Q: Do you have an update on High School III?
A: The land has been cleared on the site and construction is moving forward on schedule. Also, towards the end of March, we will begin zoning meetings. More details and dates will be forthcoming as we know them. Visit the district website (www.stjohns.k12.fl.us) and check under “Attendance Zoning” for complete information.
Q: What can you tell us about the School Improvement Plan presentations that were given to the school board in mid-February?
A: The work the schools have been doing is simply amazing in spite of the challenges related to COVID, distance learning, and the transition to brick and mortar schools. The presentations showed a great joint effort between the principals, the staff, and the teachers, all for the benefit of our students.
Q: Do you have any kudos to share for schools or students in the district?
A: I have a number of them. I’d like to congratulate the winners of the Martin Luther King, Jr. essay and poster contest from our District 7 schools:
Isla Blais, fourth grader, Palencia Elementary, first place elementary poster; Kira Simmer, third grader, Palm Valley Academy, third place elementary poster; and from Ponte Vedra High School for the high school poster contest: Reed Mann, 11th grade, first place; Genevieve Chaon, 11th grade, second place; and William Tonsich, 11th grade, third place. The winners will each receive a Barnes and Noble gift card.
Also, our county science fair was held virtually in mid-February and I would like to congratulate the following students from District 4:
Senior Engineering and Intelligent Machines: Yash Sing, Nease, second place; Charan Jai Sriram, Nease, third place. Environmental/Plant Sciences: Kelly Yuan, Nease, first place; Team of Lauren Kurlowicz, Jerson Millan and Kelvin Shi, Ponte Vedra High School, honorable mention and Team of Skyler Demi, Alyssa Lassonde and Teresa Aguiar, Ponte Vedra High School, honorable mention. Biomedical/Cellular/Microbiology: Team of Aiden Fong, Stephen Kupcha and David VanLue, Ponte Vedra, first place; Team of William Watkins and Mason Romero, Ponte Vedra, second place; Team of Stephanie Hernandez, Abigail Kee and Samantha Strong, Ponte Vedra, third place. First place finishers will represent the district at the Virtual State Science and Engineering Fair.
The Nease High School NJROTC program, currently ranked first in its district, just won another meet, this time in Stockbridge, Ga.
Finally, we are very excited that Nease has a new athletic director, following the transfer of the previous athletic director to Pedro Menendez High School. We welcome Charles Gomes, who started on March 1. He comes to us with a background in both athletics and academics from a Division 3 university in the Northeast.
Q: Do you have anything else to share with District 4?
A: All of our schools are putting out their SAC Surveys at this time. These are very important because they drive how schools plan and prepare for next year. The survey only takes a few minutes to fill out and I encourage all of our parents to do so.
Q: How can our readers contact you?
A: They can email me at kelly.barrera@stjohns.k12.fl.us or call me at (904) 547-7510.
