The majority of students in the region have to go back to school despite heat warnings; 2 new schools opened in Duval

JACKSONVILLE, Florida. – Monday is the first day of school for most students in Northeast Florida.

Tens of thousands of children will go back to school, which will bring major changes to their daily routine and traffic.

The following school districts will begin classes on Monday: Duval, St. Johns, Nassau, Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Flagler, Putnam and Union County. Students in Clay County will receive an extra summer day and begin classes again on Tuesday.

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“It’s an exciting day to have students back in the classroom, our teachers and staff coming back. It’s just a fantastic day, a little sleepless last night, but a fantastic day,” new DCPS Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier said Monday morning. “First of all, we’re under a heat advisory. Make sure to give your kids a bottle of water or one of their water containers. Please make sure they have fluids to drink. To our community, school. We have 100,000 students out and about in our community. Turn off your cell phones. Stay alert while driving and look out for kids because they’re not always looking for you.”

Maximum temperatures will be above 30 degrees, but the perceived temperature will be above 30 degrees and reach up to 45 degrees in some places.

There may also be delays on the school bus on the first day. You can check the DCPS website for information about delays.

New Duval Schools

Two new schools will open for the first time in Duval County on Monday.

Highlands Estates Academy and Chafee Trail Middle School were both funded with the half-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2020.

This money was used to improve schools, build new schools and increase security at existing schools.

A total of 104 projects have already been implemented with the money.

Highlands Estates Academy combines two elementary schools, Highlands Elementary and Pine Estates Elementary.

Highlands Estates was the third elementary school built using the half-penny sales tax.

It is more than 11,000 square meters in size and can accommodate about 750 students.

The total cost of the project was $53 million.

Three of the original campus buildings were saved by the district and integrated into the new school.

“This building is a sign of great hope,” Bernier said. “But I heard it the other night: Working conditions are learning conditions. Learning conditions are working conditions, and our children and our staff now have a first-class learning facility.”

On the west side, Chaffee Trail Middle School will also welcome students for the first time today.

It was the first middle school built and funded by the 50 cent sales tax. It has space for over 1,100 students.

This school will accept students from both Baldwin Middle-Senior High and Charger Academy.

“It’s pretty great because you know it has promise,” said father Michael Mas.

“I really like that they decorated almost every part of the school walls, it’s really cool. It’s really beautifully designed, and I like the fact that they made a lot of promises here,” said sixth-grader Dylan Lozada Morales.

Of the other sales tax-funded school projects in Duval County, 25 are currently under construction and six are still in the planning phase.