Author: MARY ROTI

During Women’s History Month, CAST students in kindergarten, first, and second grade used their creativity to honor artistic women in innovative ways. Kindergarteners researched Frida Kahlo’s life and legacy; they observed her many beautiful self-portraits and how she always wore ornate clothing, jewelry, and flowers in her hair. They made flower crowns to match her! First-grade students created mosaic rainbow masterpieces inspired by the artist Alma Woodsey. Second grade had a fun time exploring women in the arts as well. Students researched and used the information to create a poster of Frida Kahlo, Queen of Selfies, and drew a portrait … Read More

CAST eighth-graders in Mr. Barnes’ class rocked the science fair held at Indian River State College. Their experiments ranged from fertilizer comparisons, hydraulic can dispensers, ice insulators, and natural oil products for hair to just name a few! Eighth-grade students Hannah Rios and Lauryn Rodriguez were awarded 2nd place in their category as well as the Cleveland Clinic Biomedical Award for their outstanding Biomedical project. Sidonie Gordon-Tucker and Amaya Ethridge received 2nd place awards in the Plant category, while Allison Buchmeyer and Marcella Gardini-DaSilva received a special award from SAAVAS Realize for their project in environmental science.  

CAST artists in Ms. Swabon’s Visual Arts class were inspired by the Australian Papunya culture and community to create their own spirit animals. Their sensational artwork was showcased at the St. Lucie County Fair and embodied the theme of, “Dream Makers -Arts, Academics, and Athletics.”    

St. Lucie County’s public transportation system, Area Regional Transit (ART), announced a 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. CAST Intermediate Visual Arts students researched and created their own designs for the contest.  

Sixth graders in Mrs. Alber’s and Mrs. Proctor’s science classes are learning about animal cells and the structure and function of major organelles. To help students understand this concept better, they created 3D animal cells using the collage art technique. Models help them to gain knowledge in the structures and organelles of a cell. The students compared their animal cells models to the 2D plant models they created last week.

Sixth graders in Mrs. Proctor’s Science class are learning about plant cells and the structure and function of major organelles. To help students understand this concept better, Mrs. Proctor’s classes used watercolor paints to paint a plant cell and its structures. Once painted, students labeled the structures and identified what function each one has.

First-grade CAST students in Mrs. Lundy’s class drew and drafted their own plans to design a bridge with an underpass. They used a variety of materials to construct their bridges as a team. They expanded their creativity through art, engineering, and synergy!  

Middle school students in Mrs. Grasso’s Graphic Arts class recently finished a unit on Typography – which is an essential component in Graphic Design. Students learned about the different font categories including serif, sans serif, script, and display. Using that knowledge, along with the Principles of Design, students created beautiful mini typographic posters for Black History Month utilizing industry-standard design software, Adobe Illustrator.

Ms. Denman’s fourth-grade students at CAST put the “E” in STEAM! They used engineering to build a cofferdam. Students are learning about Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway. They are learning about the Key West Extension, an overseas railroad and how it was built.  

Mrs. Albers’ sixth-grade classes explored force and motion using zSpace technology in our CAST Science Lab. They observed how friction, mass, and the amount of force affected the distance a block would travel. zSpace technology encourages and inspires students to interact with the curriculum and to experiment through augmented and virtual reality!  

The Instrumental department at CAST put on a Modern Band Holiday Rock Concert last December. The performance featured students from grades fifth through eighth, showcasing the following: Keyboard Ensemble, Pre-Band Nuvo Ensemble, Ukulele Ensemble, keyboard solos/duets, and various CAST Rock Bands. The music performed ranged from the holiday classics to current pop-rock. The CAST instrumental program will continue to perform with these types of ensembles. Rock on, performers!

The CAST Dance Team performed on Dec. 18th, 2021 at Disney Springs. They performed eight dances, including Jazz, Lyrical, and Hip-Hop styles. They were able to enjoy the rest of the day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It was a once-in-a-lifetime performing opportunity and team bonding experience!  

We are excited to celebrate the success of our CAST Music students! 3rd through 5th-grade music students and 6th-grade percussionists had an outstanding winter performance. Students performed using Orff xylophones, steel drums, Brazilian Samba drums, ukuleles, and more! Congratulations performers!  

MIDFLORIDA Credit Union brought, “The Gift of Reading” to our Kindergarten classes. Mr. Slason read, Picture Book by Dog to our students and gave them each a book to take home. We are so grateful and can’t wait for them to visit again!

The CAST Middle School Dance Team, under the direction of Mrs. Megan Murphy, auditioned and were accepted to perform at Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida. They will be performing Saturday, December 18th at 12:45pm on the Waterside Stage in Disney Springs! Get ready, the CAST Dance Team is Disney bound and ready to dazzle the stage!  

Last week the CAST Band Program, under the direction of Mr. Sandon Chevlin, presented their end-of-semester concert. The concert included four selections performed by the Sixth Grade Beginning Band, three selections performed by the Seventh/Eighth Grade Concert Band, “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” performed by the Wind Ensemble, and an arrangement of a theme from the Nutcracker performed by an advanced clarinet quintet made of students and the director. For half of the students in the concert, it was their first band concert ever. What an exciting and incredible experience!

Third and Fourth-grade CAST artists created Florida State Symbol Clay Tiles as a “practice run” for a larger tile mosaic that will be displayed permanently in the school’s administration building. Students focused on the Visual Art Standard VA.3-4.F.3.3: Demonstrate the skills needed to complete artwork in a timely manner, demonstrate perseverance, and development of 21st-century skills.

We are honored to acknowledge and celebrate our Employees of the Year. Your dedication, passion, and expertise are truly inspirational! Congratulations to our Stars at CAST! Teacher of the Year: Mrs. Lillian Athill Distinguished Minority Educator: Ms. Melissa Phillips-Hill Outstanding First Year Teacher: Ms. Dalia Munoz School Related Employee of the Year: Mrs. Deborah St. Jacques

Talented dancers in Mrs. Murphy’s and Mrs. Curtis’ dance classes just finished their fall performances. Our outstanding dancers shined on stage as they performed Jazz, Lyrical, Hip-Hop, and African-style dance routines.

Fifth Grade students in Ms. Broderick’s class explored various applications through Zspace in our Science Lab. They raised questions, analyzed, and deepened their knowledge about the solar system and the sun! Zspace technology encourages and inspires students to interact with the curriculum and to experiment through augmented and virtual reality.