GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND – Today we celebrate Shannon Erickson, a third-grade teacher at Jacksonville Beach Elementary School for excelling in her professional development. Erickson recently completed an ESOL endorsement course designed to help educators more effectively teach and support students learning to speak English. Erickson’s course facilitator was so impressed with her hard work, she nominated her to receive special recognition in front of her class. Congratulations on a job well done!
PARENT PRAISES KINDERGARTEN TEACHER – Today’s Team Duval Shoutout comes from a proud parent who is thankful for his son’s kindergarten teacher, Devonna Merton. Dimitri Diamond shares how the Venetia Elementary educator is impacting his son: “Every week there is something fun they're doing that relates to what they're learning. My son is autistic, so keeping him engaged and understanding can be difficult, but she does it somehow. I've never met a teacher so amazing and compassionate with all her students.” Amazing work!
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR - Congratulations to our 2025 School-Related Employee of the Year, Aya Linsner! A dedicated paraprofessional at Crown Point Elementary, Lisner goes above and beyond every day—serving as a bus and crosswalk monitor, assisting students with reading and math, and helping run the student positive behavior support store. Her kindness, commitment, and passion for student success make a lasting impact. As Principal Brett Hartley shared, “Everyone at Crown Point adores Ms. Linsner. She is so loving to our students that they can’t wait to work with her. Teachers trust her completely, knowing their students are in good hands.” Thank you, Ms. Linsner, for your dedication to our students and school community!
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF LAVILLA – LaVilla School of the Arts is 25 years old! In honor of the quarter-century milestone, the dance department recently welcomed school alum Joseph Markey, a corps de ballet member with the American Ballet Theater. During his visit, Markey taught classes and participated in a photoshoot with students. Dance Department Director Michelle Ottley-Fisher says Markey is one of many alumni who have been invited to participate in the 25th anniversary celebrations by sharing through master classes, lectures, choreography, and performances.
HIGHLIGHTING PAXON AND THOMAS JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY - Congratulations to Paxon School for Advanced Studies and Thomas Jefferson Elementary for being recognized as 2024-25 National Merit Schools of Distinction by Magnet Schools of America. This prestigious honor reflects their commitment to academic achievement and building community partnerships that strengthen the school's magnet theme and offerings. Join us in celebrating the students, educators, and staff who make these schools exceptional!
PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP AWARD - Congratulations to Principal Leon Mungin Jr. of Highlands Middle School who has been named one of just 15 principals in Florida to receive the Principal Leadership Award from Florida TaxWatch! This prestigious honor recognizes his dedication to creating meaningful change in students' lives. He was celebrated during a special ceremony on Feb. 28. But that’s not all! Shoutout to Highlands Middle School student Robert Jones, who learned during the ceremony that he’s been accepted into Andrew Jackson’s early college program AND will receive a four-year scholarship from Florida Prepaid. Please join us in celebrating these incredible achievements!
MUSIC TO OUR EARS – We're celebrating the 250 Team Duval students who participated in this year’s DCPS Honor Choir at Atlantic Coast High School. Each year, students in grades 4-12 are nominated to participate in the three-day event. Students are immersed in a time of learning, rehearsing, and performing songs. Students not only sang in their grade-level choirs, but the event also culminated with a whole-group song.
INSPIRING GUEST SPEAKERS – Students at Mattie V. Rutherford Alternative Middle received a special treat thanks to the recent “Young, Gifted, and Talented” Symposium held at the school. The event, hosted by Principal Sadie Milliner-Smith and teacher JoAnn Walker, featured young African American attorneys. Speakers shared about the structure and function of the judicial branch, as well as their roles as attorneys.
FLORIDA PREPAID OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS - Team Duval is excited to announce that we are continuing our partnership with Florida Prepaid and helping families make financially conscious decisions to support their growing learners. Focused on encouraging families to save as early and affordably as possible, our partner Florida Prepaid College Savings Plans has reduced Prepaid Plan monthly prices for newborns and infants to the lowest cost in more than a decade.
Prepaid Plans allow families to lock in the cost of college with fixed monthly payments. A risk-free 1-Year University Plan now starts at just $29/month for the Prepaid Plan Open Enrollment period from February 1 - April 30, 2025. The reduced prices result in savings of up to $850 per plan for a 1-Year University Plan – up to $3,400 in savings for four years.
Prepaid Plans are made to fit growing families.
• Use in-state or nationwide at public, private, trade and technical schools
• Complement scholarships and financial aid
• Transfer to another student or cancel anytime
• Earnings grow tax-free
Every child deserves higher education. Florida Prepaid’s goal is to make it possible for every Florida family to save simply and affordably. Learn more at https://bit.ly/4iHYGOJ.
SCHOOL ON FEBRUARY 14 - Don't forget that there is school on Friday, February 14, 2025. This is one of three hurricane make-up days that was previously a weather day on the calendar. We look forward to seeing everyone in school on Friday!
HIGHLIGHTING LITERACY WEEK - Several celebrity readers were spotted at Team Duval schools thanks to recent “Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!” events. At Dinsmore Elementary, guest readers included Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney, Jr., and District 4 School Board member Darryl Willie. At Hidden Oaks Elementary School, Jaguars Defensive Back Deshawn Dixon visited classrooms and read to students. What a great week!
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH - At Team Duval, we are proud of our dedication to ensuring that Black history is an integral part of K-12 education, in line with Florida statute 1003.42(2)(h). Visit www.duvalschools.org/blackhistory to learn more about our efforts and explore pivotal moments in Black history education.
SCHOOL CHOICE DEADLINE - Don’t forget that the school choice application window closes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31. This is an opportunity for families who want to apply for a magnet school or Special Transfer Option (STO) school for their child for the upcoming school year. Applications can be found in FOCUS, which is located in the Family Portal. For assistance, families can contact the school choice office by email at school_choice@duvalschools.org. Learn more here: https://www.duvalschools.org/o/dcps/page/magnetspecial-transfer-option-sto-application-process
HIGHLIGHTING ALDEN ROAD VOLUNTEERS - Staff at Alden Road Exceptional Student Center are shouting out over 40 volunteers who transformed the school's new media center! Volunteers with The Mission Continues, a veterans-based organization, helped staff relocate the library to a different room on campus. Volunteers did everything from painting the new space to assembling donated furniture from IKEA. Great work!
SCHOOLS REOPENING UPDATE - Duval County Public Schools will be open and fully operational tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 23. The weather is expected to be very cold for the remainder of the week. Parents and guardians are encouraged to ensure students are dressed in winter wear appropriate for the conditions. We look forward to seeing everyone back in school tomorrow!
SCHOOL CLOSURE UPDATE - Given the possibility for unsafe conditions, Duval County Public Schools and district offices will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 22. In addition, all athletics and after-school activities scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 22 will be canceled.
All regularly scheduled athletic and extracurricular activities taking place today, Jan. 21, will continue as planned. We will continue to share updates regarding the reopening of schools through direct emails, our website, our app, and our social media.
Congratulations to Vincent Taylor, a math interventionist at Cedar Hills Elementary School and author of the popular “Cornbread” series of children’s books, who was named the 2025 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year at the 34th Annual EDDY Awards Saturday, January 18th.
High School Students: 100 Black Men of Jacksonville, Inc., is hosting a free scholarship fair on Saturday, Jan. 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Jesse Ball duPont Center, 40 W. Adams St. Get all the information at: https://100blackmenjax.org/january-is-national-mentoring-month-copy/
Please join us for our Middle/High School Showcase Saturday event on Saturday, Jan. 11. All district middle and high schools will be open for families to meet school leaders and educators and tour the campuses. Tours at each school will begin at 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. This event will help families make informed decisions as they consider educational options for their child. Learn more by visiting the School Showcase Saturday webpage: https://dcps.duvalschools.org/o/dcps/page/showcase
Congratulations to Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts and its Quiz Bowl team for a first-place finish at the Big Bend Bowl at Florida State University! Winning team members Emmanuel Abay, Tyler McDonald, and Seth Van Deusen now qualify for the National Academic Quiz Tournament (NAQT) National Championship in May. According to NAQT, Quiz Bowl allows teams to go head-to-head answering questions from subjects such as science, popular culture, literature, history, and more. Quiz Bowl Coach Jeff Casner shares that Abay, McDonald, and Van Deusen’s impressive win involved competing against over a dozen teams from Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi. Bravo!
