JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If you were driving through St. Johns County on Friday, you might have noticed something unusual: a Christmas tree perched on top of a halfway-built school in RiverTown.
It’s part of a time-honored tradition called “topping off,” marking a milestone in construction and symbolizing good luck, said Stephanie Farmer, Project Executive for Wharton-Smith, the construction company behind the new school.
The K-8 school is taking shape, and neighbors couldn’t be happier.
Paul DiPaolo, who lives nearby, said he’s thrilled his grandchildren will attend the school.
“It is the most exciting thing I can think of in my life to see my children go to this school. It looks like a college campus,” he said.
DiPaolo, who lives just a mile away, plans to make the school run either by car or with a golf cart.
Farmer has been building schools for decades in Florida and her family has ties to St. Johns County.
She said the growth in the county and the new school, “tells me that everyone wants to live in Florida.”
School officials report that 1,185 students will fill the 56 classrooms at the new school.
According to the school district, the school is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025 and open for the 2025-2026 school year.
For Patty, another neighbor, moving to St. Johns County, it was all about being close to family. She is very close to the new school.
“We wanted to live by our grandchildren, they live in the area,” she said. Even her dog, a Minnesota transplant, seems to be enjoying the sunny Florida life.
“He likes the grass over the snow,” she joked.
St. Johns County has been booming, with more families moving in and more schools being built to keep up with demand. But growth comes with its own set of challenges. Across Florida, there were 4,440 teacher vacancies as of September 2022, according to a report from Florida Department of Education.
DiPaolo is aware of the effort it takes to make new schools a reality.
“I did not realize how hard the school board has to work...then guess what, they have to find teachers and everyone else and school bus drivers,” he said.
Still, optimism is in the air. Community members believe this school will be a game-changer.
“I think it will make a huge difference psychologically for the kids and teachers to come to a place like this,” DiPaolo added.
At the topping-off ceremony, construction crews signed their names onto the building, a personal touch celebrating the progress they’ve made. For now, it’s full steam ahead to prepare the school for its first students.