JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The James Weldon Johnson Middle School cafeteria was open late Thursday night to give parents and teachers a chance to voice their concerns directly to Duval County Schools Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier.
The town hall offered a space for the community to ask questions, highlight issues, and share feedback about the school district’s performance.
Among the top concerns raised were teachers feeling overworked, a decrease in school options for children with special needs, and students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) not receiving the support they need.
PREVIOUS STORY: DCPS superintendent offers ‘candid’ conversation with parents at 1st of 7 town hall meetings
These issues, along with others, were brought to the superintendent’s attention as part of a broader effort to shape the district’s future direction.
Timothy Sloan, a parent from Duval County, shared his thoughts on what needs to be addressed.
“I think, as a parent and someone that’s involved into the schools in the community, the high absenteeism rate as well as the reading scores in our elementary schools, we have to do better,” Sloan said. ”We can’t continue to overlook this or downplay it.”
In addition to the live discussions, we asked News4JAX viewers to send in questions. People asked about class sizes, bus delays, and how to improve the effectiveness of IEPs.
While district representatives did not provide immediate answers, we are following up through email to get those answers.
District spokesperson Tracy Pierce emphasized the importance of the town halls, noting how they align with Bernier’s leadership approach.
“Well, he said from the onset that in order for him to lead, he has to learn, and for him to learn directly from the parents and the teachers and the community members that are impacted by our schools and the decisions he’s going to make is vitally important,” Pierce said. “The engagement for us and for him has just been excellent for the school and for the school district to enable us to make those decisions going forward.”
The goal of the town halls is to incorporate community input into the district’s strategic plan. Bernier’s decision to meet with families and teachers directly has been well-received by many, according to Pierce.
Parents like Sloan are hopeful that this community engagement will lead to meaningful change.
“The strongest voice, in my opinion, in education, when it comes to getting things done, is the parents' voice,” Sloan said. “You know, they want our children, so we have to have a high demand of accountability and responsibility. So I think with Dr. Bernier, that he’s going to listen, and I think a lot of things are going to get accomplished with him and his team.”
With five more town halls scheduled, parents and community members will have additional opportunities to share their perspectives and push for the changes they want to see in Duval County Schools.
The dates and locations for the remaining meetings are listed below (all events run from 6-7:30 p.m.):
- Dec. 17 - Alfred I. duPont Middle School - 2710 duPont Avenue, 32217
- Jan. 14 - Kernan Middle School - 2271 Kernan Boulevard South, 32246
- Jan. 16 - Highlands Middle School - 10913 Pine Estates Road East, 32218
- Jan. 21 - Chaffee Trail Middle School - 11770 Sam Caruso Way, 32221
- Jan. 23 - Arlington Middle School - 8141 Lone Start Road, 32211