Today our teachers wore supportive t-shirts and cheered the students on as they headed to their classes to take the Algebra II FSA Exam. Panther spirit is alive and well at FPWHS!
From left to right: Mr. Session, Mr. Woltjen, Mrs. Phillips-Hill, Mrs. Harris, Ms. Woods, Mrs. Patterson, Mrs. Latortue, Mrs. Frazier, Mr. Weicks, Mr. Neil, Ms. Cuevas
St. Lucie West Centennial High School’s Baseball Program honored outgoing Athletic Director John Messina prior to their last scheduled regular season contest against Port St. Lucie High School. The longtime AD/coach threw out the first pitch to his former catcher, Johnnie Rhoden, who is now the Head Coach at PSLHS.
Messina’s resume as a head coach includes over 400 victories, State Championships, multiple Major League players and countless collegiate scholarships at Monsignor Pace in Miami, Port St. Lucie High School, and Jensen Beach High School. As an Athletic Director, Messina brought the State Sportsmanship Award to SLW Centennial a record three times and had a great influence in bringing the FHSAA State Baseball Championships to Tradition Field. Currently, Messina is the host of the St. Lucie County Education Channel show, “Hey Coach”, where he interviews and highlights the accomplishments of local sports figures.
As Messina approaches retirement, he is anticipating the arrival of his first grandchild and is looking forward to spending time with family and being a grandpa!
He will be missed at SLWCHS!
Mr. Graff, the media specialist at Morningside Elementary, received a $500 check from the Port St. Lucie Rotary Club. The money will be used to support our Reading Counts Program.
On Friday, April 15th at Lincoln Park Academy, we had the honor of congratulating four more of our seniors. Each student athlete has committed to their college and/or university to further their education and continuing their sport of choice.
They are as follows: Taylor Sukmana: Golf – Palm Beach Atlantic University; Brooke Johnson: Swimming – Florida Atlantic University; Anthony Marian: Soccer – Florida Southern University; and Aidas Kavaliauskas:Swimming – Florida Atlantic University.
7th grade students at Samuel Gaines have started a recycling program. While conducting Project Citizen research, students discovered that Samuel Gaines did not have a recycling program and realized the effects on the environment. Through the help of 7th and 8th grade teachers, they were able to start a recycling program partnering with Fort Pierce Recycling.
Every Thursday students pick up recycling items from teachers classroom. Currently the program only accepts paper, but students hope to expand to all recyclable items. In just the first few weeks of the program, the students were able to fill four recycling bins full of paper and cardboard that was collected from classrooms rather than tossed into the trash.
Way to help the environment, COLTS, with your GO GREEN program!
Northport VPK-8 School Media Center is working with the Saint Lucie County Public Library System to help students and families achieve reading success, assist in helping to promote summer reading and to make reading and public library programming easily accessible while the school is closed for summer break.
The Saint Lucie County Public Library offers a variety of programming including tablet tutoring, movie matinees all summer long, family game nights, Lego learning activities, and a plethora of books that will make a child thrilled to check out the action. The public library will be offering summer reading activities. Stay tuned for more information on programming notes.
Northport Media Specialist Lynne Gruszka is working with the Port St. Lucie Library Branch to get real library cards into the hands of the students. Parents fill out the application and each student receives a “License to Read!” The school has had a great response from parents, and well over 150 students have received their public library card.
Check out the public library locations, hours, and summer offerings at library.stlucieco.gov. We are proud to promote youth literacy.
At Northport, we realize that we can’t educate our students alone, it takes the community working hand-in-hand with our teachers and parents to be a SUCCESS! Visit the public library this summer. Tell them that NORTHPORT sent you!
FORT PIERCE, FL – An innovative partnership that has been in development for several months is literally taking off on Wednesday, May 11 at Adams Arena in Fort Pierce as middle school students compete for top honors by navigating drones through a maze. In a joint venture with the Treasure Coast Research Park, AT&T, and St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS), 18 drones were donated to support inquiry programs at Dan McCarty Middle School, Samuel S. Gaines K – 8 Academy, and West Gate K – 8 School.
Benefits of this skill development opportunity include students’ ability to write code, program, and operate drones. According to Paul Reif, science instructional support specialist for SLPS, “This partnership provides students with an amazing opportunity to explore aeronautical technologies and the wide range of applications drones have for agriculture, engineering, tourism, and so much more.”
Superintendent E. Wayne Gent lauds the program for the opportunities it provides students to venture into career pathways leading to industry certifications and post-secondary credits. “Innovative programs such as these provide our students opportunities to collaborate and challenge their thinking to support their future readiness.”
About St. Lucie Public Schools
The mission of St. Lucie Public Schools is to ensure all students graduate from safe and caring schools equipped with the knowledge, skills and desire to succeed. For more information visit, www.stlucieschools.org or contact Kerry Padrick at kerry.padrick@stlucieschools.org.
ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A select group of teacher leaders have been invited to participate in a two-day conference event Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers (ECET2). This is the second annual ECET2 conference brought to educational professionals in St. Lucie County via a partnership with St. Lucie Public Schools and the Gates Foundation.
Event organizers Didi Campbell, Allison Barajas, and Natasha Rodriguez explained that this year’s theme entitled Teachers Are Innovators: Grow, Collaborate, Lead blossomed from the positive feedback received from last year’s event in which participants were catapulted into deeper collaborative efforts through their opportunities to network and build professional relationships with like-minded educators.
This year’s invitation-only conference begins on Friday, May 13th at 6:00 PM in Fort Pierce at the historic City Hall. It continues on Saturday, May 14th at 8:00 AM with a full day of professional break-out sessions at the St. Lucie Public Schools District Office.
About St. Lucie Public Schools
The mission of St. Lucie Public Schools is to ensure all students graduate from safe and caring schools equipped with the knowledge, skills and desire to succeed. For more information visit, www.stlucieschools.org or contact Kerry Padrick at kerry.padrick@stlucieschools.org.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL -Currently an assistant principal at Palm Pointe Educational Research School at Tradition, Ms. Kathleen Perez will step into a new role as principal for the school as the new school year opens. No stranger to education, this 24-year veteran is looking forward to leading this learning community and continuing its tradition of excellence. “Palm Pointe has been my home for the past six years. I consider the staff and students my family, and I will continue to build and nurture the positive climate for student achievement.”
St. Lucie Public Schools Superintendent E. Wayne Gent said, “There was no need to look beyond our own District’s campuses for this school’s highly qualified leader. Ms. Perez has a proven track record as a strong instructional leader with assets in leading professional development and technology innovation. She will serve the school and the community well.”
Palm Pointe is a research school that boasts of a unique partnership with Florida Atlantic University and St. Lucie Public Schools. The kindergarten through eighth grade school has a three-fold mission of being a demonstration site for teacher education, developing curricula, and conducting research. The school’s current leader, Principal Debra Snyder, retires at the close of this school year and leaves a legacy of 37 years as a teacher and administrator in St. Lucie Public Schools.
About St. Lucie Public Schools
The mission of St. Lucie Public Schools is to ensure all students graduate from safe and caring schools equipped with the knowledge, skills and desire to succeed. For more information visit, www.stlucieschools.org or contact Kerry Padrick at kerry.padrick@stlucieschools.org.
The Port Saint Lucie High School Jaguar Battalion traveled to Lakeland, FL to compete in the Florida State Final Drill Competition on April 16th. Out of the 396 Army JROTC programs in the state of FL 108 schools qualified to compete at the state finals.
The Jaguars competed in the following events: Female Color Guard, commanded by Cadet Major Jamie Triplett; Female Platoon Unarmed Regulation, commanded by Cadet Major Catherine Zukowski; Female Squad Armed Regulation, commanded by Cadet Second Lieutenant Syanna Graham; and Female Squad Armed Exhibition, commanded by Cadet Staff Sergeant Kaycee Rhodes.
Male/Mixed Squad Unarmed Regulation, commanded by Cadet Command Sergeant Major Adan Pagan; Male/Mixed Squad Armed Regulation, commanded by Cadet Sergeant Major Travis Cetin; Male/Mixed Platoon Unarmed Regulation, commanded by Cadet Major Julian Taft; and Male/Mixed Squad Armed Exhibition, commanded by Cadet Captain Zachery St. John.
The Jaguars are still waiting to hear the results from the competition. The final scores will be sent out during the week of April 18th.
Congratulations to all of the cadets who competed and to all the cadets who commanded.
Seventh graders in Mrs. Lauren Kappler’s West Gate K-8 Civics class won first place accolades in the St. Lucie Public Schools Project Citizen Showcase. Their project entitled Don’t Panic will compete at the State level and is currently on display at the Capital where legislators will serve on judging panels for a final evaluation of all projects by late May.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – The 7th annual Family Reading Festival is slated for Saturday, April 23 from 9 AM – 1 PM at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie. Families are invited to bring their children to this free event and experience the many joys of literacy. Meet Mother Goose, read with VIPs, receive free books, and enjoy interactive puppet shows. And there is more. Bring your gently used books for a book trade, browse the Scholastic Book Fair, visit with authors, and try your hand at a variety of literacy-themed games and activities.
“We look forward to bringing this event to our community each year,” said Reading Council President Lori Beans. “Literacy is the cornerstone for learning and is a valuable gift for all of our children.”
This event is organized by the St. Lucie Reading Council and supported by the Children’s Services Council as well as the St. Lucie Mets. Tradition field is located at 525 Peacock Avenue, Port St. Lucie, Florida. For more information on this event, visit www.slcreadingcouncil.org.
Another free opportunity for the public scheduled at the same time and venue is the St. Lucie Safety Festival. St. Lucie Public Schools, first responders, and other local agencies and organizations will be present with demonstrations and giveaways.
About St. Lucie Public Schools
The mission of St. Lucie Public Schools is to ensure all students graduate from safe and caring schools equipped with the knowledge, skills and desire to succeed. For more information visit, www.stlucieschools.org or contact Kerry Padrick at kerry.padrick@stlucieschools.org.
Kindergartners in Mrs. Warren’s class proudly show off their sight word progress by tracking their achievement. The teacher then conferences with students individually about where they are, and they set new sight word goals. What a fun, interactive way to show what you know as you learn and grow.
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL – Seventh graders in Mrs. Lauren Kappler’s West Gate K-8 Civics class won first place accolades in the St. Lucie Public Schools Project Citizen Showcase. Their project entitled Don’t Panic will compete at the State level and is currently on display at the Capital where legislators will serve on judging panels for a final evaluation of all projects by late May.
We the People: Project Citizen is organized by Florida Law Related Education, Inc. which explains the annual project as “a curricular program for upper elementary and secondary students designed and published by the Center for Civic Education (CCE) that promotes competent and responsible participation in local and state government. The program helps participants learn how to monitor and influence public policy. In the process, they develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy.”
Students in Civics classes work in teams, identify a public policy problem in their community, research the problem, and after evaluating possible solutions to the problem, propose a public policy that could serve as the solution. At the local level of competition, the solutions are well documented in a portfolio, and the policy is shared with a committee of community leaders using a display board along with a verbal presentation.
Mrs. Kappler’s students proposed a public policy based on panic button devices for school safety modeled after safety systems in other states such as Georgia.
About St. Lucie Public Schools
The mission of St. Lucie Public Schools is to ensure all students graduate from safe and caring schools equipped with the knowledge, skills and desire to succeed. For more information visit, www.stlucieschools.org or contact Kerry Padrick at kerry.padrick@stlucieschools.org.
Congratulations to our Lincoln Park Academy students who placed in the annual Indian River State College Creative Writing Contest!
Molly Thomas won 2nd place in the 10th grade category for her short story, “Bermuda Love Triangle.”
Justin Heath won 3rd place in the 11th grade category for his short story, “Leviathan.”
Lindsey Allgire won 2nd place for in the 11th grade category for her untitled story.
Maya Donnell won 1st place in the 11th grade category for her short story “A Thousand Unwritten Pages.”
Lincoln Park is very proud of our authors. Congratulations!
Pictured from left to right: Maya Donnell, Lindsey Allgire, Mrs. Merritt, Justin Heath, Molly Thomas
Technological and economic factors have changed the way people around the world perceive the importance of agriculture. Agritechnology is the teaching of agricultural sciences, natural resources, land management, and the 21st Century tools and technologies used in the field. The curriculum includes horticulture, livestock management, agricultural science, and more. It is taught through hands-on experiences that prepare students for both entry-level jobs and/or higher-level education.
Fort Pierce Westwood High School
Digital media production is the study of media creation and display through media outlets such as the Internet. This includes audio and video streaming and hybrids of the two. Interactive media or rich media combines video, audio and user participation.
Fort Pierce Central High School, Treasure Coast High School
The Microsoft IT Academy teaches students a greater mastery of Microsoft products such as Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. Students increase personal productivity and technical skills by earning Industry Certification as Microsoft Office Specialists (MOS). Technology skills and certification taught lead students to be college and career ready for today’s technology-centered job market.
Fort Pierce Central High School, Fort Pierce Westwood School, Port St. Lucie High School, St. Lucie West Centennial High School, Treasure Coast High School
Congratulations Fairlawn Force Team!
A group of Fairlawn students competed in the Florida Science Olympiad at Florida Atlantic University. Science Olympiad is a competition open to middle and high school students with a separate competition for elementary students.
The team participated in various hands-on, interactive, inquiry-based activities. The students had to do science during the competition, not just report on a topic. The bridge building team placed second by designing and building the lightest bridge with the highest structural efficiency that can span a given opening meeting the requirements specified in the rules.
Congratulations to the Fairlawn Force Science Olympiad Team!
The students at C.A. Moore Elementary received an unexpected visit from Khalil Mack. Mr. Mack is a native of Fort Pierce, former C.A. Moore student and graduate of Fort Pierce Westwood High School. Students had the opportunity to take pictures with Mr. Mack and he graciously provided autographs for students and staff. Mr. Mack is currently a player with the Oakland Raiders wearing number 52.