Lawton Chiles Students Test Their Entrepreneurial Skills in Style

Exploration of Agriscience students at Lawton Chiles Middle School recently took hands-on learning to the next level! Inspired by Shark Tank, students pitched their own creative ideas rooted in Florida’s homegrown agriculture, from farm to market, innovation was in full bloom.

Their presentations showcased not only their agricultural knowledge but also real-world skills like entrepreneurship, problem-solving, teamwork, and persuasive communication.

A huge shoutout to Mrs. Maiden for leading such an engaging and imaginative project, and to all the staff members who served as the “sharks” for the day. These students proved that the future of Florida agriculture, and innovation, is bright!

Sanford Middle School Students Learn About STEM in Law Enforcement

Mr. Nelson’s class at Sanford Middle School welcomed a special guest, Officer Rivera, who shared how STEM skills play a vital role in law enforcement careers. Students learned how technology helps solve cases and how critical thinking and problem-solving are applied on the job. This gave them a firsthand look at how science, engineering, and innovation connect to real-world careers.

Thank you, Officer Rivera, for inspiring our Warriors and showing how STEM skills connect to real-world application.

Idyllwilde Elementary Students Explore Musical Emotions

In Mrs. Berghane's Kindergarten class, at Idyllwilde Elementary Future Ready Academy, students explored how music can make us feel. They listened to a variety of songs, both fast and slow, happy and calm, and discussed the different emotions each one inspired.

To connect music and storytelling, students enjoyed reading Peter and the Wolf and Wild Symphony, learning how stories can come alive through sound. They then expressed their feelings through painting, using colors, shapes, and brushstrokes to show the emotions that the music inspired.

Rainbow Elementary Staff Delight Students with Decorated Pumpkins

The talented staff at Rainbow Elementary put their creativity to work and embraced the spirit of spooky season. They decorated pumpkins and displayed them in the media center for everyone to enjoy. Which is your favorite?

Red Bug Elementary Explores the Wide World of Physics

Students in Ms. Johnson’s science class at Red Bug Elementary recently became hands-on scientists as they explored the exciting concepts of force and motion.

Using simple materials that included a plastic bag filled with water and a few pencils, students discovered how the bag’s seal forms around each pencil when pushed through. This demonstrated how force and motion work together in surprising ways.

Ms. Johnson’s young scientists are proving that curiosity, creativity, and a little bit of hands-on experimentation can make science truly come alive in the classroom. This is a great illustration of why we are known as "STEMinole County." Keep up the great work, Bugs!

Lake Orienta Gardening Club Celebrates Successful Harvest

Lake Orienta Elementary's Garden Club has been hard at work harvesting from the school garden, thanks to a generous donation they received last year.

This week, students picked pigeon peas gifted to the school last spring, spread fresh mulch, pulled weeds, and even participated in a garden scavenger hunt!

The garden continues to grow through the care and enthusiasm of these young gardeners, who are learning hands-on lessons about nature, chemistry, biology, teamwork, and sustainability.

Financial Literacy Class Just Makes Sense

Winter Springs High's Band of Gold Earns MPA Top Honors

Congratulations to Winter Springs High School's Band of Gold for earning Straight Superior ratings at the Musical Performance Assessment (MPA)!

This incredible accomplishment showcases the talent, dedication, and hard work of our amazing students under the direction of Mr. Ferland.

Congratulations, Band of Gold. Go Bears!

SCPS 'District Grindz' Goes All Out for Halloween

SCPS' ESE student-run coffee cart enterprise, District Grindz, brought extra excitement to their order deliveries by showing up in their spookiest Halloween attire!

District Grindz wishes everyone a Happy Halloween and hopes your day is filled with fun and plenty of treats!

Seminole High Students Get "Informed about the Uniform"

Students at Seminole High recently had the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of careers in public service at the "Informed about the Uniform" event. Special guests from all branches of the military, local law enforcement, fire and rescue agencies, and the Seminole State College Center for Public Safety attended and supported the event to ensure that students received a real-world experience showcasing these careers.

Thank you to all of our community partners and first responders for taking the time to inspire and connect with our students! Go Noles!

Action Church's Refreshing Donation to the SCPS Giving Tree

SCPS would like to thank Action Church, for their generous donation of Simple Modern water bottles to support the SCPS Giving Tree for our middle and high school students and our Families In Need (FIN) program. We are truly grateful for your kindness, generosity, and continued partnership in supporting our students and families.

Mick Showalter has been an SCPS principal for seven years, currently serving at Journeys Academy.

When asked about his favorite part of being a principal, he shared, "My favorite part of being a principal is being able to help students, teachers, and parents solve problems and overcome situations so they can be successful."

Fun fact about Principal Showalter: he enjoys traveling around the country and trying famous regional food. What a delicious hobby!

We're immensely glad to have Principal Showalter as part of our SCPS family! His leadership, care, and commitment to helping others shine truly makes a difference.

Attention Class of 2026: The FAFSA Application is Now Open!

Class of 2026! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open. Completing the FAFSA is a critical step in accessing federal, state, and institutional financial aid for college, career school, or trade programs.

We encourage all seniors to be proactive. Start your FAFSA application today, and take the first steps in your post-secondary journey!

Please visit https://studentaid.gov/ to access the 2025-2026 FAFSA application!

SCPS invites you to the 2025 Transition fair! This event is for families of all students with disabilities who have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Section 504 Plan, in grades K-12, who want information on a path to support their child's journey through school and beyond. The resources provided by community agencies at the Transition Fair help families and students plan their future as they transition to adult life, educational, and/or work environments. The event will take place November 1, 2025, from 9am to 1pm at Lake Brantley High School. If you would like to pre-register for this event, please complete the google form. For more

information, please visit the Student Support Services Transition Fair page.