Headmaster Todd Zehner Campus Suburban Phone +1 904-264-9572 | Established 1953 Faculty 77 Mascot Sparta Number of students 650 (2016) | |
Grades Prekindergarten-12th Grade Motto “As thy days, so shall thy strength be.” (Blessing of Moses) Similar San Jose Episcopal Day School, Jacksonvi Country Day School, Bolles School, Ridgeview High School, Grace Episcopal Day School Profiles | ||
St. Johns Country Day School is an independent, coeducational private college preparatory school founded in 1953 in Orange Park, Florida, USA. It offers a PK–12 education, including a preschool, an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school, and maintains an enrollment of about 650 students each year. St. Johns Country Day School is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools, Florida Kindergarten Council, and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is known for its 100% college acceptance rate.
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History
St. Johns Country Day School was founded by Dr. Edwin Paul Heinrich and his wife Dorothea Aldine Heinrich on September 14, 1953. The couple moved from Washington, D.C. to Jacksonville, Florida in order to found the first private school in Clay County. The school was named after the St. Johns River, a nearby geographical landmark. The first location of the school was the second floor of a public building at the modern day location of Moosehaven. The first class consisted of 26 students from grades 1-10.
By 1956, the lease on the building was expiring, so the Heinrichs purchased a 26 acre property further south on July 31, 1956. Ground was broken on construction on February 27, 1957, and the new building opened on August 21, 1957. Rod Fisher, longtime science teacher and landmark of the St. Johns campus, was hired in 1967 out of Catawba College. Dr. Heinrich served as the school’s headmaster until his retirement in 1970. He was succeeded by Patrick Mackin in September 1970. On October 14, 1976, faulty electrical wiring caught fire and burned down nearly half of the school, leaving classrooms inoperable and causing smoke damage to the library.
Former Headmasters
St. Johns Country Day School has had seven headmasters since its founding.
Languages
St. Johns Country Day offers three languages: Latin, French, and Spanish. Each year students compete in their language's respective competitions: the Florida Junior Classical League Convention, Congrès de la Culture Francaise en Floride, and the Florida State Spanish Conference.
Athletics
St. Johns Country Day School has participated in competitive sports since 1958. The school currently offers soccer, crew, basketball, baseball, volleyball, tennis, golf, cheerleading, cross country, track & field, softball, swimming, and football. The girls' soccer team has won the FHSAA Class 1 state championship six times in a row between 2012 and 2017.