Author: ANDREA STRACHAN

Students at Southern Oaks Middle School returned to school for the 2024-2025 school year with much fanfare. Students received a red carpet welcome making them the superstars and celebrities of the day. Teachers and staff lined the red carpet to contribute applause, cheers, and plenty of fanfare. Students smiled as they received high-fives, fist bumps, and hugs. Some students stopped for photos and others for interviews. Whether they arrived by car or bus, there was a red carpet awaiting them. There was one running from the parent drop-off zone and one from the bus drop-off loop. Students could immediately step … Read More

  On July 30th, Southern Oaks Middle School held an annual 6th-grade orientation and parent training. Parents and new incoming 6th-grade students attended either a morning orientation or an evening orientation. The orientation began with an introduction by the principal, Henry Sanabria, followed by a training session by the school counselors. Parents were educated on the role of middle school counselors, grading requirements, and the many mental health supports offered by the school and districts. The attendees were then separated into three tour groups. Each group had roughly twelve to thirty families in either the day or evening sessions. Then, … Read More

Southern Oaks Middle School administrators, Principal Sanabria, and Assistant Principal Davis, treated teachers to a backyard-style cookout for teachers’ appreciation week. We really appreciate all our teachers at SOMS.

On February 27th, sixth-grade students at Southern Oaks Middle School made their contribution to the school’s many Black History Month events. Students hosted a Black History Month wax museum impersonation experience unlike any other. Sixth graders were visibly transformed into Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, Tina Turner, and even Beyonce from head to toe. One parent added she shopped for clothing and paraphernalia after studying the pictures of Rosa Parks. Parents and other classes had a walkthrough experience and were able to see and hear students performing their impressions of notable African Americans. For their Black History Month assignment in World … Read More

Southern Oaks Middle School enters the field of STEAM and robotics in January. The school began its first STEAM and robotics club this year. Spearheaded by ESE teacher, Maria Benjamin, the afterschool club meets twice weekly and teaches high-tech design of robots and drones. Benjamin who has had a strong desire to start the club for years, finally decided that this was the year. According to Benjamin, the club seeks to create middle school “scientists who create, implement, and critique their own inventions in an educational after-school environment.” After prominent promotion around campus, the club began with great student interest. … Read More

The Duncan Awards are held annually in room 617 at Southern Oaks Middle School. The awards were created by sixth-grade math teacher, Mr. Lioba Duncan. Mr. Duncan gives the awards at the end of semester one to acknowledge high achievement and vast improvement on district tests. Mr. Duncan states that “they are intended as a form of recognition for their achievement from the person who asks so much of them both in academics and discipline.” The school’s principal, Mr. Henry Sanabria, was on hand as an assistant to distribute awards. Maximilian Fenwick received the most improved and overall highest score … Read More

Southern Oaks Middle School students hosted their parents for a student-led conference night on Thursday, November 16, 2023. Parents were marked present as their students took the lead in instruction. Parents were informed by their children on their subject area performance. Students presented their best work, explained their learning, analyzed their district assessment scores, and discussed with their parents how they planned to improve their academic performance. Before sitting with parents at the student-led conference event, students took weeks to complete a folder for presentation. They collected work from each class for the folder. Students were required to include work … Read More

  Ribbon Week, the nation’s largest and longest-running drug-use prevention campaign ran the week of October 23rd to October 31st. Southern Oaks Middle School participated in the drug-free campaign activities every day of the week. Students were glad to leave the school’s dress code behind to don baseball caps, t-shirts, team jerseys, sunglasses, and just about anything neon. Each day had a different dress theme, and posters around campus reminded students of the purpose of Red Ribbon Week. Everyone had fun as a reminder that drug-free is the most fun way to be.

Jovil Wharton of Drug Free St. Lucie and Friday Night Done Right showed Southern Oaks a glowing, good time at the fall Glow Dance. On October 31st, Southern Oaks Middle School’s gymnasium glowed as students rushed in with excitement for their PBIS celebration. Students wore glow-in-the-dark shirts to add ambient lighting as they showed off their best dance moves. Pizza, refreshments, and a variety of snacks were available for purchase to fund the PBIS bank. The Drug Free St. Lucie Project Coordinator, Wharton, was in attendance and provided students and staff with Friday Night Done Right and Drug Free St. … Read More

  Southern Oaks Middle School Career and Technology Education (CTE) students accomplished a remarkable achievement by receiving a 100% pass rate on their ICT Cyber Security Essentials digital tools certification examination. For the school’s CTE teacher, Mr. Marvin Williamson, this is his third time receiving a one hundred percent pass rate in his four years as the school’s CTE instructor. Mr. Williamson noted that the accomplishment is significant, as the thirty students in his class only received three weeks of training for what normally takes four to five weeks. Furthermore, as a true middle school, and not a K-8, some … Read More

  Southern Oaks continues its monthly Hall of Fame ceremony. Students are inducted into the Hawk Hall of Fame. The award ceremony takes place every month during two student-packed lunches. Students cheer and applaud their classmates who are called center stage to receive a gift, snack, and award. The induction criteria are based on a monthly theme of a positive character trait. September’s Hall of Famers are awarded for being respectful. All students receive valuable month-long lessons on the theme of respect in their science or history classes. Teachers then select students that they have observed demonstrating the monthly theme. … Read More

Check out our SOMS Geometry students working together and mastering weighted average benchmark! (GR.3.1 is one of the most difficult in the course.) It’s an honor to see these geniuses at work!

  Southern Oaks Middle School shows a unified front against bullying on its campus. Teachers, students, and staff wore pink on Wednesday and will wear pink every Wednesday, to pledge their commitment to end bullying at their school. To further pledge his commitment against bullying, Principal Henry Sanabria has begun planning an antibullying assembly for all students. The assembly is intended to teach students about the negative effects of bullying and thus lead to a bully-free Southern Oaks campus.

Students at Southern Oaks Middle School received a welcome back to school worthy of celebrities and dignitaries. Teachers and staff rolled out a red carpet for students complete with fanfare, pom-poms, music, lights, and cameras. Yards upon yards of red carpet rolled for lengthy stretches, one from the bus loop and another stretched from the front gate as students took their first step on campus for the 2023-2024 school year. Students were cheered on by all the adults on campus dressed on one accord in newly issued school spirit shirts. Henry Sanabria, principal, and his entire staff were dressed in … Read More

Southern Oaks Middle School hosted its 6th-grade transition camp to throngs of parents and students. On Wednesday, July 25th, the SOMS campus hosted two well-attended sessions for welcoming incoming 6th graders and their families, one in the morning and one in the evening. Attendees were able to see the inner workings of their new school. They were also able to meet and spend intimate time with key individuals and the campus. The principal, Henry Sanabria, gave an opening welcome presentation to everyone; then, parents and students were led on guided tours to three different workshops offered in rotations. The workshops … Read More

For Literacy Week in January, Southern Oaks Middle School 6, 7, and 8th grade Reading Ambassadors visited Rivers Edge Elementary classrooms to provide story time and meaningful conversations about reading. Each day of Literacy Week a different grade level visited kindergarten and first graders. The Reading Ambassadors were nominated by their teachers for excellence in reading. Rivers Edge Elementary teachers were thrilled to have the students and commented on how well Southern Oaks students behaved and read with great enthusiasm. The Reading Ambassadors were later rewarded with a gift card and reading certificate in front of their peers during lunch. … Read More

  Southern Oaks Middle School made an impressive showing at the district science fair in January 2023. The school sent 16 participants to the district science fair, but one student showed accomplishment that far exceeded the others. Ramses Antunez Rivers won first place in the category of environmental engineering. This extraordinary seventh-grade student also won the right to enter the Florida State STEM Fair in April in Orlando. In addition to winning the first-place prize, Ramses also won several special awards of which some had monetary value. The special awards included; the HCA Lawnwood Regional Medical Center Award and $50, … Read More

  On October 26th, Southern Oaks Middle School recognized students for the monthly Hawk Hall of Fame in furtherance of a positive culture and learning environment. Students were selected by their teachers and recognized for the theme of the month; empathy. Award recipients were honored in front of their peers during lunch. It’s evident at Southern Oaks, Hawks S.O.A.R.!

  Southern Oaks Middle School hosted its first Parent Night to SOAR. Parents were able to hear about the new FAST testing, GradVenture, graduation requirements, and other pertinent information that students and parents will need to know for a successful school year.