Category: Press Releases

  ST. LUCIE COUNTY – For the third year in a row, prior to the start of school, St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) reached a positive agreement with its Classroom Teachers Association (CTA) and Classified Unit (CU) partners on Monday, July 31, despite challenging financial constraints from the State. Superintendent E. Wayne Gent stated, “This is a testament to what true collaboration can produce.  I congratulate our bargaining teams and our School Board for having the spirit of trust and good will to work together for the benefit of our employees to reach an agreement before we mark the beginning … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Twenty-one schools, more than half of St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS), saw an increase in school grades and the District grade jumped to a B — the second highest District on the Treasure Coast in total points earned according to reports released by the Florida Department of Education.   “The data continues telling a positive story about the academic growth taking place in our classrooms across the District,” said Superintendent E. Wayne Gent.  “Our teachers, our administrators, our support staff, our bus drivers — everyone, absolutely everyone is putting forth the effort to support our children to … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – While summertime may bring up thoughts of vacation and relaxation, it is not a good time to take a break from nutrition. That’s why St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) proudly supports the summer meals programs for kids eighteen and under. According to SLPS Director of Child Nutrition Services Deborah Wuest, “Children who are eligible to receive free meals will find open sites on many school campuses. We serve breakfast, lunch, and snacks.  All the students need to do is register with the front office before they come to the cafeteria.” SLPS sites offering this free service … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – As the school year wrapped up, so did the final rounds of academic competitions for science and history. On the international scene, Lincoln Park Academy’s Haniya Shareef reaped a big reward for her plant science project by capturing 4th place in this category. The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair draws approximately 1,800 students from 75 countries around the world each year.  This year’s competition was hosted by the city of Los Angeles. Meanwhile, back home, Port St. Lucie High School Junior Angel Vo was busy receiving the Florida Heritage Award and the Outstanding County Award … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The Department of Education released a battery of scores today that reflects good news and supports St. Lucie Public Schools’ (SLPS) continued positive student achievement trends. Overall, the District continued its climb in ELA, math, and science. Superintendent E. Wayne Gent attributes the growth to the individualized support students receive from their teachers, support staff, and school leaders.  “Our teachers and administrators are dedicated and have a focus on learning for all students. I appreciate their work as a strong collaborative team; it spurs our success,” stated Gent. The District’s scores are good news for academic … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Easton Santoro of Fort Pierce Central High School and Megan McClain of Port St. Lucie High School are Tallahassee bound for this summer’s 2017 Florida Youth Leadership Forum. Both freshman delegates are excited about the opportunity to participate in this Forum designed to bring together students with disabilities in order to support networking, awareness of employment and educational resources, and inspire participants to strive for the highest level of independence. Both students have proven themselves to be successful on their respective campuses. Santoro is always eager to participate and dive into new experiences.  His teachers see … Read More

Tallahassee, Fla.—Nicolas Suarez, a St. Lucie County high school student and Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) youth advocate, was named the South Region Youth Advocate of the Year by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. This is one of the highest awards among the country’s top youth advocates working against tobacco. Nicolas was honored in Washington, D.C. on May 10 along with three U.S. regional winners, a group winner, and a national winner. More than 400 public health, political, civic and business leaders attended the 21st annual Youth Advocates of the Year Awards Gala to recognize these young leaders. The Youth … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The Florida Department of Education released the Grade 3 ELA Scores, and the percent of Grade 3 students in St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) continues to rise with scores increasing another three percent this year.   Eighteen SLPS had a higher percentage of students with satisfactory scores over last year’s results.  Allapattah Flats K-8, Floresta Elementary, Lawnwood Elementary, Mariposa Elementary, and Palm Pointe Research School at Tradition realized double-digit gains, and almost half of the schools exceeded the State average with students scoring in the satisfactory range.   “The gauge is moving in the right direction … Read More

FORT PIERCE, FL – The 2017 “Fresh from Florida” Student Chef Cook-Off champions announcement from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services brought cheers from students and staff at Fort Pierce Westwood High School.  ProStart student Sheldon Riley placed second with his Southwestern Chicken and Orzo Salad.   The competition included students in grades nine through 12 from across the state who were challenged to prepare original dishes featuring at least one Florida-grown fruit or vegetable for a panel of judges. Recipes from the top five finalists will be converted into school meal service portions and accessible to sponsors throughout … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FL – The winners of the ninth annual Dr. Samuel S. Gaines Essay Contest were recognized at the May 9th, 2017, St. Lucie County School Board Meeting. The contest, sponsored by Proctor Construction Company which provides cash prizes for the winning entries, is part of the district’s recognition and celebration of African American history. Local students in grades three to 12 may write an essay describing a person of African American descent in St. Lucie County who has made a difference in the student’s life, explaining what the person did to make such an impact. The contest … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The summer months are upon us, and St. Lucie Public Schools is launching a free academic resource to help your child continue to learn and grow throughout the summer. The “Summer Slide” program includes engaging web-based resources for grades PreK through 12 available for use by students, parents, and community organizations any time and from any place. What is Summer Slide? It is the tendency for students to lose some of the achievement gains they made during the previous school year. Available now, this web page of resources was created in order to allow students to … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Fort Pierce Central High School’s (FPCHS) student poets took to the stage with words spoken from the heart intended to excite and engage at this year’s Louder than a Bomb (LTAB) Poetry Slam. Kayla Daley, a senior, was one of 12 South Florida high school students selected from more than 300 participants in the individual final competition held at Nova Southeastern University on April 8.  As a team, the FPCHS Cobras placed second in the semi-final round of the competition which draws famous name backers such as Jason Taylor of the Jason Taylor Foundation and Omari … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – On Saturday April 22, test drive a new Buick and help Buick donate up to $10,000 to Treasure Coast High School located at 1000 SW Darwin Blvd. in Port St. Lucie. Garber Buick GMC in Ft. Pierce will have new Buick vehicles at the school for this Test Drive Event from 8:00am-3:00pm.  For each 2-3 minute Test Drive, Buick will donate $10.00.  When the event exceeds 100 test drives, Buick will double the donation to $20.00.  The goal is to reach the maximum donation of $10,000 for the day! The Sheriff’s Department will provide free fingerprinting … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) continues to open additional pathways to college success for more and more high school students.  On March 1, 2017, the District will launch its first SAT School Day, affording all juniors the opportunity to participate in SAT testing during the regular school day.  “We are always looking for ways to support our students. Historically, students are challenged to schedule time for the SAT on a weekend.  The SAT School Day removes barriers such as weekend transportation issues to SAT test sites, conflicts with work, or other family obligations. It’s a win-win … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – A recent professional development campaign tagged as “The Marigold Effect – Seeds of Change” was designed to foster literacy support and mentorship for new teachers.  According to Mandy Rowland, literacy curriculum specialist for St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS), this particular training was designed to foster the positive support offered by the District’s literacy coaches.  “The marigold symbolizes positive, strong, cheerful, and protective qualities; likewise, our veteran educators encourage, support and nurture teachers so they will positively thrive,” said Rowland.   The focus on support is not uncommon as the attention of the District’s human resource team … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Literacy efforts continue to grow through collaborative support with community members. In classrooms throughout SLPS, business and civic leaders read to students and participated in literacy events as part of the Celebrate Literacy Week.   “Parents, business leaders, neighbors, and mentors play a crucial role in helping children learn to read and foster the lifelong love of reading,” said Mandy Rowland, literacy curriculum specialist for the District. “Schools welcomed volunteers to support as participants in literacy night events, read-a-thons, vocabulary parades, and guest readers.  Beyond Celebrate Literacy Week, we invite our volunteers to stay connected throughout … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) seniors are still buzzing with excitement about the college opportunities that are open to them as a result of the recent Historically Black College/University (HBCU) and Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) College Fair. To date, students have been awarded scholarships worth nearly six million dollars to pursue their goals and dreams. One proud recipient, Treasure Coast Senior Aaliyah Brown, said, “I am so happy this amazing opportunity was provided to us.  Where else could you go and have all of these resources and all of these schools willing to invest in us … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Do you have a keen sense of philosophy and humanities, knowledge of advanced mathematics and scientific theory, and a broad background in literature? If so, you may stand a chance against this year’s Academic Challenge Team.  On Saturday, January 28, local high school teams competed for the overall St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) championship and placement on the six-member team moving to the State-level Commissioner’s Academic Challenge in April. This year’s District championship title goes to Treasure Coast High School.  Team members (Camilo Tamayo, Bailey Magers, Dominick Kehoe, Arthur Waddell, Macy Nielander, and Famyrah Lafortune) were … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – Cheers echoed across campuses today as three deserving teachers were named as finalists for St. Lucie Public Schools’ (SLPS) Teacher of the Year.  Makeda-Ione Brome (Lincoln Park Academy), John J. Davino (Samuel S. Gaines Academy K-8), and Jim LeBon (Southport Middle School) were surprised by a throng of delegates from St. Lucie’s Education Foundation and School Board who showered them with congratulations. SLPS Superintendent E. Wayne Gent said, “Our Teacher of the Year finalists are all-stars; they are outstanding in their craft.  They positively impact the lives of our young people by seeing them as individuals, … Read More

ST. LUCIE COUNTY – With a strong history of innovative leadership and a positive record of advancing St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) technology infrastructure and technology support system, Chief Information Officer Terence O’Leary, will serve a two-year term on the Microsoft’s K12 Advisory Board.  This prestigious Board is made up of 30 members from across the United States representing both large and small districts.   O’Leary said, “Having our voice at the table is of great importance to our school centers.  The opportunity to serve on this Board will help ensure we are delivering a valuable service as well as help shape … Read More