As the fall semester unfolds, our schools are in full swing with learning opportunities and seasonal activities for our students.
From school service clubs to fall festivals, literacy parades and sports, our schools are actively involved in character education, Veteran’s Day activities and Thanksgiving preparation. These initiatives round out the comprehensive education at our schools and reflect the dedication of our students, teachers, staff, volunteers and families. We are truly fortunate to live in a community that values and supports our schools!
In September, Dr. Brennan Asplen, our new superintendent, held three Town Hall meetings across the county with our local town hall at Ponte Vedra High School on Sept. 23. These town halls provided an interactive opportunity for community members to share their priorities, key needs and valuable insights. Dr. Asplen will continue to focus on community feedback and plans to host these events at least twice a year.
Additionally, Dr. Asplen has introduced a new communication initiative: “All Access with Dr. Asplen.” This is a series of brief two-minute videos highlighting different aspects of our school district every two weeks. These updates allow us to bring the community into our schools and connect with the important work and developments of our schools. Recently, Alice B. Landrum Middle School was featured. The community can access the videos at this link: https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/news/topic/superintendent-dr-asplen.
Dr. Asplen actively seeks input through quarterly meetings with various stakeholder groups. This includes a focus group that consists of representatives from our Parent Teacher Organizations, School Advisory Councils, our teacher and staff organizations, local education entities, law enforcement agencies and government representatives. Additionally, there is a Superintendent Student Advisory Group that has representatives from each high school, a Teacher Advisory Group, and a Business Advisory Group. Our school district also hosts two Citizen Advisory Councils, task force groups, Career Academy Boards and many school support associations. Community engagement is an important aspect of our school district.
During our October meeting, our school board approved our Legislative Platform, which Dr. Asplen will present to our legislative delegation on Oct. 27. Our platform looks to expand some safety tools to private and post institutions, updates to streamline teacher certifications, provide advanced degree supplements and include further adjustments for Exceptional Student Education and transportation: https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/gr/wp-content/uploads/sites/99/2025/10/SJCSD-Legislative-Platform-2026.pdf
In addition, our school district is diligently preparing for the openings of our two newest schools: QQ at the Silverleaf community and RR in the Nocatee community. Each school will feature 1,496 student stations and will initially serve students from kindergarten through seventh grade, expanding to kindergarten through eighth grade the following year. Our new school principals will be named by early January. These principals will immediately begin collaborating with the community and the school district on special programs for each school, gathering suggestions for school names, determining mascots, and fostering school culture and community. Opening a new school is always an exciting time of energy and enthusiasm.
As the school year moves forward, we invite the community to engage with our school community as a volunteer, mentor, business partner, in our town halls or community events.
