CELEBRATING SCHOOL COUNSELORS — Team Duval is proud to recognize National School Counseling Week and the incredible impact our more than 240 school counselors make every single day. They advocate for students, help them navigate their academic journeys, and guide them toward their goals. Our success as an A-rated district with a 97.6% graduation rate would not be possible without these dedicated professionals. As part of this special week, dozens of counselors gathered at the Schultz Center for their annual conference, focused on building student “superpowers” like grit and resilience – perfectly aligned with the national theme of helping students thrive and preparing them for college, career, and life. Their commitment to growing their own “superpowers” directly fuels student success across Team Duval. Join us in thanking our outstanding school counselors for the lasting difference they make in our schools and community!
Dear Don Brewer Elementary School Families,
I am writing to share an important update regarding the Don Brewer school building and to help you prepare for the upcoming school year.
As you know, Don Brewer Elementary will merge with Merrill Road Elementary in August 2026. Beginning next school year, current Don Brewer students will attend school at Merrill Road Elementary.
Starting in August 2026, the Don Brewer campus will become home to the district’s GRASP Academy. GRASP Academy serves students in grades 1–8 and offers specialized programming for students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. Enrollment in GRASP Academy is limited to students who meet established eligibility criteria based on these characteristics. This update will not impact you or your child; I am simply sharing this information to keep you informed.
To ensure a smooth transition to our new school community, please note the following:
Current students: If your child is currently enrolled at Don Brewer Elementary, no action is needed. Students will be automatically enrolled at Merrill Road Elementary.
New or kindergarten students: Families with a new kindergarten student for next school year may enroll by visiting the school’s front office.
Bus transportation: Students who live more than 1.5 miles from Merrill Road Elementary are eligible for free bus transportation. Bus registration for the 2026–27 school year will open later this spring.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact me at the school. We look forward to welcoming you and your child to Merrill Road Elementary.
Warm regards,
Shana Adams
Principal
Bobcat Nation! We have winners! Last week, as a part of Literacy Week, we had a "Create A Bookmark" competition, and we have our three winners, one from each grade level! Congratulations to Laila Doctor, 3rd Grade, Zy'ire Bryant-Dukes, 4th Grade, and Wyatt Murphy, 5th Grade!
Literacy Week Kicks Off on Monday, January 26th through January 30th. Please review the weekly activities.
We will hold our annual Literacy Night on Thursday, January 29th @ 5:30 p.m. Join us for a night of fun!!
Don Brewer Elementary is participating in the Be Safe, Be Seen Pedestrian Campaign on Wednesday, January 14th.
Students are able to wear clothing that is "Shiny, Sparkly or Reflective". This will showcase our support in understanding the importance of being safe when we are pedestrians.
Students will only be allowed to dress out of uniform on this day. Go Bobcats!
If you are unable to access your student's FOCUS portal, please contact the Main Office at 904-745.4990.
Bobcats, We are all in this together, and there is an opportunity for accessing food if need be. On Saturday, 1/17/26 at the Arlington Family Resource Center from 10am-1pm, you are able to walk up and receive food support. Please see the attached flyer for all information.
Bobcats! Literacy is coming SOON! Please see the attached flyer for all of the amazing events our teachers and administrators have planned for our families during the last week of January! Make your plans now so that you can come be a part of our Bobcat literacy events!
Welcome back Bobcats! We're rarin' to go for Semester 2 of the 2025-2026 School Year! Please refer to the January calendar to see all of the different events that are taking place this month at Don Brewer! As always, please reach out to your child's teacher or the Main Office if you have any questions!
Happy New Year!
Bobcat Nation! On Thursday, 12/11/25, we will be having a parent night to talk more about data! Please review the flyer below and contact the Main Office if you have any questions! Don't forget to RSVP with the QR code!
Bobcat Nation! We're nearly to the end of the first half of the school year! Hard to imagine that Winter Break is upon us in 14 more school days! Before the festivities begin, we need to check how well your students are doing, so beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, 12/2, through 12/8, Bobcats will be tested in ELA, Math, and for 5th graders, Science. Below is the information from Mrs. Adams, Principal, about how this will look. Please make sure that your students are on time, have eaten a good breakfast, and have had a good night sleep. If they aren't feeling well, it's ok, please note that we will not test them, and they'll be ok for makeups.
Duval County will have the School Choice Expo tomorrow, November 15th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This event will take place at the Prime Osborn Convention Center. This is a great opportunity to search for middle schools. We look forward to seeing you there.
For students that are attending the Icemen Hockey Field Trip tomorrow, please wear your orange Don Brewer t-shirt or your yellow Don Brewer spirit shirt. This will assist teachers and chaperones with identifying our students. Students will have an amazing trip tomorrow!
Bobcat Nation! Great news! We're excited to announce that the Parent and Family Engagement Plan (PFEP) is now available in multiple languages at the school! We believe that every parent should have access to important information, and we're committed to making this resource accessible to all families. Feel free to stop by the office to pick up your copy or reach out if you have any questions. Let's work together to support our students!
I want to share with you an important update regarding our school.
Last Spring, the School Board approved the merger of our school into Merrill Road Elementary beginning in the 2026-27 school year. This means that the 2025-26 school year will be our final year at our current campus.
We understand that news like this can bring mixed emotions. Please know that we are committed to supporting every student and family through this transition. Our focus remains on ensuring your child continues to receive an excellent education and a strong sense of community as we move forward together.
One important opportunity to learn more about what’s ahead is the School Enrollment Expo on Saturday, Nov. 15 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Prime Osborn Center. At the Expo, you’ll be able to:
• Meet leaders and staff from Merrill Road Elementary and learn more about what the school offers.
• Explore other educational options available across Duval County Public Schools.
• Get assistance with the school choice and enrollment process.
We strongly encourage all our families to attend. It’s a great chance to connect, ask questions, and begin planning for your child’s next chapter.
Lastly – Please know that we will continue to keep you informed with updates and next steps throughout this process. Thank you for your continued partnership and trust.
Best,
Principal Shana Adams
For safety and efficiency reasons, Duval County Public Schools would like to reduce the amount of Cash & Checks coming into our school. Please join the thousands of parents who have already registered and are enjoying the convenience of paying ONLINE! It takes less than 5 minutes to register. Please follow these step-by-step instructions, so you will begin to receive email notifications regarding upcoming events involving your child(ren).
Step 1: Register
a) If you have not registered, please go to the School Cash Online home page
and select the “Get Started Today” option.
b) Complete each of the three Registration Steps
*For Security Reasons your password, requires 8 characters, one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter and a number.
Step 2: Confirmation Email
A registration confirmation email will be forwarded to you. Click on the link provided inside the email to confirm your email and School Cash Online account.
The confirmation link will open the School Cash Online site, prompting you to sign into your account. Use your email address and password just created with your account.
Step 3: Find Student
Note: Student Number is Not Required
This step will connect your children to your account. *
a) Enter the School Board Name
b) Enter the School Name
c) Enter Your Child’s Name & Birth Date
d) Select Continue
e) On the next page, confirm that you are related to the child, check in the Agree box and select Continue
f) Your child has been added to your account
* If using the student number, leave the "S" off and just enter the numbers only
Step 4: View Items or Add Another Student
If you have more children, select “Add Another Student” option and repeat the steps above. 5 children can be added to one parent account.
If you do not wish to add additional children, select
“View Items For Students” option. A listing of available items for purchase will be displayed.
Step 5: Making a Purchase
If you do not see the item you are looking for under your student, select the Duval County Public Schools tab and search "Don Brewer Elementary"
Have a Terrific Thursday!
https://www.duvalschools.org/o/dcps/page/surveys