The carcass of a shark was discovered suspended from exterior rafters at Ponte Vedra High School early Thursday morning. The school’s maintenance manager made the discovery at 7 a.m., and the shark was removed by 8 a.m., according to a spokeswoman with St. Johns County Schools.
The school’s mascot is the shark.
The school district is working with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which is investigating the incident. The school does have surveillance video.
The incident is a level 4 offense, the most serious category of infractions, according to the district’s student code of conduct. If students are found to be in violation, they could face up to 10 days of suspension and may be placed in an alternate school. They may also be subject to expulsion and criminal proceedings. If the students are seniors, they could face a loss of senior year privileges, including graduation ceremony.
