JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Duval County’s school superintendent reviewed the school year that just ended and answered questions about the upcoming school year during a news conference Monday morning.
Dr. Diana Greene said the year that just ended was the most challenging of her career, with COVID-19 and launching a huge capital campaign with revenue generated by a half-cent sales tax Jacksonville voters approved last fall.
“I am so proud of Team Duval. We not only made it, we started in survival mode but we quickly moved to thrive. And our students, by our graduation rate, are showing that they can also be resilient and that they can thrive, even in a global pandemic,” Greene said.
Greene says a majority of students in the district are planning to return to the classroom in the fall. Masks will be optional but encouraged for those who are not vaccinated. Currently, vaccinations are only approved for people age 12 and above.
The district is planning to open five high schools later this month for vaccinations, but those locations and dates have not been announced.
“Our goal is that every secondary school will have a vaccination, whether it’s a mobile vaccination or vaccination clinic at the school,” Greene said. “Our hope is that we’re going to get as many students vaccinated that meet the criteria.”
Greene said the district will stop doing temperature checks and remove desk shields in most cases. Hand sanitizer dispensers will remain.
Greene said the district is working out the timing for changing the names of the six schools recently voted on by the Duval County School Board. The goal is to have that done by Aug. 3.