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Florida Prepaid Open Enrollment

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Florida Prepaid College Savings PlansFlorida Prepaid Is Open for Enrollment with Plan Prices Starting at Just $29/Month

Focused on encouraging families to save as early and affordably as possible, our partner Florida Prepaid College Savings Plans has reduced Prepaid Plan monthly prices for newborns and infants to the lowest in more than a decade.

Prepaid Plans allow families to lock in the cost of college with fixed monthly payments.  A risk-free 1-year University Plan now starts at just $29/month for the Prepaid Plan Open Enrollment period from February 1 – April 30, 2025. The reduced prices result in savings of up to $850 per plan for a 1-Year University Plan – up to $3,400 in savings for four years.

Prepaid Plans are made to fit growing families:

  • Use in-state or nationwide at public, private, trade and technical schools
  • Complements scholarships and financial aid
  • Transfer to another student or cancel anytime
  • Earnings grow tax-free

Every child deserves higher education. Florida Prepaid’s goal is to make it possible for every Florida family to save simply and affordably.

Learn more about Florida Prepaid!

Florida Prepaid Open Enrollment Read More »

Hoax Call / Swatting Incidents at St. Johns County Schools

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SJCSD and SJSO Logos

This morning (February 25) began the second day of hoax calls/swatting incidents within St. Johns County Schools. Pacetti Bay Middle School received a call from an unknown male subject this morning advising he was at a residence near the school, had firearms and explosives, had committed a homicide, and made threats against the school. The assigned youth resource deputy was onsite and took over communications on the phone with the subject. The school was placed on lock down briefly while SJSO resources flooded the area and investigated the allegations. Investigation revealed there is no credible threat, and the circumstances are similar in nature to the hoax incident at Landrum Middle School yesterday.

Both circumstances are consistent with a “swatting call” which involves a hoax emergency call to generate a large law enforcement response. Regardless of the circumstances, SJSO and the St. Johns County School District will always respond to threats with as many resources as possible until we are confident students and staff are safe.

“Over the past two days, a few St. Johns County schools have received threatening phone calls from an unknown source,” said Superintendent Tim Forson. “We work collaboratively with the St. Johns Sheriff’s Office to ensure our schools, students and staff are safe and all such threats are fully investigated. If appropriate, schools will be placed on lockdown until the campus is inspected and cleared.”

“We are working with our federal and state law enforcement partners to determine the origin of the call and hopefully identify the individual(s) responsible,” said Sheriff Rob Hardwick. “We understand the emotional impact these cowards who hide behind keyboards have had on parents, staff and students and we will continue to work with the St. Johns County School District to keep our schools safe.”

Please see the situational awareness brief from SJSO and educational materials on hoax calls and swatting.

Hoax Call / Swatting Incidents at St. Johns County Schools Read More »

ESE Parent Survey

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Each year, the Florida Department of Education conducts a survey to determine how well Florida’s schools are partnering with parents and promoting parent involvement in their child’s education. The survey is open to all parents of children with an IEP receiving ESE services from preschool age through grade 12. This year’s ESE Parent Survey is open beginning February 1, 2025 and will close on June 30, 2025.

ESE Parent Survey Read More »

PowerSchool Cybersecurity Incident

PowerSchool Incident background:

As you may be aware, PowerSchool – a cloud-based software vendor used by St. Johns County School District and over 50 million students globally– recently experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to certain customer information in the PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS).  St. Johns does use PowerSchool SIS products, and we were testing the Student Information Systems product at the time of the incident.

Please understand that this incident did not occur at St. Johns County School District; the unauthorized access occurred on PowerSchool’s computer systems and impacted many schools and districts in the US and abroad.

We take this incident very seriously and protecting personal information is one of our top priorities.   As we learn more about how this incident at PowerSchool occurred, we will be reviewing our relationship with them.   If that relationship is to continue, we will be seeking assurances that they have taken steps to reduce the risk of something like this happening again.

The District began notifying impacted staff and parents/guardians of students on February 4, 2025.

Upcoming Actions by PowerSchool:

PowerSchool has advised that it will be providing:

  • Notification to Individuals Involved: In the upcoming weeks, in collaboration with Experian, PowerSchool will provide email notice to students (or their parents / guardians if the student is under 18) and educators whose information was involved.  The email notice will include identity protection and credit monitoring services offered (as applicable).   Families with multiple students impacted may receive emails for each student.
  • Identity Protection and Credit Monitoring Services: PowerSchool has engaged Experian, a trusted credit reporting agency, to offer two years of complimentary identity protection services for all students and educators whose information was involved.  This offer will also include two years of complimentary credit monitoring services for all students over 18 and educators whose information was involved.
  • For more information on this incident and the affected data elements please view the PowerSchool Incident website.
  • PowerSchool has contracted with Experian to provide a Help Phone line for users impacted by this incident. The Experian help line is (833) 918-9464.

What can you do to protect your identity?

We encourage you to sign up for complimentary credit and identity monitoring once you receive your email from PowerSchool/Experian.

Because the incident occurred at PowerSchool and the remediation services are being offered by PowerSchool/Experian, St. Johns County School District will be directing individuals to call PowerSchool or Experian for more information.

In the meantime, you may consider the following best practices to help protect your information:

  • It is always advisable to regularly review and monitor your accounts and statements closely.  If you detect any suspicious activity on an account, you should promptly notify the institution and/or the company with which the account is maintained.
  • Stay vigilant against suspicious communications. If you receive an email, text or phone call from a sender you do not recognize, do not respond, open the message, or download attachments.  Only click on links or attachments from emails and senders you trust.
  • It is always a good practice to use strong passwords for your accounts and avoid using the same passwords across multiple applications, accounts, or services.
  • Where possible, enable Multi-Factor Authentication, which is a multi-step account login process that requires users to enter more information than just a password.
  • You may obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies:
    1. Equifax: 1-800-685-1111;  Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services.
    2. Experian: 1-888-397-3742; Experian.com/help.
    3. TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872; TransUnion.com/credit-help.
  • To order your annual free credit report, please visit http://www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228.
  • You may consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report. A fraud alert is free and will stay on your credit report for one year.  The alert informs creditors of possible fraudulent activity within your report and requests that the creditor contact you prior to establishing any new accounts in your name.  To place a fraud alert on your credit report, contact any of the three national credit reporting agencies. Additional information is available at http://www.annualcreditreport.com.

PowerSchool Cybersecurity Incident Read More »

Jill Adams Named Teacher of the Year for 2025

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Jill Adams – Creekside High School Instructional Literacy Coach

Jill Adams from Creekside High School has been honored with the prestigious title of St. Johns County Teacher of the Year. Alongside her, James Tansey of Fruit Cove Middle School has been recognized as Rookie Teacher of the Year.

Jill is an Instructional Literacy Coach who trains and coaches teachers to implement high yield instructional strategies and support student achievement. She has influenced the lives of teachers and students alike at Creekside through her dedication and passion.

The district’s Teacher of the Year was announced at the annual banquet, sponsored by Investing in Kids! (INK!) on Friday, January 31, 2025 at the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort. This event not only celebrates the educators nominated to represent each school in the district but also recognizes all the outstanding professionals who educate, inspire, and invest in students every day.

Jill’s name has been submitted to the Florida Department of Education for consideration for Florida’s Teacher of the Year.

Congratulations, Jill!

Jill Adams Named Teacher of the Year for 2025 Read More »

District Media Advisory Committee Meetings in February

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Three District Media Advisory Committee Meetings will be held in February at the dates and times listed below.

  • Monday, February 10, 2025 at 1 PM
  • Monday, February 10, 2025 at 3 PM
  • Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at 1 PM

The meetings will be broadcast live online and may be viewed on the SJCSD Media Services YouTube channel.

District Media Advisory Committee Meetings in February Read More »

Community Forums for Superintendent Search

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Two Community Forums will be held on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 to collect input from the community on the search for St. Johns County’s next superintendent.

The first forum will be held at 5:30 PM in the 3rd floor auditorium of the school district’s administrative offices located at 40 Orange Street in St. Augustine, FL 32084.

The second forum will be held at 7:00 PM in the cafetorium of Valley Ridge Academy located at 105 Greenleaf Drive, Ponte Vedra, FL 32081.

 

Community Forums for Superintendent Search Read More »

Teacher of the Year Finalists

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Congratulations to our five SJCSD Teacher of the Year Finalists! Each of the following finalists were recently surprised by the Investing in Kids! (INK!) “Prize Patrol” with their announcement:

  • Jessica MacMillan – First Coast Technical College ESOL Teacher
  • Jake Lankford – Tocoi Creek High School History Teacher
  • Madison Gowin – Switzerland Point Middle School Media Specialist
  • Jill Adams – Creekside High School Instructional Literacy Coach
  • Jordan Mattheus – Palm Valley Academy Band Director and Guitar Instructor

The district’s Teacher of the Year will be announced at the annual banquet, sponsored by Investing in Kids! (INK!) on Friday, January 31, 2025 at the World Golf Village Renaissance Resort. This event not only celebrates the educators nominated to represent each school in the district but also recognizes all the outstanding professionals who educate, inspire, and invest in students every day.

The winning SJCSD Teacher of the Year will then be submitted to the Florida Department of Education for consideration for Florida’s Teacher of the Year.

Teacher of the Year Finalists Read More »

2025 CHARACTER COUNTS! 6K/3K Run/Walk

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Join the CHARACTER COUNTS! Steering Committee for its 12th Annual CHARACTER COUNTS! 6K/3K Run/Walk on Saturday, February 1, 2025, 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 Walk/Run
$30 before January 1
$35 January 1 – 31
$40 on race day

3K Walk/Run
$30 before January 1
$35 January 1 – 31
$40 on race day

Register by December 31, 2024, to receive a race t-shirt and other give-aways from sponsoring businesses and community organizations!

Registration forms and more information are available online.

Race proceeds 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 schools with the most registrants. At the finish line, each race participant will receive a finisher’s medal.

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.

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.

Visit RunSignUp.com to learn more and register.

2025 CHARACTER COUNTS! 6K/3K Run/Walk Read More »

District Personal Financial Literacy and Money Management Adoption Committee Meeting

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As a part of the District Personal Financial Literacy and Money Management Adoption process, a committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 8:30 AM. The meeting will focus on Personal Financial Literacy and Money Management instructional materials at the high school level.

The meeting will be broadcast live online and may be viewed on the SJCSD Media Services YouTube channel.

Visit our Media Services Department website to learn more about the Instructional Materials Adoption process.

District Personal Financial Literacy and Money Management Adoption Committee Meeting Read More »

Message from Superintendent Forson

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Dear St. Johns County Parents and Families,

All St. Johns County Schools will observe normal operations tomorrow. Any specific changes to school activities will be relayed by your school.

St. Johns County will be under a winter weather advisory late tonight into the morning tomorrow which includes freezing temperatures, rain and the possibility of ice on roads.

We will continue to work with the SJC Emergency Operations Center and staff to monitor the weather and will relay any changes to our operations through this mass-notification system.

Please stay safe and warm.

Sincerely,

Tim Forson
Superintendent

Message from Superintendent Forson Read More »

Superintendent Search Community Survey

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The St. Johns County School Board is asking for input from the community on the leadership qualities desired in our next Superintendent. Your feedback is crucial in helping us identify the best leader to guide our district toward continued success. The Superintendent Search Public Survey, conducted by the Florida School Boards Association in collaboration with the St. Johns County School Board, is an essential part of this process. Your responses will help shape the application process and develop interview questions for candidates.

Superintendent Search Community Survey Read More »

Stakeholder Surveys

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St. Johns County School District invites staff, parents, and community members to share their input on three stakeholder surveys to assess the effectiveness of federally funded programs like Title I, II, and IV.

These surveys help ensure compliance with federal requirements, inform program improvements, and guide funding decisions to better support student success and equity. Your input plays a vital role in shaping programs that meet the needs of our school communities.

The surveys will be open from January 15, 2025 to February 12, 2025.

Share your feedback today!

Stakeholder Surveys Read More »

Spelling Bee Winner

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Sree Vidya Siliveri, an eighth-grade student at Landrum Middle School, won the annual St. Johns County School District (SJCSD) Spelling Bee held Wednesday at First Coast Technical College. She won by spelling the word “diocese” correctly. Sree Vidya is the daughter of Sreedar and Mangamma Siliveri.

It took 11 rounds for the winner to be determined. The participants were congratulated by School Board members Kelly Barrera, Dr. Linda Thomson, Tony Coleman, and Beverly Slough.

Forty-nine elementary and middle school students from 34 public schools and four private schools competed for the honor of representing St. Johns County in the First Coast Regional Spelling Bee scheduled to be held on Friday, March 7, 2025.

The winner of the regional spelling bee will advance to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee scheduled in May in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Rebecca England, SJCSD Program Specialist for Elementary Language Arts, served as the spelling bee coordinator and the pronouncer was Kate Houston, Program Specialist for Secondary Language Arts. Judges for the event were Linda Villadoniga, retired SJCSD teacher, Eilea Van Scoy, community member and SJCSD parent, and Cheryl Freeman, Director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.

The Spelling Bee is available for viewing on St. Johns Educational Access TV channels 99 or 262 and here on the SJCSD Website.

Spelling Bee Winner Read More »

Instructional Materials Adoption for Personal Financial Literacy and Money Management

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The St. Johns County School District has begun its review of instructional materials for Personal Financial Literacy and Money Management (Grades 9-12). These resources are chosen from the list of materials submitted to the Florida Department of Education (Instructional Materials).  

You may access digital resources on EdCredible.com, once they are available from the publisher (view instructions for access). 

Print Materials: Some printed materials might be available. You may review materials from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM when district offices are open. To access them or receive assistance with online resources, call 904.547.8900.  

Get Involved: Parents and community members are encouraged to participate. If you want to join a school committee to serve on a review team, contact any school or call 904.547.8900 by January 10, 2025. Committee spots are limited, and school administrators will select members from those interested. 

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