Category: School News

Northport K-8 School has been selected as a World-Class School, the highest distinction that can be awarded by schools that utilize the Imagine Learning program to teach students whose first language is not English. The Imagine Learning Lab is fascilitated and directed by instructor, Mary Toto and paraprofessional Marian Morales. The achievement is the result of hard work, committment to the program and perseverance by instructors and administration. The ESOL lab at Northport opens 45 minutes before school begins to allow parents and their children to come into the lab to learn English together. The Imagine Lab is a learning environment filled … Read More

Joe Smith, Clerk of Circuit Court of St. Lucie County, spoke to first grade students recently at Allapattah Flats K8. Mr. Smith explained his role in the community and the upcoming election. Students were fascinated by his role in our community, and were hoping that one day they could grow up to be just like Mr. Smith. Pictured, from left, back row are Lindsey Schroeder, Ivan Liberato, Joe Smith, Jayden Tucker, and Anderson Lewellyn. Middle row, from left, Bailey Kirk, Alexis Wadlington, Ania Chandra, Matias Benitez, Robert Jones, Jamarr Richardson, and Ty Gray. Front row, from left, are Jeremiah Counterman, Erica King, … Read More

Students in Linda Auciello’s kindergarten class at Mariposa Elementary School have been learning about their five senses. The students each had an apple to use to describe their five senses in regards to the apple. How did it feel? What did it look like? How did it taste? How did it sound when they bit into it? and How did the apple smell? The students had so much fun tasting, listening, smelling, feeling and looking at these delicious apples. Pictured are parent volunteer Don Lesser, and apple observers, from left, Luke Duffy, Shane Lesser, Lyndsey Simpson and Noah Erdwein.

Theresa Delancy’s third grade class at Mariposa Elementary School practiced being scientists as they explored scientific tools. The students rotated through six centers using tools like a pan balance, measuring tape, thermometer, graduated cylinder, eye dropper and hand lens. The students worked in small groups and performed an experiment at each of the six centers. They recorded their observations and collected data in their science journals just like real scientists do in the lab. Pictured are Joshua Pierre,left, and Juan Navarro.

Students in Linnea Norton’s sixth grade science classes at Southport Middle School studied energy transformations by building a roller coaster for a marble. They started by designing a unique roller coaster using a student chair, about four meters of copper tubing insulation, blue painter’s tape, masking tape, a marble and a two ounce plastic cup at the end to catch the marble. Students were able to identify the locations where the energy transformations occurred. Pictured, from left, are Zack Johnson, Gabrielle Gersternecker, and Cameron Cardona.

October 15-19 is National School Lunch Week, a perfect time to recognize St. Lucie West K-8 food service manager Carole Schutt, who recently received a national credential as a school nutrition specialist from the National School Nutrition Association. Ms. Schutt is the first food service manager in the state of Florida in achieving this recognition. Congratulations! Pictured are Ms. Schutt, left, with Director of Food Services Deborah Wuest.

Northport K-8 students in Dorothy Still’s seventh grade class and Tracey Healy and Nichole Robinson’s fifth grade classes participated in a primary source lesson given by retired Army 1 helicopter pilot Bill Shaw. Shaw invoked his experiences as a pilot for Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Ford, Nixon and Johnson and gave students specific and historical data on Army 1, Camp David and types of jets and helicopters he piloted. He also gave specific advice on what type of classes to take for careers in different military interests. Also, Korean War veteran Peter Popolizio, Vietnam era veteran Bill Arnold, World War II veterans John … Read More

The Lincoln Park Academy (LPA) Wind Symphony performed a concert recently featuring the student members of the Jazz Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Steel Drum Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble. The band members played a wide variety of literature for this concert and interacted with the audience. Assistant Superintendent of Fine Arts Dr. Kevin Perry is shown above as a guest conductor for the Wind Ensemble. The ensembles will perform again at the annual Winter Concert on Thursday, December 6th at 6:30pm in the LPA auditorium.

Culinary students from St. Lucie West Centennial, Treasure Coast, Fort Pierce Westwood and Fort Pierce Central high schools recently attended a restaurant industry state trade show. Students were accomapnied by culinary arts instructors Calvin Lewis and Jesse Strell from Centennial, Janette Champagne from Treasure Coast, Maureen Greenberg from Fort Pierce Westwood, and Margaret Ash from Fort Pierce Central, along with Centennial principal Dr. Kim Stephanic, and resource officers Deputy Shirley Lindstadt, Christy Wood from Fort Pierce Westwood and Cheryl Fredericks of Allapattah Flats K8. Students sampled new food items vendors, viewed the newest technology in pizza delivery vehicles, point of … Read More

Eight grade students at Allapattah Flats K8 are learning about various kinds of matter. They were extraordinarily excited to learn about physical and chemical changes with hands-on activities in the science lab. Students were able to test a variety of chemicals and determine whether the reactions they saw were physical or chemical. They learned about suspensions, mixtures, and more through smell, sight and touch. Pictured, from left, are Autumn Washington, Sharon Charite, Sandy Simon and Jayda Hill as they dive right in to their next test tube waiting to see the reaction.

Students in Andrea Levin’s anti-bullying class at Southport Middle School have been creating posters with an anti-bullying message. Pictured are Sabrina Bertrand, left, and Kelly Nguyen.

Northport K-8 students in Susan Matteson’s eighth grade reading class and Lorri Lamm’s second grade class collaborated on a great lesson in building literacy skills and forging friendships recently in the school’s courtyard. The eighth grade students selected beautiful picture books and beginning reading books from the school’s media center, then shared the books with their second grade reading buddies.  The eighth graders read the books using expression and a lively pace, demonstrating fluency and enthusiasm. The second graders then read the books back to the older students using the same model of reading skills demonstrated by the eighth graders. The lesson was … Read More

The Senior and Adult Volunteer of the Year for the 2012-2013 school year have been selected at Northport K8 School. Suzi Scott, pictured on the left, Adult Volunteer of the Year, has served Northport for four years and has volunteered in a variety of available categories. Mrs. Scott served as PTO president for two years, chairwoman for the Adequate Yearly Progress committee, and a member of the School Advisory Council and Title 1 committee. Kay Egan, Senior Volunteer of the Year, at right, has served Northport students and teachers for five years as media assistant and assistant to several teachers in the lower school … Read More

After listening to informational books about bats, Morgan Haupt’s kindergarten class at Frances K. Sweet Elementary School enjoyed drawing and labeling the parts of a bat. Pictured, from left, are Jordan Dunn, Adryan Mills, Chase Wu and Madeline Chiong.

Northport K-8 School sixth grade science teacher Amanda Sartain has won the FAST Award of Promise. The Florida Association of Science Teachers each year selects a science teacher from the state of Florida who has three to five years of experience and has demonstrated an interest and aptitude for teaching science. Some of the qualifications include participation in professional organizations showing leadership at the local, state and national level, maintaining an innovative and exciting classroom/labratory environment, uses innovative materials and new approaches to teaching science, effectively uses community resources and guest speakers and continuously practices professional development through workshops and conferences. Mrs. … Read More

The Department of Quality Instruction of St. Lucie Public Schools was recognized at the October 9, 2012, St. Lucie County School Board meeting for being honored by the Florida Association of Staff Development for its implementation and facilitation of the St. Lucie County Framework. Pictured, from left, are Allison Barajas, Superintendent Michael Lannon, Director of Quality Instruction Carla Moore, St. Lucie School Board chairman Carol Hilson, and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Kerry Padrick.

Jacqueline Cruz, daughter of Maria Cruz-Zavala and Arturo Cruz of Fort Pierce and sixth grade student at Samuel S. Gaines Academy K-8, was recognized at the October 9, 2012, St. Lucie County School Board meeting. Jacqueline won first place in her age category in the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs’ (AFOP) 2012 Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Children Essay Contest. The contest, open to students nationwide ages 10-18 and children of migrant workers, asked students to write about the challenges faced by farmworker families, the typical day of a farmworker, and what motivates the student. Essays were judged on style, content, … Read More

Students at Treasure Coast High School recently participated in AT&T’s public awareness campaign about the dangers of texting while driving. Students were able to engage a simulated driving experience of distracted driving and the potential disastrous consequences. Brief videos and print materials were also on hand to provide information to the students. The event was part of AT&T’s nationwide push to save lives and make texting and driving as unacceptable as drinking and driving. Students also had the opportunity to sign a pledge not to text while driving, and to encourage others to do the same. Pictured is a student … Read More

Students in Lorrie Rudzinski’s second grade class  at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition are on target with story structure skills. Pictured, from left, are Lia Mihajlovski, Kieren Brown and Kayla Harr as they created thinking maps, tree map style. Writing on the desks with dry erase markers sure increased the lesson’s engagement!

A group of students from the St.Lucie Schools’ youth golf program competed in the Martin County junior tournament recently. The tournament was held at the Martin County Golf and Country Club in Stuart. Taking first place in their divisions are, from left, Gina Carvelli from Palm Pointe K-8 in the girls 10-12 year old, Cameron Beach from Morningside Elementary in the boys 7-9 year old, and Savannah Hawthorne from Palm Pointe K-8 in the girls 7-9 year old division. Students are shown with their first place medals from the tournament.