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 Make a Difference in the Life of a Child -
Become a Mentor
January is designated as
National Mentoring Month. This month highlights mentoring and the positive impact these volunteers can have on young lives.
During this month, Duval County Public Schools' honors individuals who have chosen to become mentors to our youth and recognizes them for making the future brighter for our young people. Being a mentor is easy: You just need to be able to listen and to offer friendship, guidance and encouragement to a young person on a consistent basis.
While National Mentoring Month brings national attention to the benefit of and the need for mentors, locally, it is critical that we recruit mentors to help attain our goal of increasing academic achievement for all Duval County Public Schools' students. Our whole community - individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith-based communities and nonprofits - must work together to increase the number of mentors and assure a more successful future for our young people. Our strategic goal is 20,000 mentors by 2020. Help us reach this goal for our students.
According to research, when students have mentors they have better attendance, a better chance of going on to higher education and better attitudes toward school.
It's proven that the positive influence of role models can have a lasting impact. Program evaluation results show that after one year of being matched with a mentor, students:
- Show a significant increase in their future orientation
- Are more committed to living a drug and alcohol-free life
- Show greater attachment to their family, friends and other adults
- Show an increase in self-esteem
To learn how you can become a mentor, contact our Community and Family Engagement Department at 390-2960.
Ed Pratt-Dannals
Superintendent
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Parents and care-givers are invited to attend the DCPS' Title I Parent University Winter 2011. Parent University offers a series of free workshops designed to provide helpful information for parents so that they may better assist their child to be successful in school.
Workshop topics will include:
- FCAT reading, math and science;
- Navigating the DCPS system;
- Riverdeep Destination Success and Compass Odyssey;
- Family literacy;
- Bullying; and
- Preparing your child for college.
Parent University will also highlight the Superintendent's Reading Initiative featuring district and community literacy experts.
When/Where: January 29, 2011, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Florida State College at Jacksonville (North Campus), 4501 Capper Road
Breakfast and Lunch will be provided
A registration flyer is available
here. To register, call 633-5356 or 630-6728. Registration includes workshop materials, a certificate and meals. Request for language translation must be reserved by January 20.
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Duval County Public Schools will be hosting regional Financial Aid nights at schools throughout January and in the beginning of February for high school students and their parents/guardians.
At each event, a financial aid administrator will provide information about state and federal financial aid programs, and will be answering questions about completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other financial aid forms.
Parents and students are invited to participate in any of the sessions listed:
- Terry Parker High School: Jan. 11, 6 p.m.
- Wolfson High School: Jan. 11, 6 p.m.
- Grand Park Alternative: Jan. 12, 9 a.m.
- Paxon School for Advanced Studies: Jan. 12, 5:30 p.m.
- Ribault High School: TBA
- Douglas Anderson School of the Arts: Jan. 13, 7 p.m.
- Fletcher High School: Jan. 18, 6:30 p.m.
- Raines High School: Jan. 18, 6 p.m.
- Stanton College Preparatory: Jan. 20, 6 p.m.
- First Coast High School: Jan. 20, 6 p.m.
- Sandalwood High School: Jan. 24, 7 p.m.
- Englewood High School: Jan. 25, 6 p.m.
- Robert E. Lee High School: Jan. 25, 6 p.m.
- All Military Students/Parents: Jan. 25, 6:30 p.m.
- Ed White High School: Jan. 26, 6 p.m.
- AP Randolph: Jan. 27, 6 p.m.
- Mandarin High School: Jan. 27, 6 p.m.
- Baldwin High School: Jan. 27, 6 p.m.
- Jackson High School: Jan. 27, 6 p.m.
- All ESOL Students/Parents: Jan. 27, 6 p.m. at
Englewood HS
- Frank H. Peterson: Feb. 3, 6 p.m.
- Forrest High School: Feb. 9, 6 p.m.
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The Jacksonville Public Library makes it easy to do research projects. Library online resources can be accessed from school or home 24/7 making it easy to do research anytime. Downloadable audiobooks and ebooks also make it easy to take research on the go. And if more in-depth research is required, the Special Collections team is ready to help by guiding you through the African-American Collection which chronicles lives of African-American leaders from Jacksonville and around the world.
 For more information, visit the JPL website.
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Magnet Mania & More has been rescheduled to January 22, 2011 and moved to the Prime Osborn Convention Center. The event was originally scheduled for January 8, 2011 at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds.
Join Duval County Public Schools for an interactive, fun-filled and informational expo detailing magnet programs and school choice options for the 2011-2012 school year.
For more information, call 904-390-2082 or visit
www.magnetprograms.com.
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January
12 |
Student Early Release Day |
17 |
Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (Schools and District Offices Closed) |
18 |
Duval County Council of PTAs/PTSAs Meeting - DCPS' Administration Building, Cline Auditorium, 10 a.m. |
21 |
Teacher Planning Day (No school for students) |
22 |
Magnet Mania & More |
24 |
District Advisory Council (DAC) Meeting - DCPS' Administration Building, 6th Floor Conference Room, 6 p.m. |
26 |
Student Early Release Day |
29 |
Parent University 2011 |
February
1 |
School Board Meeting - DCPS Administration Building, Cline Auditorium, 6 p.m. |
2 |
Student Early Release Day |
8 |
Title I Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Board and Sub-Committee Meeting - DCPS' Administration Building, Cline Auditorium, 9:30 a.m. |
15 |
Duval County Council of PTAs/PTSAs Meeting - DCPS' Administration Building, Cline Auditorium, 10 a.m. |
16 |
Student Early Release Day |
21 |
Presidents' Day (Schools Closed) |
28 |
District Advisory Council (DAC) Meeting - DCPS' Administration Building, 6th Floor Conference Room, 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
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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During its December meeting, the Duval County School Board approved the consolidation of the current boundaries for Paxon Middle School and Eugene Butler Middle School, and the relocation of the James Weldon Johnson magnet program to the current Paxon facility. The changes are for the 2011-2012 school year.
Letters are being mailed home to students who are or will be affected by this change. For more information about this transition, please contact your school.
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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.
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Erica Dunlap, Miss America 2004, recently visited and gave a presentation to third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students regarding her platform during her year of service.
Students attended the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve and had the opportunity to meet Senator John Thrasher during an environmental roundtable discussion.
