by Samantha Davis | Sep 11, 2014 | District News
Tony Boselli, former Jacksonville Jaguar football player #71, spoke to the St. Lucie County school principals on Thursday, September 11th at 8:00 am at the School Board District Office regarding his company, Healthy Schools and the FluMist Vaccination Program. Healthy Schools, in cooperation with the St. Lucie County Public Schools and the Florida Department of Health in St. Lucie County, is excited to kick off the “Teach Flu A Lesson” program in St. Lucie County. Every year thousands of children miss valuable school days because of the influenza virus. Offering flu vaccinations in the school setting has been proven to be effective in preventing disease and reducing absenteeism. October 2nd and 3rd are the designated days for the FluMist Program in St. Lucie County Schools.
by WENDY MUNAO | Sep 11, 2014 | School News
The students in Mrs. Auciello’s Kindergarten class at Mariposa Elementary started the year with a fun activity to practice counting objects accurately with one to one correspondence up to 10.
Pictured is Jessie Hindman who very accurately used his play-dough to make the number 8 and to count out 8 play-dough circles to match. The students are off to a great start this year!
by CATHERINE ODOM | Sep 11, 2014 | School News
Southern Oaks Middle School’s media center has already been extremely busy with students this year. Ms. Odom and Ms. Aguila started the year off by working with Mrs. Kappler’s 7th grade Civics Class during the first week of school. The students came in for lessons on text features within their Civics Textbook. First, they took an interest inventory and a pre-test. Then the students were given a lesson on text features using a power point presentation. The students came back to the media center and were put into small groups based on their interests and scores on the pre-test. After multiple activities, the students were given a post test. The results were great! The students will be coming back soon for instruction in using the information found in the text feature to actually answer questions.
Then all of the students at Southern Oaks Middle School came to the media center for a brief orientation and book check out. We are looking forward to an amazing year with our students.
by RICHARD THOMPSON | Sep 11, 2014 | School News
Due to a horrific accident with a sidelight window, Steve Shea suffered a laceration from glass in his forearm down to the bone that severed an artery. His daughter, Mackenzie Shea, is a Captain in Port Saint Lucie High School’s JROTC program. She knew from her JROTC training that the bright red blood squirting from his arm was arterial blood and that arterial bleeding is life threatening. Mackenzie took her dad to the car and then she wrapped a seat belt around her father’s bicep that acted as a tourniquet, which ultimately saved his life. Mackenzie rushed to the ER honking and flashing the lights, determined to get help for her father. Even with blood spurting from her father’s arm, Mackenzie stayed calm throughout the ordeal. When they finally arrived at the ER, the doctors cut the seat belt out of the car and it remained on Steve’s arm until the doctors got him into emergency surgery where they tied off the artery. Although Steve lost a couple pints of blood, he is still here with us all thanks to Mackenzie Shea.
Jaguar Battalion’s Mackenzie Shea
Photo taken By: Jaffrey Murankus
by Roberta Farrell | Sep 11, 2014 | School News
On Thursday, September 11, 2014, sixth grade students at Palm Pointe Elementary Research School at Tradition participated in a special lesson about using oral histories to present multiple perspectives of an historical event.
World History teachers, Mrs. Melanie Larsen and Mr. Dennis Keane (former NYFD fireman), and St. Lucie County fireman Ray Reiprecht shared their personal accounts of September 11, 2001. Students also viewed a compilation video featuring the oral histories of other sixth grade teachers and PPE principal, Debra Snyder. Students then discussed the merits of oral histories as primary sources and how the various perspectives aided their overall understanding of the singular event.
Pictured from left is; Mr. Dennis Keane, history teacher and retired firefighter, Mrs. Melanie Larsen, history teacher and St Lucie County fireman, Ray Reiprecht.
by LYNNE Gruszka | Sep 5, 2014 | School News
Northport K-8 School and Big Brothers, Big sisters of Saint Lucie County have formed an excellent working partnership to bring the very best services to the students. Not only are targeted students the recipient of a terrific mentoring program under the direction of Lauren Fowler, but the AmeriCorps tutoring branch of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of SLC supports our Kindergarten through second grade targeted learners with in depth and strategically intensive lesson plans. The plans are designed in collaboration with the classroom teacher to bring each student to grade level and beyond. The tutors plan and then meet with individual children to bring the most powerful instruction to each child. AmeriCorps Director, Jenna Stinnett assists tutors in lesson planning, scheduling students, collaborating with specific instructors and keeps the program moving along at a lively pace. Many thanks to the Big Brothers, Big Sisters programs for their part in increasing the Northport K-8 school grade for 2013-2014 and purposefully helping students meet their highest potential. Pictured are the tutors this year who will service 30 targeted students this year from grades K-2 from left, Azzam Abdur-Rahman, Barbara Heller, Tameka Walker and Jenna Stinnett.
by Kristin Hsu | Sep 4, 2014 | School News
4th graders at Frances K. Sweet learn how to make observations and create scientific questions during an ice balloon investigation. The investigation involves a frozen, water filled balloon and the students remove the latex and examine the ice using magnifying glasses, flashlights, toothpicks, popsicle sticks, and paper clips. They then observe what happens when salt and food coloring are added. Throughout the lesson, students document their observations and raise questions about what they see. Pictured here are 4th graders Ansel Espinal and Dona Lima from Mrs. Elish Mancuso’s class.
by Samantha Davis | Sep 3, 2014 | School News
Ft. Pierce Westwood kicked off the 2014-2015 school year with a celebration of hope. The Tunnel of Hope is a yearly tradition at Westwood. As students came into the school the very first day of classes, staff was assembled in formation, waving banners, singing the “Happy” song and clapping. Mr. Rivera, a reading teacher at Ft. Pierce Westwood explained that each year students depart their buses only to be surprised at the warm welcome they receive. Mr. Rivera stated, it gives the students an understanding that the whole staff shares in the common welfare of each and every Westwood student. “We love what we do here at Westwood and we want the students to know we are here for them.”
by Samantha Davis | Sep 2, 2014 | District News
St. Lucie Public Schools is working to increase participation in its partnership with South Florida Commuter Services (SFCS), which is a program of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). SchoolPool is a software system that helps to connect interested parents who live near one another so that they can plan such activities as a “walking” school bus, bike pools, car pools, and the like. The target audience for this program is parents in St. Lucie County who live within two miles of their student’s school; however, the program is open to any interested parents or guardians. SFCS’s website includes a page designed for parents to register: http://www.goschoolpool.com/stlucie/
The program will prove beneficial to the schools and to the community in its potential to decrease overall traffic especially in school zones and, of course, in its overall green advantage resulting from less cars on the road.
by Samantha Davis | Aug 31, 2014 | School News
White City Elementary School Welcomed their Wildcats to the 2014-2015 School Year with their First Tunnel of Hope as a Kids at Hope School!
by LYNNE Gruszka | Aug 30, 2014 | School News
Northport K-8 Teachers and staff exhibited strong support for the initiatives of the Saint Lucie County Reading Council with an excellent turnout at the collegiate groups very first function. The mission of the SLC Reading Council is ” to promote a district- wide passion for literacy!” Northport is proud to support the exchange of ideas and strategies among other educators from across the district and to help promote positive interactions with literacy leaders from other schools. The first event was a “Meet and Greet” held recently at Johnny V’s restaurant in Saint Lucie West. Other events and initiatives include a “Books and Spirits” event at the Hilton Garden in Saint Lucie West and a “Winter Book Exchange” at Panera Bread in SLW. Northport K-8 School members of this collegiate and professional group include Media Specialist, Lynne Gruszka, Executive secretary, Louise Robinson, Northport Book Keeper, Rebecca Leone, Instructors, Georgia Stone, Lorri Lamm, Dorothy Still, Ann Barbare, Tracy Lejeune, Sandra Tyndale-Harvey, Mindi Slater and support staff member, Sarah Lewis. An excellent cross- spectrum contingency from Northport K-8 School. Many thanks to incoming president, Heather Bolitho and her staff for the excellent camaraderie. Memberships are still available for $15. Please consider joining this group of “literacy leaders!”
by Roberta Farrell | Aug 30, 2014 | School News
The Exceptional Student Education Department at Palm Pointe Education Research School @ Tradition prepares for a successful 2014 – 2015 school year. This photo on the first day of school captures their passion and enthusiasm for assisting students with special needs. Looking forward to an exceptional year at Palm Pointe!
by Samantha Davis | Aug 29, 2014 | District News
Mrs. West’s First Grade Class had the privilege of another visit from Dr. Rendell, our Deputy Superintendent of Human Resources. This was his 3rd year coming into their classroom and reading to the boys and girls. Dr. Rendell brought in the book “Pete the Cat: Wheels on the Bus.” The students loved Dr. Rendell’s interactive method where he would read and the boys and girls would join and sing along.
This school year, there were more than just these two fine educators in the classroom. Dr. Rendell got to meet Janice Aleixo, Mrs. West’s student teacher from Florida Atlantic University. With the whole class engaged in this reading environment the students were off to a great school year and cannot wait for another visit and another story from Dr. Rendell!
by LYNNE Gruszka | Aug 29, 2014 | School News
Northport K-8 Media Service Center opened its doors to new and returning students on the very first day of school. Teachers sign up for class orientations for media center procedures to establish routines, review the Destiny library program, review the Dewey Decimal System and how to locate books and resources available. Students select books based on interest and review choices with the instructor and the Media Specialist, Lynne Gruszka.
The Media Center at Northport is available every day for class visits to check out books, to work on research assignments utilizing technology and support materials, allows for interaction with the many programs available through the Media Center and collaborates with the classroom teacher to scaffold information learned in class lessons. This year, the Northport Media Center will present programming that includes a September 11, 2001 Commemoration, two book fairs that are family focused, a Veterans Day class visit and a monthly Leadership Roundtable with guests that will include community leaders from the local area. The first Leadership Roundtable guest will be Florida Representative, Gayle Harrell. The Leadership Roundtable will scaffold information for the St. Lucie County History Fair topic, “Leaders and Legacies” and offer students primary source material for their selected topics. Students will visit with community leaders in an informal, interactive question and answer period to discuss how too become leaders and learn leadership skills through intensive questioning.
The Media Center also will offer an intensive program that includes a look at World War II, Normandy Beach and the Honor Flight program. The center hosts the Veteran Partners in Education program throughout the year and promotes veteran classroom visits and mentoring programs. The Media Center hosts the school’s History Fair and Science Fair for student perusal. The Northport K-8 Media Center offers critical information for high student achievement, great student book choice selections to enhance the desire for reading, offers collaboration with the classroom instructor to enrich the classroom experience and offers a deeper involvement with information of interest or need through specific materials and coaching.
It is the pleasure of the Northport K-8 Media Services Department to diffuse positive information pertaining to the school community to media sources and outlets such as the Lucie Link and local news TC Palm.
Be on the lookout for forward movement for students and families in Media Center usage and positive growth and development in programming for the entire Northport extended community.
Pictured is Instructor, Dorothy Still, second from the left and her seventh grade class utilizing the Media Center. Students are: Zakai Mack, Micaela Aza, Dana Barcomb, Hope Bingaman, Lara Croft, Elijah defazio, Sikari Dickson, Emilia Dovale, Ciara Hickman, Wilkin Jean-Pierre, Jazmine Mathis, Shane Mcclellan, Ryan Mishow, Gabriella Oates, Maylina Rivera, Demontavious Smith, Michelle Stabile, Tyler Stiel, Jaiden Valine, Victoya Zamor.
by CHRISTOPHER MAXON | Aug 29, 2014 | School News
Fort Pierce Central High School hosted over 200 student-athletes throughout three weeks of basketball camp this summer. The FPC Basketball / Person of Influence Camp challenged campers to maximize their athletic potential while encouraging these students to extend past comfort level and to open their minds to learning new techniques and drills. Additionally, students were engaged in coaching-instruction that focused primarily on teamwork, leadership, and self-confidence. All of these activities aid in the development of strong work habits and positive values which students need to carry with them throughout the course of their athletic and academic career. Every camper had the opportunity to meet new friends in an encouraging environment where success was measured by effort and self-improvement, not by winning and losing.
by LYNNE Gruszka | Aug 28, 2014 | School News
Northport K-8 School principal, Glenn Rustay accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge recently to not only donate much needed funds to help find a cure for ALS, but to also help educate his students on the horrible disease. Mr. Rustay accepted the challenge from Northport music instructor, Brian Hoce.
Students were thrilled to watch as Principal Rustay first used a tiny bucket filled with ice then, at the behest of his students, dumped the big bucket over his head! Although all in fun, the seriousness of the cause filled the overwhelming picture at Northport K-8 School recently. Students learned that thirty thousand patients each year are diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gerhig’s disease, after the famous baseball player who succumbed from the disease.
To date, $53 million dollars has been raised to help fund global research in finding a treatment and cure for ALS. The funds also help to support the patient and family who are suffering from the effects of the terrible disease. That is more than quadruple the funds raised in the entire year last year. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has proven to be a much needed boost in the pocketbook to help raise not only funds but awareness of the urgency to find a cure for this debilitating disease. Way to go Mr. Rustay!
If you would like to learn more, would like to donate or would like to participate in your own ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, visit www.alsa.org.
by April Rogers | Aug 26, 2014 | School News
Students at Forest Grove Middle School were greeted by a Tunnel of Hope on their first day of school. Among the members of the Tunnel of Hope were firefighters, teachers, staff members, school board officials and members of the community.
by LYNNE Gruszka | Aug 25, 2014 | School News
Northport K-8 School welcomed students, parents and grandparents back to a wonderful kickoff for a fresh and positive new school year! Northport K-8 School is a Title I school nestled in a community of hardworking families who appreciate the welcoming nature of the school community including the administration, teachers, staff, custodians and cafeteria staff.
The schools extended community came out in droves on the first day of school to welcome students with shouts of “Welcome Back,” signs with positive messages, American flags held by veterans, police officers, fire fighters, school board members, staff from Big Brothers, Big sisters and the Children’s Services Council and other members of the business community. The welcoming line of invested members of the extended community offered the school support and gave a flourish to the first day of school.
Many teachers shook hands with students and parents and gave positive greetings to all students. Northport K-8 School’s status as a “Kids At Hope” School offers the school community real support and a great chance to cultivate even deeper friendships with families and key support from a very appreciative community.
Special thanks to SLC School Board members, Kathryn Hensley and Troy Ingersoll, Pam Dampier, Executive Director of Schools, Alice Kenyon and many police officers from the Port St. Lucie Police Department, Sean Boyle from Children’s Services Council, Lt. Diane Thompson from the Sheriff’s Department and several other deputies, the Legion Riders from American Legion Post 318, members of the American Legion Post 355 as well as Bill Arnold representing the American Legion Post 318 and members of the Korean War Veterans Assoc. Chapter 106. Many other members of the community were on hand as well to give a rousing welcome to the students and families. Many thanks to one and all who helped plant the seeds of hope on the first day of school!
Pictured is Northport K-8 School parent Heriberto Gamez with his son, sixth grader, Aidan Gamez.
by Samantha Davis | Aug 22, 2014 | District News
Lt. Izzo, Sheriff Mascara and Sgt Dobler join the Parkway staff to welcome students at their Tunnel of Hope.
by Samantha Davis | Aug 5, 2014 | District News
Employees at the School Board Office brought in bags and boxes of school supplies to be given to United Way of St. Lucie. United Way has filled backpacks full of school supplies for our students who are eligible for free lunch. They have reached their goal of helping at least 4,500 children in all of the St. Lucie County schools. Thank you for your generosity in providing so many children with tools for success at the beginning of this school year. Pictured are, Dr. Mark Rendell, Kerry Padrick, Peg Warnke, Dr. Kevin Perry, Dr. Kathy McGInn and Genelle Yost.
