School Zone
Points of Pride
Florida Parental Involvement in
Education Month
On September 8, Governor Charlie Crist
signed a proclamation designating November 2008 as
Florida Parental Involvement in Education Month. This
public statement recognizes that family involvement in a
child’s learning is critical to his/her success from
preschool through college. It also declares that
learning should take place not just in the classroom,
but at home where family plays an active role.
In recognition of
this observance, the DCPS Title I Parent Resource
Center, located at S.P. Livingston Elementary School,
1128 Barber Street, will provide daily family
involvement activities throughout the month for
elementary and middle school students. The Parent
Resource Center will also offer weekly parent workshops
that provide strategies and tips to be used at home. Please
click
here to visit the Title I Parent Resource Center Web
site
for a schedule of workshops and family involvement
activities for the month.
Additional activities
can be found at the Florida Parental Information and
Resource Center at the University of South Florida (USF)
Web site,
www.floridapirc.usf.edu,
and the FL PIRC of Family Network on Disabilities of
Florida (FND) Web site
http://www.fndfl.org/projects/pirc/index.asp.
For additional resources to support
family involvement, contact Debra Keels at 904.630.6729
and/or visit the Title I Model Parent Resource Center.
The hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7:30
a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The center remains open on Thursday
until 6 p.m.
Next Generation of Mathematics
and Science Standards
Duval
County Public Schools is a partner in the state-wide
initiative PROMiSE that will support the implementation
of the Next Generation Mathematics and Science
standards.
Florida recently adopted new mathematics and science
standards that are a significant change from the
previous standards. These new standards lay the
foundation for the approaches needed to achieve the
goals for mathematics and science in Florida.
What
does this mean to the children in our schools? Teachers
will target fewer big ideas at each grade level using a
more relevant and coherent curriculum taught in ways
supported by research. These world-class standards are
meant to prepare students for the future by setting high
expectations, implementing instructional guidelines and
improving the measurement of progress. The change in
the standards and in the approach to instruction will
better prepare our students for college, for decision
making on personal issues related to mathematics and
science, for competing in the job market, and for
participating in a democracy in a global society.
For
additional information, you may visit the state Web site
www.flpromise.org,
or contact Margaret Hayden, PROMiSE Project Coordinator,
at
haydenm@duvalschools.org.
DCPS Students and Employees
Race for the Cure
On Saturday, October 18, Duval County
Public Schools' (DCPS) students and employees throughout
the district participated in the Susan G. Komen North
Florida Race for the Cure.
Englewood High School, Enterprise
Learning Academy, Fletcher Middle School and George
Washington Carver Elementary, as well as the district’s
alternative education and behavioral support social
workers and truancy officers, registered for the race
and recruited others to join the fight against breast
cancer.
To motivate runners during the race, students from Don
Brewer Elementary and Fort Caroline, Arlington, James
Weldon Johnson, Kirby-Smith and Twin Lakes middle
schools signed up to be “I Am The Cure” cheerleaders.
These students were situated along the race course
chanting educational and encouraging cheers to
participants.
To help prepare for the race, members of the Dreams Club
from Douglas Anderson School of the Arts assisted with
gift bag stuffing. These students worked diligently on
October 11, stuffing 8,000 bags for race participants
and 500 survivor gift bags.
Throughout the year, the Susan G. Komen
Race for the Cure North Florida Affiliate sponsors other
activities, besides its annual race, to raise funds for
breast cancer patients and survivors. To help with this
effort, the Stanton College Preparatory School row crew
participated in ‘Row for the Cure’ on September 27.
During this event, rowing clubs from local colleges and
high schools raised funds for the number of miles they
were able to row. This money went to grants that support
free mammograms and other services.
The Susan G. Komen
Race for the Cure is the largest series of 5K runs/walks
in the world with over 100 events scheduled each year.
More information, including details about participation
and volunteer opportunities, is available from
www.komennorthflorida.org.
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