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.
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.
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
Message from the Superintendent – February 15, 2018 Read More »
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.
Amy Grimm Has Been Named the 2018 Teacher of the Year Read More »
FDOE Press Office
850-245-0413
[email protected]
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:
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!
Celebrate Literacy Week Read More »
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.
High School Showcase Read More »
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.
Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration Breakfast Read More »
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.
High School Showcase 2018 Read More »
In December, the school community at Alice B. Landrum Middle School collected 260 “Shoeboxes of Love” which they will be donating to City Rescue Mission, a Jacksonville-based organization which serves the homeless and needy of Northeast Florida.
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 3, 2018, 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 January 1 – February 2; $35 on race day
3K-$20 before January 1; $25 January 1 – February 2; $30 on race day
Registration forms and more information are available online at http://www.racesmith.com/races/CHARACTERCOUNTS.html.
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, Mill Creek Elementary, Valley Ridge Academy and Timberlin Creek Elementary. 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 fourth 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.
2018 CHARACTER COUNTS! 6 Pillars 6K/3K Run/Walk Read More »
First Cost Technical College hosted a brief program to honor the sacrifice and service of our veterans on Veterans Day. The 2nd Annual FCTC Veterans Day Event included students from the St. Johns Technical High School ROTC program and guest speaker Captain Matt Straughan, US Navy, Retired. The ROTC impressed the audience with their presentation of the colors, and Carolyn Fisher, a retired teacher, sang the National Anthem.
Veterans Honored at FCTC Read More »
Dear Parents and Families,
The 2018-2019 school year will begin with the opening of two new K-8 schools in northern St. Johns County. Pending School Board approval of Zoning Plan C, I am recommending that both schools open as K-6 schools for the 2018-2019 school year (SY), adding grade 7 in 2019-2020 SY, and grade 8 in 2020-2021 SY. This will allow all students presently in grades 6 and 7 in rezoned areas to continue at their present middle school assignment. These students will continue to receive the same transportation as currently provided.
This proposal will provide educational, social and emotional stability during pivotal transition years for these students. Extracurricular activities for middle school students will be based on the model for activities/programs at other K-8 schools. School district middle school sports of volleyball and basketball will be available although some modifications may need to be made in the first year of the school. The district will work with the St. Johns Middle School Athletic Association with respect to the new school assignments. Performing arts programs such as band and chorus will be developed at an appropriate pace based on the students enrolled. The district will support the new schools to ensure the middle school experiences for students in the first three years of operation meet the range of student needs.
Additionally, present Patriot Oaks Academy (POA) 4th grade students who are rezoned for Durbin Creek Elementary will be allowed to stay at POA for 5th grade and then move to Fruit Cove Middle School for grade 6.
Specific programs such as pre-K or other specialized exceptional education programs will be determined after the rezoning has been finalized and school student populations are reviewed.
In the second semester of this school year, the principals (who have not been recommended yet) assigned to the new schools will begin a process of school community building that will focus on such tasks as PTO, SAC, school naming recommendations, colors, mascots, etc.
Thank you for your continued engagement in this process. Should you have any comments or concerns to share on this proposal, please email them to [email protected].
Sincerely,
Tim Forson
Superintendent
St. Johns County Schools
Message from the Superintendent – November 8, 2017 Read More »
St. Johns County School District and Flagler College recently partnered to host the second annual Flagler College Educational Day. Students from Gamble Rogers Middle School, R. J. Murray Middle School, Pacetti Bay Middle School, Sebastian Middle School and St. Johns Technical High School participated. The students toured Flagler College and also attended a volleyball game to see the Lady Saints in action.
Flagler College Educational Day Read More »
The St. Johns County School District uses SchoolMessenger for notification to parents/families via text, email and phone. Previously when phone calls were initiated, a school phone number was displayed on the receiver’s phone. Starting Friday, November 3rd, the number that will display when a call is generated from any school in the district will be (844) 309-7699. This change will enable the person receiving the message to call this number back and hear the most current messages received.
This change will assist us in furthering our efforts to ensure that mass phone messages are accurate and consistent. Thank you for your continued support.
SchoolMessenger Phone Messages Read More »
The Nease High School Football team and coaching staff organized Victory Day, a field study experience for students with disabilities from Timberlin Creek, Wards Creek and Valley Ridge Academy.
During Victory Day, students participated in football drills, tried on equipment and scored touch downs against the Nease High School Panthers.
Victory Day at Nease High School Read More »
Students from Sebastian Middle School’s SWAT Club (Students Working Against Tobacco) gave a presentation at the St. Johns County Legislative Delegation Meeting on October 20th. In their presentation, they called attention to the increased prevalence of vaping among youth and the need for smoke-free parks and beaches.
Sebastian Middle School Legislative Delegation Read More »
Free school meals provided through the FEMA Major Disaster Declaration will end on October 20, 2017 and students will revert to their normal lunch status on October 21, 2017. If you have questions, please call 904-547-8931.
FEMA free school lunch ends on Oct. 20 Read More »
The Annual UpLift with A.S.S.I.S.T. Dinner/Silent Auction is scheduled for Thursday, October 19 from 6-9 p.m. at the Character Counts Conference Center on the FCTC campus. Tickets are available for a $25 donation at INK-Stjohns.org. This year’s theme is “Breaking Down Barriers…One Student at a Time.”
Uplift with A.S.S.I.S.T. Read More »
The Attendance Zoning process for 2018-2019 now includes a proposed Plan C posted here https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/zoning/. This plan is a third option to Plans A and B. Plan C addresses proposed changes for the schools in the Northwest. For the first time, Plan C also includes students currently zoned to Hickory Creek Elementary from the RiverTown development.
This attendance zoning proposal is a part of the process to establish Attendance Zones for the two new K-8 schools. These K-8 schools are currently under construction and will open for the 2018-2019 school year. K-8 School KK is located at 2135 Palm Valley Road, Ponte Vedra, FL, 32081 and is being constructed using monies from the school impact fees, school proportionate share mitigation fees and the half-cent sales tax passed in November 2015. K-8 School LL is located at 1365 Shetland Drive, Saint Johns, FL, 32259 and is being constructed using monies from half-cent sales tax. Other possible attendance zone changes relate to Heritage Park located off of Woodlawn Road and the Sawmill Lakes development located off of SR 207, both in St. Augustine.
At this time, one of more of the proposals impact the current attendance zones and students at Cunningham Creek Elementary, Durbin Creek Elementary, Fruit Cove Middle School, Hickory Creek Elementary, Alice B. Landrum Middle School, Otis A. Mason Elementary School, R.J. Murray Middle School, Ocean Palms Elementary, Palencia Elementary School, Pacetti Bay Middle School, Patriot Oaks Academy, Sebastian Middle School, Switzerland Point Middle School and Valley Ridge Academy.
