Q: Do you have an update on the search for a new superintendent [as of interview date of April 15]?
A: At the school board’s meeting on April 10, we narrowed the 26 applicants for the position down to 10, four of whom are from St. Johns County. Those applicants will now have the opportunity to respond to us with responses to five questions, three via video and two written. On April 25, the school board will select the finalists for in-person interviews. During the week of May 12, the finalists will visit and each school board member will interview each finalist in private. Additionally, there will be a public interview by the board members of all candidates. On May 14 at First Coast Technical College, there will be a reception for the public to attend to interact with the candidates. All along the way, there will be opportunities for the public to provide feedback.
Finally, on May 20, we moved our school board meeting to the morning (due to Tocoi Creek High School’s graduation ceremony that evening) and we will select the superintendent at that meeting. If they accept, we will begin contract negotiations and get them employed by July 1. We feel like we have some very strong candidates in this pool and are pleased with the process. We wanted someone with day to day experience running a school (a former principal) as well as district experience. The Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) did a great job vetting the candidates.
Q: What’s the latest on the new schools under construction?
A: First, Hallowes Cove Academy now has a mascot: they will be the Hurricanes. The principal and community members are still working on determining school colors as well as establishing traditions and forming the school’s PTO and SAC Committee. It won’t be long until administration can move into the building. We expect construction to be complete well before the start of next school year.
We will hold a Topping Out ceremony for the Nocatee K-8 school “RR” on May 23 and another Topping Out ceremony for the Silverleaf K-8 school “QQ” on May 30. All the schools are on schedule. On another note, we are really pleased to have as our contractor a company that is locally owned by a graduate of our own school district.
Q: Do you have anything else to share with District 1?
A: We are approaching the end of the school year and with that comes a time of celebration and testing. We have already had the recognition of our Volunteer of the Year and our Teacher of the Year. Coming up soon will be a celebration of our highest achievers academically — the top 3 percent of each school’s graduating class — and our American Youth Character Awards next week. We are preparing for graduation ceremonies which will be here before we know it, beginning with Creekside High School on May 16 and continuing through the following week. Spring testing is upon us before that, including Progress Monitoring for kindergarten through 10th grade and End of Course exams as well as AP exams, which count for college credit.
Q: How can our readers contact you?
A: They can email me at beverly.slough@stjohns.k12.fl.us or call me at (904) 547-7510.
