On the morning of October 11, some 147 students and their families from Manatee Academy K8 School participated in the third annual International Walk to School Day sponsored and promoted regionally by the South Florida Commuter Services by walking from nearby McChesney park to the school. School staff promoted the activity through morning announcements, PE classes, posters put up at the school, flyers provided were sent home and a message went home to all parents. Participating students were given backpacks, reflectors and bags from the agency. The event is to promote health, wellness and physical activity with children and families … Read More

Excited third graders at Manatee Academy show off their books at the first Skirmishes Over Stories (S.O.S.) for the 2013-14 school year.  Students read from a list of ten books, come to the Media Center for lunch, get prizes for answering questions correctly about those books and enjoy Mrs. Remington’s World-Famous brownies!   The Tournament of Champions will be on December 4th.  S.O.S. is a precursor for 4th and 5th grades Battle of the Books.

Our third graders are so excited to participate in their first “Skirmishes Over Stories” (S.O.S.) luncheon.  Students read a certain number of books prior to our meeting, then enjoy their lunch along with Mrs. Remington’s world-famous brownies, and a prize while answering questions about the books they’ve read.  S.O. S. is a precursor for “Battle of the Books” which our 4th and 5th graders eagerly participate in every month using the SSYRA books.

 Manatee Academy K8 newlyweds Caleb Bihari and Ashley Drum spent part of their honeymoon teaching impoverished children on the island of St. Lucia.  Their experience was made possible by the Sandals Foundation and their “Reading Road Trip” excursion.  Every Thursday a van leaves the comfort and luxury of the Sandals resort to go to Balata Primary school in Babonneau.  Volunteers sign up in the resort lobby for the opportunity to interact with the faculty and students and see what schooling is like for children in St. Lucia. “When I heard that this was a possibility I absolutely wanted to go,” Bihari … Read More

Manatee Academy students in Ms. Shaver’s 1st period Civics class won first place in the state finals of the Project Citizen for their portfolio. Additionally, they won 2nd place for the oral competition which was scored on their presentation and question responses. Representatives from Ms. Shaver’s class participated in the state finals of Project Citizen on May 20th. Students presented their project to a panel of two different sets of judges comprised of Nova faculty, the League of Women Voters, and Florida Law Related Association staff. The competition had a total of 6 middle schools, three from St. Lucie Public … Read More

Manatee Academy 8th grade students enjoyed lunch at a park after viewing an emotional Anne Frank exhibit sponsored by Temple Beth Am in Jupiter this week. The exhibit is part of a national tour from the Anne Frank Center, New York. Our students participated in a scavenger hunt by answering questions after reading the giant informational murals, pictures, and quotes from Anne and her family. Docents showed a 22 minute film, “The  Short Life of Anne Frank.”  Students were visibly moved by this documentary and accompanying exhibit.

Naiah James and Cade Saenz, 8th grade, placed 2nd and 1st, respectively, at the St. Lucie Schools District History Fair on February 21, 2015 for Individual Websites.  Since neither student had any prior experience creating a website, this was an outstanding accomplishment​! The History Fair Theme this year was Leadership and Legacy.  The students could pick any person in history who, positively or negatively, reflected each of those qualities.  Cade’s website was about John Dillinger, the notorious bank robber, who lead a gang to steal almost $300,00.00 (That’s $5.5 million in today’s money!).  Naiah’s website was about Nelson Mandela, the amazing South … Read More

Manatee Academy’s monthly SUNDAY BRUNCH had a special guest for December. The Big Guy himself Ho-Ho-Ho’ed his way into the library and children were treated to something better than candy canes from Santa — free, brand new books TO KEEP! Families also enjoyed Mrs. Remington’s world-famous chocolate-chip pancakes after snapping pictures with bigger-than-life holiday characters, singing Christmas carols, and checking out up to 10 books!

For the second year, Manatee Academy 7th grade students have partnered with the Indian River Oyster Reef Restoration Project and the 4 H Foundation in building an oyster reef off Harbor Point Park in Ft. Pierce. The students use the natural water filtration ability of the oysters to promote a better water quality in the lagoon system. They have been involved in enrichment lessons that promote real world application of how humans impact the Earth’s water. The unit includes a series of research labs in oyster anatomy along with dissection and water quality testing. The students will return to the … Read More

Students and staff were “Feelin’ Groovy” at our Rockin’ Family Night. Parents learned about websites they can use with their children at home. We also had Deputy Lopez from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Department talk to parents and students about Internet safety. Students were also able to shop for books with their families in our Scholastic Book Fair. Other highlights of the evening were performances by our administrators singing “Feelin’ Groovy” and Mrs. Remington and Mrs. Valinote performing as Sonny and Cher. Manatee Academy is currently promoting family literacy by encouraging families to read together for 20 minutes per … Read More

Manatee Academy’s Student Government and Honor Society will be hosting a 5k Run/Walk to support the fight against hunger. The event to benefit the Treasure Coast Food Bank will be held on January 23, 2016. Registration is available online at www.active.com and search for “Manatee” or participants can obtain registration information from Charles Pilson at Manatee Academy (340-4745). The first 125 participants to register will receive a free t-shirt!

Manatee Academy middle school students are so excited about the Grand Reopening of Pages Cafe (which serves one item and one item only: BOOKACCINOS!) that they were lined up before school today! Students use Manatee dollars to purchase the fabulous beverage that they can sip while reading a book in our Media Center. Media Specialist AKA Barrista (or BOOKarrista) Debbie Remington loves discussing and recommending books with her patrons as she prepares their BOOKaccino!

Manatee Academy was fortunate to have the dynamic Patty Mayer from our local Red Cross speak to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes.  Debbie Remington,  Manatee’s media specialist organized the event. The Pillowcase Project is a preparedness education program for children in grades 3 – 5 which teaches students about personal and family preparedness, local hazards, and basic coping skills. Generally given as a 40-minute presentation by Red Cross volunteers, the program leads students through a “learn, practice, share” framework to engage them in disaster preparedness. Students receive a sturdy pillowcase upon completion of the program in which they are encouraged … Read More

Manatee Academy supported the Million Father March with a morning of “Donuts for Dads”. Over 120 fathers and other special guests arrived to enjoy a special morning with our students. Many of our guests also had the opportunity to peruse the BookFair and walk their children to class. We are quite thankful for the amazing support of our families and community!

Kindergartners at Manatee Academy recently dressed to impress and celebrated Fancy Nancy Day in the media center by exploring (that’s a fancy word for discovering) a Fancy Nancy glitter puzzle, listening to an original story by Media Specialist Debbie Remington titled “Radical Tad”, playing the Rad Tad fishing game, listening to the latest Fancy Nancy chapter book, “Nacy Clancy” and of course sipping sweet tea, pinkies up of course!

The middle school science fair was a wonderful opportunity for students to explore their curiosity and dive into hands-on experiments. Manatee Academy’s middle students dove right in with some of the most intriguing projects involving the investigation of how various factors influence growth and reactions. For example, one student’s topic was studying the pH levels in basil water and how it affects plant growth. Another student explored the growth of rock crystals by dissolving substances like salt or sugar in water and observing how they form crystals over time. These types of projects allowed students to engage with both the … Read More

Manatee Academy K-8 recently unveiled an exciting new addition to its campus—a book vending machine designed to promote literacy and reward academic success. The brightly colored machine, filled with a wide range of engaging and age-appropriate books, will serve as an incentive for students who excel in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), i-Ready progress, and academic performance. Students who meet specific goals will receive a special token, allowing them to select a book to keep and take home. This innovative approach not only encourages reading but also motivates students to stay on track with their academic and behavioral goals. … Read More

Last month, Manatee Academy K-8 held their annual Cookies for Santa Event. This festive gathering has become a cherished highlight for families, offering a variety of activities that captured the magic of the season. Children enjoyed making reindeer treats and decorating sparkling snowflakes, unleashing their creativity in the craft stations set up throughout the event. The school also featured their annual holiday shop, where kids could pick out and wrap gifts for their loved ones, adding an extra layer of excitement to the festivities. In the spirit of giving, families also brought toy donations for the Christmas 4 Kids organization, … Read More

The Manatee Academy K-8 Purple Pirate Monkeys Envirothon team, coached by Richard Maller and Judith Nova,  took first place for the Indian River lagoon category at the recent Regional Envirothon Competition. The Envirothon is a nationally based competition for middle to high school teams of students which promotes environmental awareness, science skills and research. The Purple Pirate Monkeys have been working in partnership with local members of the Divisions of Environmental Protection and Forestry, and the Savannas Education Center for the past two years, and have had several division awards during the past two regional games. Pictured, from left, are Samantha Lumbi, … Read More