Author: Roberta Farrell

The second grade students at Palm Pointe Educational Research School at Tradition performed traditional songs as well as some contemporary ones at the annual Thanksgiving Performance.  Students danced the Turkey Tango, recited poetry, played drums and sticks, and dressed as Native Americans and Pilgrims to commemorate this special holiday.

Palm Pointe Educational Research School at Tradition’s elementary school counselor, Summer Kuba, organized a “Day on the Hill” in Tallahassee where school counselors across the state met with legislators to educate them on the impact school counseling services have on student academic and social emotional development, college and career readiness, and overall lifelong success.  Pictured second from the left in the front row is Summer Kuba.

Eighth grade students in Mrs. Huszar’s and Ms. Pulcini’s science classes at Palm Pointe Educational Research School at Tradition recently worked with inquiry-based strategies to fully understand how photosynthesis and cellular respiration are dependent on each other. They worked to label the environmental factors, show how atoms are conserved, and illustrate how these processes rely on each other. Pictured from left: Kai Rivera and Garrett Rodney

Eighth grade students in Heather Huszar’s science classes at Palm Pointe were learning how to evaluate the law of conservation of mass by demonstrating and concluding that mass is conserved when substances undergo physical and chemical change.  An experiment involving baking soda, balloons, water, and vinegar demonstrated this concept.  Students were engaged and excited about learning a difficult science concept.  Pictured are eighth graders getting ready to conduct the experiment.

October is Bully Prevention Month and Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition had some exciting things planned in order to continue to create a safe and caring school environment free from bullying and exclusion. One way to increase tolerance at the school was to have students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade create anti-bullying posters about Building Tolerance and students in grades six through eight write essays with the same topic. One poster was selected from grades K-2 and 3-5 and one essay from grades 6-8. Winners won a pizza party for their entire class. Congratulations to Caroline Croce … Read More

Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition’s  Elementary School Counselor, Summer Kuba  attended the Florida School Counselor Association Conference  and presented to school counselors around the state on best practices for implementing classroom guidance lessons, small group and individual counseling.  Her presentations included a focus on student anxiety, engaging students through interactive lessons, advocacy efforts, and elementary counseling techniques.

Make it ORANGE and make it end!  What are your true colors when it comes to bullying?  If you care about safe and supportive schools and communities make your color ORANGE on Unity Day.  That’s the day everyone came together in schools, communities and online to send one large ORANGE message of support, hope and unity to show that we are united against bullying and united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion.  Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition proudly supported the day with a school wide event of dressing in orange and students signed pledges to stand up to stand … Read More

Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition had a school-wide event sponsored by P.B.I.S. (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support). Students in grades K-8 participated in a Power Hour to raise money for their teachers’ classrooms. All the proceeds from the event will be used in the classrooms for rewards for students with positive behavior. Teachers buy items that their students can purchase with rocket fuel  they have earned. The event was a lot of fun for the students; the theme was a luau and there were games, music, limbo, photo booth, snacks and small trinkets for everyone! Pictured are fifth … Read More

To help celebrate Florida City Government Week, Port St. Lucie Councilwoman Shannon Martin came to Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition to talk with students in the seventh grade. Councilwoman Martin talked with students about public policy and how the local government plays an important role in policies and legislation. Students also were able to ask the Councilwoman questions about their project topics for Project Citizen.  Pictured is Councilwoman Shannon Martin as she talks with the seventh grade students.

Team leaders and department chairs at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition are participating in a “fishbowl” activity. Fourth grade teachers shared recent test results on the Summative Assessment Reporting form and modeled the process of analyzing data. They discussed root causes of proficiency and non-proficiency and worked to create a plan of action for student success.

After being stationed in Italy as a Commander in the Navy for the past nine months, Mr. Kyle Croce visited his kindergarten daughter Aria and first grade daughter Caroline during their lunch at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition.  What a wonderful welcome back surprise; there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!

Under the direction of Dr. Brett Lauren, PhD Director of Graduate Training Professor of Psychology at FAU, Grade 3 through 5 students  at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition will be participating in a research study entitled ” School Experiences in Childhood and Adolescence.” The purpose of this project is to examine how individual characteristics of friends shape child adjustment and school achievement.

Kyle Kryak joined Colby Kuba and the entire fifth grade at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition recently to share his experience living with Tourette Syndrome.  Kyle shared his adventures in traveling across the United States raising awareness and promoting acceptance.  Palm Pointe recently raised $600 to contribute to finding a cure!  Some inspiring words to the students, “People are good, never give up, follow your dreams, treat everyone with respect, persevere, embrace who you are, accept others”.  Pictured from left is Colby Kuba and Kyle Kryak.

Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition would like to congratulate the following students for placing recently in the Dr. Samuel S. Gaines Essay Contest.  Annarose Hilhorst a fourth grader in Ms. Perry’s class placed First in the Elementary School Category, Riley Holtzclaw a fifth grader in Ms. Patton’s class placed Second in the Elementary School Category, and Laney Keys a third grader in Ms. Clancy’s class placed Third in the Elementary Category.  Athresha Kalluri a sixth grader in Mrs. Fazzalaro’s class placed First in the Middle School Category.  These students will be recognized at the St Lucie County School … Read More

Recently, Palm Pointe school finalists in the 2015 History Fair from grades six and eight celebrated their achievements in a special ceremony and exhibit gallery.  This year’s theme – Leadership and Legacy – challenged the students to research an individual in history who demonstrated extraordinary leadership in his/her respective field, and left a legacy which impacted future generations.  Students selected one of five project options to showcase their research and historical analysis.  Each finalist’s project was then judged using the National History Day criteria, and a maximum of three students were selected from each category to advance to the district competition.  The … Read More

Palm Pointe Educational Research School won the St. Lucie County Middle School Soccer Championship on Saturday, February 7.  The coach of the team was Mr. Robert Santoro, Physical Education teacher and athletic director at the school.  “It was truly a team effort throughout the day as both the offense and defense had outstanding performances,”  said  Mrs. Santoro. This was their first soccer championship.  Ms. Debra Snyder, principal at Palm Pointe, and Mr. Santoro, are very proud of the athletes who worked so hard.  Congratulations, Rockets on this outstanding accomplishment. Pictured from left is: Back Row (standing) – Nemuel Robinson, Nicholas Gebert, Michael … Read More

Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition is so honored to win first place for the Martin Luther King Jr. “Week of Kindness”. The school did several activities during that week. Students in all grade levels K-8 decorated their doors with the Kindness theme. A school wide Diversity of Kindness wall was created by students who submitted kindness drawings and sayings. Teachers were given Kindness Coins to pass out to students and teachers for random acts of kindness throughout the week. To end the week students and staff dressed in one of the Kindness Colors for our Diversity of Kindness … Read More

Students at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition participated in a Mismatch Day sponsored by the P.B.I.S. (Positive Behavior Intervention and Support) program. Students used their earned rocket fuel for good behavior in the classroom to be able to dress mismatched. Pictured from left is sixth grade student Nadia Mihajlovski, fifth grader Sara Al-Turk and fifth grader Kailee Larmon.

These four fifth grade students from Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition were selected to  attend “Saturday with a Scientist” on Saturday, 10, 2015 at V.G.T.I. (Vaccine Gene Therapy Institute). Students were able to do several hands on science experiments. The students all learned valuable lessons and enjoyed the experiments that they did. Pictured from left is one of the V.G.T.I. Scientists, Bernol Roache, Matthew Tucker, Kate Barcelona, Aryan Vashishta and another V.G.T.I. Scientist.

Elementary students at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition enjoyed a Holiday Chorus Concert as part of a Positive Behavior event. Students used their earned rocket fuel for good behavior in the classroom to attend the special program put on by music director, Christine Hill and her chorus students. The holiday songs were a great way to begin the upcoming holiday season and the students and staff loved it. Pictured is the chorus performing on stage and the students enjoying the show.