Author: WHITNEY WITHEROW

As school assessments roll out across campus, Northport K-8 is taking measures to help parents understand the new testing program, Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST).  FAST Assessments replaced the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA), which was the previous standardized state assessment used in Florida. FAST assessments include VPK through grade 10 English Language Arts and VPK through grade 8 Mathematics.  A few notable differences between the FSA and FAST include the time it takes to test, the number of times we test per year and the way questions are presented to students.  The new assessment comes with many improved features that are designed … Read More

Essay-writing phobia is a thing. Maybe it’s because curating ideas backed by evidence can be a challenging task, or perhaps it’s because of the strict time limits and deadlines that come with classroom assignments and testing schedules. Generating material becomes even more difficult when you are given a topic you are not interested in.  Many variables can lead to writer’s block, but one thing is for sure: writing is a critical part of communication, and we can’t ignore it.  We decided to talk to one of Northport’s best writing teachers on campus, Kristin Hughes, who draws on a decade of teaching … Read More

Students from VPK to fifth grade celebrated the school year together during the Spring Fling on Friday, March 28. The dance theme was Alice in Wonderland, and students were encouraged to dress up. Other activities included big and little yard games, food, dancing, and face painting donated by the school PTO president.   A special guest, the Queen of Hearts, made an appearance for photo opportunities. Contest winners for Best Dressed, Best Costume, and Best Mad Hatter were also awarded. 

Congratulations to Daniela Ramos, 8th grade, and Victoria Rojas, 7th grade, for being selected from 180 student entries throughout the county for the PSL Drop Savers Poster Contest.  The City’s website states that City employees judged the posters on their message, creativity, and originality and a winner was chosen from each participating grade level.  Each winner received a $25 Walmart gift card and other prizes. The students will also be invited to attend a special presentation at a City Council Meeting where they will be recognized for their efforts. 

The annual trip to the Capitol allows students to explore Washington D.C. and the rich history of America. They participated in this trip over their spring break and visited monuments, museums, and other exciting historical attractions that gave them an inside look to the government and other iconic sights.

Jazzleyn Yrjola of Northport K-8 created a presentation for the 30th Annual History Day that was selected to represent the district at the state level later this year. National History Day is the basis for creative historical research projects. This year the theme is Debate and Diplomacy in History. Students could enter the contest in a variety of ways – from creating exhibits, websites, documentaries, performances, and research papers. District judges had to evaluate more than 80 submissions before narrowing them down to a select few to compete at the state level. The state competition will be held in Tallahassee in May. 

NPK-8 celebrated Read Across America school-wide with the help of the St. Lucie Sheriff’s Department, the City of Port St. Lucie Police Department, the U.S. Navy Recruiting Station, the Big Brother Big Sisters of Indian River County, and our partners in education, First United Methodist Church of Port St. Lucie. Overall, the school had 31 volunteer readers who helped spread the joy of reading to our students. The Read Across America initiative for NPK-8 was a three-fold effort that targeted specific grade levels with engaging content and new books to their library. The K-2 portion of the event welcomed readers … Read More

The fair display team consisted of several staff members across campus who came together to build a display that focused on students and their pathways to future careers. The display included life-size student models and silhouettes that represented who they wanted to be when they grow up. At the heart of it all — the dream makers — teachers. Student artwork was also displayed along with an inspirational video that shows NPK-8 staff and students are much more than just athletics, academics, and arts!

Mrs. Assunta Bailey is the Media Clerk at Northport K-8, but she is also a very talented artist. Her work can be seen around the city on utility box wraps and even a little library. Recently she came across a call to artists and she decided to submit a piece of her artwork to the Area Regional Transit for consideration to share her work on Fix Route Buses. To her surprise, her work was selected shortly after. “For me, art has always played some part in my life,” said Bailey. “My work is an expression of who I am – … Read More

Athletes share a lot of similarities before a big home game -pride, pregame jitters, and excitement are just a few of them. But this year, NPK-8 athletes are sharing more than just their feelings. Each basketball player was encouraged to share their jersey for the day with a teacher or staff member that has made an impact on them.  “I got this idea after collaborating with other coaches who do this in their schools,” said Jean-Ann Fret, girls basketball coach. “Not only does it create a positive start to their day, but it’s also a way for students to give back to those teachers … Read More