2019
Summer 2019 High School Facility Use
In an effort to promote community health and well-being this summer, the St. Johns County School District (SJCSD) will open its high school facilities to the public on select Wednesday evenings throughout the summer. Outdoor facilities at Allen D. Nease, Bartram Trail, Creekside, Pedro Menendez, Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine high schools will be open the following dates and times.
- Wednesday, June 5 6 – 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 12 6 – 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 19 6 – 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 26 6 – 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 10 6 – 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 17 6 – 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 24 6 – 8 p.m.
Access to the tennis courts, track and outdoor basketball courts will be encouraged. Access will NOT be provided to the gymnasiums, stadium fields, batting cages, baseball fields, softball fields, or multi-purpose fields. The facilities will NOT be open to any organized practices, games or sport-sponsored, fee-based training. Pets are NOT permitted. All St. Johns County School Board Policies will apply.
Summer 2019 High School Facility Use Read More »
New Principal Appointments for 2019/2020
Superintendent Tim Forson has announced two principal appointments for the 2019/2020 school year. Travis Brown, assistant principal at St. Augustine High School, has been selected to be the principal of R.J. Murray Middle School (MMS). Brown will replace Paula Steele who has been serving as interim principal at MMS. She will resume her duties as the director of Leadership Development within the St. Johns County School District (SJCSD).
Kirstie Gabaldon, principal at Switzerland Point Middle School (SPMS), has been selected to be the principal of Sebastian Middle School. She will replace Wayne King who was recently appointed as associate superintendent of Accountability and Intervention Services at the SJCSD. Both of these nominations will be presented to the School Board at their June meeting.
Brown began his teaching career as a social sciences teacher at Omaha South High School in Nebraska. He joined the SJCSD in 2006 and was a social sciences teacher at Bartram Trail High School and then Creekside High School (CHS). In 2012 he became a program specialist for secondary studies and advanced programs at the district office followed by his most recent position as assistant principal at SAHS.
“Travis possesses a strong focus on students and their individual needs,” said Forson. “He will be an excellent principal who understands the importance of continuous learning and collaborative school environments. In addition, I am extremely grateful for the leadership Paula has provided to MMS as its interim principal. I look forward to having her back at the district office to develop leaders at all levels.”
Brown holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master’s degree from the American College of Education.
With more than 22 years of experience, Gabaldon has spent her entire career serving the students in St. Johns County. She started as a teacher at Nease High School and then went on to be the registrar at Bartram Trail High School before joining CHS as an assistant principal. She also served at Murray and Sebastian middle schools as an assistant principal before becoming the principal at SPMS.
“Kirstie has been an exceptional leader at SPMS,” said Forson. “I am confident she will continue to create opportunities for success and leadership at SMS whether it is for her students or the staff she serves.”
Gabaldon has a bachelor’s degree from the University of East Anglia, England and a master’s degree from UNF.
District administrators will gather input from staff and the community for the new principal of SPMS on Thursday, May 16 at 2:15 p.m. at SPMS.
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National History Day Competition Winners 2019
Four sophomores from Allen D. Nease High School won 2nd place in the state in the Senior Group Performance category at the National History Day Competition in Tallahassee. Their project is titled “Tragedy on the Trail of Engineering Triumph: A Panama Canal Flashback.” They will now move on to compete at the national competition at the University of Maryland on June 10th.
National History Day Competition Winners 2019 Read More »
2019 Players Character Cup
The 2019 Players Character Cup was held on Wednesday, April 24th, at St. Augustine High School. The Players Character Cup is a student-centered event highlighting physical education which links academics and character education through athletic competition.
2019 Players Character Cup Read More »
Message from the Superintendent – April 23, 2019
Dear Parents,
Last week I made the decision to cancel district-created and teacher-created final exams due to technical issues that could not be corrected in a timely manner. This decision does not apply to the following assessments: iReady, Florida Standards Assessment (FSA), state End of Course (EOC) exams, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Dual Enrollment or Cambridge AICE.
Given the decision above, I feel it is important “to do no harm” to student final grades for this year. Elementary students’ grades will not be impacted by the cancellation of these exams. After consulting with various school-based administrators, teachers and students, I have determined that students in grades 6-12 will receive the maximum value possible for the district final exam in the affected courses. There are students who were counting on this opportunity to earn percentage points that could make a difference in their grades. We will give students the full benefit of the doubt and the maximum exam score (100%) will be provided in the affected courses.
Second semester final grades in the affected middle and high school courses will be calculated as follows: The 3rd quarter and 4th quarter grades each maintain a weight of 45% to the final grade. The district final exam maintains a weight of 10% and maximum points will be given. The district final exam portion of the grade will have the greatest impact for students who are within a point or two of the next higher letter grade (for example: with maximum points on the district final exam, a student with an 89, B, average will advance to a 90, A, for the final grade).
Again, I am sorry for this change so late in the school year, but feel it is the right decision for both students and teachers. Thank you for your support and I look forward to a positive close to the 2018-2019 school year.
Sincerely,
Tim Forson
Superintendent
St. Johns County School District
Message from the Superintendent – April 23, 2019 Read More »
Message from the Superintendent – April 18, 2019
Dear school district staff and school families,
After thorough review and monitoring, I have made the decision to cancel our District final exams. This decision does not include iReady testing.
During this first week of testing, we have experienced significant issues with the administration of the computer based tests. I am thankful for our District staff that have worked many hours into the evening trying to resolve the issues we have observed. I am also appreciative of the patience of school staff and students as we have worked diligently to improve the performance of the computer based testing system. Ultimately, I felt we needed to cancel the District computer based and paper based exams to remove the frustration of inconsistent test administration and protect instructional time.
Students need the opportunity to continue to learn each day from our teachers and be at their best for other required upcoming assessments. On the horizon are several high stakes assessments including the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA), state End Of Course (EOC) exams, and several other secondary exams such as AP, AICE, IB, and Industry Certification. These assessments are not done on the same testing platform as our district exams and I have full confidence in their administration.
We will be certain to adjust our second semester grading scale so that the absence of a final exam will not penalize a student. We will also adjust the student performance element of the teacher evaluation in a fair and equitable manner. As soon as an alternative grading plan is finalized it will be communicated to our teachers, parents, and students.
I am sorry for this change so late in the school year, but feel it is the right decision for both students and teachers. Additional communication will follow as soon as a revised grading plan is finalized.
Sincerely,
Mr. Tim Forson
Superintendent of Schools
St. Johns County School District
Message from the Superintendent – April 18, 2019 Read More »
2019 CHARACTER COUNTS! 6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk Race Results
Over 600 runners and walkers of all ages participated in the 2019 Annual CHARACTER COUNTS! 6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk on Saturday, February 2nd. Race proceeds support CHARACTER COUNTS! initiatives throughout the St. Johns County School District.
View the results of the race on RaceSmith.com and view exclusive race photos provided by 904 Fitness.
Photo Gallery
2019 CHARACTER COUNTS! 6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk Race Results Read More »
2019 CHARACTER COUNTS! Six Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk
The CHARACTER COUNTS! Steering Committee is calling all walkers, runners and fitness enthusiasts to participate in the CHARACTER COUNTS! 6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 9 a.m. The run/walk will begin and end at Palencia Elementary School located at 355 Palencia Village Drive, St. Augustine.
Walkers and runners will enjoy a course running through the neighborhoods of Kensington and Las Calinas and can choose to participate in the 6K (3.73 miles) or 3K (1.86 miles) distance. Registration fees are as follows:
6K-$25 before January 1, $30 January1-February 1, $35 on race day
3K-$20 before January 1, $25 January 1-February 1, $30 on race day
Registration forms and more information are available online.
Race proceeds will support CHARACTER COUNTS! initiatives throughout the St. Johns County School District (SJCSD). 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 to five schools with the most registrants. Last year these schools were Ocean Palms Elementary, Alice B. Landrum Middle and Valley Ridge Academy. All race registrants will receive a tech t-shirt and lots of other goodies from area businesses and organizations. At the finish line, each race participant will receive a commemorative dog tag which is the fifth design in its series.
This event is produced by the CHARACTER COUNTS! Steering Committee and is presented by Beaver Toyota with support from businesses and community groups. Action News Jax CBS47/FOX30 is the official media sponsor of this run/walk.
The SJCSD, along with area businesses, youth organizations and civic groups, selected the national character education program of CHARACTER COUNTS! as a countywide initiative to instill positive character traits in young people throughout the county. Additionally, the SJCSD became the first school district in Florida to implement Pursuing Victory With Honor in all of its athletic programs. Character education is an important part of every School Improvement Plan and a major component of the Student Code of Conduct and the school district’s Strategic Plan.
2019 CHARACTER COUNTS! Six Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk Read More »
High School Showcase 2019
High School Showcase 2019
January 24, 2019 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 24, 2019 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 Friday, February 15, 2019 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 & Technical Education (CTE) of St. Johns County 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 CTE of St. Johns County 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. 31 – Bartram Trail
Jan. 30 – Allen D. Nease
Feb. 4 – Creekside
Feb. 5 – Ponte Vedra & Pedro Menendez
Feb. 6 – St Augustine & 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 24, 2019 at 8:00 am to February 19, 2019 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 CTE of St. Johns County 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 19 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 2019 -2020 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. 19th.
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.
High School Showcase 2019 Read More »
Danny Erb Named Teacher of the Year 2019
Danny Erb, a mathematics teacher at Pedro Menendez High School, was named St. Johns County School District’s Teacher of the Year for the 2018-2019 school year at a banquet on January 17 presented by Investing in Kids! (INK!).
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Open Recruitment Fair on February 23rd
The St. Johns County School District will have an open recruitment fair for elementary and secondary positions. Elementary positions include pre-K with ESE, kindergarten, grades 1 through 5, Exceptional Student Education (ESE), and resource teachers. Secondary positions include all subject areas, Exceptional Student Education (ESE) and different resource teachers).
This fair is designed for candidates to be interviewed by numerous administrators in short interview rounds. Interviewers are interviewing for the district rather than individual schools. Selected candidates from this fair will be invited back to the March 30 Invitational Recruitment Fair to have additional interviews. Candidates will be matched up to interview with schools who anticipate vacancies in their certification areas.
Open Recruitment Fair on February 23rd Read More »
Mill Creek Academy Student Council Projects
Mill Creek Academy’s Student Council has been busy giving back to their community.
We kicked off our “give back campaigns” in November sponsoring our annual Food Drive to benefit the St. Francis House. Through the generosity of our students and families, we donated a truckload of non-perishable food items. Student Council students started a tradition a few years ago by delivering the food and touring the facilities. In doing so, students are able to see the greater impact of their giving, where the food goes and how the food is disturbed to the men, women and families in need throughout our community. Students were able to ask questions regarding the work of the St. Francis House and the population they serve and inquired about how to become an active volunteer with the St. Francis House.
December was a busy month! Student Council sponsored their Candy Cane Grams sales, giving students throughout the building an opportunity to purchase and send a candy gram to their friends and teachers during the holiday season. Student Council members met several days after school to put the candy grams together. It was a very successful project. All funds collected are donated to The Empty Stocking Fund, sponsored by The St. Augustine Record to help families in our community that are in need during the holiday season. This has been a Mill Creek tradition for several years and each year the giving of our students continues to grow! This year we donated $1,030.25. That was a lot candy canes!
The next project in our “give back campaign” will be Valentine Candy grams with the proceeds going to help in our local food pantries that provide food for families on a weekly basis!
Student Council also participates in Pennies for Patients to benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as well as Bag It Up! For Goodwill.
Mill Creek Academy Student Council Projects Read More »