By Martie Thompson
editor@floridanewsline.com
Students across St. Johns County returned to school on a typically hot and humid Monday, Aug. 12. According to District 1 School Board Member Beverly Slough, the district welcomed back more than 52,000 students this year after the typical staggered start for kindergarten the first week.
This year, two new schools were opened in St. Johns County to relieve overcrowding, Lakeside Academy in the Beacon Lakes area off County Road 210 and Trout Creek Academy in the Shearwater neighborhood.
“The first day went very smoothly with very few glitches,” Slough said. “Both new schools opened successfully as well. There was still some minor work being done such as landscaping that did not affect learning.”
Slough said that also new this year is a change to all schools’ safety procedures; all gates that surround school buildings are required to be locked during school hours.
At Patriot Oaks Academy, second year principal Drew Chiodo likewise reported a successful start to the school year.
“We had a phenomenal day,” he said, noting that this is the 10 year anniversary of Patriot Oaks Academy.
Chiodo said that they welcomed 1,356 students on the first day, but with the staggered start expect the school to have 1,450 students once all kindergarteners are in class.
As a Capturing Kids Hearts school, Patriot Oaks Academy teachers and staff intentionally build relationships with each child. The first day, Chiodo said they greeted each student with a handshake.
“Also on the first day during lunch, we taught the entire elementary school some basic American Sign Language signs, such as ‘help,’ ‘fork,’ and ‘restroom’ so that all students can communicate with our Access Classroom students (children with intellectual disabilities who are often non-verbal) since everyone eats lunch together,” he said.
Freedom Crossing Academy has a new principal, Melissa Lime, and a current enrollment of 1,969 students. Lime helped to open Freedom Crossing in 2018 and has previously served as vice principal.
“The first day of school at Freedom Crossing Academy is always a celebration,” Lime said. “Students were greeted with music in the hallways and teachers standing at the doors ready to welcome new faces into the building.”
Lime said the staff spent the week prior to student arrival making collective commitments to each other and the students in order to model instructional practices based on the school’s population’s needs.
“Each classroom will continue to build a ‘Social Contract’ during the first two weeks of school, which is a collective commitment to each other about how we want to be treated and how others want to be treated by us,” Lime said.
Freedom Crossing continues to model excellence in the area of Positive Intervention and Behavioral Supports, as it earned Gold Status as a FLPBIS Model School. Additionally, the school is a Capturing Kids Hearts National Showcase School, one of only two schools in Florida with this highest designation.
Timberlin Creek Elementary, whose population was cut in half to about 635 students due to the opening of Trout Creek Academy, also reported a smooth opening day.
“Lots of smiling faces all over campus,” said Principal Linda Edel.
New this year at Timberlin Creek Elementary is the Drums Alive curriculum for students. According to music teacher Michelle Chapman, Drums Alive combines the benefits of a traditional physical fitness program with the brain-affected benefits of music and rhythm that fosters a healthy balance physically, mentally, emotionally and socially.
Photo courtesy Lauren O’Shell
Freedom Crossing Academy students are excited on the first day of school.
Second graders from Mill Creek Academy on the first day.
