Author: MARY ROTI

The PBIS Committee hosted a festive winter carnival for Shark Nation! Students had the opportunity to use the shark bucks they had earned to attend this bright and merry event. The carnival had everything from bounce houses, face painting, snacks, and games. What an amazing way to kick off winter break!  

Kindergarten, first, and second graders at SLWK8 put on a festive performance for a packed audience. The theme of Holidays Around the World was truly spectacular! Kindergarten took us on a musical journey from the United States to Italy. First grade sang and shared a poem from Israel. Second grade sang Feliz Navidad and shared different traditions from Mexico and China. It was an amazing night filled with holiday spirit!

SLWK8 third graders in Ms. Pepe’s class worked on multi-digit addition with regrouping. They did an amazing scoot around the room, working with partners to answer the questions. Way to scoot, Sharks!   

In preparation for their upcoming assessment, 5th-grade students in Ms. Herrero’s class collaborated in groups as they rotated around the classroom. They worked to answer questions on different types of energy, such as mechanical, electrical, heat, light, and sound!  

Sixth grade students in Mrs. Howard’s class showed support for their amazing classmates by wearing blue in recognition of World Diabetes Day. Way to go, Sharks!

Mrs. D’Andrea’s third-grade gifted class shared presentations of their research on Influential Americans. Students researched and created timelines using Microsoft PowerPoint. Students were able to practice presentation etiquette and enhance their active listening skills.  

St. Lucie West K8 students participated in their annual Color Run to help raise funds for teacher, staff, and student incentives. We thank all of the teachers, staff, students, parents, and families that participated and helped to raise funds!    

Sixth-grade students were honored to have one of their own teachers, a veteran herself, talk with students about being a veteran and what it means. Thank you, Ms. Velazquez for your service! In addition, Ms. Seng and Mr. Watkins had their students write Thank-you notes after learning what it means to be a veteran. Dr. Monroe and Ms. Sexton were honored to deliver the notes to local veterans and extend our gratitude for their service. It was truly an honor to celebrate our veterans!  

Mrs. Quiles’ class learned about classifying animals into major groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, arthropods, vertebrates, and invertebrates) according to their physical characteristics and behaviors.

 Third-grade math skills are shining bright at St. Lucie West K8! Mrs. Quiles’ students explored perimeter through an interactive activity, where numbers and shapes come to glow. Shine on, Sharks!

SLWK8 third-grade students in Ms. Owen’s class completed an extraordinary Escape Room all about Area and Perimeter! Students worked collaboratively to complete different mathematical tasks, as they navigated to “escape” in time. Excellent teamwork and strategy, Sharks!

St. Lucie West K8 students in Ms. Paries’ class used a bright strategy to identify clue words within an informational text focused on chronological order text structure. Students collaborated in pairs with their interactive notebooks underneath a black light to highlight the sequence of events!

Shark Nation is proud to honor and celebrate our exquisite employees of the year. Your passion, dedication, and expertise is truly inspirational. Congratulations to our SLWK8 Stars! Distinguished Minority Educator of the Year: Roselor Saget School Related Employee of the Year: Jerquesia Martin Teacher of the Year: Lindsey Laurino Outstanding First Year Teacher: Susanna Roberts The Superb Stars of St. Lucie West K8  

Fifth-grade students conducted a science experiment to determine the most effective adaptation of insulation for animals in the Arctic. They compared human skin, aluminum foil (fish scales), marbles (turtle shells), and Crisco (blubber) by placing a hand inside a bag filled with an insulator and then into buckets of icy cold water. After making observations through repeated trials, the students concluded that blubber was the most effective adaptation for warmth, with aluminum foil coming in second place!

CAST Students in Mr. Reiher’s Media Arts program celebrated May 4th, Star Wars style! Media Arts students created their own Star Wars-themed Morning Announcements by using various techniques they’ve learned, such as camera operation, presenting, audio engineering, and production lighting. Check out our CAST K-8 YouTube channel to watch this episode and many other outstanding performances at CAST—filmed and produced by CAST students! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUEnhppBovxQ8EyfwhB_eVg

Sixth Grade students in Mrs. Proctor’s and Mrs. Albers’ classes have been learning about famous female scientists for Woman’s History Month. Rosalind Franklin was a crystallographer who studied the structures of DNA, RNA, coal, and graphite.  The students grew crystals to understand the structure of them and Ms. Franklin’s contribution as a scientist.

In honor of Women’s History Month, fifth-grade students at CAST collaborated to create a banner honoring women in the arts. Students researched notable women in the fields of visual and performing arts. Their pennants included important life events, life lessons, and traits that led to their success. As a result of studying notable women of our past and present, the students discovered great things can come from adversity when they believe in their own abilities and the abilities of those around them and that they, too, can become notable artists of the future.  

During Women’s History Month, sixth-graders in Ms. Kenny’s English Language Arts classes learned about and researched female artists known for their self-portraits. Students wrote their own, “I am” poem, and created self-portraits with a unique and artistic twist. The final product was a fusion of language and art materials, creating a unique self-expression.    

In celebration of Women in Art, CAST middle school Graphic Arts students listened to a story written and illustrated by Croatian artist Smiljana Coh called The Seven Princesses. Each princess in the story had specific likes and talents – from architecture to art to athletics, and everything in between. Students were then instructed to imagine themselves as designers inside the kingdom where they were hired by one of the princesses to create a business card for their entrepreneurial venture. The students learned a quick overview of the anatomy of a business card and created a card fit for a princess.    

St. Lucie County’s public transportation system – Area Regional Transit (ART) – recently announced a countywide Call to Artists. In partnership with the St. Lucie Cultural Alliance, Area Regional Transit invited local artists to submit images of their artwork for display on the exterior of the county buses. The opportunity was designed with a youth preference, and CAST is proud to announce that Daniella SanJuan (7th grade) and Rayley Sheltra (8th grade), students in Mrs. Grasso’s middle school Graphic Arts class, were 2 of 6 student artists chosen to have their work displayed on a St. Lucie County ART bus! These talented ladies … Read More