Title:

5. CHANGE IN GRADE LEVEL CONFIGURATIONS FOR R.V. DANIELS ELEMENTARY #162 AND SUSIE TOLBERT ELEMENTARY #128 - WITHDRAWN

Requested Action:

APPROVE A CHANGE IN GRADE LEVEL CONFIGURATIONS FOR R.V. DANIELS ELEMENTARY #162 AND SUSIE TOLBERT ELEMENTARY #128

Summary Explanation and Background:

On September 29, 2004, Duval County Public Schools was notified that its Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant proposal had been approved for funding.  The grant provides funding for new or significantly revised magnet programs in 7 schools:  Brentwood Elementary, Andrew Robinson Elementary, R.L. Brown Elementary, John E. Ford Elementary, Highlands Middle, Paxon Middle and Matthew Gilbert Middle.

As proposed in the grant application, John E. Ford is scheduled to become a K-8 Montessori/Spanish Immersion magnet school.  This conversion involves moving the K-5 Montessori program currently housed at R.V. Daniels and the middle school program currently housed at Landon Middle School to John E. Ford.

Although not a part of the grant, the facility reuse plan presented in the grant for R.V. Daniels was to split the currently successfully Gifted and Talented magnet program at Susie Tolbert into two facilities housing a K-2 Gifted and Talented magnet program at R.V. Daniels and a 3-5 Gifted and Talented magnet program at Susie Tolbert.  The two facilities are sited on contiguous, adjacent boundaries.

Susie Tolbert and R.V. Daniels are located in magnet transportation Zone 1. Several of the non-magnet schools in Zone 1 are at or over capacity. Susie Tolbert has become a successful magnet program with a small waiting list each year.  With an aggressive marketing plan, directed at schools in high growth areas that are over capacity (i.e., Beauclerc, Greenland Pines, Twin Lakes, and Mandarin Oaks), additional students can be served by using two sites. The benefits to the district will be two schools that are diverse, better use of existing infrastructure, and reduction in student population in overcrowded elementary schools in Zone 1.  

For Additional Information, contact:
Sally Hague 390-2082