Author: MARY ROTI

Our campus was bursting with holiday cheer as Sharks celebrated in style! Throughout the month of December, our Holiday Spirit Calendar celebrated Grinch Day, PJ Day, and Ugly Sweater Day, while festive guest readers added extra joy to the season. We kept the excitement going with twin turtle doves, sparkling tinsel, cozy socks, festive hats, and even Hawaiian attire! Staff and students alike brought incredible energy, making every day merry and bright. The holiday spirit truly shone across Shark Nation, showcasing teamwork and creativity at its best. We truly hope all of our Shark families had a joyful holiday season … Read More

Shark Nation ELA Students are Future CEOs!  Mrs. Howard’s ELA students took on the role of entrepreneurs during our Shark Tank Projects! Students created original products or made an old product better and pitched them using powerful rhetorical devices and emotional appeals to convince the Sharks to invest. They didn’t stop there—each pitch was supported with nonfiction text features such as headings, diagrams, charts, bolded key words, and statistics to clearly present information and strengthen their arguments. This project combined persuasive writing, speaking skills, creativity, and critical thinking—and the confidence these students showed was impressive! Way to go, ELA Sharks!

During Week 3 of Holiday Spirit Month at SLWK8, the Grinch surprised our classrooms in the best way possible! Instead of stealing holiday spirit, he brought it—along with laughter and joy. Students were thrilled to see the beloved character roaming the halls, sharing festive fun, and posing for photos. His playful antics reminded everyone that the season is about kindness, togetherness, and a little bit of whimsy. From bright smiles to cheerful decorations, the Grinch helped make this week unforgettable. Thank you to everyone who made this magical moment happen—it truly warmed our hearts and filled our school with holiday … Read More

We are beyond grateful to The Rotary Club for making this holiday season unforgettable for our sweet Sharks! Our students enjoyed a festive celebration filled with joy and holiday spirit. They were treated to a delicious lunch, tasty cookies, and wonderful gifts that brought big smiles to their faces. The excitement grew as Mr. and Mrs. Claus made a special appearance, spreading cheer and creating magical memories for everyone. This generous act of kindness truly warmed our hearts and reminded us of the power of community. Thank you, Rotary Club, for making this holiday season so special for our Sharks! … Read More

Shark Nation’s Color Run was a very colorful and exciting success! St. Lucie West K-8 students participated in the 2025 Annual Color Run and had an absolute blast. The fundraiser helped raise funds for teacher, staff, and student incentives. Students designed their Color Run flags to proudly represent their class! Students were able to enjoy this colorful event with friends, teachers, and staff. We would like to thank all of the teachers, staff, students, parents, and families who participated and helped to raise funds. Shark Nation is so truly thankful and could not do it without the support, teamwork, and … Read More

Mrs. Boham’s Intro to Technology classes explored the exciting world of 3D printing and design! Students learned how to use Tinkercad to create their own digital models and then watched their ideas come to life. Each student proudly took home their very first 3D print—a custom keychain featuring their name! This hands-on experience sparked creativity and introduced students to real-world technology skills. Thanks to an amazing collaboration with Mr. Depuy from TCHS, our middle school Sharks also got a glimpse into the basics of the Manufacturing Certificate and the incredible career opportunities available in high school. What an awesome way … Read More

Mrs. Schettini and Mrs. Zalepeski’s third-grade classes at St. Lucie West K-8 cashed in their Shark Bucks for a sweet reward and unforgettable experience — the chance to pie their teachers! What better way to start Thanksgiving Break than with whipped cream, fun, and laughter? Students lined up, pies in hand, ready to make memories that will last all year. The room was filled with cheers, giggles, and a little bit of sweet chaos! This creative reward not only celebrated positive behavior but also strengthened the bond between students and teachers. Great job, Sharks, for earning this hilarious treat! #PieBIS … Read More

Our Sharks brought big energy and made waves on Day 67! Fourth-grade math sharks tackled a Scavenger Hunt Escape Room, solving “baby algebra” problems and true/false equations to earn secret letters, crack the code, and enjoy a sweet treat. Meanwhile, our middle schoolers focused on an editing challenge inspired by The Town of 67, showing incredible growth and determination. And in third grade, mathematicians teamed up for a Mystery Message Scoot, solving addition problems with 6s and 7s to uncover a hidden message. Collaboration, problem-solving, and lots of smiles filled the day! Way to go, Sharks—another day smarter and stronger! … Read More

SLWK8 sharks learn the sweet possibilities in supply chain and logistics. Mrs. Boham’s Intro to Technology students explored supply chain and logistics careers by designing a candy bar. They used the ingredients of the candy bar to trace where raw materials come from internationally and design a supply chain to get those goods to manufacture and distribute their goods to their consumer. Learning about international time zones, students used math to determine when it was a good time to call during business hours and workdays for their clients and suppliers. Lastly, to celebrate their company’s successful supply chain, students scaled … Read More

Our St. Lucie West K-8 students had an incredible time celebrating a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving! They came together with friends, shared laughter, and enjoyed a fun feast of their favorite snacks—just like the Peanuts gang! The day was filled with friendship, gratitude, and plenty of smiles. We’re so thankful for these special moments that bring joy and togetherness to our Shark Nation community. Events like this remind us how important it is to celebrate traditions and create lasting memories. Here’s to more opportunities for connection, laughter, and gratitude as we continue building a strong, caring school family! #SharkNation #ThanksgivingCelebration #ExceptionalStudentEducation

St. Lucie West K-8 eighth graders had an exciting opportunity to attend the Classrooms2Careers event at the SLPS District Office. Sponsored by the Treasure Coast Center for Economic & Educational Development and the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County, this interactive experience connects students with a wide range of career pathways. Through engaging conversations with local businesses and organizations, students explored future professions and learned about high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs aligned with these industries. The event provided valuable insight into real-world opportunities, inspiring students to envision their academic and career journeys beyond middle school. Thank … Read More

Shark Nation proudly recognizes and appreciates the incredible dedication of our Veterans on campus.  We are honored to have Ms. Jimenez, Mr. Malham, Ms. Sutton, Mr. Auguste, Ms. Sims, and Ms. Velazquez as part of our community. Their service exemplifies courage, sacrifice, and commitment. We extend our deepest gratitude for their dedication, both past and present, and for the values they uphold that inspire us daily. Their experiences enrich Shark Nation, fostering a spirit of resilience and honor within our school community. Thank you to all who have served and continue to serve our classrooms and students every day. Your … Read More

In Ms. Paries’ third-grade ELA classes, Chief Context Clue, along with her brilliant detectives, were on a mission to decode the mysteries hidden within words. Their teamwork centered around narrowing down unknown words by examining surrounding clues and context. Each detective brought their unique skills and engagement to the case! Together, they worked excitedly to close cases, unraveling the secrets behind unfamiliar vocabulary.  Students thoroughly enjoyed collaborating throughout this engaging activity.  It helped strengthen their vocabulary skills, and as they cracked each code, Chief Context Clue and her detectives fostered a love for discovery, turning every word into a new … Read More

Our amazing Assistant Principal, Mrs. Arguelles, and our incredible Instructional Coach, Mrs. Garcia, brought joy and excitement to Mrs. Genus’ first-grade class during their PBIS Character Day Celebration! The dynamic duo captivated students with a lively reading of Wide Mouth Frog, turning story time into an unforgettable experience. The classroom was filled with laughter, curiosity, and plenty of playful “ribbits” as the children engaged with the tale. This special visit not only reinforced the importance of positive behavior but also highlighted the power of reading to spark imagination and connection. Thank you, Mrs. Arguelles and Mrs. Garcia, for making literacy … Read More

Sharks in Mrs. Howard’s ELA classes were fully engaged in an exciting activity using Double Bubble Maps. This visual tool helped them sharpen their critical thinking by comparing and contrasting ideas, identifying similarities and differences, and making meaningful connections. They examined concepts deeply, developing a stronger understanding of the material. The classroom buzzed with enthusiasm as students collaborated and shared insights, demonstrating their growing analytical skills. Watching their minds work through these visual organizers was truly inspiring. Activities like these encourage active learning and foster a love for exploring ideas. We’re proud of our students’ efforts in mastering these important … Read More

In Mrs. Ferrante’s 4th-grade classes, students eagerly tackled a fun division challenge to identify the Most Wanted Remainders. They worked in pairs, solving problems and sharing strategies, turning their review into an exciting quest. The activity encouraged critical thinking, teamwork, and confidence in their math skills, making division concepts engaging and memorable. Our Sharks enjoyed the fun competition to find different remainders round after round. Students worked together and shared their taught strategies to solve.  They celebrated their progress and newfound understanding. Students were fully engaged in this awesome activity and are ready to rock their upcoming math unit assessment! … Read More

Shark Nation’s PBIS Pep Rally was an exciting event filled with energy and enthusiasm! Students enjoyed cheering on their teammates during the Centennial basketball game, showcasing school spirit and camaraderie. Shark Nation’s incredible drumline brought all the festive vibes to the atmosphere, inspiring everyone to get moving and have fun. It was a wonderful celebration of positive behavior and school pride. Special thanks to St. Lucie West Centennial High School Eagles Basketball team and our Drumline for making our pep rally such an amazing event! The event truly brought the Shark Nation community together in joy and school spirit, and … Read More

Third graders in Ms. Hernandez’s classes had a spook-tacular time during our Interactive Whiteboard Spooky Scoot. Students worked in teams to complete 10 task cards that challenged their understanding of place value using vertical whiteboards and collaborative problem-solving. Throughout the activity, students practiced skills from: MA.3.NSO.1 – Understanding the place value of four-digit numbers MA.3.NSO.1.2 – Composing and decomposing numbers in multiple ways using thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones (with drawings, models, and equations!) MA.3.NSO.1.3 – Plotting, ordering, and comparing whole numbers up to 10,000 Students moved from one “station” to the next, solving problems, checking their work, and discussing … Read More

The first annual St. Lucie West K-8 Media Center Pumpkin Book Character Decorating Contest was a fantastic success, engaging 140 elementary students in a creative and festive activity. Students showcased their imagination by transforming pumpkins into beloved book characters, turning the media center into a lively display of artistic talent. Faculty and staff eagerly voted for their favorites, recognizing the top five with a new book, a certificate, and two goodie bags. The event fostered a love of reading and creativity among students while building community spirit within the school. Gratitude goes to everyone who participated and made this memorable … Read More

Students in Mrs. Barthell’s second-grade class had a blast practicing context clues today! Each group was given a word and its definition. They worked together to create sentences that included clues to help figure out each word’s meaning (spelling mistakes and all — it’s about the learning process!). Afterward, the class shared their sentences, discussed the clues, and discovered what each word meant. Students did an amazing job collaborating, thinking critically, and having fun while learning! Through this engaging exercise, students practiced critical thinking and teamwork while becoming more confident in understanding new words. The activity fostered a positive, supportive … Read More