Category: Press Releases

“Parents: You Matter” Program Launches in St. Lucie County New Program Designed to Increase Parents’ Understanding of Drug and Alcohol Issues Today, the Title I Department of St. Lucie Public Schools in conjunction with local agencies announced the launch of a community education program designed to increase parents’ understanding and confidence in preventing and addressing drug and alcohol issues. The multi-media training program is designed to educate parents of teens and tweens about why kids use drugs and alcohol. Program topics cover: what parents can do to protect their children, tips on how to communicate with their kids, suggestions for … Read More

Learning about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics along with a splash of the arts (STE@M) makes students want to sing and dance. From a scientific point of view, the previous two trials (AKA previous two annual Rap Battles), support the hypothesis that the 3rd annual STE@M Rap Battle will play to another full house at the Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce on Friday, November 20th at 7 P.M. Student teams from around the district will align STE@M-based lyrics to hip-hop beats in a Rap Battle sponsored by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) and hosted by special guest Dr. Christopher Emdin, Associate … Read More

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – Walmart awarded 20 teachers from Allapattah Flats K-8 School with $50 reward cards to purchase classroom supplies that will help students as part of the company’s Teacher Rewards program. For the sixth year, Walmart will donate over $4.5 million to provide 90,000 teachers across the United States with reward cards to help offset the cost of classroom expenses at the beginning of the school year. These funds come at a critical time, as many teachers will spend an estimated $1,000 of their own money to ensure their students have the supplies they need to learn … Read More

(TAMPA) – October 30, 2015– The Florida Council on Economic Education (FCEE), is pleased to announce the newly selected outstanding educator for quarter two featured on our “Teacher Spotlight – Recognizing Superior Educators for Innovation in the Classroom” webpage is, Jacqueline Harris of Village Green Environmental Studies School in St. Lucie County, FL. Ms. Harris is an energetic and outgoing first grade educator who was awarded first place in the Entrepreneurship Category, Elementary Division, at the 2015 Governor’s Award Program for Excellence in Teaching Economics, for her project “The Healthy Kidz Snack Shop & Eatery”. Her project, which asked students … Read More

ST. LUCIE  COUNTY – Ecstatic and astonished were the common reactions from St. Lucie Public Schools’ (SLPS) Outstanding Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year nominees as Superintendent E. Wayne Gent and an entourage of well-wishers surprised the school leaders with the news this week. Mrs. Latricia Woulard, principal of St. Lucie Elementary, and Mrs. Michelle Herrington, assistant principal of Windmill Point Elementary, are this year’s nominees. While the two school leaders serve different schools this academic year, they served together last year as a dynamic duo at Windmill Point Elementary.  “Both ladies are exemplary in their dedication to helping … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Common Sense, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids and families thrive in a world of digital media and technology, has recognized St. Lucie Public Schools’ Mosaic Digital Academy as a Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified School. “We’re honored to be recognized as a Common Sense Digital Citizenship Certified School for the second year in a row,” said Principal Jeanne Ziemba. “By preparing our students to use technology safely and responsibly, we are providing them unlimited opportunities to maximize and personalize their learning.” Mosaic Digital Academy has demonstrated its commitment to taking a whole-community approach … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie Public Schools unites with other communities across the nation on October 22nd to turn the lights on for afterschool programs and activities. During this rally for afterschool program awareness, more than twenty-five area afterschool programs are expected to participate in the 16th annual Lights On Afterschool. Two locations are earmarked for the rally in St. Lucie County according to organizers Terrance Platt and Kimberly Roberts. The PALS Center in Fort Pierce and the Port St. Lucie Community Center in Port St. Lucie will open their doors from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM in order … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – The fourth annual Giving Concert is planned for October 28th at Fort Pierce Central High School in the auditorium located at 4101 S. 25th Street in Fort Pierce. The doors will open to the general public at 6:30 p.m. and the concert boasting area choral groups will begin at 7:00 p.m. The event, sponsored by St. Lucie Public Schools and organized by choral director, Dr. Rolanda Jones, will benefit Grace Packs which is a weekly weekend backpack program that provides necessary food items to students in need. Admission to the concert is a non-perishable food item … Read More

St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) invites fathers and male caregivers to come back to school! On September 30, a movement across the state of Florida will be put into motion whereby fathers and male caregivers are encouraged to take their child to school, sign a pledge of involvement, and demonstrate the value of being involved in their child’s education — Dads Take Your Child to School Day. The movement in SLPS began last year and grew out of recognition of the power of male involvement in the education of all students. A father who actively participates in the educational and … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – The National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) conference will boast a slate of St. Lucie Public School teachers as speakers.  Instructional support specialists Liz Pruitt, Jason Bragg, and Chris Worley have been invited to present at the 2016 NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Francisco, California.  Superintendent E. Wayne Gent commented on the fact that this is yet another testament to the rich talent we have in our school district to support quality instruction for our students. The team will present to teachers from across the United States on “Leveraging the Standards of Mathematical … Read More

“Geoffrey Zheng, a senior at Lincoln Park Academy (LPA) in Fort Pierce has been named as one of the semifinalists for the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program,” announced Superintendent E. Wayne Gent. “This is a prestigious honor, and I am very proud of Geoffrey’s achievement and the instructional support he has received. He is a fine representative of students in our schools.” LPA Principal Henry Sanabria had the pleasure of sharing the news with Zeng who said, “I am honored to have been selected as a semi-finalist.  I realize that all of my hard work throughout high school has paid … Read More

Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce Westwood High Schools to Pilot Learning Innovation ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) launches Access Now, a pilot program to support anytime/anywhere learning and access to content which supports students’ college and career readiness skills. This initiative includes a laptop distributed to every student and teacher at Port St. Lucie High School and Fort Pierce Westwood High School. With distribution slated to begin on September 8th, there is tremendous excitement in the air. According to Superintendent E. Wayne Gent, “Supporting teaching and learning through these workforce tools and networks is a … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Superintendent E. Wayne Gent of St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) announced the District was awarded a Math and Science Partnership (MSP) Grant from the State of Florida for over $300,000. The goal of this grant is to improve content knowledge tied directly to the Florida Standards for the purpose of creating quality educators and increasing student achievement. Through the funding of the grant, 27 SLPS 4th-8th grade teachers will be enrolled in the         U-FUTuRES Certificate Program with the University of Florida. This program consists of five, 8-week courses that will be offered sequentially online using state-of-the-art … Read More

Through collaborative bargaining efforts, St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) and Communication Workers of America (CWA), Local 3181 reached an agreement for compensation. “I commend our teams for working diligently to reach an agreement prior to the start of our school year. We appreciate all of our staff members for the contributions they make to the safe and caring learning environments for our students,” said Superintendent E. Wayne Gent. The value of the compensation package for employees who are represented by the CWA is estimated at $663,000.00. The new contract also includes the continued Board contribution of $750.00 to a Health … Read More

St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) reached a positive agreement today with its Classroom Teachers Association (CTA) and Classified Unit (CU) partners. Superintendent E. Wayne Gent stated, “We value the committed educational professionals who dedicate themselves to teaching our students and accelerating their learning. We support them and are pleased to be in a position to enhance the compensation for the important work they do for each child, every day.” This benchmark agreement was reached in partnership with Union leadership. CTA/CU President Vicki Rodriguez said, “I am pleased that we have reached an agreement before the start of school. This is … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY: St. Lucie Public Schools Superintendent E. Wayne Gent announced that Kim Jay, a recognized literacy leader in the school district, will serve as Allapattah Flats’ new principal, and Eldrique Gardner will bring his expertise in educational leadership to the campus of St. Lucie West K-8 as its new principal. Gent expressed, “Mrs. Jay and Mr. Gardner have a strong commitment to student achievement and deep knowledge of positive instructional practices that will support the continued positive growth at these school sites. I have high expectations for them and for the schools’ success.” Jay’s appointment was approved by … Read More

St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS), the largest employer in St. Lucie County, is hosting a teacher job fair on Friday, July 24, at Fort Pierce Westwood High School in Fort Pierce from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. SLPS, a fully accredited K-12 school system, is seeking high quality instructional personnel to support teaching and learning. The District is a leader in digital innovation and has instructional openings in targeted elementary and secondary classrooms. Area school leaders will convene during this opportunity event to discuss career options for educating students today for tomorrow’s digitally-driven world. The SLPS website (www.stlucieschools.org) will also … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY: Dr. Jonathan Prince will serve as St. Lucie Public Schools’ Deputy Superintendent. As a twenty-three year public education veteran, he brings with him vast teaching and leadership experiences including recognition as one of the state’s Turnaround Principals of the Year. Superintendent E. Wayne Gent, lauded Prince for his history of building cultures of academic excellence and achievement stating, “Among his many accomplishments as a leader, Dr. Prince has supported accelerated growth in writing, reading, and most importantly increased graduation rates for students.” Superintendent Gent cited the rich talent among the current pool of District leaders as well … Read More