WEATHER ALERT
Douglas Anderson teacher reported for having OnlyFans page among 19 DCPS employees temporarily removed since August
Read full article: Douglas Anderson teacher reported for having OnlyFans page among 19 DCPS employees temporarily removed since AugustThe reports are the result of the districts 'Know the Line' campaign.
New DCPS safety initiative provides students, parents a place to report employee misconduct
Read full article: New DCPS safety initiative provides students, parents a place to report employee misconductDuval County Public Schools is taking steps forward to continue its efforts in protecting students and creating a safe environment with employees.
TELL US: What questions or concerns do you want to share with DCPS superintendent Dr. Bernier?
Read full article: TELL US: What questions or concerns do you want to share with DCPS superintendent Dr. Bernier?News4JAX will sit down for a one-on-one interview with the Duval County Public School’s newest superintendent and we want to hear from you.
Chair of DCPS citizens committee that oversees use of sales-tax funds resigns, cites concerns over group’s independence
Read full article: Chair of DCPS citizens committee that oversees use of sales-tax funds resigns, cites concerns over group’s independenceThere are questions about the independence of a citizens committee tasked with overseeing the Duval County Public School’s use of funds from the half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2020.
DCPS says its goal is to offer jobs to those whose positions are set to be eliminated
Read full article: DCPS says its goal is to offer jobs to those whose positions are set to be eliminatedOver 700 teacher and staff positions could be eliminated next school year, the school district announced last week.
Public School Defenders attends DCPS board meeting to address concerns over school safety workshop
Read full article: Public School Defenders attends DCPS board meeting to address concerns over school safety workshopThe group Public School Defenders attended the Duval County Public School board meeting to voice concerns about Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri’s presentation at the school safety workshop on February 20th.
DCPS police chief stresses importance of ‘see something, say something’ after shooting near high school football game
Read full article: DCPS police chief stresses importance of ‘see something, say something’ after shooting near high school football gameDuval County Public School officials will discuss safety measures at school games after a teen shot into a large crowd Friday night at a high school football game, according to police.
Former DCPS custodian accused of multiple child sex crimes takes plea deal; sentenced to 4+ years
Read full article: Former DCPS custodian accused of multiple child sex crimes takes plea deal; sentenced to 4+ yearsJust as jury selection for a long-time Duval County Public School custodian facing multiple sexual battery charges was about to begin Monday morning, Wayne Williams pleaded guilty to a single charge of lewd and lascivious molestation.
Groundbreaking ceremony held for Highlands Elementary School
Read full article: Groundbreaking ceremony held for Highlands Elementary SchoolThe new school marks the third elementary school — out of 28 new public schools being constructed in Duval County — to be built under the taxpayer-funded master facility plan.
DCPS allows parents to surveil child’s mobile device activity with new app
Read full article: DCPS allows parents to surveil child’s mobile device activity with new appIn an effort to bolster internet safety and technological security, Duval County Public School leaders discussed the adoption of a new application that will provide parents more access to their student’s activity on any district-provided electronic device.
DCPS leaders break ground on new, improved Southside Estates Elementary School
Read full article: DCPS leaders break ground on new, improved Southside Estates Elementary SchoolDuval County Public School leaders plan to break ground Wednesday on a 94,000-square-foot rebuild of Southside Estates Elementary School, which will see the consolidation of students at the school’s current campus and Windy Hill Elementary, when it opens in August 2024.
Substitute teacher fired over video of empty bookshelf, DCPS says video doesn’t show the full story
Read full article: Substitute teacher fired over video of empty bookshelf, DCPS says video doesn’t show the full storyA Jacksonville substitute teacher is speaking out after he said he was fired from Duval County Public Schools after posing a video that went viral.
DCPS accessing Ian damage, will make decision on Monday classes this weekend
Read full article: DCPS accessing Ian damage, will make decision on Monday classes this weekendDuval County Public School announced Thursday that officials will use Friday to assess any damage to schools due to Tropical Storm Ian, close down shelter operations and begin cleaning up their campuses.
Duval County School Board discusses update to critical grand jury report on district crime reporting
Read full article: Duval County School Board discusses update to critical grand jury report on district crime reportingThe Duval County Public School board is poised to again discuss a recently released report from a Florida grand jury which accuses the former director of DCPS Police Department of severely underreporting instances of crimes on school campuses over a four-year period.
JSO clears scene after suspicious package found near Duval County Public School district office
Read full article: JSO clears scene after suspicious package found near Duval County Public School district office"School District headquarters are currently closed as a precaution as JSO investigates a suspicious package," Duval County Public Schools said.
Duval among 4 Florida School Boards sued over gender identity, sexual orientation law
Read full article: Duval among 4 Florida School Boards sued over gender identity, sexual orientation lawParents, students and a nonprofit organization have filed a federal lawsuit against four Florida school districts, challenging the constitutionality of a new state law that restricts instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms.
Duval County School Board bolsters district’s policy against students taking video on campus
Read full article: Duval County School Board bolsters district’s policy against students taking video on campusThe Duval County School Board strengthened the district’s rules against students taking video recordings on campus.
Children age 5 & older roll up sleeves for second dose shots at DCPS vaccination event
Read full article: Children age 5 & older roll up sleeves for second dose shots at DCPS vaccination eventDuval County students as young as five years old got their second dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine Saturday morning.
Duval virtual learners had higher rate of failing grades compared to brick & mortar students
Read full article: Duval virtual learners had higher rate of failing grades compared to brick & mortar studentsWhile Duval County students enter the homestretch of another difficult, pandemic-laden school year, grading data shows a subtle but apparent deficit in achievement by those students engaged in virtual learning when compared to those in traditional, brick and mortar classrooms.
Duval County parents can now cancel virtual learning for third quarter
Read full article: Duval County parents can now cancel virtual learning for third quarterJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County public school parents who want to take their children out of virtual learning for the third quarter can do that now, the school district announced Friday. Cancellation forms for Duval HomeRoom, the virtual learning option for Duval County Public School students, are available through the Parent Focus Account now through Dec. 4. “If the student is succeeding academically in HomeRoom, and the parents prefer for them to remain on the online platform, then no further action needs to be taken,” the district wrote in a press release. Florida’s education commissioner said this week that the state will allow for virtual learning into next year, but there are still questions about funding. Anyone with questions is asked to contact their school directly.
How many COVID-19 cases has DCPS reported since students returned?
Read full article: How many COVID-19 cases has DCPS reported since students returned?To help parents and students keep track of the number of reported COVID-19 cases in schools, the Duval County school district released an online dashboard. The dashboard only reports Duval County Public School employee or student cases impacting school operations. The total number of employees or students diagnosed with COVID-19 may be higher, according to DCPS. The cases are reported by DCPS on the date in which the district confirmed the results. Charter school data is not included due to incompatibility of information systems, according to DCPS.
How Duval County’s half-cent sales tax would benefit schools in your neighborhood
Read full article: How Duval County’s half-cent sales tax would benefit schools in your neighborhoodThe half-cent sales tax money would also go towards safety and security, building upgrades and renovations at schools across the city. For instance, at John E. Ford, a K-8 school in Northwest Jacksonville, the district decided on $11.7 million for upgrades. So when our children are in school, they’re healthy, we know that they’re safe, as far as the building is concerned," Buckley said. And in some of the other Northwest areas of Jacksonville," said Carlucci, co-chair of Duval Citizens for Better Schools. To see exactly how much of the tax money would go to each school if the measure is passed in November, click through to find every school on the interactive map below.
How a later start date could present challenges for Duval County teachers, students
Read full article: How a later start date could present challenges for Duval County teachers, studentsJACKSONVILLE, Fla. Its back to the drawing board for Duval County Public School leaders after the school board voted Thursday to reconsider some aspects of the superintendents reopening plan. I dont know that this particular time for our community is ... safe, said school board vice-chair Elizabeth Andersen. The final version of the reopening plan will be presented to the school board July 23. Parents with children who plan to use virtual learning through Duval Homeroom or the virtual academy need to register on the district website. The deadline is July 24 for Duval Homeroom and July 31 for the virtual academy, but there are some late enrollment possibilities.
Survey: Most Duval parents, teachers want to continue online learning until it’s safe to return to schools
Read full article: Survey: Most Duval parents, teachers want to continue online learning until it’s safe to return to schoolsJACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Most Duval County Public School teachers and parents want to continue online learning if it’s not safe to return to campuses when the new school year begins later this year, according to the results of a survey released Thursday by Duval County Public Schools. The district said it received nearly 50,000 survey responses from students, teachers and district employees. Based on average scores, most parents said they were most comfortable continuing online learning until it is safe to return to brick and mortar schools. Teachers also said they were most comfortable continuing online learning until it is safe to return to brick and mortar schools, with the next most popular option selected being a combination of face-to-face and online learning to ensure social distancing. Students, parents, teachers, district personnel and DCPS employees all felt least comfortable going to a completely online platform when returning for the school year.
Lockdown at Mandarin High lifted after campus searched for gun
Read full article: Lockdown at Mandarin High lifted after campus searched for gunJACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Police searched Mandarin High School on Friday after reports that a student was seen with a gun on campus, keeping students in a code red lockdown for a couple of hours. Police are searching the school to determine if a firearm is on campus, and therefore the school remains on code red. Because the school is on code red, please do not come to the school at this time. Despite that message, dozens of parents showed up, the line wrapping from the driveway past the high school's sign on Sunbeam Road. We are in the process of reaching out to parents at this time related to the Code Red at Mandarin High School.