The student count for the St. Johns County School District (SJCSD) the first day of school, August 12, was 47,438, an increase of 1,943 students or 4.27% over last year’s first day number of 45,495. St. Johns County continues to be one of the fastest growing school districts in the state.
The high school student count was 16,169 with 2,119 students at Bartram Trail High School, 2,076 at Beachside High School, 2,434 at Creekside High School, 1,362 at Pedro Menendez High School, 2,098 at Allen D. Nease High School, 1,842 at Ponte Vedra High School, 1,560 at St. Augustine High School and 2514 at Tocoi Creek High School. There were also 164 students in attendance at St. Johns Technical High School.
Middle school attendance totaled 6,843, with student headcounts ranging from 652 at Sebastian Middle School to 1,417 at Pacetti Bay Middle School. The other first day totals were Alice B. Landrum Middle School with 906, Fruit Cove Middle School with 1,120, R. J. Murray Middle School with 678, Gamble Rogers Middle School with 819, and Switzerland Point Middle School with 1,251.
The district’s K-8 schools totaled 13,017. Liberty Pines Academy had a first day headcount of 1,614, Patriot Oaks Academy with 1,356, Valley Ridge Academy with 1,095, Freedom Crossing Academy with 1,799, Palm Valley Academy with 1,324, Mill Creek Academy with 1,816, Pine Island Academy with 1,806, Trout Creek Academy with 1,049 and Lakeside Academy with 1,158.
The elementary school population totaled 11,081. This count only includes approximately 25% of all kindergarten students since schools stagger the kindergarten start date over a four-day period. Another 328 students attended the district’s alternative and charter schools.
SJCSD staff will continue to monitor attendance numbers, balance classrooms and refine bus routes in the coming weeks.