On behalf of the St. Johns County School District, it is an honor to serve your children and families. With the new school year on the horizon, the St. Johns County School District staff members have worked tirelessly to make our schools a place where your child wants to come each day to be inspired to have good character and a passion for lifelong learning and be educated and caring contributors to the world.
I am humbled by the dedicated and caring teachers, administrators and support staff within our school district. Through their continued efforts, our students are able to achieve high standards in academics, sports and extracurricular activities. Having remarkable students and parents has helped us continue to excel.
Statewide, our students score exceptionally well, earning the top scores in several academic areas. Students in grades three through 10 earned the top scores in the state in reading. In math, students in grades six through eight earned the highest scores. Additionally, our students ranked first in the state on the Algebra I, Civics, Geometry, Biology I and U.S. History End-of-Course exams. Students in grades 5 and 8 earned the top scores in science. Moreover, in 2018, our district graduation rate was 93.3%, which is above the state average of 86.1%. School grades released by the Florida Department of Education over the summer show that we continue to be a high performing district in the state and one of only two that has consistently remained an “A” rated district.
Along with academics as a focus, we will continue to expand our safety initiatives to ensure that we provide a safe, secure and dynamic learning environment for our children. If you have not done so already, I encourage you to download the FortifyFL App. This app allows the user to notify school personnel and law enforcement of any threat, share pictures and videos and optionally submit contact information. We will have local law enforcement and/or armed security personnel at each school site offering increased security coverage. In addition, we will provide ongoing mental health support for our students through specialized training, programs and resources. This year, we will be piloting an evidence-based program, Sources of Strength, at our high schools. SOS is a best practice youth suicide prevention program designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying and substance abuse. As a district, we are committed to making resources available to students and families who need assistance.
I am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve as superintendent of the St. Johns County School District. I cannot thank you enough as parents and families in our district who help us further exceptional learning and support initiatives that take place within the classrooms and throughout our schools. Your involvement and participation with our students is valuable and I encourage you to remain present in your child’s education as I am committed to do the same. I hope you and your children have an outstanding 2019-2020 school year!
Sincerely,
Tim Forson
Superintendent of Schools
St. Johns County
