Polk County Public Schools
Lakeland schools Crystal Lake Elementary and Lincoln Avenue Academy are among eight Florida schools named SMART Showcase Schools for their outstanding use of SMART boards and SMART technology. SMART Showcase Schools act as host sites for other schools interested in learning how SMART products and services are used to improve teaching and learning. According to the SMART Technologies company, The Showcase Schools Program is comprised of schools that use classroom technology in outstanding ways. Crystal Lake and Lincoln Avenue will become resources for other educators wanting to learn about the benefits of implementing the technology.
SMART Showcase Schools are chosen by invitation only. Polk, Hillsborough and Palm Beach counties all have two Showcase Schools. One school each is from Alachua and St. Johns counties. Six of the Showcase Schools are public and two are private.
Fort Meade’s Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary started a club in 2008-2009 where fifth graders tutor their younger peers in kindergarten through third grade. The club is called Lions STK and STK stands for “Skills Tutoring for Kids.” The club was an outgrowth of the school’s ESOL Parent Leadership Council. It was clear to the council that many Hispanic students with non-English speaking parents had obstacles to academic progress.
Eight fifth graders were selected by teachers to tutor younger students. Prior to tutoring they completed training sessions titled “Appropriate Behavior,” “Giving Compliments,” “Paired Reading” and “Practice Day.”
The fifth graders worked with their younger peers for an hour, two days per week after school. The tutors do paired reading, review and practice of high frequency words and assist students with homework. The experience has proven to be beneficial to both the fifth graders and their younger friends.
Fifth grade tutors were Omar Benitez, Llulisa Gutierrez, Esbeyda Hernandez, Manuel Hernandez, Diana Jaimes, Marisol Martinez, Jennifer Ocampo and Angelina Vidal.
