Category: School News

Students in one of two Christopher Tolliver’s seventh grade classes at Dan McCarty School bested eight other school groups in this year’s Vaccine Gene Therapy Institute (VGTI) Academic Challenge. Nine classes from six schools competed in this year’s challenge posed by VGTI scientists in an interdisciplinary approach to learning where rigorous academic concepts are coupled with real-world lessons as students apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in contexts that make connections between school and real world problems facing society. In a video presentation to the students, scientists had seventh grade students identify a naturally occurring ecosystem with limited resources where … Read More

Students at Samuel Gaines Academy decorated and setup their pods with cultural information, artistic design, musical, and cuisine, for the annual Multicultural Day. This event was very successful with enthusiastic participation from teachers, parents and students alike. Students at each grade level researched a specific country to display in their pod. Pictured are sixth grade teachers Missy Lyshon, Robert Plowden, and Elisabeth Kraft with their students displaying their culminative research on Italian culture.

Students in Caryol-Lynn Hallahan’s second grade class at Windmill Point Elementary participated in the National Society DAR Junior American Citizens contest. This year’s theme was “Invest in America’s Future.” The students were able to create a poster or write a short story depicting the theme. The local Cora Stockney Harper Chapter submitted two entries for judging by the state organization, and Efrain Pellot’s entry received a second place award for his short story from the Florida State Society and Anthony Phillip’s entry received a third place award for his poster category from the state. Pictured are Efrain, left, and Anthony.

Fifth grade students at Windmill Point Elementary School recently enjoyed competing in the events at Field Day. Spirits were high along with the competition. Students remarked that they have a “blast” at Field Day, which shows students how much fun physical activities can be working together. Pictured are Joey Cerbone, left, and Peyton Mertz demonstrating teamwork is the key to success!!

During the month of April and culminating with FCAT week, students at Lincoln Park Academy raised over $5,700 in which all proceeds went to the American Heart Association. The monies raised far exceeded the school’s original goal of $2,000 and proved LPA is a school that cares about health and community! Pictured, from left, are Adrian Ortiz, Kristina Novotny, Jennifer Ketcham, Kaylee Colley and rope turner Tache Vidal during one of the jumping rope events.

Northport K-8 School Northstar team students in six, seventh and eighth grades visited St. Augustine recently for a day long learning excursion. Northstar instructors Mala Woessner and Mehgan Drost planned and organized the “Step Back Into History” program as a scaffold to information gleaned in the classroom about Spanish Colonial Florida and an examination of Florida History. Students perused artifacts and heard stories of the native Americans and Colonial settlers. Students drank heartily from the Fountain of Youth and learned why Ponce de Leon named Florida when he claimed the land for Spain. The oldest fort and the oldest school house were toured … Read More

Seven Northport K-8 students and their families participated in the St. Lucie County Reading Council Young Authors program held recently at Fort Pierce Central High School. All students at Northport K-8 School participate in the Young Author’s program as evidentiary data for the school’s Parent Involvement goals for the School Improvement Plan. Student, family and teacher involvement in the authentic writing program is  nearly 100%. Each year, at the beginning of the school year, teachers prepare their students for the “whole community- project based” program. Writing workshops are held in conjunction with the 21st Century after school program and classroom teachers prepare their … Read More

Two Lincoln Park Academy students won four-year scholarships at the recent Intel ISEF International Science and Engineering Fair held in Phoenix, Arizona, for their projects. The students were able to attend the International Fair with support from the St. Lucie County Education Foundation’s Fund A Project, and were able to solicit and raise the funding needed to participate. Junior Neha Kambam Reddy presented her project, “Sustaining Ecological Biodiversity with Highly Specific RNA Interference (RNAi),” and won a four year scholarship to the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, valued at $60,000.00. Robert Bacchus, also a junior, presented his project, “CancAARS: … Read More

Two Lincoln Park Academy students won four-year scholarships at the recent Intel ISEF International Science and Engineering Fair held in Phoenix, Arizona, for their projects. The students were able to attend the International Fair with support from the St. Lucie County Education Foundation’s Fund A Project, and were able to solicit and raise the funding needed to participate. Junior Robert Bacchus presented his project, “CancAARS: A Novel Therapeutic Target for Melanoma Tumorigenesis,” and won a special award, a four year scholarship to the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, valued at $60,000.00. Robert also placed fourth in the grand awards … Read More

During Multicultural Week, St. Lucie Elementary School teacher Susan Barber organized special events and guest speakers. Each day community members, teachers, and parents volunteered to speak to students about their cultural backgrounds. Students learned about Mexico, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras. Each grade group did a special presentaion of all that they learned on their country to the entire school. Pictured are students in traditional Mexican dress.

Students at St. Lucie West Centennial High School recently held the second annual “Sleep in a Box” overnight fundraiser for Invisible Children, a program designed to help combat the abduction of children from Uganda and Sudan who are then forced to become assassins. Eighty five students participated this year, all sleeping outside in the courtyard, in their boxes. They raised over $800 for the organization to help update radio communications in the area and build schools for displaced children. Pictued are Leedy Boyle, left, and Dustin Snyder.

Thanks to the Partnership in Education between Weatherbee Elementary and the United States Coast Guard Station in Fort Pierce, first, third, and fifth grade students at Weatherbee learned about water safety during a visit to the school by staff from the Coast Guard station who delivered an informative presentation, teaching the students how to stay safe in, on, and around the water. After the presentation, members of the Auxiliary presented a “Let’s Talk Trash” game for the students to learn the importance of keeping waterways clean and also to learn how to put on a personal floatation device correctly. The … Read More

After a week of studying and comparing fairy tales, kindergartners at F. K. Sweet Elementary

Students from from Nikki Rodriguez’s class at Windmill Point Elementary School listen intently to their guide during a recent trip to St. Augustine. Windmill Point’s fourth grade classes went to St. Augustine to deepen their knowledge about Florida history. They visited the Castillo de San Marcos, the Old Jail Museum, the Old Store Museum, and went on a narrated trolley ride around the Oldest City.

Students in Forest Grove Middle School’s seventh and eighth grade Concert Band, under the direction of Bradley Esau, recently participated in the Music in the Parks festival at Universal Studios. The band placed fourth of six middle school groups. Pictured are the members of the band.

What started out as a routine drop by visit to observe Oak Hammock first grade teacher Joy West teach Common Core writing has turned into a lasting friendship between students, teacher and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell. The first grade common core learning goal for writing states that Students will be able to write a variety of opinion, narrative, and informative pieces using digital tools to produce and publish writing. To meet this goal, students chose their favorite book, found three reasons that supported why they liked the book, planned their writing using a multi-flow map, created a draft, revised, … Read More

First grade students in Rachel Ellsworth’s class at Northport K8 School recently participated in a grand celebration of Young Author’s books, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Parents and grandparents were excited to participate with their young students in a day of sharing by partnering with students in the classroom to read Young Author books.  Students then performed two reader’s theater productions titled, “Mom:  Every Day Is Mother’s Day” and “Hats Off To Dad!”  Students had a wonderful opportunity to talk about their accomplishments and demonstrated an intensity and lively pace that both students and families throughly enjoyed! The lessons also … Read More

Northport K-8 fourth grade students in Carissa Berkely’s class listened to their teacher read a book that they could really relate to and enjoy.  Mrs. Berkel, along with fourth grade teacher Juliette Thelusma, read the book “Sped” by Re Marzullo to their students recently. The students then wrote letters expressing their delight with the book and the story line to the author. Re Marzullo responded to the student’s questions in a letter and also sent each student an autographed bookmark. The book is about a small special education class in a middle school affectionately dubbed “Small Group Superstars.”  The main character is a … Read More

Every year, the Jaguar Battalion from Port Saint Lucie High School holds a Field Day for the cadets where companies compete against each other in several sporting events.

Northport K-8 School students from kindergartners to eighth grade enjoyed Northport’s annual Field Days recently held at Sportsmen’s Park. Students and teachers attended the Field Days in rotations with their classroom and elective teachers assisting to make sure all students were safe and enjoying the event. Activities included the 50 yard dash, 100 yard dash, jump rope, hula hoops, javelin throws, grass relays, crab races and the tug of war. This year was the first year that middle schoolers have been invited to participate in the events. Clownfish team teacher Sandra Tyndaler said, “The students thoroughly enjoyed the well organized event. The students were … Read More