We are proud to support our Military Students!
Thank you for choosing to be a part of Team Duval. With Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport in Duval County, we are home to hundreds of military families and look forward to helping your children thrive academically.
The district’s Office of School Choice serves as the link between base commanders, military families, and our school. They will assist you with completing the initial enrollment process. Upon enrolling here at Abess Elementary School, our military transitional staff will support you in achieving your school-based registration process.
Student Registration
Families new to DCPS must create their Parent and Student FOCUS accounts by visiting the online enrollment process
We know that transitioning into a new school can be stressful, so please reach out to our staff after you have completed the initial district enrollment process with the Office of School Choice. To further support your family’s introduction into our learning community, active-duty service members – of transitioning military students – can request a one-on-one orientation session. Our transition team will gladly guide you through the enrollment process here at Abess Park!
To request our military student transitional support, please contact our school liaison.
Contact
Lisa Frederickson, Data Entry Clerk for all registration needs, Email Lisa Frederickson
Military Enrollment Leads
Robert Kennedy, Email Robert Kennedy or
Melanie Denny, Email Melanie Denny
Robert Kennedy can be reached by phone (904) 220-1260 to schedule your student tour of our school today.
Additional Contacts
Installation Partners
Academic Planning:
DCPS Mission: To provide educational excellence in every classroom, for every student, every day.
Academic Services is responsible for the overall development, implementation, supervision, and improvement of instructional programs.
High School years are characterized by evaluation of strengths, skills, and abilities; reliance on peer acceptance and feedback; and separation from parents and family in order to explore and define their independence and make plans for the future. For students who entered ninth grade in 2013 and thereafter, Standard Diploma Graduation Requirements.
Our Student Progression Plan presents school staff, parents and interested community members a guide which reflects state statute, school district policies and administrative procedures.
Resources and Educational Resources:
DCPS is a choice school district. Families are provided with the opportunity to select their student’s learning pathway through our School Choice Office. As the district has many choices and enrollment options, which include your local neighborhood school and schools like ours that have a dedicated program theme. Here at Mayport Elementary, our military students live in the neighborhood or request a seat assignment by applying through the district’s lottery or by submission of a Military Transfer Option. If you are interested in enrolling with us, please contact the school choice office to apply for your military enrollment priority.
Information about magnet and special transfer option schools is available digitally in our School Choice Reference Guide and on Welcome to School Match 2022 website. Learn more about the application process.
If you have young siblings, Duval County Public Schools also offers a variety of engaging early learning programs that prepare children for successful entry into kindergarten. Parents may enroll their ages 3-5 child in a standards-based, developmentally appropriate school year program or the Summer Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program for children entering kindergarten in the fall. Qualified families may choose to enroll in a comprehensive early learning program (Head Start) for students as young as three years of age.
High School Acceleration Programs are designed to shorten the path to a traditional 4-year college degree by providing opportunities for students to begin earning high school and college credits as early as middle school.
Parent Academy of Duval County Public Schools is a FREE family resource that promotes parental involvement, enhances student achievement, and supports a caregiver's need for personal and individual growth. Parent Academy courses are offered virtually through Microsoft Teams.
Parent Academy focuses on the following three fundamental categories:
Student Achievement: Workshops and activities provide parents and caregivers with the necessary tools to promote students' academic achievement as well as provide support in navigating the school system.
Parenting & Advocacy: Workshops and activities provide innovative tools and strategies to effectively enhance parenting, student advocacy, and leadership skills.
Personal & Individual Growth: Workshops and activities provide empowering information, motivation, and encouragement for the personal and professional growth of parents and caregivers.
Student-led Transition Program: Here at Abess Park Elementary we also have an active Anchored4Life program. Our Anchored4Life club consists of selected 4th and 5th grade Team Leaders who, with the support of their adult advisors, play a vital role in the Military and surrounding communities by supporting youth who are in transitional phases of their lives. New students receive a welcome kit and tour of the school, students who will be moving receive a moving kit to help make the transition easier.
The Exceptional Education and Student Services Department is committed to supporting students with diverse learning needs, their families, and schools in providing access to a high-quality education. The Exceptional Education and Student Services Department provides services and support for students with disabilities, gifted learners, and other eligible students.
The EE/SS Placement Office provides support to schools and parents with placements and transportation arrangements for students who receive exceptional education services in self-contained* or low-incidence settings. School placements are made based on the student’s residential address or the address from which the student is transported. Transportation arrangements to self-contained/low-incidence school sites are set up to ensure that students access their ESE services at the school closest to their address that has their recommended setting and available space. The Placement Office is available throughout the school year to answer questions regarding placements in ESE self-contained/low-incidence settings and to process transportation requests. Please direct all questions to ESE_Placement@duvalschools.org.
If the student is transferring into Duval County from another state or country and they received special education services, follow these steps.
Contact the neighborhood school. The neighborhood school can be identified by using the school locator
Provide the student’s most recent IEP and documents, and
Request to speak to the Registrar, Exceptional Student Education Lead Teacher or School counselor.
Comparable services at the designated school will be provided until the school district conducts an initial evaluation (if determined necessary) and develops, adopts and implements a new IEP that meets Florida eligibility requirements.
Upcoming Military Student Celebrations:
Month of the Military Child- April 2026
Purple-Up Day Celebration- TBA
Month of the Military Child Celebration - April 2026 Day TBA
The School Health Services Program is intended to minimize health barriers to learning for public school students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. It addresses day-to-day student health needs, emergency health needs, and in-school management of chronic and acute health conditions like diabetes, asthma, allergies, and epilepsy. In-school care management helps to ensure that student health conditions do not prevent students from attending school.
Hazel Health has partnered with Duval County Public Schools to provide access to quality health care services for all students, at no cost to families, this school year. A school health representative can initiate a video visit with a Hazel health care provider while your child is at-school to provide either physical or mental health services. Therapy sessions with Hazel Health are a safe space and are private and confidential.