Northport K-8 Media Specialist Lynne Gruszka, with the collaboration of a network of Northport teachers, put together an authentic, student empowering program recently in honor of Women’s History Month. Students researched and paid tribute to women such as Condoleeza Rice, Susan B. Anthony, Mother Theresa, Joan of Arc, Rosie the Riveter, Margaret Thatcher and many more. Students sang a special selection of the National Anthem as a tribute to strong women in the military, a student rendition of Maya Angelou’s famous poem “Phenomenal Woman” with a dance routine, and a rousing rendition of “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge was sung by students in Juliette … Read More

Weatherbee Elementary students participated in a poster contest depicting the school’s S.A.I.L. (Self-Control, Acts Responsibly, Is Respectful, and Learn) Expectations. Students in pre-K through fifth grade had an opportunity to enter this unique contest and create posters depicting one or all of the school wide Positive Behavior Support expectations. Eight winners were selected and each received a Wal-Mart gift card. Winning posters were displayed in the cafeteria. In fact, all posters entered were displayed throughout the hallways for all to view. Wonderful job, Mariners! Pictured with Principal Michael Hitsman and Assistant Principal Jennifer Avellino are the poster contest winners Mitsu … Read More

Weatherbee Elementary held a successful fifth Annual Publix Math Night Event recently. More than 80 eager students and their parents experienced applying real life, age appropriate math skills to complete math word problems. A big thank you to Publix for providing goodie bags and cookies to all participants for returning their completed math worksheet. All students had a fun time and learned a lot as they earned a homework pass for a job well done. Pictured, back row from left, second grade teacher Christine Mathison, math coach Terry Longar, and assistant principal Jennifer Avellino. In front are Donnell Williams, second … Read More

Nearly 400 turned out for Southern Oaks Middle School’s second annual Family Science Night recently. Students and parents alike participated in many hands-on science activities prepared by the Southern Oaks faculty. One of the big crowd pleasers was the STEM l, where parents and students were able to see the hydroponic plants and the rockets that were built. Students from Fort Pierce Central High School’s culinary arts program provided some delicious cookies and performed a demostration, and students from Central’s automotive, biology, and HOSA programs also shared their experiences. Students from Fort Pierce Westwood High School shared information about the Marine Oceanographic … Read More

St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office detectives spoke to parents at Floresta Elementary School recently about internet safety. Risky internet decisions while utilizing social media include socializing, downloading, posting photos, music, and games were discussed. Parents were made aware of the dangers of unknown friending, posting personal information, embarrassing or harassing people, sending provocative images, sharing passwords, or clicking on pop-ups. Attendees were shown a presentation and videos focusing on internet safety. Warning signs include receiving gifts, making calls to unknown numbers, turning away from friends and family, or exhibiting extreme emotional behavior when they have no access to the internet. … Read More

Five Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition students participated recently in the St. Lucie All County Chorus. This is an annual event which takes place each Spring in honor of Music In Our Schools Month. Students from all elementary schools in St. Lucie County come together to videotape a concert that will be played on Channel 13 as well as in all schools as children all over St. Lucie County learn and sing these songs. Pictured, back row, are Briena Hall and Biance’ Kirkpatrick. Middle row are Aaron Oliveira and Sarah Wouters, and front row is Cianna Hall. 

The students at Palm Pointe Educational Research School @ Tradition recently enjoyed shopping at the Spring Book Fair. Books from every genre and reading level were available for sale. Students could also sign up for a new service called Storia, which is for e-books. Those who signed up received five free e-books. Pictured, right, is third grader Nicholas Polanco as he takes advantage of this great program, with dad and younger brother Maddox. 

Curious George surprised St. Lucie Elementary’s VPK students with a special visit. Sherry Beland’s VPK class had the highest usage of the online curricula for the second quarter. Students in her class were ecstatic as Curious appeared from around the corner.

Both male and female teams of the Port S. Lucie High School Jaguar ROTC Battalion have qualified to go to the state drill meet by placing in first to third place in their events in the district drill meet hosted recently by Fort Pierce Central High School. The teams took first place in two of the events, and third in another event. Also in an individual knock-out drill, which is like a military “Simon Says,” two cadets won placed in the top 10. Overall, the Jaguar Battalion Drill Team performed very well and is anticipating the state meet. Pictured is … Read More

Students in Veronica Patrick’s second grade class at St. Lucie Elementary was paid a special visit from Mr. Reverend James Sullivan, a former principal of St. Lucie County Schools. Reverend Sullivan took the time to educate her students on Black History and honorable individuals remembered for their braveness, such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Ralph Bunche, and many more. A special thank you Reverend Sullivan.

Weatherbee Elementary students are spending Saturday mornings in a science enrichment camp fostering creative problem solving and teamwork – 21st century life skills imperative to success in our modern society. Each Saturday, students rotate through stations, each of which encourages working in diverse teams, engaging in investigations, experiments, and engineering challenges that combine science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in enriching, hands-on activities. Students in teams have dissected owl pellets, built electrical circuits, created potato batteries, made organic polymer slime, measured the effect of varying forces on golf ball speed, as well as determining the effect of camouflage on predation … Read More

The Fort Pierce Central High School JROTC recently hosted the 2013 Area III Drill Competition, and qualified in six categories for state competition. The five-county drill competition is the state qualifier for over 26 high school JROTC programs. The top three in each category win a trip to Lakeland for the Florida State Drill Competition. Each school is evaluated on their ability to demonstrate precision, originality, and overall showmanship within the routines. The Cobra cadets placed third overall, and first in Male/Mixed Armed Platoon Exhibition, Female Unarmed Regulation Squad, and Male/Mixed Color Guard. The cadets also earned second place in … Read More

A group of 42 eighth grade WestGate students and four chaperones recently visited Washington, D.C. They visited the White House, and upon entering the East Wing, the newly appointed Secretary of the Treasury, Jacob Lew, was leaving the White House and returning to the adjacent Treasury Department. They visited the Jefferson, World War II, Grant and Martin Luther King, Jr., memorials. They visited the Kennedy famly gravesite at the Arlington National cemetery, and viewed the solemn ceremony of the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The students then visited Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and took pictures … Read More

In fourth grade to practice learning about fractions, students in Michele Graci’s class at Mariposa Elementary decided to do some real world application. This project was helpful for the class to be able to answer the question fractions’ purpose. The students each got a chance to make a cake mix and end up with cake pops to eat at the end of their experiment. The class was put into four groups, and each afternoon a different group was put to the test. They were given a cake mix box and all the ingredients and tools they would need. It was then their … Read More

Northport K-8 fifth grade instructor Judy Fowler and her students won accolades, money and ribbons of all colors at the St. Lucie County Fair for vegetables home grown in the class’ garden and for journals that students submitted. Students exhibited vegetables such as kohlrabi, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, basil, dill, mustards, collards, onions and strawberries. Two students, Trevor Walk and Kaitlyn Friedt, won ribbons for their gardening journals which detail daily gardening activities. Students in Mrs. Fowler’s class were provided clearly stated learning goals, scales and rubrics for the engaging project and the very special long range lesson provided for learning … Read More

Northport K-8 middle grades students excelled at the 2013 SLC School District History Fair. Three Northport students, Moriah Weir, Michael Gorbach and Casey McCowan,  were finalists in the second round of judging at the fair held on March 2, 2013. Michael Gorbach’s exhibit, The Russian Revolution of 1917 was chosen as a finalist for the top three slots. Michael will be presented with a second place award at the presentation ceremony on Wednesday, March 13 at Fort Pierce Central.  Northport History Fair coordinator is instructor Bob Burdge. Pictured, from left, are Bob Burdge, students Moriah Weir, Michael Gorbach, Casey McCowan and principal, Glenn … Read More

Windmill Point Elementary second graders in Caryol-Lynn Hallahan’s class created their own “gallon pals” to help them learn capacity and equivalents in math. Each student made their own pal beginning with a gallon body, accompanied by quart arms and legs, pint hands and feet, and cup fingers and toes to help them visualize how our customary system of measurement works. Pictured are Efrain Pellot and Christopher Skrabak.

The students in Erin Cook’s and Melissa Lucrezia’s second grade classes at Windmill Pointe Elementary synergize as they create a circle map. The students’ learning goal to will understand money. Through Common Core curriculum, students are required to show a deep understanding of money. The students are showing all the different ways to make 88 cents through different coin combinations. Pictured are Dylan Charan, left, and Elijah Steckler.

Fourth grade students in the After School Tutoring Program at Mariposa Elementary are enthralled making paper mache characters or scenes from books they have read. The project is to connect reading, writing, and art. Students are learning characterization, setting, plot and finding facts from text. Not only are they learning but having a ball constructing their projects. Pictured, from left, are Kailey Oullette, Aivi Lang, Kanson Paul, Adriana Perez, and Arianna White.

Northport K-8 School has achieved the school district’s Parent Involvement award for the middle/senior level. Northport K-8, a Title 1 school, submitted its “Take The Lead And Read” program for consideration. The program standards must apply a welcoming of all families into the school community, effective communication, support of students’ success, sharing power, speaking up for every child and collaborating with the community. The award highlights exemplary programs in Florida schools. The award also reflects innovative practices for recruiting, training and recognition of family and community members.  Northport’s programming includes strong PTO support, 21st Century before and after school program, veterans program, Waggin’ Tales … Read More