School Zone
Points of Pride
Helping Hands Create Empty Bowls at Pinedale Elementary
Three-year old students in Kirk Altman's Pre-Kindergarten class at Pinedale Elementary are learning how to help out the community while having fun and creating art as they participate in the Second Harvest North Florida Empty Bowls Project.
The Empty Bowls Project demonstrates community support for those who are coping with hunger in North Florida. Area students, senior citizen groups, local potters, ceramic artists and celebrities create original, handcrafted ceramic bowls for the Annual Empty Bowls Luncheon, now in its 25th year. The Empty Bowls Luncheon is one the community's most recognizable events for raising support and awareness of the issue of hunger in Northeast Florida.
This is the third year Altman's students were selected to participate in the project. Typically, only older students (second grade and above) participate, so Altman is very excited that his pre-kindergartners get to take part again.
Using clay and paint donated from Atlantic Pottery Supply in Jacksonville Beach, Altman and his paraprofessional, Karen George, helped students shape and glaze the bowls, which will then be fired in the kiln at school.
"It is important for students at this age to be able to interact with materials like clay and paint to create something," said Altman. "We may even have some of our students who benefit directly from the Empty Bowls Project, so we are thankful to be involved."
For more pictures from the Empty Bowls Project at Pinedale Elementary, visit the
DCPS' flickr Photostream.
NAS Jax Group Adopts John E. Ford K-8
After a year-long partnership with John E. Ford K-8, the Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Eleven Group from NAS Jax visited the school for a special ceremony to formalize the school adoption and partnership.
"The Wing Eleven Group has been doing many positive things for our school, including helping us to beautify our campus and even assisting with events like our movie night," said Principal Brooks-Hoyle. "We are excited to continue building a wonderful partnership with the Wing Eleven Group, and we are so thankful for their commitment to John E. Ford."
Joining the school for the ceremony was Captain Mark L. Turner, Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Eleven Group, and members of his wing. Also in attendance were Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals and Duval County School Board Vice Chair Brenda A. Priestly Jackson, as well as other district representatives.
The ceremony began with music by the John E. Ford chorus, who sang America the Beautiful, and a presentation by the NAS Color Guard. Commander Turner presented Principal Brooks-Hoyle and her students and staff with a plaque.
"The partnership we share with John E. Ford is very important to the Wing Eleven Group, and we hope the students enjoy it as much as we do," said Captain Turner. "We want the students to dream big, and we hope that we can be a small part of that."
As a token of their appreciation, Principal Brooks-Hoyle also presented the Wing Eleven Group with a symbol of their school, the royal knight, and a certificate thanking the group for adopting them.
Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals joined the school in thanking the men and woman for their support.
"We are so appreciative of the dedication Wing Eleven has shown and will continue to show the students of John E. Ford Elementary. It is wonderful that these students have members of the community who are involved at their school and care about their success."
Raines Students Prepare to Succeed
On Saturday, September 26, more than 170 sophomores, juniors and seniors attended William M. Raines High School’s College Readiness Academy, which prepares students for the ACT and SAT standardized tests.
“This academy is not about FCAT, we’re past that,” said Principal George Maxey. “We’re about preparing our students for college, and instituting a new Raines, with an old flavor.”
The free academy, sponsored by a Small Learning Communities (SLC) grant, provides students with a hot breakfast, followed by a 90-minute session of math and a 90-minute session of English.
While the grant pays for breakfast and the teachers, the school’s alumni and community volunteers served breakfast to the students and assisted in classrooms as needed.
This school year, there will be a total of 12 sessions; six in the fall preparing students for the ACT and six in the spring preparing students for the SAT.
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