Author: TRACI WILKE

Floresta is so proud of our Dolphins and the academic growth they have demonstrated this year!  Third through Fifth graders achieving their FAST growth goals celebrated by making and enjoying their own icee.

Our Phin Nation Cheerleaders at Floresta Elementary School encouraged our third through fifth-grade students in preparation for their FAST testing. Their message was “Try your hardest; do your best; but always remember YOU are more than a test!”  We believe in all of our Dolphins!

Volunteering is more than just fulfilling tasks; it’s about showing kindness, compassion, and care. The dedication from our volunteers has made a tangible difference, whether it was helping a student, beautifying our campus, spoiling our teachers, or fostering a sense of community. We showed our appreciation during a special breakfast hosted by our amazing Volunteer Coordinator, Mrs. Sarah Neil in partnership with our outstanding Math Coach, Mrs. Valerie Lindh.

Floresta partnered with the Cox Science Museum to host a fun Family STEAM Night. Families explored twenty interactive science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities.  Chase Dulemba and Jase Hutchinson eagerly designed and tested out their rollercoaster as they learned about force and motion.

Students at Floresta showed their spirit during Twin Day. Mrs. Tameika Anderson’s class created matching tie-dye shirts to wear for the occasion.

Floresta’s fifth-grade dolphins had a fin-tastic time at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.  Students were fascinated while seining along the Indian River Lagoon exploring marine life up close.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go”. Floresta Dolphins explored the places they can go when reading books in celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday.

More than one hundred families from Floresta Elementary participated in the Reading Under the Stars Literacy Night, where they acquired valuable literacy skills and strategies that can easily be implemented at home to cultivate a passion for reading.

Floresta Dolphins participate in a weekly Reading Challenge.  For each book they read students submit a one-sentence summary to enter a weekly drawing.  On Friday afternoons two lucky readers per grade level win a prize. Keep on reading Dolphins!

Floresta extended our school-wide theme of Ohana by hosting Family Conference Day during February’s early dismissal day. Teachers and staff demonstrated their commitment to fostering positive relationships by inviting parents into classrooms to learn about their child’s academic progress.  Over 300 families participated in the event and learned about the B.E.S.T. standards and the F.A.S.T. assessment.

Floresta Elementary celebrated literacy with a Words Get Dressed Up event. Teachers, staff, and students made Everglades-themed vocabulary words come to life with their costumes and visual representations.  K-2 families came out to enjoy a special parade of words!

Floresta’s fifth-grade students learned how habitat loss is one of the most critical issues facing wildlife.  The students became Florida panthers, white-tailed deer, and motor vehicles in a tag-like game to simulate the disappearance of the Everglades habitat. This lesson was completed as part of the school’s effort to become an Everglades Champion School during their Everglades Themed Literacy Week.

One hundred and twenty Floresta students earned ice cream sundaes Friday for meeting the I-Ready Challenge.  These students passed four lessons in reading and four lessons in math to stay sharp over Winter Break.

Miss Emily and Mr. Johnny from the Oxbow Center presented an engaging and interactive program focusing on animal adaptations titled “Wildlife Friends and Foes”.  3rd grade students learned about special visitors including Miss Summer the Box Turtle.

Our Dolphins had a blast during their Winter Field Days!  It was a great way to enjoy the chilly weather with the anticipation of Winter Break.  Our PE Coaches, Erin Perman and Jared Kay did a great job organizing student favorites such as sack races, hurdle relays, and the 3 legged race.

On Tuesday, December 12, the Rotary Club of PSL hosted its annual Christmas party for boys and girls who may not otherwise receive anything for Christmas.  Mrs. Dohrmann and Mrs. Cortes, our school counselors, accompanied 9 of our Floresta students to this event.  The students enjoyed a lunch provided by the Rotary Club, and had the opportunity to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus who brought along a gift for each one of them. They ate cookies, colored Christmas pictures and just had a few hours of Christmas magic.

Ms. Brennan and Mrs. O’Malley’s kindergarten classes learned about Native American Teepee homes. They worked together to build their own teepee using paper, popsicle sticks, and tape. The students had so much fun working together to construct a Teepee that could stand on their own.

Mrs. Madorma’s fifth graders enjoyed a read-aloud of the book Esperanza Rising Up.  As a culminating activity, the class participated in a special Rising Up Ceremony and a Taco luncheon.  Students created symbolic roses with statements of how they will “rise up”.  Students also practiced their public speaking skills during a class-wide presentation.

Floresta celebrated October’s early release with our theme of Ohana by welcoming families to our first round of conferences. Teachers discussed student performance and taught families the impact of attendance.  More than 200 families leveraged this opportunity to engage.

Girls on the Run chose to clean up their school grounds for their community service project. Thank you GOTR for helping beautify Floresta!