LAKE WALES – The State of Florida awarded its Five Star School Award to the four elementary schools in the Lake Wales Charter Schools system.
Certificates for the 2011-2012 awards were presented Monday (Sept. 17) during the monthly LWCS Board of Trustees meeting in Babson Park.
Pictured (l-r) are Polk Avenue Elementary PrincipalGail Quam, Janie Howard Wilson Elementary Principal Barbara Jones, Hillcrest Elementary Principal Jennifer Barrow, Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary Principal Ken Henson, Trustees Chair Cassandra Denmark, Trustees Vice ChairKeith Wadsworth, and Superintendent Jesse Jackson.
To earn Five Star School recognition for exemplary community involvement, a school must document 100 percent achievement in five categories: business partnerships; family involvement; volunteerism; student community service; and school advisory councils.
Mar 7th, 2013
LAKE WALES – Bok Academy student Clyde Spivey (far right) kneels to show some fifth graders how to sow seeds in the Polk Avenue Elementary garden. Students enrolled in Bok’s Agriculture class are partnering on a garden project with PAE teacher Leah Spivey’s fifth grade class.
Taking a closer look at the soil in the garden bed are (Photo #2, l-r) Cheyenne Etheridge, Clyde Spivey, Michael Balesand Wyatt Babington.
LAKE WALES – Polk Avenue Elementary families gathered last week (Feb. 6) for a fun family night focused on FCAT testing resources and strategies for students.
After an overview from teachers about what to expect on the FCAT Writes test at the end of February, children and adults played “Who Wants to be a Writer?” based on the popular game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”
PHOTO #1: Fourth grade teacher Sydney Mercado(standing, back to camera) read the question on the screen, while audience members in the school’s Media Center discussed possible answers.
Later, audience members played a game of “Jeopardy!” about test information and strategies. Parents and students worked together (PHOTO #2 and PHOTO #3) to learn information about the FCAT tests.
LAKE WALES – A special group of Polk Avenue parents gathered recently to hear about the school’s new PALS – Polk Avenue Leader Scholars – program. Students are selected based on high benchmark assessment scores.
PALS students meet twice a week with Donna Burns, the Lake Wales Charter Schools system teacher for gifted and talented students. Initially, about 32 students in grades 3-5 will be involved in PALS.
The first PALS project will be a “Wax Museum.” Students will research characters, and use art, drama and public speaking to present museum characters to an audience.
“We are very excited about providing top students with this opportunity,” said Principal Gail Quam.