Month: December 2013

Allapattah Flats K-8 students recently held their own student-led conferences, proudly showing off their work for the first nine weeks of school. During these conferences, students were able to show a parent or staff member their academic performance on things such as their classroom work and grades, benchmark scores, and progress for the first quarter. Students also discussed how they achieved their grades, what grades they plan to get next quarter, and their plan to improve academically. Some 180 parents attended a conference with their students to get more deeply involved and hear from their child about their school progress. Pictured … Read More

Eighth grade students at Allapattah Flats K8 School recently created traditional Thanksgiving native headpieces with a twist with the Kids at Hope philosophy as a twist. After reflecting on the four destinations of Kids at Hope — home and family, community and service, hobbies and recreation, and education and career — students listed what they were hopeful for, and then wrote down one reflection per feather. Pictured are students with their “hopegiving” feathers.

The Port Saint Lucie High School Jaguar Raider Team travelled to camp Ah-Ba-Lu-Fa, to apply their survival skills.

The Performing Arts Department of Southport Middle School recently presented four shows of the Broadway Junior musical, Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland, Jr.” Adapted from Lewis Carroll’s “The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland,” and “Through the Looking Glass,” the story follows Alice as she journeys through the White Rabbit’s hole into a fantasy dream world with many unique characters and exciting adventures. With stunning costumes, beautiful artwork, props, songs, dances, and “Mad-hatter” action, the cast and crew of 89 students rehearsed for weeks to prepare. Many thanks to the volunteer crew of administrators, teachers, parents and high school students from Lincoln Park Academy and … Read More

The Northport K-8 School choral performance held recently in the school courtyard under the moon and stars was a glorious night of engaged students, parents, families and staff enjoying the annual “Winter Concert!” The event was kicked off by the middle grades students singing a stirring rendition of “America the Beautiful.” The students, led by Choral Director James Kirk, then performed a variety of mixed arrangements, interspersing traditional Christmas carols with more contemporary arrangements. Students from both choral groups, as well as the small quartets were outstanding. Elementary students performed like champs, with Christmas jokes told by students mixed with … Read More

Northport K-8 School participated in the St. Lucie County Public Schools Culinary Showcase held recently at the St. Lucie Civic Center in Port St. Lucie. Northport students, Principal Glenn Rustay and the entire school community are extremely proud of Rachel Ellsworth and her culinary team. The Northport team was one of only two middle grades schools that attended the event, and students and instructor were well deserving to showcase their finest cooking samples at the culinary event along with top high school teams. Northport K-8 showcased scrumptious Chocolate Oreo truffles. Pictured is the Northport Culinary team, from left, Zane Daniels, … Read More

St. Lucie West Centennial High School students in Mary Higgins’ and Elizabeth Durkee’s first responder and other medical academy classes participated in the recent Operation Home Run disaster drill. The exercise was held throughout the county at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, St. Lucie Medical Center, Met Stadium, and the new Martin Memorial Medical Center in Tradition. St. Lucie West Centennial students were located at St. Lucie Medical Center. When the students arrived, the volunteer moulage artists brought real medical scenarios to life. All students did a really good job acting out their parts. Pictured are the students who participated at Tradition Field.

Students in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) programs from St. Lucie West Centennial, Treasure Coast, Fort Pierce Central, and Port Saint Lucie high schools recently participated in a statewide student Leadership Development Camp (LDC) held in Central Florida. the theme of the camp was “Learn from the past, prepare for the future.” Student leaders from around Florida gathered to learn more about what it takes to be a leader, participating in workshops and activities that encouraged skills such as good communication, time management, preparing for the future, and empowerment. Participants not only learned how to strengthen leadership skills, … Read More

St. Lucie Public Schools’ Deputy Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell recently visited Joy West’s first grade class at Oak Hammock K-8 School, having been escorted to the school by storybook character Pete the Cat. Dr. Rendell read Pete the Cat’s groovier than ever cool adaptation of a favorite children’s song, “The Wheels on the Bus.” Students sang along using hand motions making all the different sounds a bus makes as it drives. At the end, Pete left on the bus and it looked like Dr. Rendell was driving! Pictured is Dr. Rendell as he delights students with his reading.

The Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition middle school chorus kicked off the holiday season with an appearance at QVC in Port St. Lucie recently. This annual performance was for the WPSL Christmas Kids Radio program. The chorus sang a variety of holiday music, including “Rock Around the Jingle Bells,” “Hope’s the Thing,” “Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child,” and “Seasons of Love.” The students were directed by Christine Hill, pictured far right with the chorus.

Second grade students at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition put on their annual Thanksgiving performance after learning about Native Americans, Pilgrims, and fhe first Thanksgiving! They sang songs with the guidance of music director Christine Hill and put on a skit for families. Pictured are second graders as they perform for their families and friends. 

Students on the Mariner team in Bob Burdge’s eighth grade Critical Thinking classes at Norhtport K-8 School are using all the skills necessary to learn to wrap holiday packages. The excitement was palpable as students estimated the amount of paper to wrap recycled boxes. Students measured, cut, and cornered using skills learned in geometry about angles and lines as they beautifully wrapped packages conserving and using the least amount of paper possible. The cooperative lesson was an authentic learning of a life skill that few of the students had mastered. Students in Susan Matteson’s Critical Thinking classes supported the collaborative … Read More

Northport K-8 School hosted bullying expert Joe Wojcik, better known as “Joe the Biker,” recently in the school gymnasium. Joe held two sessions divided into grades sixth through eighth and grades third through fifth. Students filled the school bleachers and sat eagerly on the floor in both sessions to listen to “Joe the Biker” talk about how he was bullied as a child, how it affected his life, how to know if it really is bullying and how to empower oneself, find one’s own special talents and feel awesome about oneself. He personalized and tailored the talk directly to the … Read More

Students, faculty, and staff at Floresta Elementary School recently pulled together for a worthwhile cause — to collect and distribute food and related items to local needy families. Pictured are members of the student council, who performed the groundwork necessary to collect the donations each morning for two weeks prior to Thanksgiving. A great deal of appreciation is due these students, and the families, faculty and staff who contributed through donations or effort. Written by Suzanne Diaz.