Westwood Academy STEAM Advocates, Mr. Wilks & Mr. McIntosh, presented at the FAST conference on STEAM! They focused on the addition of the arts into STEM. Their session was lively, engaging, and purposeful for all attendants. We are so proud of you!
Category: School News
Mrs. Santo’s third-grade students enjoyed the book Chocolate Fever written by Robert Kimmel Smith. Her students enjoyed the daily read-aloud, which allows students to enhance their reading comprehension, vocabulary, and listening skills. GO LAWNWOOD!
Fort Pierce Central’s Allied Health students participated in a Career Day with Legacy Private Care of the Treasure Coast (Mark Hassett and Rosanna Bennett) and Dr. Perry Lloyd medical office (Leydy Juaruz). Students gained knowledge of industry demand and opportunities in St. Lucie County and on the Treasure Coast. Appreciation goes to Ms. Charles, Mrs. Young, and Mrs. Beaumier for welcoming the business partners to connect with their students.
On Saturday, October 29, the Westwood Army JROTC Raider Team competed in the Area 3 Regional Championship Meet at the Tanah Keeta Scout Reservation in Jupiter, FL. The Team competed against 8 other schools in 5 separate events: (2-Mile Team Run, 1-Mile Cross-Country Casualty Evacuation Run, Rope Bridge (build & crossing), 440lb Tire Flip, and 35lb Kettlebell Relays). Our Raider Team placed 3rd overall out of 9 schools, with multiple top 3 finishes and a combined 14 seconds (over three other events) separating them for the next spot up from 3rd or 4th. The Cadets came together as a team … Read More
During the fall season, Weatherbee Elementary girls have learned a wide range of skills through the empowering Girls on the Run program. Students have learned to become contributing members of a team, make good choices in their own personal lives, become leaders, and much more. Way to go Mariners!
Westwood’s Reading Department collaborated on the Quarterly STEAM lesson on Invasive Species. The classes began with a Nearpod and videos that explained which animals are not native to Florida. Students also answered riddles about the animals. To demonstrate the impact on our native species, each of the 6 classes was designated a specific “invading” animal and, following a script, took turns “invading” the hallway where the native animals were gathered. Invaders included feral pigs, red headed agamas, iguanas, monk parakeets, pythons, and Cuban tree frogs. The script followed the timeline of when the animals first came to our state. After … Read More
An important Referendum Renewal is on the November ballot. It provides a school resource officer on every campus to ensure our children’s safety, supports the recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers, expands mental health services for students and supports special programs such as art and music in our schools. Early voting begins October 24th and runs through November 5th. Election Day is November 8th. For more information, please visit Referendum Information – St Lucie Public Schools.
St. Lucie Public Schools Culinary Programs competed at the Sunshine Kitchen in Fort Pierce. Five outstanding high school culinary students competed along with an Indian River State Culinary Institute student at the Tuesday, October 25th Sunshine Kitchen Cook-Off. Master of Ceremonies was Chef Leslie Moyer, judges included Chef Mike Febre, True Roots Catering; Heather Belmont, Indian River State College; and Guytano D’Annna, Bonefish Macs. The winning team was Donavin Derrico from Fort Pierce Westwood Academy and Jay Shemo from Indian River State Culinary Institute who each won a $1,500 scholarship. Big thanks to Gina McCants, St. Lucie County Tcerda Research … Read More
The Gold and Purple of Cobra Nation turned Pink! On Thursday, Oct. 27th, in recognition of Breast Cancer month, FPC’s Sunshine Committee hosted a PINK OUT. All faculty, staff, & students were asked to wear pink to honor survivors & bring awareness to those battling this illness. Cobra Nations’ own Mrs. Swertfager, Mrs. Solomon, and Ms. Williams were honored as champions, survivors, and Cobra warriors. From the vibrant pink flags to a sky-high balloon arch, a pinked-out paparazzi photo area, and Fort Pierce Police Pink Cruiser, the Cobra courtyard went from purple to pink for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. … Read More
On Wednesday, October 26th, the students and staff at Oak Hammock K8 school wore jerseys or sports shirts with jeans to “Team up Against Bullying”. An array of schools, colleges, and professional teams were represented. The students and staff enjoyed showing their team spirit to show that we stand together against bullying.
FPC held its annual student involvement fair this fall. New and transfer students were welcomed at each lunch into the spacious Cobra Nation courtyard, greeted by over 20 student organizations, clubs, and unique interest groups. From observing the Cobra Walk, to joining a student group, new Cobras become part of Cobra Nation. Fort Pierce Central has something for everyone. From athletics, to band, dance, faith-based groups, academic-focused clubs, to special interest, debate, LGBTQAI+, and service organizations, Fort Pierce Central offers a robust school experience that readies students with active community engagement. Our student groups reflect the vibrancy of our students. … Read More
The Lincoln Park Academy Advanced Middle School and High School Orchestras presented a Fall Spooktacular in the Lincoln Park Academy Performing Arts Auditorium, October 25. The orchestras performed spooky pieces in addition to featuring several soloists. These soloists included Sofia Arias, vocal solo; Giselle Cisneros-Arana (Florida Orchestra Association All State Violin 2021-2022) on violin, Daniel Dawkins on piano, and Janaya Stephens on guitar. The orchestra took the audience through many eclectic pieces that included an interpretation of “Poe” by composer Gary Fagan, screaming cast members in “The Curse of the Rosin Eating Zombies from Outer Space” by Richard Meyer, and … Read More
Students in Mr. Picchiarini’s Technical Design classes are using Autodesk AutoCad and Inventor to design. Analyzing and editing are a big part of the process. After editing, the designs come to life using the class lab 3D printers. Pictured are some designs created by Kadesh Robbins, Nick Collins, and Nick Lambiase. For information on the Preapprenticeship program, see Mr. Picchiarini at Port St. Lucie High.
Fort Pierce Central High School students got immersed in the possibilities for a future of their choosing! This fall, IRSC and numerous community partners came out to give students a first-hand view of trades, careers, and college options. Students met with experts in their respective areas, speaking with students in real-world terms, and giving a true glimpse of life after high school. From the SLC Bomb Squad, K-9 Unit, Custom Auto Mechanics, Welding, SLC Sheriffs, and SLC Fire & EMS, everyone pulled out all the stops highlighting and promoting their programs. Thank you to our community partners, as well as … Read More
Falcon engineers had a blast participating in a schoolwide Stop and Stem day during our October Early Release day. Students worked through the Engineering Design Process; planning, designing, building prototypes, testing, analyzing, collecting data, and redesigning to make improvements. All students put to work their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math skills to problem-solve and work collaboratively to complete their mission.
Congratulations to Chef Gray, Donavin Derrico, and his teammate from IRSC Jay Shemo. They won the Sunshine Kitchen Cook-Off that was held on Tuesday, October 25th. Donavin and Jay both won a $1,500 scholarship! It was a tough competition but clear to see the hard work Donavin, Jay, and Chef Gray put into preparing for this event! We are panther proud!
On October 26th, Southern Oaks Middle School recognized students for the monthly Hawk Hall of Fame in furtherance of a positive culture and learning environment. Students were selected by their teachers and recognized for the theme of the month; empathy. Award recipients were honored in front of their peers during lunch. It’s evident at Southern Oaks, Hawks S.O.A.R.!
Erin McCarthy’s ESE Resource Room students at Lawnwood Elementary participated in the Traveling Turtles Trunk Program through the Inwater Research Group. Students learned about the sea turtles that nest along the Treasure Coast by participating in hands-on labs. Mrs. McCarthy’s students shared their learning through writing paragraphs, creating graphic organizers, and crafting their own sea turtles. Their work is proudly displayed in the hallway.
Students in Mrs. Brown’s Criminal Justice classes researched and identified invasive species for various states and created UNWANTED Invasive Species posters as part of Westwood Academy’s STEAM initiative.
The Westwood Army JROTC Raider Team competed in the Area 3 Regionals Qualifier Raider Meet at the Tanah Keeta Scout Reservation in Jupiter, FL. The team competed against 8 other schools in 5 separate events: (2-Mile Team Run, 1-Mile Cross Country Casualty Evacuation Run, Rope Bridge, Tire Flip, and Kettlebell Relays). Due to a 4th overall finish out of 9 total schools and a Top 3 win in one of the events, our Panther Battalion Cadets will be representing Westwood at the Area 3 Regionals on Saturday, 29 October 22. HUGE Praise to these Panther Warriors!