Author: Barbara Whellams

Captain Citrus visited F.K. Sweet Elementary to inform second graders about the importance of the citrus industry and the healthful benefits of Florida’s orange juice and other citrus products. Students Mya Baptiste, pictured right, and Trevor Gill  won gift cards for correctly answering questions asked by Captain Citrus.

Kindergarten and second grade students at F.K.Sweet Elementary School were excited to be a part of a ladybug release program conducted by the University of Florida’s agriculture department. Preston Zinter, left, and William Geraghty from Traci Lott’s second grade class are just getting ready to release hundreds of ladybugs onto neighboring plants. Students were able to learn about good and bad bugs for our environment and learned ways that ladybugs actually help the plants around us.    

After reading “Curious George Makes Pancakes” by Margret and H.A. Rey, students in Morgan Haupt’s kindergarten class at F.K. Sweet Elementary School made pancakes for themselves. The students loved learning and seeing first-hand how pancakes are made. From left, Skylar Monroe, Jacire Johnson-Bell, and Kalia Alexander helped measure the ingredients for the pancakes.

Cary Schott, Art Specialist at Frances K. Sweet Elementary, and Janey MacArthur, retired from Westwood High School, volunteered for an Empty Bowls program event recently at the Downtown Farmers’ Market of Fort Pierce. Students from several schools made and painted bowls to sell and raise money for the Treasure Coast Food Bank. Pictured, from left, are Ms. Schott and Ms. McArthur.

Pictured from left, Grayson DiBernardo, Will Nelson, Wesley Varn, and Cedrick Magloire are enjoying a “bunny hop”at F.K.Sweet Elementary. The event was sponsored by the PBS team and rewarded children who met their goals by displaying excellent behavior, positve attitudes, and good manners every day.

Second grade students in Kasey Ascani’s RTI enrichment class at F.K. Sweet Elementary are participating in a Readers Theatre activity to improve their reading fluency. Pictured, from left, are Brooke Adams, Juliana Mejia, Zion Hunt, and Jode-Ann Bailey.

Romari Timothee and Raymond Coburn from Morgan Haupt’s kindergarten class at F.K.Sweet Elementary enjoy working together and comparing lengths of cube trains during math centers. Kindergartners are busy working and learning all of the skills that they will need for first grade.    

Frances K. Sweet Elementary second grade students gather to examine a native plant species during their recent Oxbow Eco-Center field trip.  The students, from Rachel Luhta’s class, also went on a nature hike to learn more about insects and plants while visiting the center. 

Fifth grade students Adriana Edmond, Julia Pacek, and Jakiah Webb in Christy Nuccio’s class at F.K. Sweet Elementary are enjoying ice cream sundaes for earning reading points. Students at F. K. Sweet are all involved in the Scholastic Counts program and are enjoying reading, testing, and earning points. Teachers may set individual or class goals for students.

The students in Traci Lott’s second grade class at F.K. Sweet Elementary were very excited about the recent St. Lucie County Fair. Students worked cooperatively or individually, to create visual representations of what Ft. Pierce looked like long ago. Riley Mullins, pictured, was very creative and constructed a Seminole Chickee Hut for her school’s fair booth.

Ask just about any intermediate student at F.K. Sweet Elementary about their favorite books, and you will hear Nate the Great quite often. This series is written by Lincoln Peirce, and focues on Nate, a sixth grade genius. These hilarious illustrated novels are certainly on Kayla Jungjohan, left, and Willie Whitehead’s reading list.

Third graders at F.K. Sweet Elementary are busy exploring geometry in math with the use of pattern blocks. How many shapes can you create using a triangle and a trapezoid? Jayla Flagg and Wesley Varn are working together to make as many different shapes as possible.

March is National Nutrition Month and Janette Champagne, cafeteria manager at F.K. Sweet Elementary School works hard every day to ensure that students are eating a healthy balanced diet at breakfast and lunch. She also initiated a Walking Club for students. They meet every Tuesday and Thursday before school and walk a mile on the school track. Yoga is also a part of the club’s morning workout. Pictured is Ms. Champagne with students after their morning walk.

On a recent visit to F.K. Sweet Elementary, St. Lucie County School Board Vice Chairman Debbie Hawley visited classrooms chatting with teachers and students. Pictured is Mrs. Hawley with second grade student Brian Wu from Rachel Luhta’s class, discussing some of his Daily Five expectations and activities.

The golf club at F.K. Sweet Elementary is part of the partnership between St. Lucie Public Schools and the PGA. Students, pictured from left Keith Colley, David McDaniel, Jerry Johnson, Lance Fleschner, and Michael Mangeri, met once a week for eight weeks to develop and practice skills need for beginners and intermediate players.  Along with the technical aspects of the game, students also learned the golf rules of etiquette.  All of the students, who were taught by the golf pros at PGA, celebrated the final week with an awards banquet at Palm Pointe Educational Research School at Tradition. Students were awarded participation trophies, but also won … Read More

Frances K. Sweet  Elementary School won first place at the St. Lucie County Fair for the Elementary School display category. The students created a variety of arts based on the theme: Past, Present, and Future of St. Lucie County.  Art Specialist Cary Schott, pictured, set up the display at the fair.

After the recent FCAT writing exam for fourth grade students, at F.K. Sweet Elementary the PTO treated all of the wonderful writers to an ice cream sundae party. The celebration was a delicious way of saying thank you to the students for their hard work on the test and the many days of writing preparation. Relaxing and enjoying special made sundaes are, from left, Jacob Yannucci, Wesley Hinds, Aaron Beauchamp, and Christian Yoder.

The drama club at F.K. Sweet Elementary is busy practicing for its upcoming musical comedy, The Kids of Camelot, which will be presented in late May. The club for fourth and fifth graders is under the direction of teachers Jodie Steele and Gary Bushby.

F. K. Sweet Elementary fifth grade science Donald Logue gives students last minute tips and instructions before Joey Yannucci, left, and Ethan Yarberry launch their rocket. The highlight of the entire year for fifth grade students is always rocket launch day when they are given an opportunity to demonstrate the power of their self designed plastic bottle rockets.

To show support for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the great work being done, recently the staff and faculty at F.K. Sweet Elementary School dressed in purple, which symbolizes the hope and effort that a cure will soon be discovered for the disease. The entire school is highly involved with other fund-related activities supporting ACS.