Year: 2012

The distinction of “Master Board” was awarded to the St. Lucie County school district leadership team by the Florida School Boards Association at their Annual Spring Conference, held June 13 – 15, 2012, in Tampa. The St. Lucie County school district is one of only thirty-five (35) school districts in Florida to currently hold this prestigious award, or about half of the state’s school districts. The Master Board Program is a voluntary program which provides opportunities for the leadership team (defined as the superintendent and the school board) to engage in training that enhances its capacity to provide visionary leadership … Read More

Fort Pierce Central High School AP World History teacher and department chair Sharon Ortiz recently participated in the College Board’s Annual AP Reading in World History. Each June, AP teachers and college faculty members from around the world gather in the United States to evaluate and score the free-response sections of the AP Exams. AP Readers are high school and college educators who represent many of the finest academic institutions in the world. The AP Reading is a unique forum in which an academic dialogue between high school and college educators is both fostered and encouraged. “The Reading draws upon … Read More

Through the continued generosity of Cheryl and Ray Lalloo, who lost their daughter Jessica several years ago, Laura Lenihan, who lost her husband, the Jessica Clinton Foundation and the cooperation of AED provider Cardiac Science, a portable AED was donated to Fort Pierce Central High School at the June 12, 2012, St. Lucie County School Board meeting. Pictured, from left, front row, FPCHS ROTC instructor First Sgt.(Ret.) Darin Randall, Cheryl Lalloo, Lenihan, Assistant Principal Susan Seal, Ray Lalloo, Assistant Principal Arthur Jamison, and Rob williams of Cardiac Science. Back row, from left, Principal Todd Smith, school volunteer Tom Estep, Athletic … Read More

Kindergartners at Manatee Academy recently dressed to impress and celebrated Fancy Nancy Day in the media center by exploring (that’s a fancy word for discovering) a Fancy Nancy glitter puzzle, listening to an original story by Media Specialist Debbie Remington titled “Radical Tad”, playing the Rad Tad fishing game, listening to the latest Fancy Nancy chapter book, “Nacy Clancy” and of course sipping sweet tea, pinkies up of course!

Seventh grade students in Claudy Bois’ and Joshua Burgess’ classrooms at Palm Pointe Educational Research School at Tradition were recently celebrated with a visit by Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute (VGTI) scientists for being named the overall district winners in the VGTI Grand Challenge! The challenge, posed to all seventh grade science classes in the district, invited students to complete a collaborative project aligned to genetics and ecology course standards. Students were awarded prizes emblazoned with the STEM logo signifying the district’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics initiative. The scientists talked with students about their projects and also answered student … Read More

Fifth grade students at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition participated in a Moving Up ceremony recently. The group is pictured as they wait for their turn to take the stage and accept their awards. 

Eighth grade students were recognized at the recent graduation ceremony at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition for making the Principal’s Honor Roll. This award is for students with straight  As. Pictured, back row from left, St. Lucie County School Board vice chairman Debbie Hawley, Alexa McGlade, Genicia Williamson, Ashley Smith, Adonis Smartt and Shannon Robinson. Front row, from left, Megan Wichern, Nicole Delano,Brianna McGlade, Aishani Kalluri, Yolie Cius and Danae’ Beech.

Student Takara Thomas was the grand prize winner of Garden City Early Learning Academy’s 100 Book Challenge. This year, the school was able to accept a donated computer as a prize to the winner. The challenge was that any time a student read over 250 steps (62.5 hours) during independent reading time or at home, their name was put into the drawing. Many students met the challenge and had an entry into the grand drawing. This challenge was set up by instructional coach Alexandra Laoutas as a way to promote independent reading. Pictured are Takara and her excited father with … Read More

The St. Lucie County Young Author Celebration sponsored by the St. Lucie County Reading Council was recently held at Manatee Academy. Over 200 parents and students enjoyed author Donna Gephart, a light lunch, book fair and free books and prizes. Pictured is the organization’s Executive Council, who made the event happen, from left, Vince Scotto, Debbie Remington, Wanda Galey, Dorothy Still and Alma Goff.

Olga Drucker, a Holocaust Kindertransport child (http://www.kindertransport.org/), visited with Ilyssa Greene’s sixth grade language arts students. Mrs. Drucker read excerpts from Kindertransport (http://us.macmillan.com/kindertransport/OlgaDrucker), her autobiography, which is a children’s book that covers her six years in England and reunion with her parents in 1945. She spoke with students about the impact separation and reunification had on her and her family. She also impressed upon students the importance of never allowing another Holocaust to become part of their history. Kindertransport rescued thousands of German and European Jews by sending Jewish children to live abroad with families who were often not Jewish. … Read More

Over 700 Forest Grove students performed a lab in which they extracted DNA from a fresh strawberry during their science class. Sixth graders learned about cells and cell theory. In seventh grade, their knowledge expanded through studying how DNA determines the genetic structure of an organism and makes each individual unique. Eighth graders continued to expand this concept by concentrating on the way that cells and DNA contribute to body systems, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration. Following this hands on activity in a wet lab setting, students could not only see, but hold and stretch the strawberries’ DNA to see the … Read More

Weatherbee Elementary Safety Patrol members celebrated a year of successful service to their school with a field trip to SeaWorld in Orlando.  Members not only assisted students and staff at arrival and dismissal each day, but truly served as role models for younger students.  Students participated in a fund-raising event with the assistance of Weatherbee’s faculty and staff members in order to participate.  Students were excited as many were visiting SeaWorld for the very first time. A special thank you to Roberta Weil, Safety Patrol Coordinator, as well as many parents, faculty and staff members who served as chaperones for this event. What a great … Read More

Fourth grade students at Floresta Elementary recently celebrated their FCAT writing success with a dance. Students were served popcorn and popsicles and danced their feet off to music provided by Traxx Entertainment. Pictured, from left, are Daniela Camac, Alexis Weachter, and Ilse Moreno Gutierrez.

Eighth grade students at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition had a Poetry Slam in Kip Wright’s language arts class. Pictured is first place winner was Tabrecia Houston, left, who was awarded $25.00, and the second place winner Jonathan Auguste who received $15.00. 

Kindergarten students are seen with their teachers Patricia Ifill-Bowen, left, and Kristy Henderson at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition as they perform a few songs for parents during their recent Kindergarten Pinning Ceremony. This celebration was to recognize the kindergarten students and celebrate all that they had learned in their first year at Palm Pointe. Now, they are soon to be first graders and enjoyed celebrating with their families on this special occasion.

Seventh grade students in Nicole Maddux’s science classes at Gaines Academy are studying the different cycles different materials experience to form rocks. Pictured are Michael Cook, left, and Zykecia Thornton using crayons to demonstrate their knowledge.

Northport K-8 students, parents, grandparents, administrators and kindergarten teachers Megan Castiglia, Chelse Goergen, Kara McNair, Melody Nieves, Staci Saunders and Nancy Yost recently celebrated Moving Up Day as students proudly accepted accolades for their many accomplishments as beginning Northport learners.  Students each received a picture with principal Glenn Rustay and assistant principals Benigna Montenegro and Douglas Shook as a symbol of a successful completion of the school year. After the ceremony, students in Melody Nieves’ class and parents joined together for “Absolutely Incredible Kid Day!” Parents wrote letters to be shared in the class about why their child is so incredible and why … Read More

Recently Bayshore Elementary had a prankster take the school mascot, Jazzy Jaguar, from the tv studio. During the next week students gathered evidence and investigated to determine who was the guilty suspect. During CSI Night, students participated in experiments about fingerprint analysis, liquid analysis and code identification. Pictured, from left, are first grader Andrew Perkins, second grader Bryanna Camareno and fourth graders Aliya Camareno and Melony Gonshor analyzing liquids and recording data in their data analysis notebooks.