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 Keep Students Engaged During Summer
Summer is officially here, which for many families means vacations, baseball games, and trips to the park and pool. While the summer should definitely be a time for students to relax, it is also a great opportunity for them to prepare for the upcoming school year.
Visit our Web site for summer learning packets in reading, math and science, as well as suggested reading lists for every grade level. These
activities will keep students academically engaged throughout the break and give them a head start next year.
Also, be sure to visit the Florida Department of Education's Web site for information about the
Summer Reading Adventure.
Help students find a variety of activities this summer that are not only enjoyable, but also provide them with a valuable learning experience. For more helpful tips, read our
summer academic engagement article.
Don't forget - The first day of school is Monday, August 23, 2010. For more important dates, view the
2010/2011 District Calendar.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Ed Pratt-Dannals
Superintendent
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 Recent results released by the Florida Department of Education show that more Duval County high school students are performing at or above grade level in reading, math and science compared to previous years. Students in the district also made gains or stayed the same in every grade level on the mathematics and science portions of the FCAT.
Of the 22 possible categories, Duval County improved in 12, stayed the same in five, and saw slight declines in five areas, with the greatest improvements in the areas of mathematics and science. Significant gains were also seen in our elementary and high school turnaround schools.
These preliminary scores only represent half of what goes into the state grading system, and includes students whose scores will not be calculated as part of the school grade. School grades will be calculated by the Florida Department of Education and released later this summer.
FCAT scores for schools throughout the district and state are available on the Florida Department of Education's Web site.
**Please
note: Our district is scheduled to receive individual student FCAT reports sometime this week. As soon as they come in, a team will be assembled to prepare those reports for mailing home.**
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Did you know that students who enroll in and successfully complete a High School Acceleration Program earn college credit while still in high school and receive advanced standing in the college admissions process?
For the 2010/2011 school year, a High School Acceleration Program will be available in each region of the district (North, South, East and West). The four acceleration programs are Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), Advanced Placement Honors (AP), Early College and International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB).
What are the requirements for application?
All programs require successful completion of Algebra I prior to entering grade 9. The AICE, Early College and IB Diploma Programs also require a 7th grade FCAT score of Level 3 in both reading and mathematics or 85th percentile on equivalent nationally standardized test for students from private schools or those transferring from another state.
Is transportation provided?
Transportation is provided to students living in the attendance zone of the selected school. Students applying to a school outside their attendance zone must provide their own transportation. However, students accepted into the AICE, IB, or Early College at William M. Raines and Jean Ribault may access available magnet transportation on a space available basis.
How to apply.
You may download an application from our Web site or pick up an application from the individual schools. Completed applications must be returned to the selected school, addressed to the attention of the Program Coordinator on or before August 5, 2010.
More information about each High School Acceleration Program, as well as answers to the most frequently asked questions, are available by visiting www.duvalschools.org and selecting the Acceleration Programs icon.
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Learning shouldn't stop just because it's summer break. The summer provides students with great opportunities for engaging learning experiences that can be both fun and academically rewarding.
 Duval County Public Schools, as well as many community organizations, such as the library, zoo and museums, provide activities to keep your child busy and engaged over the summer.
DCPS' Community Education Summer Camp Program
As an extension of the Extended Day Enrichment Program, summer camps are offered at a number of select elementary, middle and high school sites throughout the school district. Summer camps are designed to assist working parents by providing participants a wide variety of enrichment activities at an affordable fee. Enrichment activities may include recreational sports, arts and crafts, special events, field trips and computer literacy.
Summer camps range in length from six to eight weeks and most provide extended hours in the morning and afternoon. For a complete list of camps, please visit
our
Web site or call the Community Education office at 904-858-6080.
Jacksonville Public Library
The library is always a great place for students to visit over the summer, offering summer reading programs and age-appropriate story times, as well as some other learning opportunities like photography exhibits, art clubs and events, computer classes, teen book and movie clubs, and more. Visit
http://jpl.coj.net for a calendar of events and locations.
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Day Camps
Students can spend an entire week at the zoo this summer exploring the animal kingdom, conservation, zoo careers and the great outdoors. All programs include instruction, behind the scene tours, animal encounters, a train ride, hands-on activities, crafts, visits to Play Park and the new penguin exhibit. For more information about the session schedule, activities and cost, visit
www.jacksonvillezoo.org.
Museum Visits
The Cummer Museum of Arts & Gardens Art Connections exhibit provides students with the opportunity to walk through a painting, create patterns through dance, make a collage, listen to a sculpture, or paint with a virtual paintbrush. Visit
www.cummer.org for the museum’s hours of operation.
MOCA Jacksonville offers artcamp@MOCA, nine, week-long sessions of creative art making for ages 4-5, 6-11 and 12-15. Museum educators and certified local art educators provide quality instruction in a wide variety of subjects and media. Summer artcamp@MOCA includes a variety of art-making activities, exploration of art history, tours of the museum’s collection, literacy and creative movement.
www.mocajacksonville.org
JaxParks Summer Activities
Sensational summers start at JaxParks with several different types of summer camps, including art/creative, aquatics, junior lifeguard, nature/history and more. Visit
www.jaxparks.com for more information.
Summer Learning at Home
 If summer camp or programs are not possible this year, set up learning activities at home that your child can participate in, such as science experiments; backyard explorations; a summer-long book club; history projects; and/or supervised cooking responsibilities, which provide students with excellent practice in mathematical measurements and following directions.
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Duval County Public Schools participates in the 2010 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
during the months of June, July and August.
The SFSP was created to ensure that children in lower-income areas could continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations, when they do not have access to school lunch or breakfast.
The SFSP provides free nutritionally balanced meals to all children 18 and younger regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. There is no discrimination in the course of the meal service.
See the
attached document for a list of participating sites, as well as the dates and times meals will be provided.
For more information, visit our Web site.
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Duval County Public Schools has a Facebook page. To follow us, visit Facebook and select 'Become a Fan' at the top of the page.
DCPS is also now on Twitter. To follow us, visit www.twitter.com/DuvalSchools and click on 'Follow.'
Both pages are updated regularly with news, emergency messages and information about current events.
 Looking for photos from school events? Visit our
flickr photostream.
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July
26 |
District Advisory Council (DAC) Meeting - DCPS Administration Building, 6th Floor Conference Room, 6 p.m. |
August
3 |
School Board Meeting - DCPS Administration Building, Cline Auditorium, 6 p.m. |
16 |
First Day of Pre-Planning |
23 |
First Day of School for Students |
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At its monthly meeting on July 6, the Duval County School Board and Superintendent Pratt-Dannals recognized students, schools and a volunteer for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the district.
For a list of everyone recognized, please review the news release.
The next School Board meeting is Tuesday, August 3, at 6 p.m. All are welcome.
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Duval County Public Schools
1701 Prudential Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32207
www.duvalschools.org
Superintendent
Ed Pratt-Dannals
School Board Members
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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News Update
Looking for the latest school and district news? Read our most recent news releases, visit our
Spotlight on Education section or tune in to dcpsTV for a detailed look into what's going on at DCPS.
Speakers Bureau Available
DCPS would love to speak to your group to discuss our financial resources, teacher effectiveness, and the academic programs and learning opportunities we provide.
Contact Myra Simmons at 904-390-2993 to request a knowledgeable speaker to address your organization or association. You may also download a Speaker's Request Form.
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