PONTE VEDRA, Fla. – Outreach Education unveiled Kingsminster, a new independent K-8 Christian school, at a groundbreaking and brand-reveal ceremony Tuesday and said construction has begun on an 11-acre campus in Ponte Vedra.
The school is projected to open in August 2027. Officials said Kingsminster will start with kindergarten through seventh grade and add eighth grade the following year.
The school’s name carries intentional meaning, according to Ilya Soroka, the real estate development lead for the project.
Kingsminster describes its mission as forming the whole child through “strong academics, small class sizes, meaningful teacher mentorship, vibrant spiritual life, and exceptional opportunities in athletics and the fine arts,” officials said.
Jack Hall, founding executive director of Kingsminster, said assembling the right faculty is a top priority as the school moves toward its opening.
“To recruit great educators — I consider that one of my superpowers is hiring great people,” Hall said. “It’s been really fun, you know, reading through that, as you read through that mission, it’s been really fun developing that. So many of those phrases in there were so carefully and thoughtfully included in the mission.”
The school said it welcomes families from a variety of faith backgrounds seeking a Christ-centered education.
Planned campus facilities include an academic building, an inspiring chapel, a competition gymnasium, a full-size soccer field, a six-lane track, multiple playgrounds and outdoor gathering spaces, and purposefully designed academic and student environments, the release said.
Tuition is projected to average about $19,000 a year, with lower-school tuition estimated around $18,500 and middle-school tuition around $20,000. Outreach Education said Kingsminster intends to participate in Florida Choice Scholarships and other eligible educational voucher programs.
Florida Choice Scholarships are valued at approximately $9,000 per student. At full enrollment of roughly 800 students, that would represent an estimated $7.2 million in state funding directed toward students going to the school.
St. Johns County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brennan Asplen said the voucher program has a mixed impact when it comes to the broader topic of private , charter schools and homeschools.
“It negatively affects our public-school students but really positively affects the private school and home school students in that it’s basically money coming from Tallahassee into their pockets,” Asplen said.
Asplen said he is not opposed to school choice but wants stronger accountability measures tied to public dollars.
“If you’re going to utilize taxpayer dollars, then you must be accredited,” he said.
St. Johns County Schools is already facing financial pressure, projecting a $23 million budget shortfall in the coming year. The district has announced plans to cut 130 teaching positions along with other office positions.
Families interested in Kingsminster can visit kingsminsterpv.com for more information and to join an interest list.