lucie Boys and Girls Club on Marion Street. Ten other local students from the unit will be attending with Albert as well as Unit Director, London Reeves. Students raised the money to attend the leadership conference through fundraising. The Keystone Conference attendees are called Keystones. The Keystone Conference has three main goals for the students, community involvement, academic success and career exploration. Students will visit … Read More

While many might have enjoyed a summer “get-away” at the end of the 2013 school year, Cindy Hill, Fran Casner, and colleagues in the school district’s Facilities Department planned real-world, first job experiences for Career and Technical Education (CTE) summer interns. As in past years, the 2013 Summer Internship Program proved to be a great experience for 17 St Lucie Public Schools students. The program is a partnership between Facilities/Maintenance Department, CTE, and the Workforce Solutions/Hinkles and McCoy group, who create paid, real-world summer jobs for the students.  Team members from the Maintenance Department plan and host a golf tournament each … Read More

Captain Citrus, a program from the Florida Department of Citrus, came to Samuel Gaines Academy to speak with our second graders about Florida citrus.  The second graders were highly engaged, throughout the interactive and energizing presentation.  They learned more about how citrus trees grow, as well as, the nutritional benefits of Florida’s citrus fruits and juices.  Their new knowledge was treated with the opportunity to sample oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, and orange juice at the end of the presentation.

Students in Karen Madalena’s class at Samuel Gaines Academy participated in the recent St. Lucie County Special Olympics Track and Field event at Lawnwood Stadium. This event is part of the new Young Atheletes Program (YAP) that helps children with disabilities develop motor, social, and cognitive skills as well as giving the students the opportunity to learn and have fun! Pictured is Ezekiel Simmens jumping the hurdles as he completes the obstacle course.

Bayshore Elementary School held its third Annual Community Night recently, bringing together community groups, school staff, and families to learn about available resources. Families received valuable information from many community groups, such as Girl Scouts, Kids at Hope, Port St. Lucie Police Department, St. Lucie County Health Department, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Huntington Learning Center, and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. Pictured, from left, are Principal Lori Anne Reid, Port St. Lucie Mayor JoAnn Faiella, Assistant Principal Edwin Munoz and Janelle Palmer from Nancy Fallon’s second grade class.

The Northport K-8 School Media Center offered students an opportunity to showcase their multifaceted talents in a terrific Women’s History and Girl’s Empowerment Program recently. The program highlighted the accomplishments of women role models in history, Northport teachers and staff, mothers, daughters, and students. Students were empowered to shed poor role models like Miley Cyrus, Amanda Bynes, Britney Spears and Beyoncé and to look for strong women who have made important changes in the world. Women’s struggles and successes were highlighted in a PowerPoint presentation that included music, news clips and clips from actress Hilary Swank playing the role of … Read More

Northport K-8 middle grades students participated in a writing contest themed, “What Does Being A Woman Really Mean?” Students from all across the spectrum of writing capabilities wrote beautiful and meaningful essays that were included in the school’s annual Women’s History Program held in the media center recently. The essay contest, spearheaded by New Horizons’ Prevention Specialist Maryanne Warren allowed students to think deeply about female characters in their lives and how each has proven influential. Third place winner is Andrew Moscuzza, second place is Emily Avery and first place winner is Misty Hall, all eighth grade Mariner team members. … Read More