[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6185631,"mediaKeyId","5081430-89bd4c25dfd792c90b86ff52243758a3","parentId",5081430,"title","Superintendent highlights crisis response, mental‑health supports and transportation improvements","audioSeconds",963,"startMs",1389000,"endMs",2352000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081430-89bd4c25dfd792c90b86ff52243758a3&start=1389&end=2352","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081430-89bd4c25dfd792c90b86ff52243758a3/thumbnail_1389000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6185631/Florida/Superintendent-highlights-crisis-response-mentalhealth-supports-and-transportation-improvements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185631-8b0e03b79b9ea6c094d2f55a5ecad1f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773578111&Signature=dVjVE-PeScD7L8K3OoUdJ1GQOhkoLD7ABQ9RWvkXt5~ApODKBqrSXCM4tbD71tNGTEQ8esm~m7q6P4KCjlJF9OSCjmln9pRTXdCnmXF6V1qy1Z5GL33ikv9IZVh6Knef1imObabdMR2bq5FDP0OFIZUaCGA0pHtpNgkCZAqMlHEAHaX7aYpBKTWL-WH7-14wVtLUUEp4TLfHqLvOxVr92EJj65c85zDTgt8dkmZk5NvwUhL-NfdekjuZthAegJD~xTzYUz4dcSm7Cy9RRP4aAMZq4AWgGwNSJYdPrVLX3uXfDeXkLQfs~z803i3d6JUBExYBJD3P0TxbA87g6Q5NmA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Lucie County School District","date","2025-06-24T21:04:02Z","article","Dr. John Prince, superintendent of St. Lucie Public Schools, briefed the board on this year’s crisis responses and the district’s mental‑health and operations improvements.

Prince described emergency sheltering after storms, including use of two schools as shelters and a response after an EF‑3 tornado that displaced families and required mental‑health and operational supports. He credited principals, facilities, child‑nutrition and transportation staff for rapid operational coordination during crises and said teams provided food, transportation and shelters for affected residents.

On mental health, Prince said the district has both student‑facing and employee supports and that the work is part of the district’s broader priorities; he said staff will provide additional training and professional development to support students and to make employees aware of available services. He acknowledged the district’s mental‑health work is linked to referendum funding and said he will present metrics to the board in coming months to measure progress.

Prince also praised transportation director Jeconte (Jacunty) Ephraim for transforming transportation from a frequently complained‑about department to a professional operation that communicates directly with principals and improves bus‑driver training and student conduct management. He noted that transportation had been a common complaint historically but that the department’s performance has improved under new leadership.

Prince thanked other operations staff — including facilities, food services and ITS — for improvements such as a new assessment dataset and daily meal production; he asked board members and principals to continue supporting systemwide crisis and mental‑health work. No formal board action was recorded in the transcript on these operational or mental‑health items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Workshop - June 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Prince described the district’s hurricane and tornado response, shelter operations, mental‑health supports for students and staff, and a turnaround in transportation operations under director Jacunty Ephraim.","taxTitle","St. Lucie, School Districts, Florida","taxId",15275,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6185636,"St. Lucie plans phased classrooms‑to‑careers and expanded acceleration for younger students",0,5120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081430-89bd4c25dfd792c90b86ff52243758a3&start=5120&end=5120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081430-89bd4c25dfd792c90b86ff52243758a3/thumbnail_5120000.jpg","/articles/6185636/Florida/St-Lucie-plans-phased-classroomstocareers-and-expanded-acceleration-for-younger-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185636-e5c5f492315ec878cdeb0f810668495a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773578111&Signature=gSWv3ck-5ZGCTOymIALwQsI67vvkEEA6uCi7ThN2JA7~UhiUNpS5INI7cDlhzK2NWzszA4A6~0HwqHZNAI7Pacpe1q5itPx6wq0yI9eMtVnHRGnDrrSCmLAvf0q1ERTtLIU-1rz~hL1BHZLdVTlcaErkB5aGvul07KrUnEwWXXBSs1J8TgyjqfqgwUqyn1P4vaTBh-0tO2yd0OlqmOzOWDfYmnZMbrh7N1HPzJtF5D7aeyn7pZ-G3yBURNhEONK4XEBEz4EKzM1XD3GCwF7PaOUH5XyO0gpqqou0iyn5CAVLSbJSLrWn8elg6tD6mGt4vmebvCaF-3NECdkx4Ka9SA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. John Prince, superintendent of St. Lucie Public Schools, told the board he plans a phased expansion of the district’s classrooms‑to‑careers initiative, moving workforce awareness and exploration into elementary and middle schools and expanding experiential opportunities at the eighth‑grade level.

Prince described the proposal as a multi‑year effort to build awareness, exploration and experience — awareness in elementary grades, exploration in middle grades and workplace experience in high school. He said staff visited districts in other states to study models and cited a 10‑year example in Kentucky; St. Lucie’s implementation will be phased over several years. The superintendent said the aim is to work with local businesses so schools can align coursework with local labor needs and “bring industry into St. Lucie Public Schools.”

On academic acceleration, Prince said the district has grown acceleration enrollments from about 2,600 students in 2014–15 to 8,833 this year. He said accelerating elementary students into more advanced coursework produces downstream effects — middle‑school students taking high‑school courses and high‑school students taking college courses — and highlighted gains for Black and Hispanic students that he said are producing first‑generation college students. Prince called accelerated enrollment “a philosophy” of the district and said staff will continue to add schools where feasible.

Prince also tied acceleration and workforce goals to college‑and‑career metrics: he said more seniors now graduate with industry certifications, college credit or AP/IB scores and that those outcomes are part of the district’s higher‑education and workforce strategy.

Prince said detailed plans for classrooms‑to‑careers and acceleration supports will be shared with the board as phased proposals; the superintendent emphasized business partnerships and graded rollout rather than immediate wholesale changes.","Superintendent John Prince proposed a phased rollout of classrooms‑to‑careers to introduce workforce exposure in elementary and middle school and described large growth in acceleration enrollments that Prince said helps create first‑generation college students.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6185642,"St. Lucie district details $100 million Westwood rebuild and upcoming school projects",112,1524000,1636000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081430-89bd4c25dfd792c90b86ff52243758a3&start=1524&end=1636","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081430-89bd4c25dfd792c90b86ff52243758a3/thumbnail_1524000.jpg","/articles/6185642/Florida/St-Lucie-district-details-100-million-Westwood-rebuild-and-upcoming-school-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185642-94d3a5e2fa22d3b3f53d06404ac0b3db/orig.mp4?Expires=1773578111&Signature=PnA4ZawaVC7vKfLz46scReeCV7ybJCZvsdzS0HOKYUuT~K3jPYFm9blbLYfn2z2DvX7IOmMcaqi3i8vJaeh~fwOBt1wKc0~rcdR0ReeXiFr8RRkdl2ptqHjnggMFlCxmzTmRPgKb6SMdcT3ZWOX4SFMxF3KL7uJZPOjNjzxoINpWb-NzQzbcHXPkwD5RiFjUAHnOQhrFLwwZkGGatE2LIySelgmBUfMH3cbTYLyKRSphHv4wJlQcHhwqiX1oMOJGKnp6hnkk33QdVZAcvKCnA8hGz37M~G2IqxEEHjpjwbts3R43j1nWnd4PnOAEWNrZ0fjTXuCO5sN1Bx45MjXJUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. John Prince, superintendent of St. Lucie Public Schools, told the board the district is investing in a series of construction and reinvestment projects intended to modernize aging campuses and provide first‑class facilities across the county.

Prince said the district made a $100,000,000 investment to rebuild Fort Pierce Westwood and is spending “millions of dollars” to refurbish CA Moore and add a gym; CA Moore will become a K‑8. He listed a set of growth projects with projected timelines: Legacy High opening within months (on time and on budget), Western Grove projected to open August 2026, Southern Grove planning to start March 2026 with an August 2029 opening, and other planned K‑8 campuses including Village Green and Palm Point with staggered openings. He said Wilder (a development name, not the final school name) could open in about eight years if growth continues.

Prince explained the district uses impact fees to offset growth‑related construction costs and reiterated that “impact fees can only be used on new development,” limiting their use for renovation and reinvestment. To support revitalization of older campuses and maintain competitiveness with charter and private schools, Prince said the district must be “creative” and consider combining multiple schools into a new K‑8 in Fort Pierce; he said a proposal would be discussed at a July 29 workshop.

Prince said the half‑penny sales tax renewal approved by voters provides roughly $25 million a year for capital needs, including air conditioning and roofs. He said the district will consider adding academic wings to some campuses to manage growth rather than building a new high school, depending on enrollment trends.

Prince framed the reinvestment initiative as a commitment to equity across the county and said board discussion in executive session had emphasized that “all means all” when distributing capital resources. He asked faculty and communities to review proposals at public workshops rather than learning about them secondhand.

Prince noted some project timelines are contingent on continued growth and further board decisions; he said specific planning and boundary recommendations will be presented to the board before actions are taken.","Superintendent John Prince outlined capital projects that include a $100 million rebuild of Fort Pierce Westwood, refurbishments at CA Moore, and multiple proposed K‑8 and high‑school projects to open over the next 5–10 years.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6185648,"St. Lucie superintendent: graduation rates, test scores jump; district projects first-ever A",4326,130000,4456000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5081430-89bd4c25dfd792c90b86ff52243758a3&start=130&end=4456","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5081430-89bd4c25dfd792c90b86ff52243758a3/thumbnail_130000.jpg","/articles/6185648/Florida/St-Lucie-superintendent-graduation-rates-test-scores-jump-district-projects-first-ever-A","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6185648-d6c91fb38fb1cd2258efa604282d5949/orig.mp4?Expires=1773578111&Signature=QRlrLF2-yIe1yWko-LXtYXMtiqwCqBt2IgD~dJlNE-9GZe2SZ8IQkdRiFYrf3Tocsg200BLfxdLPRczKOOILeKReRrFmA7IuMy8hX3MNBZZEqUFBqy7SupMfDz7RlnftBLaV01qm94mtvr~qUxKrGMXbnc4-6Au3YqyhSKTS4X7dr1Wg14ZdqqzqQAIliLyNSC6sHQDJZanx2Q4yiIZ8Qei9pKCRJIfpb4uEjQAkngTBQnrwi3KsFr7cQbnC2tAiHW7gyvDwzDkT97wEibJNNC2qvwv76UoMgj3OjL~lrNuyIdgiPqZQ4OF5Pm9ToDsnRuwegYTIlvTjoXyNVZAmkw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. John Prince, superintendent of St. Lucie Public Schools, told the school board at a June workshop that the district’s graduation and test-score metrics rose sharply this year and that staff project the district has earned 775 points — above the 762 points Prince said are needed to earn an A under the state’s formula.

Prince said the district’s graduation rate has exceeded 90% for nine consecutive years and that “for the ninth straight year, we've achieved a graduation rate above 90 percent.” He credited principals, teachers and district supports for improvements across reading, math, science and social studies and described broad gains in proficiency and learning gains compared with statewide performance.

The superintendent presented a consolidated view of multiple metrics the state uses to calculate school and district grades, including proficiency in grades 3–10, learning gains, performance of the lowest 25 percent of students, acceleration (middle-school students taking high-school courses), college-and-career measures and graduation rate. Prince highlighted several specific figures he said illustrated the improvement: a rise from about 2,600 students in accelerated coursework in 2014–15 to 8,833 this year; a one percentage-point attendance increase that he said equates to about 800 more students in school daily; and year-to-year changes such as “plus 43” in reading versus a statewide “plus 30” in his slide comparisons.

Prince also previewed school-by-school projections, naming schools he said were projected to move to A or B ratings and noting Fort Pierce Westwood’s projected B would be the first B in that school’s history. He emphasized that the district’s projected 775 points would, if confirmed by the state, produce the district’s first A rating and described that outcome as “a real, game changer” for economic development and community reputation.

Prince cautioned that school grades—and the third-grade cell recently added to the state formula—do not capture all work inside schools and that grades can carry consequences beyond academics. He said the district will continue to monitor a vulnerable cohort of fifth-graders who missed early instruction during the pandemic and pledged continued focus on core instruction and sustained acceleration strategies.

Board members who spoke at the meeting offered public thanks. Debbie Holly, a school board member, said she wanted to “absorb this atmosphere” and celebrate the results.

Prince said staff will finalize and present predictions and related details to principals and the board at upcoming meetings, and that formal state confirmations and the school-grade calculation process still govern final outcomes. He also said staff will report detailed metrics and recommended goals for 2025–26 for the board’s consideration.","Superintendent John Prince told the school board the district’s graduation rate has exceeded 90% for nine years, the district outperformed the state across multiple subjects this year, and district staff project enough points (775) to reach an A district grade for the first time.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Superintendent highlights crisis response, mental‑health supports and transportation improvements

St. Lucie plans phased classrooms‑to‑careers and expanded acceleration for younger students

St. Lucie district details $100 million Westwood rebuild and upcoming school projects

St. Lucie superintendent: graduation rates, test scores jump; district projects first-ever A