St. Johns County School Board Packet Summary — August 11, 2026
Key Items on the Agenda
The St. Johns County School Board’s August 11 packet is dominated by consent-agenda business covering student services, personnel, purchasing, finance, school operations, and facilities. The meeting also includes Superintendent Dr. Brennan Asplen’s State of the Schools presentation, recognition of National Speech and Debate winners, two opportunities for public comment, and approval of minutes from four July meetings.
Among the larger items scheduled for consideration are the district’s 2026-2027 Mental Health Assistance Allocation Plan, the annual assessment calendar, Extended Day and related early-childhood program budgets, several purchasing and contract actions, and the August capital projects report.
Student Services and Academic Programs
$4.4 Million Mental Health Plan
The consent agenda includes approval of the 2026-2027 Mental Health Assistance Allocation Plan. The packet identifies a $3,338,304 Mental Health Services Proposal plus $1,061,586 carried over from 2025-2026, for a total of $4,399,890.
The plan assigns substantial resources to personnel, including school psychologists, district social workers, mental health counselors, school counselors, a truancy-focused school service worker, and student-support, counseling, and mental-health coordinators. The packet lists $3,310,434 for those positions and identifies additional planned spending for services and activities including a St. Johns Care Connect contract, Sources of Strength, Youth Mental Health First Aid, professional development, travel, a Mental Health Summit for Athletes, and parent training related to mental health.
2026-2027 Assessment Calendar
The board is scheduled to consider the district’s 2026-2027 assessment calendar, covering state-required and district-selected testing from August 2026 through July 2027. Early-year testing includes Renaissance Star assessments for younger students, FAST reading and math testing, MAP Growth for selected intensive-reading students, and other assessments for specific student groups.
Later testing windows include end-of-course exams, PSAT/NMSQT, ACT and SAT opportunities, WIDA ACCESS for English language learners, Florida Alternate Assessments, B.E.S.T. Writing, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Cambridge/AICE exams, and spring FAST and statewide science testing.
Extended Day, Day Care and VPK Programs
The packet proposes approval of 2026-2027 budgets for Extended Day, Day Care and stand-alone Voluntary Prekindergarten programs at participating district sites. Extended Day programs are listed across numerous elementary and K-8 schools, including the new Magnolia Oaks Academy and Sabal Crest Academy.
Cunningham Creek Elementary, FCTC Tech Tots and Timberlin Creek Elementary are among the sites shown with Extended Day, Day Care and stand-alone VPK programs. The packet contains individual program budgets and supporting financial plans for the participating locations.
School Camps
Five school camps are included for approval: Ketterlinus Elementary’s Art We Awesome program; Otis Mason Elementary’s Chorus, Guitar and Percussion camps; and Pine Island Academy’s Odyssey of the Mind camp.
The Odyssey of the Mind program is scheduled from August 11, 2026 through May 28, 2027 and describes a STEAM-focused international problem-solving competition emphasizing teamwork, budgeting, time management and public speaking. Its proposed fiscal plan anticipates 35 participants at $250 each, generating $8,750 in revenue and matching $8,750 in planned expenses.
Major Financial and Purchasing Items
District Cash Position
The June 30 cash-flow report lists $576,254,778 in investments across all funds. After estimated July revenue of $25,854,419 and estimated expenditures of $30,168,364, the report projects an all-funds balance of $571,940,833 as of July 31, 2026.
The report also details investments held through multiple banks and Florida public investment vehicles and states that all investments are collateralized with the State Treasurer of Florida.
School Safety Technology
The board is scheduled to consider renewal of the district’s agreement with Raptor Technologies. The packet shows an August 1, 2026-July 31, 2027 term covering 46 annual Raptor Emergency Management licenses for reunification and accountability, 46 Raptor Link API Suite licenses, and an annual compliance and success program.
The invoice totals $72,994.95, with $35,544.89 shown as paid and $37,450.06 shown as due.
HVAC Filter Replacement
For ITB2026-058, HVAC Filter Replacement Services, the district received four responses. The packet recommends Filter Pro USA LLC as the primary awardee, with Four Seasons Filters, LLC and ThermaServe Mechanical Services, Inc. as secondary providers.
The unit pricing is intended to include materials, labor, cutting, handling, installation, delivery and other incidental costs required for the filter and frame work.
Cafeteria Supplies
The board is also scheduled to consider ITB2026-075 for cafeteria paper products and other supplies. Eight responses were received, but the packet states that five were deemed non-responsive.
Staff recommends awarding Lot 1 to Food Supply, Inc. and Lot 2 to Florida Janitor & Paper Supply, Inc. The solicitation covers a broad range of cafeteria products, including cleaning materials, gloves, food containers, cups, utensils, napkins, trays, wraps, bags and related supplies.
Armored Car Services
Two related armored-car items appear on the consent agenda. One requests rejection of all responses to ITB2026-074, while another proposes amending and renewing the district’s existing RFP #2020-22 agreement with Loomis Armored US, LLC.
The proposed Loomis amendment would extend the agreement from September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027 and add weekly Tuesday service at Magnolia Oaks Academy and Sabal Crest Academy at $23.75 per service for each location.
Automotive Batteries and Snack Vending
The district proposes its first one-year extension of ITB2025-053 for automotive batteries, covering August 13, 2026 through August 12, 2027 under the existing contract terms and conditions.
A separate amendment would renew the Grab N Go Snacks vending agreement from August 4, 2026 through August 3, 2027. The proposed amendment specifies that commissions are calculated on gross sales without deductions and requires quarterly sales reports and commission payments.
Bartram Trail High School Concessions
The board is being asked to authorize the superintendent to negotiate and execute a concession agreement with Norikase, LLC dba Nori for Bartram Trail High School. The proposed agreement runs from August 12, 2026 through August 11, 2027, with up to three additional one-year renewals by mutual written agreement.
Nori would provide concessions for specified home athletic events, including football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, wrestling, weightlifting, baseball, softball, flag football, lacrosse, track and field, and boys volleyball. Under the proposed financial terms, the school would receive 20% of monthly net proceeds, defined in the agreement as gross sales minus the actual cost of food and beverage inventory sold and hourly wages paid to event staff.
Donations
The board is scheduled to consider acceptance of three donations valued at $10,000 or more:
- $15,000 from the Picolata Crossing Elementary PTA for continued learning, resource classrooms, beautification, technology and legacy projects.
- $43,832.58 from Jacket Athletics Booster Club, Inc. for St. Augustine High School athletic-program support.
- $10,000 from SE Orthopedics Specialists for training and athletic supplies at Ponte Vedra High School.
Together, the three listed donations total $68,832.58.
Capital Projects and Facilities
Two New K-8 Schools Near Opening
The August Capital Projects Status Report says Magnolia Oaks Academy and Sabal Crest Academy are substantially complete, have received Certificates of Occupancy, and are in the move-in stage for the 2026-2027 school year.
Sabal Crest Academy is described as an approximately 190,000-square-foot, 73-classroom K-8 school with 1,496 student stations on a 33-acre site in the Nocatee development. Its current construction contract amount is $40,908,556.67, with $19,259,238.98 in owner direct purchases and reported tax savings of $1,157,204.35.
Hastings High School Renovation
Work continues on the multi-year Hastings High School repairs, renovations and site improvements project. The project includes extensive renovation of the historic two-story building, relocation and expansion of bus parking, and construction of an approximately 20,000-square-foot workforce training center.
The packet lists a current contract amount of $16,290,348.60 after a change order, plus $2,725,046.60 in owner direct purchases and $164,177.80 in reported tax savings. Roofing is complete, window frames and glazing have been installed, and doors, hardware and finishes are underway.
First Coast Technical College Workforce Training Facility
The capital report also tracks planning for a First Coast Technical College Workforce Training Facility. Stratus Team, LLC was approved as the most qualified architectural consultant in May 2026; the packet says negotiations are complete and the contract has been submitted to the Economic Development Administration for review before execution, as required by the grant.
The report notes that 2026-2027 capital-outlay financial information will be added after the final district budget is approved in September.
Governance, Personnel and Safety
Superintendent Evaluation
The consent agenda includes acceptance and approval of Superintendent Brennan Asplen’s 2025-2026 performance evaluation. A July 28 letter from School Board Chair Jennifer Collins states that board members found his performance met or exceeded expectations across the board and summarizes positive comments regarding leadership, communication and district performance.
Personnel Actions and Job Description
The personnel consent agenda includes appointments, DROP participation, transfers, leaves, resignations, retirements and terminations. It also includes revised job descriptions.
One revised description in the packet is for Director, Early Childhood Services. The position oversees ESE Pre-K, VPK, Head Start and Pre-K clinic evaluations; supervises Early Childhood Services programs and grants; and reports to the Senior Director of Exceptional Student Education.
School Safety Inspections
The board is scheduled to consider quarterly inspection reports from the Office of Safe Schools and the district’s School Safety Specialist. The packet reports one inspected or reinspected school out of 47 district facilities during the referenced quarter.
At Switzerland Point Middle School, an Office of Safe Schools inspection identified a missing safe-area sign in a multipurpose room being used for instruction. The packet states the issue was corrected on site the same day and that a May 11, 2026 reinspection found no compliance issues.
Previously Completed Budget Actions
The packet includes minutes from July meetings that document earlier actions on the 2026-2027 budget. On July 23, the board unanimously approved advertising the tentative millage and budget.
At the July 30 first public hearing, the board unanimously adopted the 2026-2027 tentative millages and tentative budget. The minutes state that no public comments were received during that hearing and establish the final budget hearing for September 10, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.
What to Watch at the Meeting
- The board is scheduled to act on a large consent agenda spanning mental-health funding, academic programs, personnel, contracts, purchasing and facilities.
- The $4,399,890 mental-health plan outlines how state allocation and rollover resources are proposed to support district mental-health staffing, services, training and related initiatives.
- Purchasing items include new awards, renewals, a rejected armored-car solicitation and continuation of the existing Loomis arrangement.
- The capital report shows Magnolia Oaks Academy and Sabal Crest Academy in the final stages of preparation for the 2026-2027 school year while the Hastings High School project continues through its multi-phase renovation.
- Superintendent Asplen’s State of the Schools presentation is scheduled as part of the meeting’s opening comments and presentations.
