Month: January 2012

At Allapattah Flats K8, students in Melinda Van Der Werff’s creative writing class wrote and illustrated books for Shannon Johnson’s third grade students. The eighth graders read their stories to their third grade buddies over cookies. The third graders loved hearing the books as much as the eighth graders enjoyed making them. Pictured is eighth grader Carlos Castillo and third grader Gavrie Andrews reading The Soccer Ball.  

Students in Keva Miller’s journalism classes at Fort Pierce Central High School created children’s books to donate to a local daycare and elementary school.  The students were required to produce their own children’s stories with a moral or lesson learned, draw, trace, or use computer graphics for their pictures and other instructions and requirements that were given to them in a rubric for creating their children’s books.  The students enjoyed writing, illustrating and designing their children’s books to inspire other students to learn and develop a love for reading.

Northport K-8 School celebrated cultures of the world in a wonderful and highly energized afternoon of booths, theater groups, costumes, posters, trinkets and lots of information.  Students and teachers prepared displays replete with music and interactive fun while learning information about 22 different countries of the world.  Students were engaged with a desire to learn and teach information that was creative, innovative and lots of fun!

Third grade students Ajeya Adams and Julian Nunez in Barbara Whellams’ class at F.K. Sweet Elementary enjoyed a yummy math lesson on fractions using M & Ms. The students had several exercises on understanding that fractions can be a part of a whole, or part of a group. Afterwards, the M & Ms mysteriouly disappeared off each student’s desk.

Students at F.K. Sweet Elementary recently held a fund raiser for the United Way. On Monday students brought in pennies, followed by nickels on Tuesday, dimes on Wednesday, and quarters on Thursday. For the grand finale on Friday students were allowed to have a No Dress Code Day for one dollar. Pictured is a group of third grade girls sporting their “weekend” clothes.

Lincoln Park Academy student Aolani Bruhn, former third grade student in Barbara Whellams’ third grade class at F.K. Sweet Elementary, has returned to her old classroom to mentor students on Monday and Friday afternoons. All of the students are anxious to read and work with Aolani.

Mentor Dorothy Stuber in Barbara Whellams’ third grade class at F.K. Sweet Elementary shared with the students news about her recent cruise through the Panama Canal. The children were interested in all aspects of the cruise,especially hearing that the ship, Queen Victoria, weighed 70,000 tons. Dorothy also gave each child a “lucky” coin as a remembrance of her trip.

F.K. Sweet students from grades kindergarten through fifth participated in a three day cheer camp held by Lincoln Park Academy varsity cheerleaders. The students were taught cheers, jumps, and  dances. Students ended camp with a performance at the high school varsity basketball half-time show.

Dr. Donna Devlin from FAU spoke to Nardi Routten’s fourth grade class at F.K. Sweet Elementaryabout Bio-Diversity.  Dr. Devlin is heading a mangrove restoration project where different genotypes of mangroves are planted, and  testing whether or not different genotypes grow better in a mixed group or in a similar group.  Mangrove restoration is taking place in several areas as they are vital to the ecosystem.  The fourth graders will meet Dr. Devlin at Blind Creek Park this week to assist with this project.

Kamryn Gardner and Morgan Busby show off their laurel wreaths while studying ancient Greece. Students in Stacey Johnson’s third grade RTI Enrichment group at F.K. Sweet Elementary are learning about the contributions of this ancient civilization to our modern society. Students discovered the roots of democracy and the Olympic Games. They enjoyed learning about the gods and goddesses and the myths that were told to explain the world around them, practiced writing letters of the Greek alphabet and learned where they are still in use today in our fraternal organizations.

The celebration began with teachers dressing up as pirates, and reading the second school wide read aloud of “Treasure Island”.  Book trailers were run on WSPM Channel 2 News. Students were given materials to make book marks which would include content from the read aloud.  The week ended with a book swap held in the Media Center.  Students were encouraged to bring in a new or gently used book and were able to pick from a variety of popular new titles in exchange. Pictured, from left are, Sharon Dudash, Kimberly Nicholas, Wanda Galey, Christine Richards, Lilias Demontegnac, Adrianne Mendoza, Andrea Levin and Dana Hochberg.

 A representative of the American Cancer Society expressed appreciation to the St. Lucie County Public Schools that were instrumental in the Society’s Relay for Life and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fundraising events.  Community Representative Daniel Regis, right, presented a glass plaque to  Superintendent Michael Lannon, left, and School Board chairman Carol Hilson at the January 24, 2012, school board meeting.  

Northport K8 School is proud to have close affiliation with the St. Lucie County School District’s Hispanic Advisory Council.  Pictured are Gloria Arana, parent and member of Centro San Juan Diego, Linda Tapia, host of Que Pasa St. Lucie and recruiter for Federal Programs, Title I, III and Migrant Education and Benigna Montenegro, assistant principal at Northport K-8 School and FCAT parent trainer for the Hispanic Advisory Council.  The Council was proud to be represented at the launch of the Parent Academy of St. Lucie County recently celebrated by the School Board, Houghten Mifflin Harcourt, Parent Academy Board of Directors … Read More

Staff in the Media Center at Mariposa Elementary celebrated Literacy Week by creating posters from favorite childrens’ books.  Students visiting the center were asked to draw scenes depicting a character or event from the storybook.  Posters will be on display throughout the school. Pictured is student Andy Gonzalez.

Three teachers were surprised the morning of January 26, 2012, when an entourage led by Superintendent Michael Lannon, school board members, district administrators and representatives of the St. Lucie County Education Foundation visited their classrooms to announce their selection as finalists for the 2013 St. Lucie County Public Schools Teacher of the Year. The finalists are: Karen-Lee Crosby, pre-kindergarten teacher at Lawnwood Elementary School; Natasha Santoro, second grade teacher at Rivers Edge Elementary School; and Mary Jo Trubisky, Exceptional Student Education teacher at Windmill Point Elementary School. The difficult task of selecting the finalists was determined by a committee of former Teachers of … Read More

Bayshore Elementary School invited community and school district members to read to students during Celebrate Literacy Week.  Students in Annette Hawkins’ kindergarten classroom were excited to have St. Lucie County School Board vice chairman Debbie Hawley visit their classroom to read.

Bayshore Elementary School’s kindergarten classes visited the fire station to learn about places in the community and the importance of community helpers.  Pictured are Kristian Claudio (left) and Tianna Springston-Coyle (right) from Jennifer Archer’s kindergarten class learning what it is like to ride in a fire truck.  

Taylor Currie has been selected as the Youth Volunteer of the Year at Floresta Elementary. Taylor has served at Floresta Elementary for the last two years, helping in the office, assisting with clerical tasks as well as working with students and families.  Taylor provides a valuable resource to teachers and students in the classroom.  This year, Taylor began working with exceptional students, and has decided that she would like to pursue a career in exceptional student  education.

Northport K-8 School has declared a champion in the annual Spelling Bee!  Thirty students from grades four through eight participated in a 14- round spelling bee recently with seventh grade Northstar student, Jared Diago, spelling the word microphone correctly to win first place.  Second place winner was Kadisha D’Silva and third place was Koral Saarinen.  Students brought one student guest from their class to witness the exposition and many parents were present to urge on their students to spelling victory.  Jared Diago, pictured in the top row, last student on the right, will continue on to the district Spelling Bee next month.

Students have a wide choice of books to select from when using one of the five reading habits, Reading to Self. It is proven that a student will elect to read more, if they have an opportunity to make their own choices. Preston Zinter, in Traci Lott’s second grade class at F.K. Sweet Elementary, is enjoying his non-fiction selection on motorcycles.