Schools
In their own words: Students, colleagues, friends share life-changing encounters with late Raines principal Vincent Hall
By Katherine Langford
‘Loved, respected’: Clay County remembers Paterson Elementary principal John O’Brian
Marcus Chen
Marcus Chen
Managing Editor · St. Paul, MN
Marcus manages the day-to-day editorial workflow across all brands, coordinating coverage assignments and ensuring editorial standards are met. He previously served as city editor at the Pioneer Press and holds a degree in Political Science from Carleton College.
More from Marcus →Managing Editor · Tuesday, November 10, 2026 at 7:35 PM · 1 min read
The Clay County School District is grieving the unexpected death of John O’Brian, principal of Paterson Elementary School, who spent nearly three decades shaping students, staff and the broader community.O’Brian served as Paterson’s principal for 12 years and dedicated 28 years to Clay County District Schools. Under his leadership, the Fleming Island school earned recognition as one of Florida’s best — ranking 10th among public elementary schools statewide and receiving a School of Excellence designation in 2024. ‘He cared — and that made all the difference’As news of O’Brian’s passing spread, former students, parents, colleagues and community members flooded social media with memories of a man who demanded the best — because he believed in people enough to expect it.Here are just some of the comments shared on the News4JAX Facebook page: Ellie B: Coach O’Brian was my high school calculus teacher back in 2001-2002. He instilled in me a love of math. I’m now a professor, and I teach sta
Up nextIn their own words: Students, colleagues, friends share life-changing encounters with late Raines principal Vincent HallSchools · 1 min read
