Ponte Vedra High School

Ponte Vedra High School
Address
460 Davis Park Road
Ponte Vedra, Florida 32081
United States
Coordinates 30°12′24.00″N 81°23′14.00″W / 30.2066667°N 81.3872222°W / 30.2066667; -81.3872222Coordinates: 30°12′24.00″N 81°23′14.00″W / 30.2066667°N 81.3872222°W / 30.2066667; -81.3872222
Information
Type Public school
Established 2008
Status Operational
School district St. Johns County School District
Superintendent Dr. Joseph Joyner[1]
School number 511[2]
Principal Steve McCormick
Grades 9 - 12
Enrollment 1,519 (2013-2014)[3]
Hours in school day 9:15 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.[4]
Campus size 77 acres (0.31 km2)[5]
Campus type Suburban
School colour(s) Blue █ , Silver █ , White
Nickname Sharks
Rival Nease High School[6] Creekside High School
Website http://www-pvhs.stjohns.k12.fl.us/

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

Overview

The school is within the Nocatee Development of Regional Impact and zoned for the community of Ponte Vedra Beach, but only communities across the river are actually zoned for the school. Total budget was $63,590,000, which included building, grounds, furniture and equipment.[7]

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.[7] The school graduated their first senior class in June, 2010. The school mascot is the shark, named "Sharky"and their colors are Ponte Vedra (Carolina) blue, black, silver and white. The main feeder school is Landrum Middle School.

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 colon cancer forced him to leave. Speziale died on April 19th, just prior to his 52nd birthday. 2014 senior class president Leila Sabet stated, “There was just something really special about him. Every student and every teacher has a special story about him. He wasn’t just a principal, he was a friend and a mentor.” Speziale was succeeded by Steve McCormick who currently serves as Principal.[8]

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 2015-2016 school year, US News ranks Ponte Vedra High School as the 24th best high school in Florida. Nationally, Ponte Vedra is rated as 361st. In a ranking of STEM programs, Ponte Vedra was ranked 142nd in the country. US News awarded the school a Gold Medal rating overall.[9]

Academies

Their curriculum offers academy programs in the areas of Biotechnology and International Business & Marketing.[10] The curriculum consists of three academic paths for students: biotechnology, international business, and marketing. Students must take a minimum of 3 years worth of academy courses in order to receive credit recognition as a St. Johns County Career Academy Graduate. Ponte Vedra High School is one of a handful of schools in the state to offer business-related academic courses, thus making the program very exclusive and valuable for college-bound students.

The International Business & Marketing Academy is nationally recognized in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) organization. They are a member of District 27 in the Florida FBLA program and have produced numerous local, state, and national finalists. Marissa Leonard is the program chair for the PVHS chapter.

Athletics

Ponte Vedra currently has 12 boys varsity programs and 12 girls varsity programs. These include baseball, basketball, cross-country, divine, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, wrestling, and volleyball.

Golf

On October 3 & 4, 2008, the Ponte Vedra Boys Golf Team won the District Championship. The golf team's record for the regular season was (26-10). They were the first team in PVHS sports franchise to make it to the State Championship. The top five boys (Ed Waller, Chipper Hughes, John McManaman, Jon Zeuske, and Cory Howard), finished as the 10th best high school golf team in the state. On October 26, 2011, the Ponte Vedra Boys Golf Team won the District and Regional Championship for the second year. They're the first team in PVHS sports franchise to win, county, conference, districts and regional championships in one year. The team is made up of David Novokoski, Anthony Scolapio, Cory Howard, and Caleb Howland. After losing to Bolles twice during the regular season and finishing second to the Bulldogs in the district tournament last week, the Sharks won the Region 2-1A tournament Monday at the Haile Plantation in Gainesville, defeating Bolles by three shots. In 2015, the Sharks' boys' team became state champions, with 11th grader Logan Membrino taking the top individual ranking.

Soccer

On February 14, 2009, the Ponte Vedra High School Girls Soccer team won the Florida High School Athletic Association Class CCC state title in its first season with a 1-0 penalty-kick victory over Cardinal Gibbons High School (Fort Lauderdale, Florida). The Sharks (25-3-4) endured two scoreless overtimes against the lowest-ranked team in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America national poll before winning 4-3 on anticipated-death penalty kicks. The Lady Sharks were the second team in PVHS to go to the state championship but earned the first state title.

In February 2012, the Lady Shark soccer team won the state title in PK's over the number one ranked team in the state, American Heritage.

In February 2013, 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.[11]

In 2014, the Shark varsity boys finished with a record of 18-3-2. The Lady Shark team finished at 19-3-3, falling out of the playoffs in the state semifinal game to Land O' Lakes.

The 2015 season proved to be the crowning season for the Sharks' soccer program. The Lady Sharks finished as runners-up in the state, and earned an 18-5-8 record. The Sharks varsity boys finished with a stunning 27-0-0 record. This was the only perfect record out of any high school team in the country. The varsity boys capped off the season with a 4-0 3A state title win against Immokalee, as well as a national ranking of 2nd.

Baseball

In May 2010 the Varsity boys baseball team made it to the FHSAA Final Four after winning the region 1 championship. They were defeated by Tampa Jesuit who had 8 seniors on the team all with Division 1 scholarships as well as the projected top 5 MLB draft pick in 2012. The Sharks had a major turn around after starting the season 1-9.

In May 2012 the Shark varsity baseball team lost in the Florida State Class 5A title game to Plantation American Heritage. The title game was played at Digital Domain Park, Port St Lucie, FL.

In May 2013 the Shark varsity baseball team won the Florida State Class 5A title over Estero High School. The title game was played at jetBlue Park at Fenway South, Fort Myers, FL.

The 2014 team finished with a 20-9 record, which was good enough to create a playoff run which ended with a 3-2 win against Clay High School. In 2015, the team's record dropped to a less impressive 8-17 record.

Lacrosse

In May 2011 the Varsity boys lacrosse team made it to the FHSAA Final Four. They were defeated by St Andrews the then number one ranked team in the state. The PVHS lacrosse team is currently ranked 3rd in the state. In 2012 the team again made it to the Final Four. They were defeated by defending state champions Lake Highland Prep.. They were defeated again by Lake Highland Prep in the 2013 and 2014 season. In 2015 their 4-year final four streak ended when they were upset by Lake Mary. The Lady Sharks won the region in 2014.

Swimming and Diving

On October 26, 2011 the Ponte Vedra Swimming and Diving team won Districts after an undefeated season. At Regionals on November 3, 2011 the boys placed 2nd overall.

Football

In 2010. The varsity football team had their first winning season, 6-4. The team was led behind college hopeful Otto Gruhn. From 2007-2010, Gruhn played QB, RB, WR, CB, Safety, and Kick Returner. He averaged 8 yds a carry and had 2,905 Rushing yards. 3,400 all purpose yards. Team MVP in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Team captain. In the same season Ponte Vedra had their first win over Nease High School, Tim Tebow's Alma Mater. 34-17. Gruhn had two scores and beat his old school. Gruhn as did many other Ponte Vedra football players, attended Nease their freshman year. "This win alone made our season," said Gruhn.

In November 2011 the Varsity boys Football team won their first District Championship in District 4-5A in the State of Florida. They won it over rival Creekside High School. The Sharks Ended the regular Season 9-1 with Quarter Back Perry Orth and Full Back Cole Mazza leading the way. The ended up beating Clay High School in the first round of the 5A playoffs and beat rival Creekside High School again in the 2nd round and ended up falling short of Wakulla High School in the 5A regional championship.

In the fall of 2013, after much hype, the Ponte Vedra Sharks routed Nease High School 52-17, led by Dillon Bates, Colin Feller, Joe Carter, and Sam Fiedler. However, the team would end the season with a 2-8 record and missing the playoffs. This would also stand as the last season for head coach Mike Loyd.

After the departure of Mike Loyd, defensive coordinator Matt Toblin was promoted to head coach before the 2014 season. In his first season, Toblin led the sharks to a disappointing 3-7 record, again missing the playoffs. However, in the 2015 season, the Sharks secured a district title and a playoff bid by finishing with an 8-4 record. Quarterback Nick Tronti led the county in passing yards and touchdowns, earning him the title of St Johns County's Offensive Player of the Year.

Performing Arts

On November 13 of 2010 at the Districts festival PVHS's ITS Troupe 7331 earned 4 critics choices. Katie Laduca earned a Critics Choice in all three of her events. Siblings Emily and Connor McCully earned Critic's Choice for their duet acting scene from Rabbit Hole. Katie Laduca and Beka's Price Duet Musical "Freedom" from the unauthorized biography of samantha brown, was chosen out all of the events to represent District 2 at the opening ceremonies of the Florida State Thespian Festival in March.

In January 2009 Troupe 7331's One Act "The Language of Angels" was awarded a superior and chosen to send to the Florida State Thespian Festival in April.

In 2012, Troupe 7331's One Act "Perriot and the Ol' Clothesman" was awarded an excellent and was chosen to perform at the Florida State Thespian Festival that year. It was directed by Brian Healy and starred Jeremy Richer.

In 2013, Troupe 7331's original One Act "A Devised Theatre Piece" was awarded a superior and Critics Choice, and chosen to send to the Florida State Thespian Festival in March. It received straight superiors at the Festival. Cast included Catherine O'Connor, Mary Stanton, Jack Dunaway, Wendy Parkulo, James Wiggins, Sydney Lee, Isabel Dondero, Rajvi Goswami, Sophia Ferraro, Ian von Goetz, Jessica Goldman, and Kaley Blevins. It was directed by Nicole Miller. Original music was provided by Danny Cassel.

The 2010/2011 show season consisted of an original play Reap What You Sow, written by drama teacher Randall Adkison, and the musical Into The Woods. In 2011 and 2012 school year, PVHS theatre department collaborated with sister school Nease High School to put on Les Misérables. The play that season was Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. In 2012/2013, the school performed Spoon River Anthology and Pirates of Penzance. In 2013/2014, Oklahoma! and Richard III were performed. For the 2014/2015 season, Randall Adkison was replaced by Joe Kemper and the play The Foreigner and the musical Hairspray were put on.

Ponte Vedra conducts two pageants each year: the Miss PV pageant and the ironic, male-only spinoff, Mr. Finstastic.

In 2010, student Caroline Snowden founded the school's a cappella club: the Sharkapellas. The club has become a prominent local singing group, and gives performance around the area.

Ponte Vedra currently has an incredibly fast growing band program, led by Jakob Wisdom, who began his tenure during the 14-15 school year. The program offers marching, jazz, and concert bands. In the 15-16 school year, the jazz band received an excellent in their second year, as well as the marching and concert bands. The marching band's fall 2015 show, Wicked, placed 7th in finals at the First Coast Marching Invitational held at Nease High School. The band program is one of the best, growing programs in the whole school.

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. A press release stated that the winning schools "are staffed by professional library media specialists, have excellent resources, and represent the 'best of the best'." The Library Media Services division in the Florida Department of Education collaborated with the Association of Supervisors of Media to select those chosen.[12]

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.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ "School Improvement Plan". 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-03-28. Retrieved 2008-03-11.
  2. ↑ ""School Accountability Reports" at schoolgrades.fldoe.org". Archived from the original on 2008-03-28. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
  3. ↑ http://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/about/press/2010-08-19
  4. ↑ "Bell Schedule". bths.stjohns.k12.fl.us. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  5. ↑ "Bartram Trail High School". www.arcadis-us.com. Archived from the original on 2008-03-28. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  6. ↑ Merlo, Tiffany (2000). "Bartram Trail: Home of the Bears". St. Augustine Record. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  7. 1 2 "Ponte Vedra High School fact sheet". St. Johns County School District. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  8. ↑ Lane, Marcia (April 22, 2014). "Ponte Vedra High School principal Craig Speziale remembered for devotion, engaging personality". Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "Ponte Vedra High School in PONTE VEDRA, FL | Best High Schools | US News". www.usnews.com. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  10. ↑ "Ponte Vedra High School Academy Programs". 2013. St. Johns County School Board. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  11. ↑ "Ponte Vedra High School Soccer". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  12. ↑ Reese Cravey, Beth: Florida Times-Union, July 13, 2009-Five North Florida schools in state list of top media library programs
  13. ↑ Dillon Bates
  14. ↑ Perry Orth
  15. ↑ Beau Beech

External links

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