Good afternoon, we hope you and yours weathered the storm in good condition. Here on campus, it's the School schedule that seems to have been most affected! We've updated many upcoming dates and announcements, below. As always, please let us know if you have any questions.
Congratulations, Seniors!
Even though most college applications aren't even due until November, some St. Johns seniors already have acceptances in hand! St. Johns was thrilled at Friday's flag raising to congratulate Ryan Croft (Montana State), Pace Cummings (UNF), Parker Robbins (Mississippi State & Ole Miss), and Kendall Sage (Ole Miss & UNF). Way to go, Spartan Seniors!
Spartan Scoop!
Check out episode 2 of Spartan Scoop, the new student-made news channel from St. Johns' Journalism Fellows and the new Spartan Scoop club! This week's video features interviews with seniors and faculty highlighting tips to help make your high school career the best it can be. Check it out on YouTube!
Join Us for Coffee Talk!
We shifted some Coffee Talk plans around a bit in the wake of Hurricane Dorian. Please plan to join us for Coffee Talk in the Academic Achievement Center tomorrow morning immediately following flag raising.
| September 11 |
Join us in the Academic Achievement Center with: Acting Head of School Head of Middle School Jackie Lentini |
| September 18 |
Come and Join Us for the First PTL Meeting of the Year and meet with: |
| September 25 |
Acting Head of School Head of Middle School Jackie Lentini Director of College Counseling Caroline Morris |
Please plan to join us Wednesday mornings after flag raising!
Middle School Lego Robotics Team
It's not too late to join the new Middle School Lego Robotics Team! The team meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., from now until December 17, 2019. No experience is necessary and there is no cost for participating. Please reach out to Mrs. Wagstaff or Ms. Lapinski with any questions.
PTL and Spartan Boosters Meetings - September 18
There are many ways to get involved to enrich the experience for you, your family, and the School, including our parent volunteer organizations! Come learn more about our Parent Teacher League and Spartan Boosters at their first meetings of the year. Both meetings take place in the Heinrich Learning Resource Center Conference Room.
September 18, 8:15 a.m. - Parent Teacher League (PTL)
The PTL works to support the School community through a variety of activities and events including family socials, faculty appreciation lunches, Grandparents Day, and more.
September 18, 6 p.m. - Spartan Boosters
The Spartan Boosters celebrate and support our student-athletes and coaches by volunteering at concession stands, organizing end of season banquets, and more.
Chick-fil-A Orders Going Online in September
Ordering for Monday Chick-fil-A lunches is now online at sjcds.net/chikin. We understand that some users have had problems getting their orders to process in the system, and we apologize for any frustration this might be causing. We are working with the vendor to facilitate a solution as soon as possible. Meanwhile, if you have trouble ordering, please reach out to School Receptionist Sherry Burnside at (904) 264-9572. Sherry can process your orders for you while we work to fix the system glitch.
Get in the Pool with Spartan Aquatics!
Registration is now open for the fall season of Spartan Aquatics Club, or SPAC. Spartan Aquatics is open to anyone interested in competitive swimming and has a variety of age groups. More information is at sjcds.net/spac, or email Coach JJ with any questions.
Club Rowing with Evans Rowing Club
In order to field a more competitive rowing team, St. Johns' Crew has entered a new partnership with Evans Rowing Club. Registration is now open for the fall season, you can start any time, and practices take place at Evans' new location at The Rudder Club of Jacksonville (8533 Malaga Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32244). St. Johns' Middle or Upper School students will receive a 10% discount. Click here to register today!
College Admission Rep Visits
St. Johns' schedule of college admissions representative visits was disrupted a bit by Hurricane Dorian. Here's the latest list of which schools will be on campus next week: t.
| Monday, September 16 | Jacksonville University | |
| Bennington College | ||
| Tuesday, September 17 | American University | |
| Northwestern University | ||
| Wednesday, September 18 | Vanderbilt University | |
| Rutgers University | ||
| Thursday, September 12 | University of Alabama | |
| Wake Forest University | ||
| Muhlenberg College |
Upper School students who would like to attend an upcoming meeting must get a permission slip from the College Counseling Office, have it signed by the teacher of any class that they'll miss, and turn in the slip to College Counseling no later than the Friday before the visit. Questions? Reach out to the College Counseling Office.
Spirit Store Hours
The PTL Spirit Store is open:
| Tuesdays and Wednesdays | 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., and |
| 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | |
| Fridays | 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. |
Come on in and check out our exciting new items and great spirit gear!
Please contact the Spirit Store with any questions, or for additional information or volunteer opportunities.
Host a German Exchange Student!
As a part of St. Johns' longstanding partnership with the Hochrad Gymnasium (high school) in Hamburg, thirty students and their teachers and chaperones will visit Thursday, October 24 until Friday, November 1. If you are interested in hosting a student or one of the adults during this time, please reach out to Mrs. Scott or Mr. Warren.
Spring Break in Costa Rica
A few spots remain for the exciting Spring Break 2020 Upper School conservation trip to Costa Rica. You can learn more about the trip at EcologyProject.org/sjcds2020, and sign up today with Dr. Román!
Scholarship Opportunity for Grades 5-12
Applications are now open for the National Association of Secondary School Principals' 2020 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, which honor students in Grades 5-12 for making meaningful contributions to their communities through community service. Qualifying applicants are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship. More details are available at nassp.org/spirit.
Key Contacts
As always, our faculty and administration stand ready to assist with anything you might need. Please do feel free to reach out at any time to Acting Head of School and Head of Upper School Mary Virginia Fisher, Head of Middle School Jackie Lentini, Head of Lower School Otis Wirth, or Head of Administrative Affairs Tanya Powers. Or, feel free to just reply to this message.
We hope you have a great week!