Letter from Superintendent Tim Forson

Happy New Year and welcome back!  I hope you enjoyed your holiday break with family and friends. As I experienced my first few days as superintendent I am very grateful for the support and well wishes I have received. Our focus as a district will always be the children and families we serve, but I also put great stock in our work family. People are our greatest asset and we are blessed to have an amazing team throughout the district. I look forward in the coming weeks and months to spending time in our schools and getting to talk with not only students, teachers and administrators, but also support personnel and school staff.

Children are why we do what we do and I will never lose sight of that. Dr. Joyner has sustained an exceptional school district for 14 years and has left me with big shoes to fill. I look forward to growing as a leader and as a district over the years while we prepare our students for the future. I am honored to serve as your superintendent and look forward to working together to prepare every student for the future.

My second day on the job was filled with celebration as I had the pleasure of surprising the five finalists for St. Johns County Teacher of the Year. I know the judges had a very tough choice this year so please join me in congratulating the best of the best: Jennifer Cooper of Pacetti Bay Middle School, Dana Kelly of Cunningham Creek Elementary, Lauren Tate Wade of Ocean Palms Elementary, Ryan Sirak of St. Johns Technical High School and Anje Newbold of Otis A. Mason Elementary.

This is just a small sample of the individuals we are so fortunate to have teaching our children and I am forever amazed at the dedication and professionalism of them all. It will be my honor to recognize these exceptional finalists, and all of our Teachers of the Year, at the 37th annual Teacher of the Year celebration Monday, January 23 at the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort. The overall winner will be announced at this banquet and will then be included for consideration as the Florida Department of Education Macy’s Teacher of the Year 2018.

The Rookie Teacher of the Year will also be announced at the awards banquet. This is the 10th year for the rookie award, in which eligible teachers must have taught fewer than three years.

Don’t forget to register for the CHARACTER COUNTS! 6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk Saturday, February 4 at 9 a.m. at Palencia Elementary School. This event provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate the great character in our community. Online registration is available at www.racesmith.com/races/CHARACTERCOUNTS.html.

Race proceeds support CHARACTER COUNTS! initiatives throughout the St. Johns County School District. The run/walk is open to all ages, and the top three winners will be awarded in each of the age categories as well as the overall male and female finishers. A cash donation will be awarded to the top three schools with the most registrants. Race participants who preregister will receive a tech t-shirt and other goodies from area businesses and organizations. At the finish line, each race participant will receive a commemorative dog tag which is the third design in its series.

There are several other events occurring in the coming weeks which highlight the accomplishments of our students. The St. Johns County Spelling Bee is Wednesday, January 18 at the FCTC CHARACTER COUNTS Conference Center; the High School Showcase at the Renaissance at World Golf Village is January 19 from 3:30-7 p.m. and the school district’s annual Science Fair is Wednesday, February 1 at the First Coast Technical College (FCTC) CHARACTER COUNTS! Conference Center from 9 a.m.-noon.

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