June 23, 2020 – Expressing our political beliefs is one of our most cherished rights protected by the First Amendment. But as we enter into an increasingly passionate public debate atmosphere – particularly on social media – many have reached out to us about whether school district employees can express their personal political viewpoints. There […]
Read More
June 9, 2020 – Going to kindergarten is a big step in a child’s life, and it’s a big step for parents too. A lot of parents may worry whether they’ve taught their kids enough to prepare them for the next step, which is why Duval County Public Schools has a Kindergarten Readiness Checklist. Kindergarten […]
Read More
May 26, 2020 –For our final week of Mental Health Awareness Month, I decided to be adventurous and give Calm Classroom a try. Calm Classroom? What is that? I know some of you may be familiar with Calm Classroom because your child already practices it. For the rest of us — including me — this was […]
Read More
May 20, 2020 – As Mental Health Awareness Month continues and I reflect on how we can live our best lives, I am drawn to the topic of substance abuse. No, I don’t’ have any “just say no” or “this is your brain on drugs” messages. I am interested in starting a larger dialogue about why some of us may turn to […]
Read More
May 11, 2020 –Not getting enough rest is a major culprit causing low energy or moodiness. Studies show that people limited to four to five hours of sleep experienced anger, sadness, and stress, which were all significantly reduced when they returned to the recommended seven to nine hours. If you’re thinking, “That’s not me! I go […]
Read More
May 4, 2020 –During May, we’re celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month by focusing our Duval Dialogue on topics that promote ways we can be healthy, strong and vibrant in all areas of our life. For example, fitness and nutrition may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about mental health. But eating […]
Read More
April 28, 2020 – Last week we covered how to follow the advice of Katrina Taylor, Director of Schools Behavioral Health, when it comes to staying socially connected. But in addition to the quality time we spend with others, we should also invest in quality time with ourselves. I spent two years in a mission community […]
Read More
April 20, 2020 – Earlier this month, we learned from Katrina Taylor – Director of Schools Behavioral Health – that combating this pandemic is more than just an external fight. It is internal as well. The same care and vigilance we take with social distancing, and using gloves and masks to protect our bodies, we […]
Read More
April 2, 2020 – The shift from school-based learning to home-based learning has been an interesting — and sometimes challenging — experience for all of us. We’re inspired by the support schools, teachers, parents, and students are sharing with one another through this uncharted territory. To lend a helping hand, we’ve consulted with our Chief […]
Read More