Category: District News

Fort Pierce Mayor Linda Hudson and Port St. Lucie Mayor JoAnn Faeilla have begun a recognition program to honor public schools in their communities that have shown continued excellence, improved student achievement, and innovation. Pictured is Mayor Faeilla, left, with Principal Ucola Barrett-Baxter at Parkway Elementary School in Port St. Lucie, and Mayor Hudson with Principal Juanita Wright at Frances K. Sweet Elementary in Fort Pierce.

Trophies were awarded for the winning entries in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemmorative Committee parade on January 21, 2013, in Fort Pierce. First, second and third place, plus winners of special judges’ awards, were presented. Pictured, front row kneeling, are Jerrime Shells of Forest Grove Middle School with its first place trophy for the middle school division , and Principal Todd Smith of Fort Pierce Central High School with the first place trophy for the high school category. Second row, from left, are Assistant Principal Kim Smith with the Overall Floating Trophy awarded to Fort Pierce Magnet School of … Read More

St. Lucie Public Schools’ Volunteers of the Year for three categories were announced at the February 26, 2013, St. Lucie County School Board meeting. Prior to the meeting, an appreciation celebration was held for all of the nominees and their families in the Superintendent’s Suite sponsored by the St. Lucie Education Foundation. The Adult Volunteer is Kim Guettler from Fairlawn Elementary, Youth Volunteer is Jordan Trojanowski, a student at Westwood High School nominated by Southern Oaks Middle School, and Senior Volunteer is Lucille Van Doorn from Parkway Elementary. Their nominations will go on to regional competition for the state award. … Read More

St. Lucie West Centennial High School athletic director John Messina joins six other individuals being inducted into the Florida High School Athletic Hall of Fame April 28 in Gainesville during the 23rd-annual Induction Ceremony. Their induction will bring to only 157 members who have earned this prestigious honor. As head baseball coach at Pace, Port St. Lucie and Jensen Beach high schools, Messina compiled a 465-160 record and totaled three state championships with two state runner-ups while coaching two USA Players of the Year — Alex Fernandez in 1988 and Rick Ankiel in 1997. Messina was also named the Florida … Read More

The winners in each of four employee categories for St. Lucie Public Schools were announced at the annual Night of the Stars gala celebration February 23 at Lincoln Park Academy. The recognition program is sponsored by the St. Lucie County Education Foundation and the school board. Fort Pierce Central High School 32-year veteran math teacher and coach Harry B. Williams was named 2014 Teacher of the Year, and Palm Point Educational Research School at Tradition plant manager Eric Henik, who has been in that position since the school opened five years ago, was named 2013 School Related Employee of the … Read More

The St. Lucie Education Foundation has kicked off its “Get On the Bus” campaign to enhance community awareness of its variety of initiatives to benefit public education in St. Lucie County and encourage community involvement in those programs. The local initiative is part of the statewide foundation consortium drive to increase support of public education through local foundations. The local Education Foundation provides multiple vehicles for individuals and organizations to make a positive difference in education through volunteer efforts, contributions, and celebrations of teachers and students. The Foundation has earmarked funds for use by teachers to fund creative classroom projects … Read More

A contingency of St. Lucie County School Board members, Superintendent Michael Lannon, district administrators and executives of the St. Lucie County Education Foundation surprised three finalists for the school district’s 2014 Teacher of the Year honor at their school sites Thursday, January 24. The finalists were selected from nominees from the school district’s 39 traditional schools. The nominees for the annual local award include: Loryn Black, first grade teacher at Fairlawn Elementary School in Fort Pierce; Lt. Colonel Joseph J. Cavallaro, Air Force JROTC senior instructor at Treasure Coast High School in Port St. Lucie; and Harry B. Williams, math … Read More

The Palm Pointe Rocket Jazz Band recently hosted members from the Foirt Pierce Jazz and Blues Society for a side by side clinic to prepare students for their upcoiming festival performance at the District 13 Jazz ensemble Performance Assessment. The students enjoyed hearing new musical concepts to add to their music. The staff and administrators at Palm Pointe thank the members of the Jazz Society for their generous contribution of time and resources. Pictured are members of the organization who provided guidance with the student musicians.

St. Lucie Public Schools’ school nutrition services department’s Anita Alli, president of the St. Lucie County Florida School Nutrition Association, enlisted the support of Superintendent Michael Lannon in the local group’s application for a President’s Award through the state association. The award, “Living Today for a Better Tomorrow,” recognizes school districts which actively work together districtwide to promote education and nutrition. Pictured is Ms. Alli with Superintendent Lannon.

American Heart Association representative Linda Perez presented the St. Lucie County School District an award at the January 22, 2013, school board meeting recognizing the district as a Fit-Friendly company. The national recognition is presented for organizations promoting health and wellness. Pictured, from left, are St. Lucie School Board chairman Debbie Hawley, district wellness manager Carlye Fabrikant, Ms. Perez, and Superintendent Michael Lannon.

Newly seated St. Lucie County Commissioner Kim Johnson and wife Sharita Johnson were entertaining masters of ceremony for the annual parade on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on 25th Street in Fort Pierce. The parade highlighted a 10-day celebration, which included a spelling bee, oratory contest, and candlelight parade. Schools, community groups, fraternal organizaitons and local businesses paraded down 25th Street displaying their renditions of the year’s theme, “Reach Beyond the Dream.”

On the two days before winter break from school, you might picture the high schools as a quiet place. Not true at the Fort Pierce Central High School Culinary Arts Cobra Café, where the kitchen was full of students baking, measuring, cleaning and wrapping as they prepared brownies for 500 St Lucie families. St. Lucie County school board member Troy Ingersoll delivered the baked treats to Harvest Food Bank, which in turn distributed the warm brownies with holiday meals for local families in need. A delicious treat for the holidays! Pictured is Central student Boaz Laguerre preparing the brownies.

The Fort Pierce Central video production class is in the middle of their most productive year to date. The nine member crew has been steady at work producing WFPC News, the school’s daily announcement show. Now in its third year, the news team is hitting its stride. The students are taking on the daily challenge of reporting the schools bevy of events and activities. Running the gamut from sports updates to fundraisers and upcoming events, their mission to keep fellow students “in-the-know” is a great success. Since the beginning of the school year, the class has produced nearly 70 shows, … Read More

Floresta Elementary School second grade student Jaime Rosenberg took to heart the spirit of giving this holiday season. As she wrote her yearly letter to Santa, she included some of her own money with a request for it to be sent to the victims of Hurricane Sandy. But her efforts didn’t stop there. With the help of her mom, she created a website to invite her family and friends to contribute to the American Red Cross directly. Her website has reached over $500 in online donations to date!  In an effort to assist her with her idea, Floresta Elementary students and staff … Read More

Marine Private First Class Austin Boatright, the brother of a student in Lois Peith’s second grade class, visited  White City Elementary recently. Private Boatright just graduated from Parris Island and spoke to the students about the importance of being respectful and responsible. In order to graduate, Private Boatright was required to do many things including shine his belt buckle and boots, iron his clothes, and make the bed. Students were inspired by the commitment and dedication of this leader and role model. Pictured is Private Boatright surrounded by White City students.

Fort Pierce Westwood High School culinary arts students prepared and served a holiday themed hot buffet lunch to school and district leaders recently at the district offices. The lunch was sponsored by St. Lucie Education Foundation executive director Jim McKenzie, who was pleased with the quality of the meal and service. Chef Maureen Greenberg assisted the students who cooked, baked, transported, plated, served, decorated, and cleared the lunch. Pictured, from left, are Ciara May, Alexis Lloyd, Blanca Morales, Joseph Noble, Joseph Gilmore, Eric Smith, Ken Adams, Jeron Evans, Jose Garcia and Jamal Laing. The students handled the crowd with efficiency … Read More

Students in Shirley Helton’s fifth grade class at Fairlawn Elementary School are corresponding with U.S. military troops stationed in Afghanistan. They write letters and send treats to the troops to boost morale, and also enjoy receiving news from the soldiers. The troops have sent books, pictures and other artifacts from Afghanistan. The students enjoy their community efforts to help our soldiers abroad.

Members of the St. Lucie County Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) team presented an update on their tobacco prevention efforts in local schools at the December 11, 2012, St. Lucie School Board meeting. Students also provided local data from the 2012 Florida Youth Tobacco Survey. Pictured at back, far left, is School Board chairman Debbie Hawley, and at back, far right, Superintendent Michael Lannon, with the students and their sponsors.

William Barr, a junior from Treasure Coast High School (TCHS), has been nominated to the Florida Department of Education as the Sunshine State Scholar for St. Lucie County. Students are nominated based on their success in high level math and science courses, and the intent to major in those subjects in college. William also scored the highest PSAT score in TCHS history! William and his parents were recognized at the December 11, 2012, St. Lucie County School Board meeting. Pictured, from left, are School Board chairman Debbie Hawley, TCHS assistant principal Nikki Poole, William and his parents Bill and Nancy, … Read More