Good afternoon, here are this week's news and announcements from St. Johns Country Day School:
Winter Band Concert
Please join us tonight for a Winter Band Concert featuring performers in Grades 3-12! You won't want to miss this festival of sound featuring the Middle & Upper School Bands. Join us!
Middle School Students of the Month
Each month, the Middle School recognizes a student in each grade level for being exemplary of the School's mission. November Students of the Month were recognized at flag raising last week. These are:
- Grade 6: Jia Mei Kemp
- Grade 7: Lucy Mitchell
- Grade 8: Elizabeth Jackson
Congratulations, students!
Athlete of the Week Cam Cooper '28
Congratulations to last week's Nichols & Pina law firm St. Johns Spartan Athlete of the Week Cam Cooper '28! Cam had 25 points and 9 steals in last week's win over Harvest Community. Congrats, Cam!
SJPA Gift Wrapping
The SJPA is excited to spread some holiday cheer to our amazing faculty and staff. To give them the gift of time, we are volunteering to wrap their holiday gifts. If you would like to volunteer to wrap teacher gifts tomororw through Friday or can donate wrapping supplies, please visit this link. Thank you!
Pre-K–Grade 2 Choral Concert
Please join us for a special Lower School Choral Concert on Thursday, December 12, at 8:30 a.m. in the Performing Arts Center(PAC). Families are all welcome to attend. Please bring your driving license for check-in at the PAC. We look forward to seeing you there!
Join Us for a Family Tree Lighting!
Please join us on Thursday, December 12 for holiday activities, festive music, and the lighting of the St. Johns Christmas Tree! All are welcome to come enjoy crafts, seasonal music, cookies and cocoa! It'll all be on the patio starting at 5:30 p.m. Plan to stay for the Winter Choral Concert at 6:30 p.m. We look forward to seeing you there!
Winter Choral Concert
Please join us after the Tree Lighting for a Winter Choral Concert featuring choral students in Grades 3-12. This festive concert will get you in the merry mood and kick off your holiday season with the perfect note. Join us Thursday, December 12, at 6: 30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. We can't wait to see you there!
Midterm Info
Upper School students will embark on midterm exams next week Monday through Wednesday. The full exam schedule is available right here. Please reach out to your student's teachers with any questions. Grade 8 midterm exams will take place on Monday and Tuesday, December 16 & 17. Please note that students may leave after their last exam each day.
Winter Break
Please note that Winter Break begins on Friday, December 20 (with students dismissed at noon) and goes through Friday, January 3. School recommences on Monday, January 6 and Middle & Upper School students will go straight into Winterim (see below for more info on Winterim).
Winterim is Coming!
We are excited for another exciting Middle and Upper School Winterim next month! When we return from Winter Break on Monday, January 6, Middle and Upper School students will go immediately into Winterim (or "Minterim" for Middle School).
Middle School students will do Minterim Monday and Tuesday.:
- Grade 6 students will have an advisory competition, do community service, and go on a field trip.
- Grades 7 & 8 will take unique on-campus mini-courses in topics of their choosing.
Upper School students will be in Winterim Monday-Wednesday:
- Grade 9 students will do a combination of community service and on-campus mini-courses.
- Grade 10 will take on campus mini-courses.
- Grade 11 will be doing career shadowing.
- Grade 12 will participate in a custom course led by UNF's Taylor Leadership Institute.
Parents of Upper School students will hear directly from a faculty member (either Mrs. Parker, Mrs Dwyer-Wessling, or Mr. Trevett) with details about their student's Winterim plans.
Safety First!
We take our students' safety seriously, both during the School day and after. Please note that students cannot be on campus grounds after school without supervision. If you are on campus for a game or other School event, please do not send your child unsupervised to the playground or other locations. If you require after school supervision, drop-in care is available for St. Johns' after school program. You can get more information and sign up for that right here.
Cold Weather Gear Now in the Spirit Store! 🛍️
Stay cozy and show your Spartan pride with our new cold-weather items! ❄️ We’ve got something for everyone:
✨ Adult and youth crewneck sweaters
✨ Youth hoodies and fleeces
✨ Zip-up hoodies for all ages
✨ Limited adult Nike hoodies (more sizes coming soon!)
Store hours are 7:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., but if you can’t make it in, no problem! Call or email for pictures of the latest items, pay over the phone or Venmo, and we’ll deliver your purchase to your student—super convenient for busy families! Come check it out and stay Spartan Strong this winter!
Join Us for An Evening in Paris!
Mark your calendars for an unforgettable experience: An Evening in Paris, a festive fundraising event benefiting St. Johns Country Day School! Join us on Saturday, January 25, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the beautiful Club Continental. The night will be filled with fun, food, live music, fantastic company, games to win prizes, and a live and silent auction—all while supporting exciting projects that will enhance our school community. Get your tickets today and we hope to see you there!
Gallery Art Guild Show
While you're on campus for our many great events this holiday season, please plan to come a little early to enjoy the Art Guild of Orange Park exhibit in the Nichols Family Art Gallery. All pieces are for sale with a percentage of proceeds benefiting the St. Johns fund. Just scan the QR code on the signs in the Gallery for sales information.
On-Campus Speech & Occupational Therapy
Pediatric Therapy of Riverside Is now offering speech & occupational therapy services at St. Johns. These on-campus services are available to students in all grades. To register your child for a free on-campus assessment, please click here and select "Schedule a Free Consultation." Please reach out to Pediatric Therapy of Riverside's Bridget Beck, MS CCC-SLP, with any questions.
Contact Us!
St. Johns' staff stand ready to assist with anything you might need. Please feel free to reach out at any time to
| Head of School Valorie Baker | vbaker@sjcds.net |
| Head of Upper School Krista Parker | kparker@sjcds.net |
| Head of Middle School Ben Magidson | bmagidson@sjcds.net |
| Head of Lower School Otis Wirth | owirth@sjcds.net |
We hope you have a great week!
- Campus Update