Good Afternoon, Sunland
It’s Tuesday! I made something new for you. It’s been sitting on play.sunlandnews.com, but I haven’t really said much about it. It’s a “What Should You Eat” quiz, kind of like the Free Little Library map I made a while back.
I want to keep building things y’all can actually use. Tools that help, not just sit pretty. So if you’re ever stuck on what to eat, or you just want to try something new, give it a spin and see where it takes you. Let me know what you think.
Ja’Min Devon
🍋 The Main Squeeze: St. Lucie County Just Made History
For the first time ever, St. Lucie County Public Schools is officially an A district.
The Florida Department of Education released school grades this week, and for the first time in history, St. Lucie County got an A. It’s a major moment for the district, one that says a lot about what’s been happening and what we hope will continue to happen.
📞 Why It Hit Me Personally: My mom’s been a teacher for 35 years. Every summer, I remember just sitting and watching her by the phone, waiting with bated breath for a call. Coworkers and friends would start texting. Hey, the grades just came in. That was the moment.
And that’s why I know this news is so amazing for so many different teachers. I know what it’s like to celebrate the letter going up. And I have seen what it feels like when the letter goes the other way.
🎓 Big Wins Across the County:
80 percent of schools in the county are now A or B rated
13 schools improved a full letter grade
Fort Pierce Westwood earned a B for the first time
Dan McCarty Middle School is officially a B school again for the first time since 2006
Dan McCarty’s staff made major gains in math, ELA, science, and civics. Enrollment is up. Acceleration course access is up. The whole school is trending upward.
📍 What’s Next: There’s a school board meeting tonight at 5 p.m. I’m sure this will be discussed, along with the potential merger that could combine three Fort Pierce schools into one. Many of you have been keeping up with our coverage on that, so I expect it to be a big topic.
So yes, celebration is in order. But keeping our eyes on what’s happening next is just as important.
🎥 Watch Live at 5 PM: View the meeting agenda and livestream here
📝 ICYMI: Here’s our story on the proposed Dan McCarty merger Three Fort Pierce Schools May Become One
🥳 What’s Happening: 5 Out of Town Events
🎻 Sunset Concert – “Timeless Martin” – Chamber-style set honoring Martin County’s centennial inside the Court House Cultural Center, Stuart. | 5 30 PM | $5 (free members) | Details
🎷 Hip-Hop Funk in the Loop – The Ricca Project drops old-school hooks and heavy grooves at Riverside Theatre’s free outdoor stage, Vero Beach. | 5:30 – 8 PM | Free | Details
🖼 Art After Dark – Friday-night mash-up of live music, films, tours, and hands-on art at Norton Museum of Art, West Palm. | 5 – 10 PM | $10 adults | Details
🎸 Rock Thru the Ages – The Leo Lee Band rips through 70s-90s anthems at Terra Fermata Tiki Bar, Stuart. | 6:30 – 10 PM | $8 adv / $10 door | Tickets
🖌 Meet Highwayman R.L. Lewis – Live painting, book signing, and rare originals by the legendary landscape artist in Vero Beach. | 11 AM – 3 PM | Free | Details
If you have an event, send it to me here
🤩 People Pass: What your support means!
From school coverage to better tools like play.sunlandnews.com, every upgrade you see is made possible by readers who pitch in. Thank you to everyone who already has. This is what the People Pass makes possible. Want to support it too?
🧾 Last Drop: What’s Been Happening
🏡 Zora’s House, Saved But Not Set: Zora Neale Hurston’s Fort Pierce home is finally protected but still needs funding to become the community education center it’s meant to be | See how to help
⚖️ Code Enforcement Overhaul: St. Lucie County is replacing its Code Enforcement Board with a special magistrate. A smoother process or more confusion… You decide | Read the update
⛳ Golf Carts Deaths Highest in Florida: A fatal DUI crash in Port St. Lucie adds to Florida’s growing number of golf cart deaths. Kids are at highest risk | Read the stats
How was today’s newsletter?
👋 Thanks for reading! If you found it useful, consider sharing it with a friend.
📱 Keep up with the Sunland News on Instagram. Send comments & suggestions to [email protected]
🙋♂️ Did someone forward you this? Subscribe Below!
