Career Academy Awards
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2018
Middle School Battle of the Books
A team of students from Switzerland Point Middle School led by Media Specialist Kristen Badger won the 2018 Middle School Battle of the Books contest. This year’s Battle was held on Friday, March 23, 2018, at First Coast Technical College (FCTC). Battle of the Books is a voluntary reading incentive program for students in grades 3-12.
A team of students from Creekside High School School led by Media Specialist Amelia Zukoski won the 2018 High School Battle of the Books contest.
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2018 Character Cup
The 2018 Character Cup was held on Wednesday, March 21 at St. Augustine High School. The Character Cup, a student-centered event highlighting physical education, links academics and character education through athletic competition. Two hundred student-athletes representing 20 elementary schools participated in the 2017 event.
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The Players Makes a $500,000 Donation to the SJCSD
THE PLAYERS will serve as the title sponsor of the district’s CHARACTER COUNTS! program beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.
As part of the CHARACTER COUNTS! program, THE PLAYERS is sponsoring multiple programs in the St. Johns County school district, including:
- WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) Mentorship Program
- Link Crew Mentorship Program
- Pursuing Victory With Honor Program
- Character Cup
- Grants available for St. Johns County teachers
In addition to the CHARACTER COUNTS! sponsorship, THE PLAYERS is purchasing The First Tee Golf in Schools program, equipment and curriculum for every elementary and K-8 school in the district. For more information about THE PLAYERS Championship visit THEPLAYERS.COM
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Message from the Superintendent – March 20, 2018
Good Evening Parents and Families,
The recent tragic events of school shootings have shaken the comfort and confidence of school communities and citizens nationwide. In response, within our school district, we have spent a great deal of time listening to students, parents, teachers and our community members before making final decisions about tactics to enhance safety in our schools.
Most disappointing has been recent prank messages and statements of bomb threats and school shootings. It is disruptive and endangers the community every single time resources are diverted to respond to fake threats. As a school district we will continue to enforce our disciplinary actions in alignment with our Student Code of Conduct. As your superintendent, I will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate these incidents and will encourage prosecution when warranted. I cannot and will not tolerate this selfish, irresponsible behavior.
While we live in a time of instant news feeds and rapid information, as a school district we must protect the communication related to student information which sometimes includes discipline received. I hope that you will trust in the process and procedures we have in place to deal with these situations and the consequences set forth.
We must be a community that supports one another and speaks up when we see inappropriate behavior. Lives are being put at-risk because of the poor actions and decisions of others. I encourage you to speak with your children about reporting behaviors that could be threatening to others. I am committed to enhancing safety within our schools and appreciate your continued support in this task.
Sincerely,
Tim Forson
Superintendent of Schools
St Johns County School District
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History Fair 2018
St. Johns County School District’s Annual History Fair was recently held on February 21 and 22 at First Coast Technical College. Project categories included performance, paper, exhibit, website, and documentary. Category placements (1st, 2nd, 3rd and Honorable Mention) were presented for each category, as well as special awards, each with its own unique criteria.
Science Fair 2018
Students from schools throughout St. Johns County School District participated in the 2018 Annual Science Fair on February 7th. Winners were honored at an awards ceremony held on February 8th. This annual academic competition is designed to challenge students to meticulously apply science process skills and content knowledge in order to investigate scientific questions of their own choosing. Participants also experience the importance of practicing science ethics and responsibility on a personal level.
Message from the Superintendent – February 15, 2018
Good afternoon, this is Tim Forson Superintendent of St. Johns County schools. Today our hearts go out to the families impacted by the tragic school shooting in Parkland, FL. Unfortunately, these events serve as a reminder of why it is so important that we constantly review and evaluate the safety of our schools. I have been in contact with Sheriff Shoar, together we are committed to continuing our work to ensure the highest level of safety for our schools. Please know that school safety is an integral part of the daily operations.
We have placed on our school district website resources that may be useful when talking to your children about this type of event. Our schools are also prepared to assist students that may need support and our school guidance counselors are available to speak with any student or parents in need.
In closing, we ask that you and your children focus on situational awareness. When children or adults are faced with the decision on whether or not to tell law enforcement about something that seems suspicious, it is imperative that we always think about our safety and the safety of others first.
Thank you very much for your continued support of our schools.
Tim Forson
Superintendent of Schools
St Johns County School District
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Amy Grimm Has Been Named the 2018 Teacher of the Year
Amy Grimm, a first grade teacher at Julington Creek Elementary School, was named St. Johns County’s Teacher of the Year for 2018 at the annual Teacher of the Year Banquet held on January 24th at the World Golf Village Renaissance Center.
The crowd celebrates as Amy Grimm and one of her students approach the stage to receive her award.
Hailey Fletcher, a fifth grade teacher at Patriot Oaks Academy, is St. Johns County’s Rookie Teacher of the Year for 2018.
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Celebrate Literacy Week
FDOE Press Office
850-245-0413
[email protected]
First Lady Ann Scott Kicks off 10th Annual Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! in St. Johns County
Ponte Vedra, Fla., January 22, 2018 – Today, First Lady Ann Scott kicked off 2018 Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! at Ponte Vedra High School in St. Johns County. The First Lady was joined by St. Johns County Superintendent Tim Forson, Department of Education and Florida Lottery officials, and Ponte Vedra High School students and staff. The 10th annual theme is “Find Yourself in a Book.”
First Lady Ann Scott said, “This is my eighth Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to spend time with hundreds of Florida students and their outstanding teachers and principals throughout the week. I look forward to this event every year because it draws attention to the invaluable role of reading and literacy in every facet of our lives.”
Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart said, “In order for students to reach their full potential, they must continually hone essential reading and literacy skills. First Lady Ann Scott’s passion for literacy motivates students to love reading as much as she does, and I am so appreciative of her support of Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!”
Following the kick-off event, First Lady Ann Scott will visit the following schools on her literacy tour:
- Ponte Vedra Palm Valley Rawlings Elementary School
- Robert Willis Elementary School
- Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary School
- Tara Elementary School
- West Navarre Primary School
- Oriole Beach Elementary School
- Bennett C. Russell Elementary School
Since Governor Rick Scott took office in 2011, First Lady Scott has prioritized reading and literacy, and she has visited all of Florida’s 67 counties sharing her passion for reading with Floridians. During the school year, First Lady Scott visits schools throughout the state, where she reads to Florida’s students and thanks their hardworking educators for helping to prepare them for lifelong success. Over the summer months, she partners with the Departments of Education and Environmental Protection to encourage students to remain focused on reading all year.
Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! is a week-long celebration each January designed to raise awareness about the importance of literacy and to inspire Florida’s students and families to make reading a part of their daily routines. The week’s events are made possible by participating sponsors: Florida Lottery; LEGOLAND Florida Resort; and the Florida Education Foundation.
For more information about Celebrate Literacy Week, visit Just Read, Florida!
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High School Showcase
Students in the Flagler Hospital Academy of Medical & Health Careers at Pedro Menendez High School demonstrate skills they have learned during the St. Johns County School District High School Programs of Choice Showcase on January 18, 2018.
The St. Johns County School District High School Programs of Choice Showcase on January 18, 2018 highlighted Career Academies and specialized programs available to 9th and 10th grade students throughout the district.
St. Johns Virtual School coordinator of virtual instruction, Michael Eisen, speaks with attendees of the St. Johns County School District High School Programs of Choice Showcase on January 18, 2018.
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Spelling Bee Winner 2017-2018
Carly Miller, an eighth-grade student at Switzerland Point Middle School, won the 2018 St. Johns County School District (SJCSD) Spelling Bee held January 17 at First Coast Technical College. She won by spelling the word “piccolo” correctly. Carly is the daughter of Carrie and Jeramie Miller.
Jackson Willis, an eighth-grade student at Liberty Pines Academy, is the runner-up. He is the son of Monica and Benjamin Willis.
Both students will advance to the JAXSPORTS Council Regional Spelling Bee on Friday, March 9 at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville.
Thirty-four elementary and middle school students from 29 public and five private schools competed for the honor of representing St. Johns County. It took 26 rounds for the winner to be determined. The participants were congratulated by Deputy Superintendent for Academic and Student Services Brennan Asplen. Also in attendance to support the students were School Board Chair Bill Mignon and School Board Vice Chair Kelly Barrera.
Rebecca England, SJCSD program specialist for Elementary Language Arts, served as the spelling bee coordinator and the pronouncer was Linda Villadoniga, retired SJCSD teacher. Judges for the event were Jay DiMartino, SJCSD Language Arts and World Languages program specialist; Cheryl Freeman, SJCSD volunteer coordinator; and Sandy Waldeis, community representative.
WFOY 102.1 FM broadcasted the spelling bee live and Murphy Alexander, SJCSD instructional television specialist, taped the event. The Spelling Bee will be broadcast on SEA TV channels 99 or 262 and available for viewing at http://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/video.
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Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration Breakfast
Students from St. Augustine High School and St. Johns Technical High School hosted and presented colors at the Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration Breakfast on January 15th at the National Guard Armory. Pictured from left to right are Gladston Bygrave, Thomas Adkison, Superintendent Tim Forson, Thomas Marrero, Cornelius Stewart. Ronald Jackson, Brenton Vona and Angelica Green (not pictured) also assisted with the event.
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High School Showcase 2018
High School Showcase 2018
January 18, 2018 3:30-7:00pm
World Golf Village Convention Center
Did you know that over 40% of all high school students in St. Johns County are enrolled in one or more of our Programs of Choice? Programs of Choice provide excellent options for the students of St. Johns County. To help families learn more about the Programs of Choice, each high school displays their programs at the St. Johns County School District High School Programs of Choice Showcase. This year, the High School Showcase will be held Thursday, January 18, 2018 from 3:30 – 7:00 pm at the World Golf Village Convention Center.
This event highlights Career Academies and specialized programs available to rising 9th and rising 10th grade students who live in St. Johns County. All high school programs to which current 8th or 9th graders can apply for next school year will have booths to share information. These programs include the Career Academies; Accelerated Programs – International Baccalaureate (IB), and Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE); JROTC – Navy, Army and Air Force; and the St. Johns County Center for the Arts (SJCCA). Seventh graders and their parents are also welcome to join us as they gather information for their future planning. Students can apply to any of these programs no matter which school they are zoned to attend, although some program exceptions apply to this process. For example, students will need to apply and audition to be considered for the St. Johns County Center for the Arts at St. Augustine High School. Auditions will be held on Monday, January 29, 2018 at St. Augustine High School. For more information about the audition process, go to the St. Johns County Center for the Arts (SJCCA) website.
For additional information on program exceptions and considerations, please visit the Career Academy of St. Johns website. Families must make transportation arrangements for students who attend schools other than their zoned school. Out-of-zone transportation is only provided to students attending St. Johns Technical High School.
If you are unable attend this event, additional information is available on the Career Academy website. Each school also has a video overview of the programs offered at their school. Furthermore, each high school will have an Academy Night at their school to allow prospective students to tour the school, visit the classrooms, and hear more in-depth in formation about the programs from teachers, current students and business partners.
Academy Nights will all be held at 6:00 pm on the dates and at the locations listed below.
*St. Johns Technical High School Academy Night begins at 5:30 pm.
Jan. 22 – Bartram Trail
Jan. 30 – Allen D. Nease
Feb. 5 – Creekside
Jan. 23 – St Augustine
Feb. 1 – Pedro Menendez
Feb. 6 – Ponte Vedra & St. Johns Tech
Students currently in 8th or 9th grade who wish to enroll in one of the Programs of Choice for the first time MUST apply between January 18, 2018 at 8:00 am to February 8, 2018 at 5:00 pm. (Current high school students already in programs do not need to reapply.) Current SJCSD students must apply online through the student’s Home Access Center (HAC) and directions can be found at on the Career Academies website. Home School, Private School or Virtual School students who are interested in enrolling in a Program of Choice at one of the SJCSD high schools next year need to pre-register at the CURRENT zoned school your child would have attended in the SJCSD this school year. After registering as a potential student, the currently zoned school will provide you with a paper application to complete and return. The due date to apply is still February 8 at 5:00 pm. Only students residing in St. Johns county are eligible to apply for any of these programs.
Students currently not attending a SJCSD school need to pre-register. Please visit the school district’s website for the required documentation that you will need for preregistration. If accepted into one or more of these Programs of Choice, the family will need to complete the application process by bringing additional registration documents (such as transcripts, immunization records, etc.) before the start of the 2018 -2019 school year.
Eligibility to apply to the Career Academies and JROTC Programs is open to all 8th or 9th graders who reside in St. Johns County who apply during the application dates. IB and AICE have academic eligibility requirements as they are accelerated academic programs. Teacher Recommendations Forms must be submitted to the IB or AICE Coordinators at the schools for which the student is applying by Feb. 8th.
Each Program of Choice has a limited number of space for new students, so applying does not guarantee acceptance in to a program. An automated lottery system is used to select the students who will be accepted. All families will receive email notifications by the end of February as to whether their child has been accepted into one or more programs or not for the next school year.
By law, students of active military parents receive additional consideration to Programs of Choice. Active military parents of applicants should go to their child’s current school office before February 8th and show their military card to the office staff to have their military expiration date updated in the student’s eSchool records.
For questions about the SJCSD Programs of Choice that cannot be found on the website, please contact our office at 904-547-4870.
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