The Mike Peterson Foundation and Duval County Public Schools announced the February Star of the Month for the Mike Peterson Foundation's "Just Read It" Program. The stars were invited to a meet and greet at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. The event included an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium and a special visit with Jacksonville Jaguar Linebacker Mike Peterson.
Students were selected based on their outstanding achievements in reading. These students worked very hard following directions in the classroom, as well as continuing to improve their reading skills.
Congratulations to the following students for being selected as the February Star of the Month for the Mike Peterson Foundation "Just Read It" Program:
Elementary School Category:
Khai Mitchell - 3rd grade - S. A. Hull Elementary
Chelsea Coffey - 3rd grade - Normandy Village Elementary
Tony Fordyce - 4th grade - Alimacani Elementary
Madison Blanchard - 4th grade - Timucuan Elementary
Greston Padmore - 5th grade - St. Clair Evans Elementary
Ariel Marshall - 5th grade - Pearson Elementary
Middle School Category:
Ashlei Heffernan - 6th grade - Arlington Middle
Sam Sattah - 6th grade - duPont Middle
Randy Tillman - 6th grade - Mandarin Middle
John Walton - 7th grade - Mayport Middle
Antonio Mitchell - 8th grade - J.E.B. Stuart Middle
Derek McCullough - 8th grade - Ribault Middle
LaVilla Student Wins Duval County Spelling Bee
Catherine Mary Braza, a seventh-grade student at LaVilla School of the Arts, won the 2009 Duval County Spelling Bee held at Landon Middle School. She won by spelling the word “squalor" correctly.
Rounding out the top five were the following students, all from a Duval County public school: second place – last year’s regional winner, Ashley Barron, a sixth grader at James Weldon Johnson Middle; tied for third place - Nihal Kala, a fifth grader at Susie Tolbert Elementary and Ka’Harie Griggs, an eighth grader at Paxon Middle; and fourth place –Kiana Goodall, a seventh grader at Ribault Middle.
Twenty-one elementary and middle school students from 17 public and four private schools competed for the right to represent Duval County in The Florida Times-Union Regional Spelling Bee. The regional competition is scheduled for Saturday, February 21 at 10 a.m. at the main branch of the Jacksonville Public Library.
The winner of the regional bee will advance to compete in the 2009 Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee, scheduled May 24-29 in Washington, D.C.
Jill Lively, a DCPS elementary school teacher, served as the spelling bee coordinator. The pronouncer was Pat Cascone, DCPS lead director for competitive funding, and the head judge was Tim Ballentine, DCPS executive director of instructional research and accountability.
The Duval County Spelling Bee was sponsored by The Florida Times-Union, and conducted according to the contest rules of the national spelling bee.
Science is Spectacular at DCPS!
Several Duval County elementary schools helped students prepare for the FCAT by offering science events, presentations, experiments and demonstrations during the week of January 19 – 23.
Kicking off the week was Mandarin Oaks Elementary. The school invited meteorologists Mike Buresh from FOX30/CBS47 and Tim Deegan from First Coast News to discuss weather patterns and the environment.
Congratulations to all of the above schools for going above and beyond the call of duty to secure additional funding during these tough fiscal times. Thank you to the district’s Grant Department for making our schools aware of these funds through your department’s monthly newsletter.
Also visiting to discuss animal care and safety was a representative and dog from both the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office K9 Unit and the Jacksonville Humane Society.
Students were able to meet and touch 'Noodle,' an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix who was adopted from the Humane Society. Students were taught how to be safe around animals, and how to act if they encounter an animal they don't know.
Mandarin Oaks also sponsored a Parent Science Night to give parents the opportunity to understand the school’s science curriculum and ask questions about the FCAT. Parents were able to view student work on classroom bulletin boards, as well as science fair projects.
Hendricks Avenue Elementary held its fifth annual “Super Science Spectacular” on January 22. Students in every class and grade level experienced a full day of hands-on science experiments in chemistry, biology, earth science and physics.
Hendricks also had a visit from meteorologists Michelle Jacobs from First Coast News and George Winterling from Channel 4.
Many parent volunteers took part in the science activities. They organized and conducted the experiments in classrooms throughout the school.
"Our Super Science Spectacular is a great opportunity for our parents to spend one day volunteering in the classroom," said Principal Jayne Owens-Thompson. "Some of them may not have the time to volunteer on a regular basis, so this one-day event really gives them the chance to spend time with our students."
Additionally, students from Kirby-Smith Middle School, a magnet school that emphasizes mathematics, science and technology, discussed the importance of science and assisted with the experiments. Many of the Kirby-Smith students were once elementary students at Hendricks.
On Friday, January 23, John N. C. Stockton Elementary welcomed community educators and parent volunteers to the school to conduct science demonstrations and lessons.
Hands-on experiments, such as using static electricity to move a soda can with a balloon, making a marble orbit on a paper plate and making “blood” using candy and corn syrup as the various components, were led by more than 40 parent volunteers throughout the day for all grade levels.
Community educators, such as representatives from the St. Johns Riverkeeper, Mosquito Control and Mad Science, led discussions about water conversation, insect and fossil exploration and science activities.
Smokey the Bear and Fox30 Weather Anchor Mike Buresh stopped by to educate students about the environment, conservation and weather.
Stockton also hosted a blood drive, hoping to pay it forward to the community that supports them so well, and also “grow” a few future blood donors.
