Ponte Vedra High School
Address
Map
460 Davis Park Road

Nocatee (Ponte Vedra address)
,
Florida
32081

United States
Coordinates30°6′54.6″N 81°23′42.00″W / 30.115167°N 81.3950000°W / 30.115167; -81.3950000
Information
TypePublic school
Established2008
StatusOperational
School districtSt. Johns County School District
SuperintendentTim Forson[2]
School number511[1]
DeanBud Beech & Tom Stanton[4]
PrincipalFred Oberkehr
Staff76.60 (FTE)[3]
Grades9 - 12
Enrollment1,816 (2018-19)[3]
Student to teacher ratio23.71[3]
Hours in school day9:20 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.[6]
Campus size77 acres (0.31 km2)[5]
Campus typeSuburban
Colour(s)Blue █ , Silver █ , White
NicknameSharks
RivalNease High School[7] Creekside High School
Websitepvhs.stjohns.k12.fl.us

Ponte Vedra High School (PVHS) is a public high school in the St. Johns County School District, located in Nocatee census-designated place,[8] northeast St. Johns County, Florida. The high school was constructed to relieve overcrowding at Allen D. Nease High School.

Communities in the school's attendance boundary include:[9] Palm Valley,[10] Sawgrass,[11] and portions of Nocatee.[8]

Overview

The school is within the Nocatee Development of Regional Impact. Before Ponte Vedra High School was constructed, Ponte Vedra and Palm Valley students attended Nease High School. When the Saint Johns County School Board appropriated funding for Ponte Vedra High School land was not available east of the intracoastal waterway. The Nocatee Developers (The Davis Family and The PARC Group) agreed to donate 77 acres to the school district as the site for the new Ponte Vedra High School. Total budget was $63,590,000 which included building, grounds, furniture and equipment[12] but did not include the value of the land donation estimated to be $6,100,000.

Ponte Vedra High School has a capacity of 1,500 students. The school is composed of three connected two-story building clusters with an open courtyard in the center. The gymnasium and auditorium are on opposite sides with athletic facilities in the rear.[12] The school graduated their first senior class in June, 2010.

The school's first principal was Craig Speziale, who was hired the year before the school opened in 2008 and served until February, 2014 when his treatment for cancer forced him to leave. Speziale died on April 19. He was succeeded by Steve McCormick as Principal.[13] This was followed by previous assistant principal Fred Oberkehr filling the position.

Academics

The advanced scholars program gives students the option to participate in the rigorous programs of advanced placement, dual enrollment, and honors courses. As of the 2016–2017 school year, US News ranks Ponte Vedra High School as the 29th best high school in Florida. Nationally, Ponte Vedra is rated as 364th. In a ranking of STEM programs, Ponte Vedra was ranked 208th in the country. US News awarded the school a Gold Medal rating overall.[14]

Academies

Their curriculum offers academy programs in the areas of Information Technology, Biotechnology, and International Business & Marketing.[15] The curriculum consists of four academic paths for students: Information technology, biotechnology, international business, and marketing.

Athletics

Ponte Vedra High School Varsity Cheer - 2023 Florida State Champions!

Ponte Vedra has 12 boys varsity programs and 12 girls varsity programs. These include baseball, basketball, cheer, cross-country, diving, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, wrestling, volleyball, and the marching band.

The Ponte Vedra High School Varsity Cheerleaders are a highly acclaimed cheerleading squad renowned for their exceptional talent, dedication, and remarkable achievements. The team has consistently demonstrated excellence in the realm of competitive cheerleading and in 2022, the team achieved a monumental feat by clinching its first Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) State Championship title by showcasing their exceptional skills, precision, and team spirit. The squad continued their reign in 2023, securing yet another FHSAA State Championship title, solidifying their status as back-to-back champions. Prior to their consecutive state championship victories, the Ponte Vedra High School Varsity Cheerleaders demonstrated their remarkable prowess by securing the runner-up position in 2020 and achieving second runner-up status in both 2019 and 2021.[16]

In 2013–2014, the Shark varsity boys soccer team won the class 3A state title over American Heritage and were chosen at one of the top 20 teams in the country by MAXPREPS.[17]

The Ponte Vedra boy's varsity lacrosse team won the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) 2019 state championship for the first time in school history. Ponte Vedra defeated St. Thomas Aquinas of Fort Lauderdale, FL, by the final score of 19–7 on Saturday, May 15, 2019.[18]

Notably, as of the 2021–2022 school year, the Ponte Vedra High School boys football team, has enjoyed an 12-2 record against their chief rival, Allen D. Nease High School, out of 14 total games played between the two schools.[19]

Girls Volleyball: State runner-up 2016. Class 6A State Champions 2017, 2019, 2020.


Media center

The school was named one of 26 in the state of Florida to earn the Florida Power-Library School award in July, 2009. The Library Media Services division in the Florida Department of Education collaborated with the Association of Supervisors of Media to select those chosen.[20]

Student body

As of the 2015–2016 school year, the school employs 69 full-time teachers, and has a total enrollment of 1,490.

The student body is 90% white, 5% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 2% black, and 1% mixed race.[citation needed]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ ""School Accountability Reports" at schoolgrades.fldoe.org". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2008.
  2. ^ "School Improvement Plan" (PDF). 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
  3. ^ a b c "PONTE VEDRA HIGH SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Faculty & Staff Directory – Ponte Vedra High School".
  5. ^ "Bartram Trail High School". www.arcadis-us.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2005. Retrieved 4 March 2008.
  6. ^ "Bell Schedule". bths.stjohns.k12.fl.us. Retrieved 4 March 2008.[dead link]
  7. ^ Merlo, Tiffany (2000). "Bartram Trail: Home of the Bears". St. Augustine Record. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2008.
  8. ^ a b "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Nocatee CDP, FL" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2 August 2022. - Compare with school zone maps.
  9. ^ "2022 - 2023 St. Johns County School Attendance Zones Ponte Vedra High School" (PDF). St. Johns County School District. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  10. ^ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Palm Valley CDP, FL" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  11. ^ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Sawgrass CDP, FL" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Ponte Vedra High School fact sheet". St. Johns County School District. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  13. ^ Lane, Marcia (22 April 2014). "Ponte Vedra High School principal Craig Speziale remembered for devotion, engaging personality". Florida Times-Union. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  14. ^ "Best High Schools in Florida".
  15. ^ "Ponte Vedra High School Academy Programs". 2013. St. Johns County School Board. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  16. ^ "Florida High School Athletic Association" (PDF). fhsaa.com. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Ponte Vedra High School Soccer". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  18. ^ "2019 Boys & Girls Lacrosse Championships Matchups". Archived from the original on 13 May 2019.
  19. ^ Clayton, Ward. "Ponte Vedra football wins 11th straight over Nease". St. Augustine Record. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  20. ^ Reese Cravey, Beth: [1] Florida Times-Union, July 13, 2009-Five North Florida schools in state list of top media library programs
  21. ^ "BEAU BEECH". ESPN.com. ESPN Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved 11 July 2023.

External links

Education in St. Johns County, Florida
Authority control databases
Categories