Jackie Foster, the school nurse at F.K. Sweet Elementary, is a very popular person on campus with every student. Sometimes children have been known to fake an illness so they can go hang out with her for a visit. To show their appreciation and gratitude for doing such an outstanding job all year, third grade students made thank you cards and posted them outside the clinic so everyone could read and enjoy them during Nurses’ Appreciation Week.  Olivia Sperber and Will Nelson are pictured with Ms. Foster saying thanks after putting up their cards.

Students in Barbara Whellams third grade class at F.K. Sweet Elementary recently rolled coins and counted bills totaling over $300.00. The money will be awarded to the St. Lucie County Humane Society to help defray costs of feeding homeless animals currently in their shelter. “Pennies for Pets” is a yearly tradition and children begin in August bringing in loose change, allowance money, and many times part of their birthday and holiday monies, to fill the two large pink piggy banks. Pictured, from left, Justin Adrian, Morgan Busby, and Kayla Ceaser are having fun during a math lesson counting and rolling money.

Students in Lisa McGuire’s third grade class at F.K. Sweet Elementary have been learning about the Earth and its layers.  They made a book that included a diagram of the inside of the earth and then created edible earths.  Caleb Militello, left, and Brett Adelman are enjoying their tasty treat.

Third grade students at F.K. Sweet Elementary recently enjoyed making volcanoes, naming them, and then watching them erupt.  This was a culminating activity for their story of the week, “Dog-of-the-Sea-Waves.”  Bradyn Moxley, left, and Harry Guerrier watch as “Mount Smurf” erupts.

Brett Adams, owner and veterinarian of Midway Veterinary Hospital, visited Kasey Ascani’s second grade class at F.K. Sweet Elementary to speak with students about Pet Awareness Week. Students learned about the basics of taking care of their pets and what types of animals are good pets to have. Featured in the photograph are Brett Adams and his daughter, Brooke Adams, acting as his assistant.    

Students in Karen Madalena’s class at Samuel Gaines Academy enjoy their time spent with Mr. Dan Galloway and Abigail. Mr. Dan and Abigail travel to several schools in St Lucie County teaching students with special needs a unique “Art/Abigail” curriculum. One of the many commands that students are taught in order to interact with Abigail is to say the word “visit” and Abigail will lay her head in the student’s lap. Pictured with Abigail “visiting” with second grade student Sevaan Wright with Dan Galloway helping.

Mariposa Elementary School recently held its annual Reading Night Sleep-Over. It was a literacy-filled night as 32 qualified students watched a stage play (performed by middle-school volunteers), made puppets, and rotated through various story-based activities. The school held monthly literacy sessions for parents and students. Families that attended at least three events throughout the year were invited to the sleep-over. Parents took the night off as students and staff enjoyed Friday night in school. Pictured, from left, are students Talon Bareford, Daniel Lara-Mijares, Heiberto Lara-Mijares, Justin Locklar, Sean Higgins, and Monica Kalina creating puppets for the stage play “Little Red Riding Hood.”

The Spine & Sport Rehab Institute provided St. Lucie Elementary teachers and staff with a relaxing massage during Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week.  The institute was also named St. Lucie Elementary’s “Business Partner of the Year.”  Pictured, from left, are Principal Bernadette Floyd, Marketing Manager El Fuenmayor, Assistant Principal Nicole Ortega, and St. Lucie County School Board Vice Chairman Deborah Hawley.

Students at Windmill Point Elementary decorated surprise Mother’s Day cakes as part of  the school’s PBS fundraiser. Students enjoyed making their own special cakes with the help of cafeteria staff to honor the  significant person in their lives.  Many, many thanks to Publix for always supporting students!

St. Lucie Elementary business partner CenterState Bank provided a delicious lunch for school staff during Teacher/Staff Appreciation week.  Pictured receiving a “Certificate of Appreciation” from principal Bernadette Floyd, left, are Branch Manager Lori Wuchte, Mortgage Loan Officer Marni Parent, and Assistant Principal Nicole Ortega.

All Northport K-8 students participated in the Young Author program recently.  Students planned, wrote, revised, edited, illustrated and published their own book.  Students displayed the books in the school Media Center with decorations and table adornments geared toward the wild west.  Classes, parents and grandparents toured the tables and were able to see  authentic growth of real writers and authors.  Seven  students were selected to represent the best of Northport K8 and will attend a celebration of good writing at Manatee Academy.  Author Donna Gephart will be the guest speaker for the event.  Gephart is the author of “How to … Read More

Students in Northport K-8 Pam Mishler’s first grade class displayed a wonderful tribute to Mother’s Day recently. Students prepared a Reader’s Theater titled, “Buying Mom’s Present” to express fluency and to give their mothers a message about love and respect.  Students also recited a special poem celebrating a mothers love and the struggles that a mother goes through daily. Each student made a gorgeous necklace called “Box of Love” that was prepared and filled  with words and poetry to express their unconditional love for their mothers.  Many parents and grandparents attended the special celebration of love and the learning was palpable.

Allapattah Flats K8 recognized outstanding Business Partner Walmart Distribution Center as its Business Partner of the Year, and attended the recent recognition ceremony at the district office. The company has been instrumental in creating a truly fantastic business partner relationship for Allapattah Flats K8.  Jennie Shalala-Hartman has volunteered her time to reading to our primary classes, and has volunteered at various school functions.  She has created sight word flash cards, cut out needed materials, and is always willing to assist.  She was able to enroll our school in the VAP program,  Volunteering Always Pays, which awarded our school a check for $250.00 … Read More

Floresta Elementary School is recognizing outstanding student authors as the school’s Young Author winners. The students each wrote and illustrated a book on a topic that interested them. Pictured are Ashna Patel, in front, and back, from left, Tiffany Alexander, James Sell, and Gioia Perniello. Students will be honored at a celebration at Manatee Academy K-8 School and parents are invited to take part as well.  Floresta Elementary is proud of all the students who participated in the project and thank their teachers for guidance and support.

First grade students at Allapattah Flats  K8  launch into the study of the sky with a visit to the Hallstrom Planetarium!  Students were able to explore Earth’s place in space by learning about gravity, the Milky Way galaxy, stars, the solar system and Earth.  The students had an engaging time seeing the real-world example of the night and day sky. They saw that the number of stars in the sky was too numerous to count.  They realized that stars are not scattered evenly in the sky and that there are great distances between Earth and other space objects.  The students are … Read More

The following Bulldogs are to be congratulated for being reading leaders this 2012 school year! These students traveled to the Barnes & Noble Bookseller in Jensen Beach. In order to be invited, students either were top Reading Counts point earners for their grade, or participated as a panelist for their grade in the March Battle of the Books event. Students were Christen Bailey, Sydney Rankin, Hannah Catlett, Geneva Deckert, Genesis Gibson, Derrick Davis, Jessica Hoyt, Zach Roach, Alton Mills, Mark Marin, Hikaru Kurasawa, Lyzberthe Chery, Ilee Fagarass, Ashley Dorvilias, Abigail Peterson, Jada Williams, Noah Dale, Fredline Beauge, Kerry Oreo, Kyle … Read More

Northport K-8 sixth grade science instructor Amanda Sartain addressed deep content in her lesson segment about the human body systems and their relationship within the body.  Ms. Sartain reviewed the new content, then organized students into learning teams to practice and deepen knowledge. Students shared the tasks of cutting out the skeletal system with construction paper, added the main organs for respiratory, circulatory, nervous and digestive systems and then attached each organ to the appropriate place in relation to the skeleton and displayed on a hallway wall. Students then labeled each organ with function and each system with its job … Read More

Floresta Elementary School science resource teacher Mollie Mukhamedov has been recognized by the Executive Director of the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project Board of Directors and staff for her outstanding energy education project.  Additionally, Floresta Elementary School was selected Florida Elementary School of the Year and also elementary finalist at the national level.  Mrs. Mukhamedov and her students are invited to attend the NEED National Recognition Ceremonies scheduled for June 22-25, 2012 in Washington, D.C.  Congratulations to Mrs. Mukhamedov and all students and staff who have worked together to make this project worthy of state and national recognition. Pictured, from left, are Christopher Rahuba, … Read More

Students Michelle Graci’s language arts classes at Mariposa Elementary have been reading and learning how to write poetry. They all wrote poems to enter the Young Writers of America Contest. The students had a choice of three different topics from which they could choose: WWhat My Family Means to Me”, “The World as I See It”, or “My Wish for the World”. The students read a variety of different poems to develop ideas.  Several students received letters stating that their poems will be published. The students whose poems were chosen were Faith Eizenman from Jennifer Skurnick’s class, Amira Castillo, Tnanazia Young, and … Read More

Food and Nutrition Services school staff recently attended the Florida School Nutrition Association Conference to receive training in all areas of its Child Nutrition Program. Two St. Lucie Schools employees were recognized for their efforts in improving the nutrition environment at their schools.  Eileen Kielbasa, second from the right on the front row, kneeling, at Southport Middle and Carole Schutt at St Lucie West K-8, not pictured, received the School Nutrition Award for the middle and elementary school level, respectively.