Year: 2013

Northport K-8 middle grades students excelled at the 2013 SLC School District History Fair. Three Northport students, Moriah Weir, Michael Gorbach and Casey McCowan,  were finalists in the second round of judging at the fair held on March 2, 2013. Michael Gorbach’s exhibit, The Russian Revolution of 1917 was chosen as a finalist for the top three slots. Michael will be presented with a second place award at the presentation ceremony on Wednesday, March 13 at Fort Pierce Central.  Northport History Fair coordinator is instructor Bob Burdge. Pictured, from left, are Bob Burdge, students Moriah Weir, Michael Gorbach, Casey McCowan and principal, Glenn … Read More

Windmill Point Elementary second graders in Caryol-Lynn Hallahan’s class created their own “gallon pals” to help them learn capacity and equivalents in math. Each student made their own pal beginning with a gallon body, accompanied by quart arms and legs, pint hands and feet, and cup fingers and toes to help them visualize how our customary system of measurement works. Pictured are Efrain Pellot and Christopher Skrabak.

The students in Erin Cook’s and Melissa Lucrezia’s second grade classes at Windmill Pointe Elementary synergize as they create a circle map. The students’ learning goal to will understand money. Through Common Core curriculum, students are required to show a deep understanding of money. The students are showing all the different ways to make 88 cents through different coin combinations. Pictured are Dylan Charan, left, and Elijah Steckler.

Fourth grade students in the After School Tutoring Program at Mariposa Elementary are enthralled making paper mache characters or scenes from books they have read. The project is to connect reading, writing, and art. Students are learning characterization, setting, plot and finding facts from text. Not only are they learning but having a ball constructing their projects. Pictured, from left, are Kailey Oullette, Aivi Lang, Kanson Paul, Adriana Perez, and Arianna White.

Northport K-8 School has achieved the school district’s Parent Involvement award for the middle/senior level. Northport K-8, a Title 1 school, submitted its “Take The Lead And Read” program for consideration. The program standards must apply a welcoming of all families into the school community, effective communication, support of students’ success, sharing power, speaking up for every child and collaborating with the community. The award highlights exemplary programs in Florida schools. The award also reflects innovative practices for recruiting, training and recognition of family and community members.  Northport’s programming includes strong PTO support, 21st Century before and after school program, veterans program, Waggin’ Tales … Read More

Northport kindergarteners in Megan Castiglia’s class, better known as Ms. MC and the “Little Hammers” invited parents and administrators to the Media Center to help celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss and the kickoff for the students’ Young Author’s program. Students built a main character using the Dr. Seuss model, wrote stories to share with all parents and performed several songs including the class pledge and motto! The parents and grandparents moved from student station to student station, enjoying the work and achievement of each child in the class. The enthusiasm was obvious as the students were provided the opportunity to celebrate their … Read More

Northport K-8 kindergartners in Melody Nieves’ classes completed an author study in the school’s Media Center recently as a culminating activity for their Dr. Seuss birthday celebration. Students listened to the story “There’s A Wocket In My Pocket” read by media specialist Lynne Gruszka, then participated in a rhyming word sentence structure activity.  Students then modeled their sentences for the very enthusiastic group of learners. Pictured are the students, along with, from left, assistant Tyna Richards, Ms. Nieves and assistant Mrs. Cleveland.

The Oak Hammock Osprey Band, led by Director of Bands Amy Isenhower, performed the National Anthem at the New York Mets’ recent Spring Training game against the University of Michigan. This is the third time the group has performed at a Mets game as they are appreciated for their performances.

Students think reading centers in Michelle O’Keefe’s kindergarten class at F. K. Sweet Elementary are fun! Pictured are Omar Andrade, left, and Marquis Furline enjoying independent reading with reading phones and their scary pointer fingers. 

Students in Kristin Griffin’s kindergarten class at F. K. Sweet Elementary love learning about different cultures. After learning about the Chinese New Year celebrations, the students were able to try some authentic Chinese dumplings. After trying out their chopsticks on Fruit Loops, Janya Baptiste, left, and Alex Sgouris were ready for the delicious dumplings.

F K Sweet’s annual art fair to raise money for the art program was a huge success. Students had more than 10 crafts to chose from and some did them all. Families enjoyed the night out together supporting the school. Pictured, from left, are Emma Rizzo, Giovanna Mangeri, and Lani Chambers, they are working on making scratch art masterpieces.

Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition celebrated Reading Across America recently with many fun activities. Many community members came to the school to read to different classes. Students in kindergarten through eighth grade read all week and documented their hours. Students exceeded last year’s reading total by logging in over 500,000 minutes of reading compared to close to 400,000 last year. The school also participated in a school wide event with buddy reading, where a class buddied up with another class and read together. The week was filled with reading and fun. Pictured is guest Andrew Favata reading to his daughter Isabella’s third grade … Read More

Two cadets from every JROTC program in St. Lucie County Public Schools participated in a saber guard drill for the entrance of the finalists for Teacher of the Year and School Related Employee of the Year at the school district’s Night of the Stars ceremony helt at Lincoln Park Academy. The two cadets from Port Saint Lucie High School were cadet Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Mabry and cadet Staff Sergeant Robert Hopkins. All the cadets that participated in the ceremony performed exceptionally well. Pictured is School Related Employee of the Year finalist Stephanie Ludwig, an ESE paraprofessional at Floresta Elementary School, … Read More

Frances K. Sweet kindergartners recently celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday! Students in Melanie Francisco’s class loved having Frankie Lott read “Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now?”  Mr. Lott is the president of the Kiwanis group who sends guest readers to Frances K. Sweet every year.  The students enjoyed activity packets and goody bags.

First grade students at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition enjoyed a Super Science Day with the help of the Manatee Center. Students were able to wear lab coats as they did experiments. They created their own lava lamps by putting an Alka-Seltzer tablet in oil and water and the water bubbled up through the oil, and made “flubber.” The students were excited to take the things that they made in class home to show their families. 

To help celebrate Read Across America and Dr. Seuss’s birthday, Garden City Early Learning Academy was visited by over 40 guest readers. Some classes had up to 3 readers at once! The volunteer readers came from various areas of the community, including Indian River State College, the Supervisor of Elections’ office, Fort Pierce city manager, Board of County Commisioners, Children’s Service Council, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Fort Pierce Mayor, and St. Lucie County Fire Department. Thank you to everyone for supporting the school and making a difference in the lives of students.  Pictured is Susan Geen, from the Supervisor of Elections office, reading to VPK students.

As part of Black History month, Joseph E. Smith, Clerk of Circuit Courts for St. Lucie County, spoke with second grade students at Garden City Early Learning Academy about his life and how they, too, can reach their goals and be successful. Mr. Smith is a native to Fort Pierce and graduated from Lincoln Park Academy. He worked in Washington, D.C., and then came back to St. Lucie County to serve the community. Smith is the first African-American Clerk of Circuit Courts in St. Lucie County, and is tireless in his efforts to give back to the community.

Students from Fort Pierce Central’s aerospace program, along with their instructor Dr. Kevin Adkins, recently visited the eighth grade students at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition. They shared data they had collected from a wind tunnel they had designed at Central. The students shared information about factors that affect flight and the impact of wind moving over an airfoil. After the presentation, the students were able to use the data collected and make graphs that recreated what was expected in the experiments that Dr. Adkins and his students had conducted. This was a great lesson for the students. Pictured is Dr. Adkins … Read More

On Friday, March 1st, West Gate K-8 welcomed Ms. Alicia Kohanski as  guest reader for our annual celebration of Read Across America. Ms. Kohanski is a Children’s Program Specialist with the St. Lucie County Library System. Her programs are literacy based and include the use of books, stories, music, flannel boards, puppets and props. During two exciting 45 minute performances, Ms. Kohanski thoroughly engaged students in all of West Gate’s first grade classes. West Gate would like to thank Ms. Kohanski and the St. Lucie County Library system for sharing our love of reading.