REGISTER FOR A BUS TODAY - Bus registration for the 2026–2027 school year is now open. All students who plan to ride a school bus next year must be registered in advance, including students enrolled in self-contained ESE programs. Families are encouraged to register as early as possible to help ensure a smooth start to the school year. Registration forms are available in Focus. For step-by-step instructions on how to complete the process, visit: www.duvalschools.org/busregistration
EMERGING LEADERS – Six Team Duval students had the opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills, experience college life, and prepare for their futures this summer at the Emerging Leaders Institute at Loyola University Chicago! The juniors and seniors, representing Atlantic Coast, Darnell-Cookman, Jean Ribault, and Westside high schools, participated through our GEAR UP and 5000 Role Models of Excellence programs. They represented Duval County Public Schools with maturity, professionalism, and excellence, demonstrating their commitment to growing as leaders and positively impacting others. We are proud of these students and grateful for the continued support of student leadership opportunities across Team Duval!
MEAL DONATION – Thanks to a generous donation, the lunch debts of 3,164 Team Duval students across 37 schools were paid, providing immediate relief for families! The $10,607 gift was made through the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida on behalf of the Kitty and Reg Emans Memorial Fund. This support helped ensure students could enjoy nutritious meals without the added stress or worry of unpaid meal balances. We are incredibly grateful to Teresa Emans, the Kitty and Reg Emans Memorial Fund, and the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida for their generosity and commitment to our students!
REMINDER: SURVEY CLOSING SOON – The 2026 Data Triangle Survey closes Oct. 23, and there’s still time to make your voice heard! Students in grades 4–12, employees, families, caregivers, and community members are encouraged to complete this short survey at www.duvalschools.org/surveys. Your feedback is important and provides school and district leaders with valuable insight into what’s working well and where improvements are needed. Take a few minutes to share your perspective and help Team Duval better support our students, families, and schools.
A special Team Duval Shoutout goes to Ms. Flanders at Biscayne Elementary School for wholeheartedly embracing and celebrating our Hispanic cultures. Thank you for ensuring that our VPK students had the opportunity to take part in the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration and experience the richness this tradition. Your commitment to fostering inclusion, cultural appreciation, and meaningful learning experiences helps our youngest students build pride, understanding, and respect for diversity!
Our Team Duval Shoutout for today goes to the leadership team at Rutledge H. Pearson, including Principal Adkins, Assistant Principal Lewis, Dr. McLaughlin, Ms. Hite and Caran Mullins. Earlier this month they lead Learning Rounds, a program aimed at empowering Jacksonville Teacher Residents to learn, reflect and grow into tomorrow’s educators. Thank you for all that you do to inspire the next generation of teachers!
Today’s Team Duval Shoutout goes to Zarmina Malalai, the heart of San Jose! For 6 years, she has supported students, staff and Afghan families with endless kindness, patience and a smile. After 17 years advocating for women and children in Afghanistan, she continues changing lives. We are so thankful to have you, Zarmina!
Congratulations to Principal Coffman of Seabreeze Elementary, who receives today’s Team Duval Shoutout for her support of new students and families. “I watched my daughter grow at this little beach school,” writes the nominating parent, “and so much of that growth was because of the incredible team that works there. Your team is only as strong as its leader, and Principal Coffman sets the bar.” Thank you, Principal Coffman, for creating a school environment in which students are seen and supported!
Let’s give a big Team Duval Shoutout to Ms. Leyla Salinas, Kindergarten ELD Sheltered Teacher at Greenfield Elementary, for her outstanding commitment to supporting our multilingual learners! During a recent classroom visit, Ms. Salinas demonstrated exemplary implementation of the Hands-On English curriculum. Her intentional use of videos, visuals, vocabulary supports, gestures, Total Physical Response (TPR), oral language activities and the Big Book created an engaging learning environment where students were actively developing their English language skills. Thank you, Ms. Salinas, for your passion, expertise, and commitment to excellence!
Today’s Team Duval Shoutout goes to Ms. Crespo-Lowery of Stanton College Preparatory School and Ms. Zamira Pauley of Paxon School for Advanced Studies on their selection to participate in the prestigious ALAS Carlos V Education Program in Seville, Spain, this summer. Their participation in this distinguished international program reflects their passion for world languages, their commitment to professional growth, and their dedication to creating meaningful learning experiences for their students. Ms. Crespo-Lowery and Ms. Pauley exemplify the excellence, curiosity, and global mindset that define outstanding educators. Thank you for representing Duval County Public Schools with distinction and for bringing the world back to your classrooms!
CUSTODIAN APPRECIATION – On National Custodian Day, Team Duval celebrates the dedicated custodial employees who help make our schools clean, safe, and welcoming places to learn and work. Long before the first bell rings and long after the school day ends, custodial teams are working behind the scenes to ensure our schools are ready for students and staff each day. Their care, hard work, and attention to detail are an important part of creating the world-class learning environments our students and staff deserve. Today, we encourage everyone to take a moment to thank the custodial employees who support their school or district office and recognize the difference they make in our school communities.
NATIONAL PRINCIPALS MONTH – October is National Principals Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the heart, dedication, and leadership our principals bring to Team Duval every day. From supporting educators and connecting with families to making decisions that shape the experiences of our students, principals carry an incredible responsibility with dedication and care. This year, their leadership is especially worth celebrating as Team Duval earns its second consecutive “A” grade — an achievement made possible by the collective work of our entire school community, including our principals who keep their teams focused on student success. Throughout the month, we encourage everyone to take a moment to recognize a principal who has made a difference through a simple note, word of encouragement, or expression of gratitude. To all of our principals, thank you for your leadership, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to the students, families, and staff you serve.
Let’s give a big Team Duval Shoutout to the ESOL, Dual Language, and World Languages teams for their remarkable dedication during professional development. “Your seamless collaboration, professionalism, and commitment to excellence were evident in every session,” writes Program Director Ingrid Carias. “It was truly inspiring to see everyone supporting on another, ensuring that our educators experienced meaningful, high-quality professional learning.” Thank you to each of those teams – your passion and expertise make a difference!
Congratulations to Arlington Heights Elementary for receiving a Team Duval Shoutout for their AVID Pep Rally! This celebration focused on the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program at the school and educated students on the focus strategy for this school year. Students from pre-K through fifth grade learned about AVID strategies, heard from teachers, and listened to two student speakers on how AVID has helped them prepare for their future. Way to show school spirit, AHE!
Today’s Team Duval Shoutout goes to the DCPS Office of Professional Standards and Mr. William Brown for their work with UNF seniors in the Jacksonville Teacher Residency program. Mr. Brown led an informative and engaging professional learning session focused on an incredibly important part of becoming a teacher—understanding the professional and ethical responsibilities that come with the role. He made the learning relevant and approachable, giving residents the opportunity to ask questions, talk through real-world situations, and better understand the expectations they will carry with them into their own classrooms. Thank you, Mr. Brown, for supporting the next generation of Duval teachers and for partnering with us to ensure safe, supportive learning spaces for every DCPS student. We are grateful to have you as part of our residents’ journey!
Congratulations to Principal Stalls of Hogan Spring Glen Elementary for receiving a Team Duval Shoutout due to her amazing work around literacy. Throughout the school year, Principal Stalls gave HSG students a meaningful way to share goals and celebrate reading gains. It was due in part to these efforts that the school strengthened its culture of literacy and moved from a C to an A rating. Thank you, Principal Stalls, for your leadership and guidance and congratulations on this momentous achievement!
SEAPERCH CHALLENGE – Mayport Coastal Sciences Middle School students made waves on the international stage, competing against more than 200 teams from six countries at the 2026 International SeaPerch Challenge at the University of Maryland. Using remotely operated underwater robots, the students showcased their engineering, design, and problem-solving skills while competing at the highest levels of the international competition. The Mayport teams delivered an incredible performance, earning top honors across multiple divisions and bringing home more than a dozen trophies! Congrats to the following teams:
6th Grade — Megaladons
7th Grade — Flying Fish
8th Grade — Anglerfish
9th Grade (returning from last year) — Stingrays
Congratulations to the Mayport Coastal Sciences Middle School Robotics Team on an incredible international achievement!
6th Grade — Megaladons
7th Grade — Flying Fish
8th Grade — Anglerfish
9th Grade (returning from last year) — Stingrays
Congratulations to the Mayport Coastal Sciences Middle School Robotics Team on an incredible international achievement!
The 2026 - 2027 school year started off on a high note for the Riverside High School Band, as they received new instruments due to a grant from the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation. The new band equipment - totaling over $38,000 - will help expand opportunities for student musicians and strengthen the school's band program for years to come. Congratulations, RHS Band!
Let’s give a big Team Duval Shoutout to Ms. Amber Terrill, a paraprofessional at San Jose Elementary, for her organization of this year’s “Back-to-School Bash.” Students attending the event received shoes, book bags, and school supplies while also enjoying face painting stations, organized games, and even a bounce house! This effort was all done to support students in being prepared for the upcoming school year. Thanks to Ms. Terrill’s thoughtful and dedicated planning, she inspired staff, family members, and community members to contribute essential items. We could not be more appreciative of your leadership, demonstrating the impact one person can have when they bring a community together for a meaningful cause!
A huge shout-out to our Duval County Public Schools Dual Language educators who inspired us during the Dual Language Early Return at Alfred Dupont Middle School. Your enthusiasm, collaboration, and unwavering commitment to providing high-quality bilingual education for our students are truly commendable. Over the two-day event, educators engaged in WIDA ELD Standards sessions in both English and Spanish, enriching their knowledge and instructional practices to better support multilingual learners, mastering ESOL Essentials, BE Glad Strategies, and Imagine Math. Embracing this year's theme, “One Team. World Class.,” your dedication to empowering multilingual learners and enhancing our dual language programs showcases our collective potential. Here’s to another remarkable year of learning, growth, and celebrating bilingualism. We eagerly anticipate the amazing impact you will make this school year!
