8th Grade High School Transition Information
Dates will be updated as we receive them. For more information, please contact Mr. Seifert [email protected]
October
Career Planning Lesson in Civics Classes and Digital Discoveries Classes:
Students take the “Match Maker Quiz” in Xello to determine the career fields that match with their interests and preferences. Ideally, students can take what they learn about their career interests and apply it to their high school academy choices (more information about academies below).
Xello is an Internet-based career exploration and planning tool used to explore career and college options. Students will have access to Xello for the remainder of their academic career in SJCSD and the program will continue as a valuable tool for career and college exploration.
If you would like to learn more about Xello and how it can help your student, please follow this link for a short introductory video. https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/guidance/xello/
November
Middle School “Blitz” will be held at MCA (November 11th):
This event involves TCHS Academy representatives and students visiting MCA to showcase their academies to the 8th graders through an assembly during lunch.
If you would like to learn more about what academies are all about, please follow this link. https://cte.stjohns.k12.fl.us/academies/
December
High School Showcase Date TBD (World Golf Village Convention Center, 500 S Legacy Trail, St. Augustine, FL 32092)
This is an excellent event for parents and students, and we highly encourage you to attend. The
event showcases all the district high school academies and programs of interest under one roof. Parents and students will have the opportunity to talk with the program representatives including
staff and students. Don’t miss it!
**See below for more information on the difference between academies and programs of interest.
January
Online Application OPENS (Date TBD) for high school academies and programs of interest. Application window is TBD (results provided to parents in February via email, date TBD).
High school academies and programs of interest are optional. Academies consist of one elective class period per day on your student’s schedule. There is no academic requirement to apply to
high school academies. If there are more applicants than seats, students are chosen at random through a lottery process. Students can apply for up to three academies and must be selected in preference order. Students can apply to academies and programs of interest at high schools
other than their home zoned high school provided that the same program is not
offered at their zoned high school. Please be aware that students attending academies and/or programs of interest at non-zoned schools are not provided with transportation! Application is easy and done through HAC. For information on how to apply, please follow this link https://cte.stjohns.k12.fl.us/apply/ The deadline is very firm, please make sure to submit applications before the deadline!
Directions to apply in HAC:
Open HAC and select the Classes icon. Then select the Requests tab. Then click the Edit button to the right of Academy/Program of Interest Application. When you select the Edit button, you will be presented with a list of options. Each option is shown with a 1st choice, 2nd choice, or 3rd
choice in the description. Check the option with a 1st to indicate your first choice (the academy/ program that you most want to be in) and so on. Be sure to click the Save button after you make your selections. Once you do this, you should see your student’s selections on the Requests tab. Please be aware that your selections can be changed through this same process all the way up to the deadline.
Date TBD TCHS Academy Night 6:00 to 7:30 PM
Academy nights are academy showcasing events located at each individual high school. If you were not able to attend the High School Showcase in December, or if your child is interested in a specific academy and/or program of interest at a particular high school, we encourage you to attend these events. For a list of dates for the academy nights of each district high school, please follow this link https://cte.stjohns.k12.fl.us/timeline/
February
Academy Application Results (date TBD)
Parents will receive an email with results. Please monitor email accounts including spam folders.
March
High School Counselor Meetings (Dates TBD)
During the school day, students will meet with their TCHS or NHS school counselor to choose their classes for 9th grade. Parents of students zoned to another high school, or students who were selected for an academy at another high school, will be contacted by that high school to choose their classes. Depending on the method chosen by the school, these counselor meetings may take place either in person, over the phone, or virtually.
Career Academies Vs. Programs of Interest:
**What is the difference between an academy and program of interest?
Programs of interest include all the high school academies, but not all programs of interest are academies. Non-academy programs of interest include advanced academic programs like
IB, AICE, Early College Program and other programs like the JROTC. Academies do not have
academic requirements for application, but the advanced academic programs, such as the Early College Program, do. Please follow this link for more information about the Early College Program and eligibility requirements https://www-tchs.stjohns.k12.fl.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/St-Johns-River-Early-College-Program-Flyer.pdf and please follow this link for more general information about all programs of interest https://cte.stjohns.k12.fl.us/programs/
*Please be aware that when applying for career academies and programs of interest, they all will use one of your student’s allotted three choices. If your student is choosing to apply to more than one academy/program of interest,
make sure to choose strategically in preference order.
Career Overview PowerPoint for Middle School:
https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/guidance/8th-grade-career-exploration/
Please follow this link to the district’s 8th Grade Career Exploration page. Here you will find more information about the career lesson as well as detailed information regarding high school graduation requirements. You will also find a link to the Career Overview PowerPoint. This narrated
slide show covers high school graduation requirements and GPA and scholarship information. To play the PowerPoint, open it and go to the tab “SlideShow” and click on “From Beginning”.
The PowerPoint will start playing immediately and should progress by itself. You will need sound to hear the narration. Notes are at the bottom of each slide for those unable to access the audio in the slideshow.
Bright Futures Scholarship: https://floridabrightfutures.gov/
Please follow this link for more information about this amazing scholarship opportunity. Here,
you can access the 2025/26 Bright Futures Scholarship Handbook and learn about the eligibility requirements and different levels of scholarship opportunity.
Please be aware that students cannot begin accumulating community service hours for this scholarship until after they graduate from 8th grade (this means they can begin accumulating
hours the summer after 8th grade).
Health Opportunities through Physical Education (HOPE):
HOPE is a required course for high school and is offered in person, however students have the option to take it virtually. Students must wait until the second semester of their 8th grade year to enroll. Students are encouraged to use St. Johns Virtual School.
The Health Opportunities through Physical Education (HOPE) course is a course that explores different components of health (physical, emotional, social, and nutrition). The St. Johns Virtual School HOPE online course is offered fully online. Students are given multiple choice quizzes, journal entries, written assignments, and discussions with a teacher.
Quick Facts about HOPE
· HOPE is a 2-semester required course for high school graduation ***however, it is not required for students in an ROTC or academic advanced program in high school.
· Students have the option of completing one semester or the entire HOPE course over any given summer. This can be done virtually through SJVS or FLVS.
· The HOPE course can be completed virtually on any digital device. Students can complete assignments on a tablet, phone, or computer.
· Students have the flexibility to complete the course at home.
· Students cannot enroll in HOPE virtually until the second semester of their 8th grade year.
