|
 Community Budget Meeting Reminder
This month I am hosting a series of
community budget meetings to discuss our current and upcoming financial situation, available revenue and the district's plans to meet its mission of providing all students with high quality educational opportunities.
Your feedback is important. Please
attend one of the following meetings, all held at 6 p.m.:
We need your help to engage our governor and legislature to minimize the cuts to public education as much as possible. The Duval County School Board and I have joined our counterparts across Florida, as well as teacher organizations, PTAs and others, to ask state legislators for decisive action that will limit the impact of the current economic crisis on public education.
Parents, DCPS' employees and citizens are being asked to contact legislators and make their priorities known to these decision makers.
During a tough financial climate for the state, the district understands the constraints that our legislators are under to provide a balanced budget. Please visit
our website for a list of our legislative priorities we would like for you to review.
After reviewing, if you share our concerns, please contact your legislators to make the Duval County Public Schools Legislative Agenda a priority during the 2011 legislative session.
Thank you for your continued support of Duval County Public Schools' students.
Ed Pratt-Dannals
Superintendent
DCPS 2011 Budget Frequently Asked Questions
How much will DCPS have to cut from next year's budget?
Our anticipated shortfall for 2011-2012 is between $75-$89 million, based on the
current proposals in the House and Senate.
How much over the past four years has the district had to cut from its budget?
We have already had to cut more than $150 million from our budget over the past four years.
Why have budget reductions been necessary?
School district funding comes from local property taxes and from the state’s tax collections. Sales tax collections are down and property values are down locally as well as statewide, so the money available for K-12 education has shrunk. Without finding new sources of revenue, the state, and therefore our school district is forced to make cuts.
Are all Florida school districts experiencing the same thing?
Yes, all districts are seeing their funding reduced. However, districts are handling the funding reductions differently, and the amount they have to cut differs from county to county.
What has DCPS already done to cut costs?
Our school district has been cutting costs for the past four years, and major cost-cutting initiatives include: district staff cuts; secondary schedule change (shorter days and fewer classes); school consolidations; and reduction in transportation, including increasing the walk zone to schools from 1.5 miles to 2.
What are some budget reduction strategies the district is anticipating to make this year?
The district will have to review the possibility of cutting all Magnet transportation, supplements for extracurricular activities, including sports and band, reviewing the possibility of a four-day school week, employee benefit reductions and furlough (leave of absence without pay) for all staff. (Some of these items must be negotiated)
Why is DCPS building a new elementary school, renovating schools and continuing to put in new appliances, i.e. air conditioners, while at the same time talking about cutting programs and athletics?
The building projects, including construction, renovation and maintenance,
are all being completed using capital funds, which cannot be transferred
(pursuant to Florida Statute) to operating funds to offset the shortfall. The average age of our school buildings is 45 years old, which is older than any other school district in Florida. We are currently moving forward with these projects in order to continue to provide a safe learning environment for our students.
|
|
Youmone Berrien, activities director and AP honors coordinator at First Coast High, has been selected as the 2011 Florida Blue Teacher of the Year.
The announcement was made by Action News morning anchor Tera Barz at the annual EDDY Awards celebration. The event, held at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, was hosted by the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership and the Jacksonville Public Education Fund.
"The Duval County Teacher of the Year program celebrates a distinguished individual among extraordinary teachers in our district, and I congratulate Youmone on this prestigious recognition," said Duval County Public Schools' Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals. "Her dedication to her students is unparalleled, and I applaud her efforts to engage and inspire her students to succeed."
Youmone Berrien has been teaching for seven years. She currently wears many hats at First Coast High School, including leader of the 10th-grade English professional learning community, student activities director, senior class sponsor and co-founder of the Ladies First Organization. Ms. Berrien’s involvement stems from a philosophy that it is the job of the educator to "greet students at the entrance of academia, present them the tools needed to become productive and guide them through our 'real world'."
Ms. Berrien's commitment to the success of every child has led her to teach in some of First Coast's most challenging classrooms. One of her seventh-grade English II classes last year had 88 percent of students who scored at a level two or below on the Reading FCAT. Through structure, guidance and an opportunity to creatively express their knowledge, Ms. Berrien solicited her students' participation in changing their futures. As a result, 21 of her 24 students showed considerable gains. Ms. Berrien’s success became contagious as she presented a school-wide FCAT motivational campaign that played a significant role in increasing First Coast's school grade.
Ms. Berrien believes that teachers "make an impact on student learning by meeting them where they are; guiding them to where they need to be; and cheering them along the way."
Berrien will now go on to compete for the state-wide title of Florida Teacher of the Year.
Berrien's announcement as Teacher of the Year came after the presentation of the district’s other four finalists at the EDDY Awards: Edward Moore, Language Arts teacher at Northwestern Middle; Andrew Hubbuch, fifth-grade teacher at Justina Road Elementary; Katy Burns, kindergarten teacher at Beauclerc Elementary; and Andrea Miranda, Language Arts teacher at Fort Caroline Middle.
The selection process began with 158 school representatives throughout the district who were selected as their school's Teacher of the Year. The 158 were narrowed by the District Selection Committee to 15 semi-finalists and then five finalists.
Here is a complete list of all 158 of Duval County's Teachers of the Year.
|
|
Saturday, May 14, 2011 - Metropolitan Park
Any time between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Join Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals for a celebration of reading and to receive a medal as a member of the Superintendent's Book Club! Activities will begin at 10 a.m. with a parade of readers led by host, Bianca from Cyberchase, accompanied by Curious George, Cat in the Hat and other story-book characters!
Also included in the day’s events are WJCT’s Share-A-Story, Jacksonville Public Library summer reading and activity information, hourly drawings for prizes, city agencies and community organization displays, over 30 vendors, food and much more!
Chartwells will be providing a free lunch for all Superintendent’s Book Club certificate holders as well as other refreshments for sale to all attendees.
Make sure you bring your 25-book Superintendent’s Book Club Star Reader Certificate
that you earned this school year. It is your ticket to exchange at the Reading Celebration for a medal and a meal ticket!
Medals for the Superintendent’s Book Club will not be distributed at school sites. Members must attend the Reading Celebration to receive a medal.
**All students must be accompanied by an adult at all times during this event.**
If you DO plan to attend the Reading Celebration, see your school’s library media specialist for a form that must be submitted
ON OR BEFORE Friday, April 29, 2011.
|
|
Duval County Public Schools offers Summer Driver's Education at select high schools around the county.
The course includes classroom lecture, range driving (a closed course on campus) and street driving. Students must be 15 years or older to enroll in the class, and can receive a waiver to get a learner's permit and/or permanent license if they pass the course. There is a written test plus a drug and alcohol test that must be passed to obtain the learner’s permit. Students must pass a driving test to obtain the waiver for the permanent license.
The cost of the class is $135.
Please contact the
Community Education office at 904-858-6080 for more information and for an updated list of dates/times/locations of the classes.
*New This Year* - Atlantic Coast High School Summer 2011 Driver Education Course
This summer, Atlantic Coast High, Duval County’s newest high school, will also be offering driver education courses. Registration and payment are accepted daily from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Atlantic Coast main office, 9735 R.G. Skinner Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256.
Dates and times of the six-day sessions (no Fridays) are as follows:
- Session I, 7:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., June 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23
- Session II, 7:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., June 27, 28, 29, 30, July 5, 6
- Session III, 7:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., July 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18
- Session IV, 7:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., July 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27
|
|
This month, students will be taking the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). This is an important test for our students, and it's important for our parents, guardians and community to understand the FCAT.
Answers to FCAT-related questions, plus a schedule of
testing dates, helpful resources and links, are available on our website.
McDonald's will be offering FREE breakfast to students on Monday, April 11 from 6 to 8:30 a.m. in preparation for the FCAT. The offer includes an egg mcmuffin, apple dippers and a milk or small orange juice. No substitutions. No group redemptions. In store offer only while supplies last. Students under 15 must be accompanied by a parent. Child must be present for offer.
|
April is recognized as National Volunteer Month.
Superintendent Pratt-Dannals has set a goal to reach 20,000 volunteers by 2020. If you want to help us reach this goal, sign-up to volunteer at one of our schools.
To ensure the safety of our students, volunteers must complete an application and undergo a criminal background screening, free of charge, conducted by
the Community and Family Engagement Department.
Visit
our
website for more information.
|
April
6 |
Student Early Release Day |
19 |
Duval County Council of PTAs/PTSAs Meeting - DCPS' Administration Building, Cline Auditorium, 10 a.m. |
20 |
Student Early Release Day |
22 |
Spring Holiday |
25 |
Schools Closed |
26 |
District Advisory Council (DAC) Meeting - DCPS' Administration Building, 6th Floor Conference Room, 6 p.m. |
May
3 |
School Board Meeting - DCPS' Administration Building, Cline Auditorium, 6 p.m. |
4 |
Student Early Release Day |
10 |
Title I Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Parents and Principal Meeting - DCPS' Administration Building, Cline Auditorium, 9:30 a.m. |
27 |
Schools Closed |
30 |
Memorial Day (Schools and District Offices Closed) |
|
IMPORTANT NOTE: All Duval
County School Board meetings will now air LIVE on Comcast channel 99 at 6 p.m., the first
Tuesday of every month (subject to change as needed).
DCPS produces two student-hosted television shows, School Matters and REAL School.
School Matters airs the fourth Sunday of every month at 10 a.m. on WJCT. It will
now re-air the Monday immediately following the premier at 9 p.m. on Comcast
channel 99.
REAL School airs the first Sunday of every month at 10 a.m. on WJCT. It will now
re-air the following Wednesday at 5 p.m. on Comcast channel 99.
Visit
our
website for more information.
|
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
|
Duval County Public Schools has a Facebook page. To follow us, visit Facebook and select 'Become a Fan' at the top of the page.
You can also follow DCPS on Twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/DuvalSchools and clicking 'Follow.'
Both pages are updated regularly with news, important messages and information about current events.
 Looking for photos from school events? Visit our
flickr photostream.
|
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.
|
|
