The Royal Palm Beach Education Advisory Board meeting on Monday, Nov. 4 opened to a packed house. Principal Tracy Gaugler of Royal Palm Beach Elementary School brought along the school’s chorus and its new handbell group for a special performance.
“This presentation is much more about the students and families at Royal Palm Beach Elementary School. I’m excited to be here and share with you some of the exciting things that we have going on at our school,” Gaugler said. “Katie Kovalsky is our brand-new music teacher this year, and we are thrilled that she is now a bobcat. As you can see, she has started some new programs at our school. She has formed our first ever Bobcat Ringers, and this is their debut performance.”
The group of fifth graders played two songs for the board.
In addition to the Bobcat Ringers, the Bobcat Chorus is at its largest with more than 50 students participating in the program. The chorus performed the national anthem and “Oh, Shenandoah” for those present.
Gaugler, with her signature “woo-hoo” for various accomplishments, followed up the students with a detailed presentation on various school programs and current test scores for the school. She highlighted the involvement of parents as contributing to the school maintaining its A rating.
“Last year, our volunteers logged more than 5,500 hours of service,” Gaugler said. “We were the first school with a Watch DOGS (Dads of Great Students) program. Nearly every day we have at least one of our Watch DOGS on campus.”
Gaugler and her staff shared information on programs and student incentives, like the Bobcat Golden Tickets, Pawesome Positive Referrals, students of the month and a peer mentorship program that pairs gifted students with those in the ASD program.
With an emphasis on social and emotional learning, the staff at Royal Palm Beach Elementary School is dedicated to the school’s goals to “be safe, be responsible, be respectful,” Gaugler said.
“I am truly thankful and proud to be part of this amazing team. Most days I feel like I’m not going to work — I’m going to hang out with my friends and my kids and my family,” Gaugler said. “We feel if all kids have good connections with adults and with each other, they are going to soar academically and socially.”
The board also took the time to recognize Royal Palm Beach High School Principal Dr. Jesús Armas on his recently being named the School District of Palm Beach County’s central region principal of the year.
“There is something good going on in Royal Palm Beach education from top to bottom,” Board Chair Krystal Clark said. “We are doing wonderful things here in the village, and we have wonderful educators here in the village, and we are very proud of them. We hope you get the full county award.”
RPBHS Student Council President Jonathan Ledgister shared information on homecoming and the first of three conferences.
“We had the FASC Kickoff at Gainesville High School. It was a remarkable and knowledgeable experience,” Ledgister said. “There were multiple innovative workshops, and Royal Palm Beach High School held one of them based on stress. It was a hands-on workshop that taught people how to deal with stress and communicate better. In the next couple weeks, we will be getting ready for our Christmas tree fundraiser. We are ready for the sleepless and cold nights.”
The advisory board also locked down a date to interview students in the final running for the village’s scholarship program. Students selected for final consideration to be awarded a scholarship must be available on Saturday, April 4 at 10 a.m. Details about the scholarship application process will be announced soon.
