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 The 2007-2008 school year has come to an end, and I would like to take a moment to thank you for your dedication to your students' education and to Duval County Public Schools. I also thank you for accepting and embracing me as the district's new superintendent.
This year has brought both changes and challenges. Changes in the district's leadership and challenges with the district's finances. However, along with these changes and challenges we were able to achieve great success. The district's graduation rate increased by four percentage points, we broke ground on the district's first new high school in more than 20 years and four of our schools were listed among the nation's best high schools.
We will remain steadfast in our dedication to providing quality education to all of our students, and will continue to ensure that Duval County students receive all of the proper tools and training they need to succeed.
Thanks again for your continued support of Duval County Public Schools. The 2008-2009 school year will begin on Monday, August 18. I look forward to another exciting year of growth and student achievement.
Have a wonderful summer.
Ed Pratt-Dannals
Superintendent
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Four Duval County schools have been recognized as America's Top Public High
Schools by Newsweek Magazine, with two of the schools placing in the top 10.
Stanton College Preparatory School ranked fifth in the nation and Paxon School for Advanced Studies ranked eighth. Additionally, Mandarin High School ranked 155 and Douglas Anderson School of the Arts ranked 181.
Each year, Newsweek Magazine compiles a list of the 1,300 top high schools in the country. Schools were ranked based on the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all the students at the school in 2007, divided by the number of graduating seniors.
For more information
and to see the complete list of rankings, visit the Newsweek Magazine Web site.
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More Duval County students are performing at or above grade level in reading, math and science compared to previous years, according to the 2008 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) results released on June 10.
FCAT reading scores in Duval County were up in every grade level except for fifth grade, which is consistent with the performance of fifth-grade students throughout the state.
DCPS students also made gains in every grade level on the mathematics portion of the FCAT, with the exception of 10th grade which remained the same. Gains were also made in the fifth and 11th grade science portion of the FCAT, while eighth-grade students remained the same.
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Meetings to address facility assessment, utilization and school boundaries.
 This month, we will be holding our second round of meetings to gather input on an Academic and Community Excellence (ACE) plan for our schools.
To receive feedback from you, we will be conducting community meetings in four areas throughout Jacksonville. Meetings will be held at area schools at 6 p.m. The dates and locations are as follows:
- June 16 - Andrew Jackson High School
- June 23 - Ed White High School
- June 24 - Wolfson High School
- June 30 - Kernan Middle School
Please visit the ACE section of our
Web site for more information.
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Make a difference. Become a mentor.
United Way, in partnership with Duval County Public Schools, the City of Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Children’s Commission and the Mentor First Coast Taskforce, is leading a community-wide mentor recruitment effort
on Saturday, June 21st, designated as the 'Day of Action.'
United Way and its partners will make becoming a mentor easy by streamlining the application process.
At the event, volunteers can:
- Learn about Northeast Florida's mentoring programs;
- Complete fingerprinting for background screening;
- Participate in training sessions for new mentors; and
- Sign up to mentor at specific schools.
For more information or to register online for the Day of Action, visit www.uwnefl.org/mentor or contact Michelle Speisman at 904-390-3228 or
michelles@uwnefl.org.
Why mentoring is important: Mentoring enhances the academic, social and emotional development of students of all ages. Through mentoring, a non-paid caring adult chooses to lend support, friendship, reinforcement and positive modeling on a consistent basis with a child who needs compassion, guidance, a good listener, positive words and hope for the future.
Just a few of the positive outcomes for students include increased self-esteem, stronger incentives to stay in school, avenues for exploring future education and career paths, and exposure to new experiences. Overall, long-term changes and positive results happen in both the mentees' and mentors' lives.
Find out how you can become a mentor.
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 The
Kirby-Smith Middle School Challenger Learning Center S.T.a.R. Interns placed 47th at the national finals of the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) in Manassas, Virginia on May 17.
Additionally, the S.T.a.R. Interns, who were all wearing their flightsuits, won the best dressed category.
The TARC is the largest model rocket showcase on the planet. This year, 100 teams competed in the finals.
During the competition, each team had to launch their rockets as close as possible to an altitude of 750 feet with a flight time of 45 seconds, while returning two raw eggs unbroken to the ground.
About 7,000 middle and high school students on 643 teams from 43 states and the District of Columbia took part in the qualifying rounds, which took place in the spring.
To reach the national finals, schools had to have a score that was one of 100 best. This is the first year the Kirby-Smith S.T.a.R. Interns were eligible to participate in the final stage of the competition.
Members of the Kirby-Smith Middle School team are eighth graders Dalton Carter, Stacy Woodside, Jonathan Phillipps, Justin Drouin, Gabi Zablan and Alysse Machuca.
The TARC, which is sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Association of Rocketry (NAR), is designed to encourage students to study math and science, and pursue careers in aerospace.
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 Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) is implementing a Summer Technology Program for current elementary students, offering a fun and engaging way for standards based student learning and parental involvement to continue over the summer.
"Parents will be able to guide their child through a review of key skills learned and provide him/her with a boost for the upcoming school year," said Deputy Superintendent Patricia Willis. "This additional tool allows parents to better prepare students during the summer for the rigorous school year in the fall."
Students are encouraged to dedicate one hour per week working on key math and reading content for eight weeks. The rigorous, fun and engaging material can be accessed through a computer at home, the library, or anywhere with Internet access. To measure growth and implementation progress, students will also take a pre and post test.
Students completing the program will receive an award at the beginning of the 2008-09 school year, and will be entered into a drawing for a Nintendo Wii and iPod.
Support will be available at the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership during the month of June in the form of training, online tutorials and a support hot line. During the voluntary one hour training, parents will be trained on how to successfully use the summer program and how to maximize their use of the software.
Registration, tutorials, FAQ's, explore maps and additional information are located on our Web site. Parents can also call the Schultz Educational Technology Help Desk for support at 904-348-7740 or email support at
Riverdeep@duvalschools.org.
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 The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is offering teens ages 12 to 18 the opportunity to buy the JTA Summer Youth Pass, which provides unlimited rides on any JTA bus, trolley or the Skyway, for one low price.
With the pass, teens can ride with JTA as much as they want for any need, such as
going to work, taking trips to the mall or beach, or visiting the library.
Teens can buy a June Summer Youth Pass for $30 and get July for free. And, until June 30, students can add August for only $15 more. That's two months (June and July) for $30 or three months (June, July and August) for $45.
Passes can be purchased online at www.jtafla.com, or in person at the JTA Administration Building or the Rosa L. Parks/FCCJ Transit Station. For more information call 904-630-3100.
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Trying to find activities for your students to participate in this summer? Looking for information about next school year, including the 2008/2009 District Calendar? Visit our Summer Information page.
Please note: Until Aug. 1, Duval County public schools and offices are closed each Friday. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
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June
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16 |
ACE Community Meeting - Andrew Jackson High School, 6 p.m. |
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16-20
or
23-27 |
Reading and Mathematics FCAT - Rising Grade 12-Adult (New Students/Retakes) |
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23 |
ACE Community Meeting - Ed White High School, 6 p.m. |
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24 |
ACE Community Meeting - Wolfson High School, 6 p.m. |
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30 |
ACE Community Meeting - Kernan
Middle School, 6 p.m. |
July
4 |
Independence Day
(schools and district offices closed) |
Next year, due to rising food and fuel costs, the price of school meals will be increasing.
Breakfasts, now 75 cents at all schools, will cost $1 in elementary schools and $1.25 in middle and high schools.
Lunch at elementary schools will now be $1.50, and lunch at middle and high schools will be $2.
School meal prices in Duval County, which have not been increased for 14 years, are still equal to or less than meal prices in surrounding counties.
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At its monthly meeting on June 9, the Duval County School Board and Superintendent Pratt-Dannals recognized several groups of students, staff and a member of the community for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to Duval County Public Schools. For a list of all those recognized, please read the
news release.
The next school board meeting is Tuesday, July 1st at 6 p.m.
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Duval County Public Schools
1701 Prudential Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32207
www.duvalschools.org
Superintendent
Ed Pratt-Dannals
School Board Members
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Martha Barrett, District 1
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Nancy Broner, District 2
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Kris Barnes, District 3
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Brenda A. Priestly Jackson, District 4
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Betty Burney (Chairman), District 5
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Vicki Drake, District 6
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Tommy Hazouri (Vice Chairman), District 7
Frequently Called Numbers
Main Line
904-390-2000
Transportation
904-858-6200
Human Resources
904-390-2840
School Board Office
904-390-2293
Community & Family
Engagement
904-390-2960
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