Q: Is it too early to register children for the next school year?
A: Not at all — especially this year, as our budget is very tight. We are trying to hire the correct number of personnel, so it’s imperative that families register as early as possible and declare their intentions.
Q: How can parents register their children for school?
A: They can check with their local school, and most of the paperwork is done online. There is an address locator on our main website (www.stjohns.k12.fl.us) that will let residents know exactly which schools their home is zoned for. We encourage parents to register as soon as they can.
Q: What’s happening in May in the district?
A: Importantly, we will honor teachers for their hard work each and every day with Teacher Appreciation Week the first week of May. I ask our community to join me in supporting our teachers and celebrating their hard work and the invaluable contributions they make to our students’ education and well being.
Q: Do you have any kudos to share?
A: Yes, we’ve had a number of recognitions and award ceremonies lately. Each school as well as the district has named its Volunteer of the Year in Adult, Senior, and Student categories. Congratulations to Sharon Kehoe, who was named the St. Johns County Senior Volunteer of the Year in addition to her school, Ocean Palms Elementary. Other volunteers honored were:
Landrum: Ethan Manley (Youth), Kristin Glunt (Adult), David Solomon (Senior)
Nease: Jacqueline Gaffney (Youth), Sean McClafferty (Adult)
Ocean Palms: Evie Smith (Youth), Jennifer Werba (Adult), Sharon Kehoe (Senior)
Palm Valley: Abigail Fasula (Youth), Aimee Moore (Adult), Kay Moser (Senior)
Pine Island: Brittany Barron (Adult)
Ponte Vedra HS: Alexis Magnano (Youth), Shannon Carter (Adult)
Valley Ridge: Wynter Whitehead (Youth), Lynn Postell (Senior)
The 2023 All-County High School Art Show Award winners from District 4 were:
Corinna Cioffi, Nease, first place in Drawing
Emily Churilla, Nease, second place in Drawing and third place in Ceramics/Pottery
Rylee Harris, Nease, honorable mention in 3d Mixed-Media/Sculpture
Isabel Yang, PVHS, second place in Painting
Kalena Russo, PVHS, first place in Digital Art
Ella Holder, PVHS, honorable mention in Ceramics/Pottery
Also, Finley Pilinko from Landrum Middle School won the Medical History Award for outstanding entry with a medically related topic for her exhibit titled “Elizabeth Blackwell: Forging a Frontier in Medicine” and Jack Sproull from Landrum Middle School won the African American Heritage award for outstanding entry examining African American history from any era for his exhibit, “The Effect of Jackie Robinson.”
Q: Do you have anything else to share with District 4?
A: As the school year winds down, we often see an increase in high risk behaviors from students. We ask parents to continue to closely monitor their children. Engage them in conversations about risky behaviors for themselves and at school and the potential consequences that arise. We want to help support families with their efforts in keeping our children safe.
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.
