Category: Press Releases

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – With a month’s worth of attention on the importance of positive attendance, St. Lucie Public Schools and Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County unite in their message to support making attendance a priority throughout the entire school year.  “September is Attendance Awareness Month. However, with September drawing to a close, we don’t want to lose sight of the importance for our students to be in school every day of every month in order to enhance their opportunities for success,” explained St. Lucie Public Schools Superintendent E. Wayne Gent. Boys and Girls Clubs of St. … Read More

Student artists from St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) channel their talents in a tribute to the heroes of 9/11.  Through a collaborative art project between SLPS and the City of Port St. Lucie, students are helping to beautify the city by painting murals that will be transferred to wraps for traffic utility cabinets throughout the city.  A special 9/11 tribute cabinet created by art students at Lincoln Park Academy will be unveiled at the upcoming remembrance ceremony for 9/11 victims and first responders.  The ceremony, which begins at 8:30 AM, will take place at the Port St. Lucie Civic Center, … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – September is Attendance Awareness Month – an opportunity to bring attention to and support building a habit of good attendance. St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) Superintendent E. Wayne Gent emphasized the importance for all students to attend school regularly.  “Regular attendance is vital for our students’ success. Chronic absenteeism negatively impacts student achievement and graduation rates. Our goal is to give every student the best opportunity for success in life, so let’s help create habits of positive attendance early in their academic careers.” Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) Superintendent E. Wayne Gent posed the question to students in Mrs. Myers’ 3rd grade Bayshore Elementary School classroom, “What did you do this summer?” What he heard from eight-year-old Christine Regina was a heroic recount of this young student’s quick thinking that helped save a young boy from drowning. With calm and quiet self-assurance, Regina explained to the Superintendent and her classmates what occurred on a summer day in June while visiting her grandparents in Margate, Florida.  During an under-water exploration of the city’s swimming pool, Regina noticed a boy at … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie Soars is an early literacy effort launched by St. Lucie Public Schools that includes a community initiative in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters.  A component of the program involves the recruitment of volunteers/mentors to support reading efforts in kindergarten through grade three to help close the gap in third grade literacy.  Superintendent E. Wayne Gent said, “Giving a child the gift of reading opens the door to the world.” Gent encourages community members to consider becoming a volunteer for St. Lucie Soars by donating one hour each week to read with a child. … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – For the third year in a row, St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) continues to include the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program in schools that qualify.  According to Child and Nutrition Services Director Deborah Wuest, this year the District was able to expand the program to sixteen schools.  Last year 10 schools received the benefit of this program that enables all students to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost.   Wuest explained that a number of factors must be closely analyzed and reviewed by the USDA before a school is identified as a qualifying CEP site.  … Read More

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – Hard work has paid off for Alexandra Artiles, a community-minded and academically involved graduate of Treasure Coast High School.  Artiles has been named as one of 300 national semifinalists in the National Honor Society Scholarship program.  She was selected from more than 25,000 applicants and will receive a $1,500 scholarship.   This accomplished high honors graduate received her St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) high school diploma in May.  As a Treasure Coast Titan and dedicated member of the National Honor Society chapter, she participated in the Cambridge University Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Program.  … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – HOSA – Future Health Professionals recently announced the 2016 recipients of the HCA – Philip R. Patton HOSA Scholarship.  Fifteen students were recognized from states across the nation in which HCA-Hospital Corporation of America has hospital locations.  St. Lucie Medical Center and Lawnwood Regional Medical Center are HCA hospitals located on the Treasure Coast. Jessica Janvier is a 2016 graduate of St. Lucie West Centennial High School (SLWCHS) as well as a HOSA member representing the Allied Health CNA/EKG program.  She was named as one of the 15 scholarship recipients from an applicant pool of over … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Long gone are the lazy days of summer.  Students are finding more valuable ways to spend their summer days through an internship program made available through a partnership with St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) and Career Source Research Coast.  St. Lucie County has funded the program and hired over 100 community youth.  From this program, over 40 student interns – more than twice the number from last year – were welcomed into the School District’s media services, publications, technology, student assignment, nutritional services, accounting, and maintenance service departments for hands-on experiences during this eight-week opportunity. Marty Sanders, SLPS … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) reached a positive agreement with its Classroom Teachers Association (CTA) and Classified Unit (CU) partners on Tuesday, July 12th. Superintendent E. Wayne Gent stated, “This represents a true spirit of collaboration and trust.  I commend our bargaining teams and the commitment of our School Board who have worked together to reach an agreement prior to the beginning of the school year.  This marks the second year in a row we have accomplished this.”  CTA/CU President Vicki Rodriguez said, “Both teams have been diligent in their work this summer to reach the … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY —  In a report released today by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) logged three A schools and eight B schools with six schools increasing their grades from last year’s baseline.   This equates to 15 percent of SLPS boasting an improved letter grade – a significant increase above the three percent average of letter grade increases documented across the state.  “I commend our teachers and administrators for their persistent efforts to support students’ learning in an environment that has undergone a great deal of change over the last few years,” said SLPS … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY —  In what has become an annual tradition, the Treasure Coast High School (TCHS) Titan Band Executive Leadership Team participated in a leadership workshop at Penny’s Band Camp.  In mid-June, Eckerd College in St. Petersburg hosted this well respected four-day camp which has been training student leaders since 1972.  Students from across Florida as well as from other states attended this camp to develop the skills necessary to lead their peers and their band programs to a successful year. The Titan band leaders collaborated with others to learn about the strengths of different band programs and to … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – According to St. Lucie Public Schools Superintendent E. Wayne Gent, “Effective school leadership is paramount to the overall success of a school and to the success of a thriving school district.  That is why we take such care in identifying leaders who have a strong belief system that fosters support for high quality instruction and high expectations that all students can learn at high levels.”  Gent named the following individuals as new St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) principals for the coming school year:  Keith Davis (Performance Based Preparatory Academy), Adrian Ocampo (Port St. Lucie High School), … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie Public Schools Superintendent E. Wayne Gent received notification from the Florida Association of District School Superintendents (FADSS) that the District is recognized as a Florida Healthy School District for the period of 2016-2018. The Florida Coordinated School Health Partnership (CSHP) and Florida Action for Healthy Kids (FLAFHK) congratulated St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) for its continued efforts to support the physical, mental and social health of students and staff. “In keeping with Florida’s vision for our children to be healthy, fit, and ready to learn, we strive to be exceptional in creating healthy teaching … Read More