Author: LYNNE Gruszka

Northport VPK-8 School third grade students in Susan Poveromo’s class learned all about the life of Helen Keller recently in a heartfelt lesson in commemoration of Disability Awareness Month. Students read all about Helen Keller who lived her life in virtual darkness. They learned that Helen was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama and that Helen was born a bright and lively baby but at nineteen months old contracted scarlet fever which left her blind, deaf, and unable to speak. Students learned about the special touch of Helen’s teacher, Annie Sullivan, and they also learned that “kindness is the language … Read More

It is with notable pleasure that Northport VPK-8 School participated in the Superintendent’s Learning Lunch held on Tuesday, October 13 from 11:30 am- 12:30 pm at the SLC School Board District Offices. Northport Assessment Specialist, Josie Bailey and Northport 8th grade student, Rosette Garcia enjoyed the collaborative atmosphere provided by new Superintendent, E. Wayne Gent. Mr. Gent, students and teachers focused the casual lunch conversations on great things happening in SLC schools, praises and how student education and satisfaction could be improved. The conversation included Northport’s multipronged approach to communication and messaging including the Northport K-8 School Face Book Page, … Read More

Northport VPK-8 School Media Center is promoting stellar Florida Book Lists this year. The Sunshine State Reader Program is co-sponsored by the Office of Library Media and the Florida Association for Media in Education or FAME. “Started in 1984, this reading motivation program for students in grades 3-8 is designed to entice students to read high interest, contemporary literature for personal enjoyment. The long term goal of the program is to nurture lifelong readers who will continue to read for information needs and personal pleasure.” Northport students will have the opportunity to do book talks, promote the books on the … Read More

The month of October has been designated “Bullying Prevention Month” and is recognized by Northport K-8 School as well as Saint Lucie Public Schools.  Northport is thrilled to take part in such an important and vital issue. Bullying can become pervasive if left unchecked. The Saint Lucie Public Schools and the Northport community are taking the bull by the horns and working in conjunction with parents, community members, bullying specialists, deans, teachers, school staff and administration to fight against the scourge of bullying in schools. Every October at Northport, students make posters, listen to guest speakers, consult with school deans … Read More

Northport middle grades students in Tracy Lejeune, Susan Matteson and Susan Smith’s classes participated in an activity filled with dark humor by attending a funeral in the school’s media center for “Dead” words. Students agreed that writing and the ability to use important words is more vital now than ever before. Students and teachers considered that personal and professional writing has become a digital representation of how each individual is perceived because whether it is applying for employment, applying for college or writing on the many thousands of blogs or digital media spaces that it’s not your physical appearance that … Read More

Northport K-8 middle grades students from the Sharks, Dolphins, Stingrays, and Mariner teams and their teachers met in the Northport Media Center recently for an important program. Students welcomed a local man with a very powerful message and a story that students can relate to in some way about bullying and coming together as a community to stop the vicious cycle of bullying. Children listened intently to Joe Wojcik, better known to students as “Joe the Biker” tell his story of being bullied as a youth and his powerful reaction to that bullying. Students learned about the word “empathy” and … Read More

Northport seventh grade students in Andrew Mackenzie’s class are diligently processing new information on the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Students are learning that there are twenty-seven amendments to the Constitution and are participating in deep discussions about each Amendment to select which two Amendments they think that they can live without. Students conducted research and identified evidence-based reasons to support their point of view on this topic. They are really looking at the Constitution and familiarizing themselves with important American issues. Mr. Mackenzie planned his lesson collaboratively with all seventh grade Civics instructors at Northport. New … Read More

Friday morning, September 18, following the Pledge of Allegiance and the Kids At Hope Pledge, Northport joined the Nation in remembering our POW/MIA military members and their families. The community of learners commemorated the day with a special reciting of the “Northport American Children’s Pledge!” The pledge was recited over the school intercom by parent, Angelica Urbiza, and her first grade son, Alex. “The Northport American Children’s Pledge” WE, the students of Northport, promise to honor the United States of America. We pledge to: Respect ourselves and our fellow citizens, Protect our Constitutional Rights, Uphold the laws set forth by … Read More

Each school year, Northport is pleased and proud to present to our students many different educational experiences about the tragedy of September 11, 2001. This year has been no different. Students in Melanie Polascak’s fifth grade class learned about the Survivor’s Tree which withstood the fall of the Twin Towers. Students made their own quilt to display in the school hallway to remember the Survivor’s Tree. Students also signed a “Northport American Children’s Pledge” to be great citizens of the United States of America. Those pledges line the hallways of Northport. The “Northport American Children’s Pledge” was recited over the … Read More

Northport VPK-8 School welcomes four tutors for our kindergarten, first, and second grade learners from the SLC Big Brothers, Big Sisters AmeriCorps School-Based Mentoring program. This year, Barbara Despinos, Scott Hinckley, Tessa Falatovich and Azzam Abdur-Rahmen will service 34 children. The tutors will work with matched students on specific reading skills as targeted by their teachers and augmented by testing data. Tutors work on phoneme segmentation, letter sounds and names, word fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and passage reading to build reading skills and collaborate with the classroom teacher to give students more time and more direct instruction. The partnership with Big … Read More

Northport VPK-8 School Community, along with Northport ESE instructor, Marie Solide is proud to invite our entire community to participate in a 5K Walk/Run to benefit “Tough Kookie Foundation, Inc.” Tough Kookie, was founded last year with lots of work by Mrs. Solide who lost her beloved daughter, Kookie to Sickle Cell Disease. Northport administrators, teachers, students and parents have been behind Marie in her healing process and her building of this wonderful community support group and sanctioned 501c. The 5K run is sponsored by Tough Kookie Inc. as well as the City of Port Saint Lucie and Healthy Saint … Read More

Northport VPK-8 students in seventh and eighth grades were treated to a visit in the media center by community partners (Port Saint Lucie Police Department) recently for a program initiative called StopLifting. The program led by Stacy Paton, Crime Prevention Specialist for the PSLPD, and Officers Jack White and Rod Dobler updated students on the hazards of shoplifting. Students learned about the technical camera systems that are now in retail stores, and they also learned that 89% of students know someone who has recently shoplifted. Students learned that the excuses given for shoplifting range from boredom, anxiety, depression, excitement and … Read More

Northport VPK-8 School students from across the campus came together as a community to participate in the Annual Young Author’s program. Students, teachers and parents collaborated to bring the magic and joy of writing to Northport students. Students worked to think up great ideas from a variety of genre’s, write the story, edit, rewrite, illustrate, match the words to the pictures, develop plot, characters and setting and to bring conflict into the story line. Students wrote at their level across the VPK-8 school and then proudly displayed their books as a class or grade in the media center. The Northport … Read More

Northport VPK-8 School media specialist, Lynne Gruszka, seventh grade instructor and brand new teacher, Kendal Jo Hamblin and Maryanne Warren, student support specialist from New Horizons who is stationed at the school, collaborated recently to present a program for seventh grade Stingray students. The program was a culmination of the school’s Leadership Summit programs for middle school students that have been ongoing all year. Students have been building a list of leadership skills for the entire school year that include integrity, flexibility, passion, looking at the “big picture” and many other skills to be a great leader. Past guests have … Read More

Northport VPK-8 School Media Specialist, Lynne Gruszka and eighth grade student, Trey Bingham proudly accept the donation of three books documenting the legacies of a lengthy list of Medal of Honor recipients in our American History. The bestowing of the books, “Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty” coincides with the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Medal of Honor by an act of Congress, signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln back in 1861 during the Civil War. The milestone celebrates the heroism and sacrifice of all those who have fought and died to … Read More

Northport VPK-8 School STEM Center received some very good news and a package in the mail that contained a brand new 3D printer from the First Robotics organization, ECKOCYCLE and Coca Cola. STEM Center instructor, Christine Nurse wrote and received the grant from will.i.am and Coca Cola whose mission is to inspire new things made in part from recycled materials. The grant was bestowed to help motivate students to do “something cool” for sustainable living and to help support a more sustainable environment using recycled materials. The twelve hundred dollar grant which purchased the 3D printer will help inspire Northport … Read More

Northport VPK-8 School is please to announce that Northstar student Michael Gorbach has been awarded fourth place in the Junior division of the 60th Annual State Science and Engineering Fair this April in the Medicine and Health category. Michael’s project entitled “FIR=LIFE” was recognized with a first place award in the school’s science fair in January, a first place award in the Treasure Coast Regional Stem Science and Engineering Fair in February as well as the nomination to be one of the fourteen delegates representing St. Lucie County students at the 60th Annual State Science and Engineering Fair in Lakeland, … Read More

It is with sincere pleasure that Northport VPK-8 announce that six students from grades five through eight have won the Port Saint Lucie Elks Lodge 2658 Americanism annual essay contest. The contest this year themed “What Does the Pledge of Allegiance Mean to me?” was won by students, Annabelle Sasso, Mayra Benitez, Brandt Wrench, Kalani Walk, Jamie Kosbob and Hanza El-Azzami. The contest fell wonderfully into synch with one of the goals of the school to have as many students involved in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance on the intercom every morning as possible and making sure that the Pledge … Read More

Northport VPK-8 School Northstar team offers middle grades students the opportunity to experience first hand the beauty of math, science, technology and engineering in a classroom designed specifically for learning about ingenious techniques in STEM. The STEM Center is centrally located in the school and offers students a wide range of hands on experiences with 21st century, cutting edge technological skills and a framework for delving deeper into STEM careers. Recently, students cohorted on the school patio to build laser security systems and promote laser demo’s outside. Students brainstormed, designed briefs, worked in teams, designed a matrix and built an … Read More