A Martin County School District Project SEARCH intern, Elias Diaz-Chavez, is the first-known volunteer recipient of Cleveland Clinic's esteemed recognition coin, which is

typically given to caregivers within the organization who have gone above and beyond to help a fellow caregiver or patient.

In December 2023, Elias was surprised with the recognition coin for his hard work, ability to spread joy, and great attitude.

Through the Project SEARCH program, Elias has been volunteering at Cleveland Clinic. He greets patients and families and assists with clerical work, among other duties.

Project SEARCH is a transition program for students with disabilities that prepares them for competitive employment by immersing them in an all-day work setting. Student interns report to host businesses, such as Cleveland Clinic, and learn employability skills while participating in three internships/experiences during the year.

The Martin County School District (MCSD) is excited to expand its Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs with the help of a $25 million workforce development grant from the State of Florida.

MCSD is one of 19 school districts across the state to be awarded funding and will receive approximately $1,075,000.

This funding will enable the District to expand programs to equip students with the essential skills needed in high-demand occupations. 

The District will use this newly-awarded funding to expand its applied information technology, criminal justice and medical/allied health programs, along with several others tailored to meet the evolving and demanding needs of the local job market. 

Educators across the Martin County School District (MCSD) immersed themselves in professional development during the Halftime Professional Learning Day at Martin County High School in early February.

Educators attending Halftime could choose from more than 90 choice sessions for their professional development. MCSD’s Professional Learning team aims to build a schedule that allows educators to select sessions tailored to their specific needs and interests. 

This year, educators started their professional learning day with a healthy breakfast and coffee from The Googan Coffee Shop and the Stuart/Martin County Chamber of Commerce. Attendees were also given backpacks screen printed by Jensen Beach High School students.

Throughout the day, session facilitators gave away raffle tickets so teachers could win prizes such as school supplies, personal laminators and baskets valued at more than $500, generously gifted by the Stuart/Martin County Chamber and its business partners.

Halftime Professional Learning Day 2024 ended with a showdown of school spirit during the Maine Event. Educators heard inspirational messages from Christella Burnette (Stella B), an educator and spoken word artist, and Superintendent Michael Maine. Two educators won a free cruise!

Jensen Beach High School students in the Architecture, Civil and Survey Drafting class used the skills they acquired in their Career & Technical Education (CTE) program to update school evacuation maps.

The Martin County School District's Facilities Department needed updated evacuation maps for Martin County High School and reached out to the program teacher, Mr. Guy Power.

Mr. Power assigned three seniors to the project: Kyle Secor, Ana Triana Rivas and Lauren Kolaci.

CTE programs are designed to provide students with the competencies and certifications necessary to enter the workforce after graduation.

Before graduation, each senior in the Architecture, Civil and Survey Drafting program is certified in Auto CAD, the software used to create the maps, and one that is often used in college settings and real-world scenarios.

The Architecture, Civil and Survey Drafting program is just one of several CTE programs offered by the District. View a complete list of programs here.

The Martin County School District shares the goal of our families to ensure our youth have a plan for life beyond high school. With this in mind, the District hosted the MCSD Secure My Future College and Career Fair in early February.

During the event, families of juniors and seniors had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with dozens of college representatives and industry professionals.

Representatives from secondary institutions were on-site to provide information about their programs, admission requirements, and the numerous scholarships available to our students.

Students and families were able to speak with industry professionals in career fields including public service, health care, manufacturing, hospitality, and aviation.

This event offers students a chance to explore the diverse opportunities available to them for a bright future!

For families of juniors and seniors, it's never too early or late to speak with guidance counselors at your child’s school to learn more about post-graduation options, including Indian River State College’s Promise Program, which offers a tuition-free associate degree to all MCSD graduating seniors.

Martin County School District elementary students and their art teachers recently learned who would be recognized as winners of the 2023-2024 Kids Tag Art contest.

The 6th Annual Kids Tag Art Contest is a partnership between the Martin County Tax Collector's Office, MartinArts, and the Martin County School District.

The Kids Tag Art Program teaches students to solve problems creatively by designing unique vanity tags that family, friends, or the general public can later purchase. All profits from the purchases go directly back to the classrooms.

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 22 - Third Quarter Report Cards Posted - FOCUS Parent Portal

March 29 - Spring Holiday - No School for Students/Teachers

April 2 - 4:00 p.m. - School Board Workshop

April 3 - Early Release Day - Students Will be Dismissed Two Hours Earlier Than Normal

April 9 - 5:00 p.m. - Middle School Conference Night - Scheduling Details to be Provided by Each School

April 10 - 5:00 p.m. - High School Conference Night - Scheduling Details to be Provided by Each School

April 11 - 5:00 p.m. - Elementary School Conference Night - Scheduling Details to be Provided by Each School

April 16 - 4:00 p.m. - School Board Meeting

April 22 - 4th Quarter Interm Reports Posted (Grades 6-12) - FOCUS Parent Portal

April 27 - 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Districtwide Spring Job Fair

The Martin County School District is proud to announce that recent results from the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) for Kindergarten students last fall show that Pre-K students in Martin County outperformed students in Palm Beach County and across the Treasure Coast.

State law requires statewide kindergarten screening to be administered statewide within the first 30 days of school. FAST Star Early Literacy now serves as the kindergartner screener.

The FAST scores reflect that students who completed a VPK program within Martin County tested higher than those who completed programs in other Treasure Coast counties and Palm Beach County.

Teams from eight Martin County School District elementary schools competed in the Palms Regional Tournament for the Odyssey of the Mind Competition on February 24 at Treasure Coast High School. Two of these teams will be advancing to the state tournament in Orlando.

Odyssey of the Mind is an academic competition that teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem solvers. Students who participate in Odyssey of the Mind learn about teamwork, budgeting, time management, public speaking and much more.

Coaches from Bessey Creek Elementary, Citrus Grove Elementary, Crystal Lake Elementary, Jensen Beach Elementary, J.D. Parker Elementary, Palm City Elementary, Pinewood Elementary and Warfield Elementary recruited and prepared teams of creative minds to collaborate on their selected long-term problem, as well as the challenging spontaneous competition.

Each team demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills and teamwork, effectively representing MCSD with excellence.

Martin County High School students enrolled in the Academy of Culinary Arts secured 2nd place overall in the ProStart Culinary Team Competition held earlier this month.

Students competed against 42 other ProStart programs from around the state in various culinary and hospitality-related categories. In addition to winning 2nd Overall, several students were recognized for their individual and team accomplishments.

All members of the MCHS Culinary and Management teams received scholarships from: The Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University, Nicholls State University, Culinary Institute of Virginia, Keiser University, Rosen School of Hospitality at the University of Central Florida and the Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University.

The Martin County School District hosted the second session in its Town Hall series in late February at Felix A. Williams Elementary School.

Parents and members of the community engaged with District leaders on educational topics about curriculum, pathways to careers, food and nutrition, Controlled Open Enrollment and more.

Two more sessions have been scheduled in the Town Hall series:

March 26 - 6:00 p.m. - Indian town Middle School. RSVP here.

April 18 - 5:30 p.m. - Murray Middle School. RSVP here.

Nearly 200 elementary students and more than 80 middle and high school students participated in the 2024 Martin County Regional Science and Engineering Fair, where their innovative ideas shined.

Students were awarded for their science or engineering projects in categories such as Plant Sciences, Robotics, Environmental Sciences, Systems Software and more.

Secondary-level participants also competed for specialty awards, including the Yale Science and Engineering Association Award, the American Psychological Association Award and the United States Air Force Award.