Author: LYNNE Gruszka

Northport K-8 students in Tiffany Tredor’s kindergarten class and Megan Castiglia’s third grade class spent quality time in the school’s media center reading and enjoying special Christmas and holiday seasonal books recently. Some of the books that the students cherished were “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Drummer Boy,” “The Christmas Sweater,” “The Christmas Promise,” “The Miracle of Jonathon Toomey,” “Great Joy,” “The Year Without Santa Claus,” “Bear’s First Christmas,” “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Cranberry Christmas” and “”Dewey’s Christmas at the Library!” Student joy and pleasure was evident from the looks on their faces while … Read More

Northport K-8 sixth grade students in Melynda Slater’s Critical Thinking classes have spent the last five weeks honing critical research skills using Environmental Studies as the theme.Students used all aspects of research skills building to construct a superhero who could solve many of the dilemmas facing some of Earth’s most serious concerns. Some of the topics students researched were global warming, oil spills, recycling, water conservation, fossil fuels and rain forest decimation. Each student researched, using the media center, classroom computers and a variety of other materials. Each made a PowerPoint slide show addressing many aspects of each issue, but … 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

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 in Megan Castiglia and Susan Poveromo’s third grade classes at Northport K8 School were visited recently in the media center by Pilgrims direct from the Port St. Lucie American Legion Post 318. Pictured are Walter Sawyer, standing far right, as John Alden, with Rita Woodburn as Governor Bradford’s wife, Ann Mallardi as Priscilla Mullens and Gianna Vallee as Becky, a young child on the Mayflower. The ensemble told the students that 102 people were on the Mayflower crossing and only about half survived the trip, with only five women surviving. They spoke of the hardships the Pilgrims endured and … Read More

Reading mentorships are flourishing at Northport K-8 School. Students are excited to meet in small, informal groups with interested, concerned and effective instructors using a multi-pronged approach. Students have been meeting with mentors to read in the media center, on the patio, in the cafeteria and in the hallways to discuss books that interest the student groups. Reading mentors include media specialist Lynne Gruszka, reading coach Deb Mock, math coach Josie Bailey, and the newest reading mentor, Northport dean Agnes Brooks. Students are learning about the mentor programs through the morning announcements, through classroom teachers and by word of mouth. … Read More

Northport K-8 School administration, teachers, tutors and staff came together for a special Thanksgiving luncheon recently to count blessings and share camaraderie. The turkeys were carved by Principal Glenn Rustay for each of the lunch sessions and each administrator thanked the staff for digging in their heels and doing the very important and difficult work of educating students. The Thanksgiving luncheon is an annual event at Northport. The 28-year old school is steeped in tradition while constantly analyzing, evaluating and implementing new educational initiatives. The joy and beauty of the holiday season is not lost on the Northport K-8 School … Read More

Northport K-8 School parents packed the second grade classroom of teacher Lorena Paez recently as her students performed a rousing rendition of the fable, “Stone Soup.” Students demonstrated their fluency skills in a Readers Theater performance to concerned and attentive parents and then sang a song about sharing and Thanksgiving. The moral of the story “Stone Soup” fit into the classroom lesson as well as the mission of the school that caring and giving, even just a little, make for a better and stronger community. Pictured are Mrs. Paez, parents, family members and second graders.

Northport K-8 School Veteran Partner in Education Bill Arnold returns frequently to campus to bring information, news and gifts of American flags, pins and other articles to bring smiles to students of all ages. Mr. Arnold recently returned shortly after a classroom visit to third grade teachers Megan Castiglia and Susan Poveromo’s classes for a Veteran’s Day Commemoration. His gifts were framed photographs of each student sporting his own military jacket and beret from the Vietnam War era. Students were so thrilled to receive the photographs that they could take home as mementoes of his many visits to the classes. … Read More

Learning to write authentically and with focus is a key part of the performance mission at Northport K-8 School. Students have many opportunities to plan, organize, learn how to write supporting details, elaborate on ideas, use good conventions and learn how to turn off the fog lamps in their brains and write with laser-like focus, using dramatically intense and dynamic writing tools. Among the writing opportunities at Northport are the school-wide Young Author’s program, a generous amount of authentic essay writing assignments with focused feedback, journal writing, newsletter writing collaborations, learning to write research papers, using writing response techniques and … Read More

Northport K-8 School instructor Rachel Ellsworth, along with a group of excited students and parents, took an educational jaunt to a local grocery store to price shop and to learn about the skills need to work in different areas of the store. Students learned about the butcher shop, the floral department and the bakery, as well as sanitation practices, cross-contamination and food safety. Students learned about careers and the application process and were thrilled to be able to participate in some of the skilled tasks at the store. Pictured is a member of the bakery staff with eighth grade culinary … Read More

Each year, Northport K-8 School participates in the St. Lucie County School District History Fair, which this year will be March 1 at Palm Pointe Educational Research School at Tradition. The history fair is a wonderful opportunity for students in grades six and eight to not only hone research skills and techniques, but is also an excellent opportunity for students to cultivate and frame their own interests. Researching topics in history can unlock interests and encourage students to become deeper, more authentic learners. The topic this year is broad and the scope allows students to explore and appreciate many different … Read More

Northport K-8 School fourth graders in Carissa Berkley’s RTI or Response To Intervention class are using their higher level thinking skills to compile articles researched online, compose questions and use talking and listening skills to interview campus administrators, teachers and staff, write book reviews, research and write directions on “how-to” projects such as “How To Build a Bird House,” write articles about clubs and activities that are occurring at Northport and to incorporate research into articles on bullying and cyberbullying, as well as making cartoons and puzzles for fourth graders to enjoy as an addition to the newsletter. The newsletter … Read More

Members of the Reading Leadership team at Northport K-8 School are offering reading mentorships to students across the campus. Book selections are based on student choice and interests. The mentorships are flourishing and students are excited to be part of the club memberships. The three opportunities for students being presented are “Divergent” by Veronica Roth, “Out of My Mind” by Sharon Draper and “Oonawasee Summer” by Melissa Forney. The clubs will continue throughout the school year giving students the opportunity to join reading mentorship groups and forge ahead stretching their minds with reading concepts. Pictured with math coach Josie Bailey … Read More

Northport K-8 School participated in the annual commemoration of Veteran’s Day recently by inviting 18 veterans from all branches of the military, all with a variety of rank,s into classrooms. Veterans spoke openly with students about the United States military and their own role in their service to our country. Students listened intently and then asked in-depth questions and made heartfelt inquiries about each veteran’s career, including talks about patriotism and the importance of a solid, self motivated education. The Veteran Partners in Education program is a vital piece of the educational pie at Northport K-8 School. Thousands of students … Read More

Northport K-8 School students are enjoying the Fall Book Fair immensely this year! Students, as well as parents and grandparents, are offered the opportunity to shop and make selections together at the media center supported fair. The book fair was open in the evening recently to accommodate families during the third grade parent night and will also be open to community members to congregate and shop for a balanced literacy plan for their children during the Title 1 Family Science Night. The fair is always an exciting time for students because they realize that the book fair is especially for … Read More

Students in the Northport K-8 fifth grade classroom of Melanie Polascak have reaped the rewards of a very generous benefactor recently. Mrs. Polascak’s class was adopted through the website Adoptaclassroom.org by Katie Gilliam from Virginia. Katie, better known as “Aunt Katie” visited the fifth grade class on Halloween. She and her friends dressed as characters from the children’s classic, “The Wizard of Oz!” Ms. Gilliam donated the money specifically for school and classroom supplies and books for students. The children made an acrostic poem to be put into book format and will send to Aunt Katie when it is completed. … Read More

Northport K-8 celebrated its third annual Unity Day recently with a loud and clear message about the effects of bullying, especially cyberbullying. Students wore orange to signify unity and made posters, signs and banners to send their powerful messages that bullying will not be tolerated on the school campus. Joe Wojcik, better known as Joe the Biker, spoke to students on the morning announcements to kick off the day-long event, and students walked a mile-long trail marked out by school custodians. The school has been designated as a nature preserve by the National Wildlife Federation. Students walked the trail with … Read More