Q: As the school year winds down, do you have any administrative changes to share?
A: We are having some movement in administration in northern St. Johns County Schools. First, at Patriot Oaks Academy, Allison Olson is retiring. She is looking forward to traveling with her husband and spending time with her grandchildren. We wish her all the best and appreciate her time at Julington Creek Elementary and Patriot Oaks Academy. Replacing her as principal will be Drew Chiodo, previously the assistant principal at Tocoi Creek. He will be a fine leader at Patriot Oaks. 

At Julington Creek Elementary, Jeanette Murphy will be moving to Pacetti Bay Middle School to replace Ted Banton as principal. Mr. Banton is moving to Pedro Menendez High School to replace Dr. Clay Carmichael, who is retiring. Northern St. Johns County families may remember Dr. Carmichael from his days leading Fruit Cove Middle School. 

Replacing Jeanette Murphy at Julington Creek will be a familiar face: Dr. Joy Reichenberg, at one time the principal of Hickory Creek Elementary, will be moving over from Palm Valley Academy. Finally, replacing Dr. Reichenberg at Palm Valley Academy will be her assistant principal, Zach Strom, who at one time was a teacher at Cunningham Creek Elementary.

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Q: What is the latest with the teachers’ contract?
A: I’m happy to announce that we have come to an agreement with the teachers’ union. As of today [interview date of May 18], we are just awaiting ratification of the contract. The school board is set to vote on it at our meeting on June 13. The teachers will be paid retroactively to July 1, 2022 and we look forward to successful negotiations for the next school year, which will start in August.

Q: What can you tell us about the expansion of First Coast Technical College to Hastings?
A: We have a partnership with the county to expand First Coast Technical College (FCTC) to Hastings. We will use ARPA funds as well as some grant funding that we are applying for to renovate the old Hastings High School on Main Street. It is currently used as a library, but the library will be relocated elsewhere in Hastings. This renovation will be done in phases and we will be able to bring some new FCTC programs to Hastings. New programs being explored at this time include building trades, solar panel construction, power generation/small engine repair and possibly agriscience. 

First Coast Technical College currently has 1,500 students, with the youngest aged 14 and the oldest aged 82. Approximately 30 percent of the school’s students are non-St. Johns County residents. The school also serves 60 pre-K students in a program run by FCTC’s early education students. I’ve been working on this FCTC expansion with Deputy County Administrator Joy Andrews for a couple of years and I’m happy to see it start to happen.

Q: Do you have anything else to share with District 1?
A: I’d like to say congratulations to all for a very successful completion of another school year … to our students who have made great progress and to our teachers and staff for their very hard work to make this possible.

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.

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