Month: October 2013

Students in Maria Nunez’s fourth grade class at Mariposa Elementary School have been exploring their senses and how to describe what they interpret with them. Pictured, from left, Anthony Serrano, Joshua Pierre, Devon Barbour, Joslyn Patterson and Faith White were presented with four centers:  listening, smelling, touching, and seeing. The students had to describe the objects using ONLY their senses. It was an enthralling activity that will help them both in writing and science. Students were engaged and so excited about tying in science lessons previously taught and applying them to their writing.

Bayshore Elemenary School is a Positive Behavior Support award winning school.  As part of the positive approach to behavior, students have the opportunity to earn jazzy cash by demonstrating their SPOTS.   Pictured, from left, are fifth grade students from Paulette Seay-St. Louis’ class Kaitlyn Carlisle, Paul Comperchio, Kris Simmons and Hannah Friend using their jazzy cash to participate in a school-wide bingo game.

Northport K-8’s reading leadership team, consisting of 36 teachers and administrators, is offering students a variety of enrichment programs to extend the classroom learning experiences. One of the opportunities offered to students is a Reading Mentorship program. Students are learning all about the program on the morning announcements and are actively engaging in informal reading mentorships. Media specialist Lynne Gruszka, literacy coach Deb Mock, and math coach Josie Bailey are urging the students to forge ahead and join the mentorships, which meet informally to talk about books that are being offered. For example, Mrs. Gruszka is providing students an opportunity … Read More

Gardens are brimming over with blooms at Rivers Edge Elementary School! Students in Denise Ward’s second grade class worked tirelessly in the welcoming entry garden. Generous donations of mulch and new blooms from Lowe’s, along with students and parent contributions, helped spruce up all the beautiful campus and classroom gardens. Gardening day at Rivers Edge was a tree-mendous success! Pictured, from left, are Jacob Emrich, Lance Eaton, Michael Skinner, teacher Denise Ward, and parent Mrs. Skinner.

Southport Middle School’s recent literacy event was well attended by teachers, parents, and students, including approximately 60 parents and student attendees. In addition to the Scholastic Book Fair, there were eight other wonderful activities for students and parents to participate in, as well as cookie decorating, pizza, popcorn, snow cones, and candy sales. Pictured are sixth grade literacy teachers Andrea Levin, left, and Larry Haynes displaying a fun style of learning called “Reading Rocks.”  Southport seventh grade literacy teacher Jim Saunders created the game to engage students by promoting reading with a fun activity! The event brings families, students, faculty and staff together … Read More

Students in Christopher Calvo’s third grade class at WestGate K8 School have been studying the history of Costa Rica for Hispanic Heritage Month. The students’ main focus was the volcanoes of Costa Rica.  Students created volcanoes constructed using cardboard and plastic water bottles, covered with paper mache and painted. Pictured, standing from right, are Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell, WestGate Principal Robert Cranmer, and Mr. Calvo with students watching in awe as the six volcanoes were erupted in the hallway.

Students in grades kindergarten, first, and second grade at Allapattah Flats K-8 School watched a special performance titled “Men in Plaid: The Kilowatt Connection.” The performance was put on by The National Theatre for Children and it was sponsored by Florida Power and Light. The performers conveyed important messages to students about energy conservation in order to make the world a better place. Pictured, from left, are Kaylee Harris from Kylee Dvorak’s second grade class and visiting performers Zack and Nate.

Lakewood Park Elementary fourth grade students recently participated in a STEM design project called “Make it Stick.” They used common kitchen ingredients like flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt to mix a solution to see which group could make the strongest glue. Students tested their glue using beans and index cards.  After their first glue solution was created, they analyzed and recorded the class results to design a new recipe using a different combination of the same ingredients. Pictured are fourth grade teacher Allison King with students Kathryn Baldwin, left, and Kimberly Temene finding out which homemade glue sticks better.

Lakewood Park Elementary fourth grade students had the opportunity to participate in the Channel 25 WPBF Weather School Wednesday with meterologist Chris Martinez. The program was fun, interactive and informative for the Lakewood Park Elementary students. The students received information about the local weather, weather forecasting, hurricanes, tornadoes, and many other interesting facts. The students loved visiting the Channel 25 weather truck, viewing the TV cameras, TV monitors which had the students’ photos on it, seeing the live shows in progress, and hearing the interesting facts presented by the Channel 25 WPBF Crew. The highlight for the students was to see themselves … Read More

Northport K-8 students participated in a celebration of small increments of success with a focused looked at amounts of Adequate Yearly Progress in a PTO organized AYP celebration recently. Students who achieved progress on the FCAT test last year were treated to several styles of bounce houses and slides, popcorn, hoola hoops and snowcones, as well as the chance to dunk Principal Glenn Rustay and other members of the faculty and staff in the dunk tank. Students also had the opportunity to celebrate PBS, or Positive Behavior Support, gains with a variety of school based activities in classes and on … Read More

Northport K-8 School faculty, staff, administration, students and the family community celebrate the selection of Christine Hunsicker as our representative for Northport K-8 School Adult Volunteer of the Year!  Mrs. Hunsicker has volunteered for the school for the last eight years serving as grade mother for several teachers, PTO parent volunteer and School advisory Board member. This year, Mrs. Hunsicker serves as PTO president. She organizes so many fundraiser and student centered activities such as the Holiday Shoppe, Valentine’s dance, Teacher Appreciation lunches, Yankee Candle, and World’s Finest Chocolate sales. Without Mrs. Hunsicker, many school activities would not be nearly as fruitful and … Read More

Fifth grade students at Fairlawn Elementary School are researching and learning about Native Americans, their dwellings, clothing, foods, and location of different tribes. Students researched and wrote a report, created a natural habitat for display, and gave an oral presentation of their projects. Shown, from left, from Shirley Helton’s class are Hunter Holmes with a Shawnee wigwam display, Layne Chesney is showing an Iroquois Longhouse, and Brooke Green with an Inuit Igloo dwelling.

Northport K-8 fifth grade students in Carla Caldwell’s class demonstrated critical information learned through intensive studies of Native American tribes from different geographic regions of North America. Students compared and contrasted the different interactions each had with their geographic region and how this affected their lifestyle and their dwellings. Students identified cliff dwellers and Pueblo people of the Desert Southwest, coastal tribes of the Pacific Northwest, nomadic nations of the Great Plains and Eastern Woodlands tribes found east of the Mississippi River. Students constructed replicas of dwellings and tribal regions for display in the media center. The construction supported the … Read More

Students in Cindy Langel’s and Dorian Newbern’s first grade classes have been learning about the different attributes of shapes. In one of their lessons, the students were able to make a shape caterpillar identifying  some of the defining and non-defining attributes of the shapes. Pictured, top row from left, are La Teya Weatters, Drew Sperber, and Jenna Franklin. Bottom row, from left, are Addison Kim, Omar Andrade, and Myron Pratt.

At Frances K. Sweet Elementary, media specialist Genie DuPell is sharing a variety of books by author Mo Willems with the kindergarten classes. Pictured, from left, Ireland Wagerer, Madison Paul, Jeremiah Hill, and Lennon Paquette are holding books and stuffed animals from two of his most popular books, “The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!” and “Knuffle Bunny”. In the school media center, there are 38 books by Mo Willems available to check out by students.

Eleven students representing the Southport Middle School Chorus joined their voices with other middle school singers from around the Treasure Coast to participate in 4-County Middle School Honor Choir at Indian River State College. Each year, middle and high school choruses from Martin, Indian River, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties come together to rehearse and perform a concert in the recent event at the McAlpin Fine Arts Center on the main campus in Fort Pierce. Southport students included seventh graders Danielle Timbo, Haley Racanelli, Amber Walter, Shantell Figueroa, Cynthia Oyola-Ortiz, Kelsey Cuevas, Ursula Duran, Ashlei Murphy, Dameika Henry, Manacko Simms, … Read More

Dan McCarty students have shown their support of Breast Cancer Awareness in the month of October by wearing pink!  Pictured are a group of students representing all grade levels showing their hope for finding a cure for the disease.

At Northport K-8 School, the Fall season brings an uptick in literary opportunities for students to enjoy the crisp pages of a well written book and the tales of authors that many students enjoy reading. The fall season at Northport K-8 School brings the book fair that is decorated with pumpkins, acorns and falling leaves. The book fair runs from October 28 through November 7. Nothport media specialist Lynne Gruszka and prevention specialist Mary Ann Warren have collaborated in a Trick or Treat Trivia Contest to students using questions from some spooky authors. Students thrive on tales of terror and … Read More

Students in Patrick Madden’s advanced drama class at Port St. Lucie High School visit St. Lucie West K8 School daily to work with students in Mindy Tsunoda’s sixth grade drama class. Pictured is St. Lucie West K8 student Savannah Simmons taking stage direction from Port St. Lucie High students Cristy Dill, Sarah Machesko, and others.