Don Brewer Elementary School Parent Connection

Summer Learning!

2010-06-24T11:03:00.005-04:00

Are you looking for something to keep your youngster busy during the summer? Want to keep their minds sharp and ready for school in August? Well, here's your answer! If you click on the title, "Summer Learning!", it will lead you to a warehouse of summer learning packets that are age appropriate for your child. Please look at all of the offerings which include summer packets for reading, math and science as well as suggested reading lists.

Don't forget to also access the following web tools. You may find these resources on our school's webpage www.duvalschools.org/donbrewer

*Destination Success:

Username: first name + last name + 3 digit school number (217)

Password: 2 digit birth month + 2 digit birthday

**do not add spaces when logging in

*Compass Odyssey

Username: lower case "s" + student number (no spaces)

Password: Capital letter first name + 2 digit birthday + lowercase 1st letter of last name + last 4 digits of social security number

We hope everyone has a wonderful summer break. We look forward to seeing all of our families on Thursday, August 19th at 10:00 for "Meet the Teacher". You will receive in the mail a postcard to let you know your child's teacher for the 2010-2011 school year. Remember, school begins Monday, August 23rd. See you then!

Homework Help!

2010-04-22T14:14:00.002-04:00

Have you ever wonder what in the world your child is supposed to do on their homework? Well, if you click on the title of this post, it will take you directly to our district's homework help section. It will help you to:
*ask questions about homework

*access live homework help

*access visual demonstrations for subjects like science and math

*external links for assistance in the core academic areas (reading, math, science)

This site is constantly updated so check back often for changes.

FCAT Tips for Parents

2010-03-08T16:02:00.003-05:00

Well.....tomorrow (March 9th) starts our annual testing blitz for our students. So...the question is "How can I help my child now?". Well, that's a great question! You can help your student by:

*Making sure they get a good night's rest EVERY night.

*Provide a healthy breakfast. Protein filled items like peanut butter toast, eggs, and cheese are great "brain food"!

*Encourage your child to do their best every day. We talk about how they can "FOCUS" on each individual question. Use the word, "FOCUS" with them as well.

*Lastly, help them to relax and pace themselves. Did you know the pace of taking a test is critical to their success. Students need to "feel" what 60 minutes of testing feels like. Time them by practicing homework or other practice items.

When the scores come back in May, celebrate your child's accomplishments. Encouragement goes a long way for future success.

It's FCAT Time!

2010-02-09T09:40:00.004-05:00

It's FCAT Time again! As we edge closer to FCAT testing dates, there are some important things that PARENTS can do to help their children. Here are some tips:

Students need to be at school each and every day! Did you know that coming in tardy (even 10 minutes) disrupts learning for EVERY child in that class?
Review their homework each and every night. As a parent, I realize how tired we must feel at the end of the day. However, when skills are not practiced and reinforced, they are lost. Just doing homework each night helps to reinforce these skills with your child.
Keep in communication with your child's teacher. By working together as a team, you will see great progress in your child's learning. He/She can suggest ways to prepare for the tests.
Visit the public library! Go to the library on a regular basis. Find reading material that can help support reading instruction in the classroom. Practice the reading skills and strategies that your child is learning in class. For example, if the class is working on Main Idea, then let's find some books and find the Main Idea together.
Use the electronic resources at your fingertips. FCAT Explorer is a great tool that students can use. Each student has their own username and password. If you do not know what it is, please contact your child's teacher to get it. Our school's webpage also has a link for "Web Resources" that you can do at home. Just visit: www.duvalschools.org/donbrewer
Provide a good breakfast. Did you know that protein is BRAIN FOOD? Foods like peanut butter, eggs, and cheese are good for the body and the mind. These are easy foods to put together, but make a big difference. Remember...sound mind, sound body!
Finally, look forward to the test. That's right! You and your child have worked very hard and now it is "Time to Shine". We encourage our students to 'show what they know'. The children have been exposed to everything they need to be successful. All they have to do know is do their best.

In May, we can look back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Celebrate the accomplishments of our students. Thank you for ALL that you do to help make our school a place "Where Great Minds Grow and Students Bloom"!

FCAT Explorer

2010-01-05T21:03:00.003-05:00

As we march closer towards our FCAT testing time, YOU can support your child's learning through FCAT EXPLORER. FCAT EXPLORER (www.fcatexplorer.com) is an online tool that you can use to help your child work through reading and math problems. Your child was given his/her username and password. If you would like further online tutorials, you can visit our school's webpage at www.duvalschools.org/donbrewer. Destination Reading & Math are also great tools for your child to use on a daily basis. If you have any further questions about these resources, please contact our school's webmaster (Mr. Rush) at 745-4990.

Winter Break Learning Packets

2009-12-12T17:50:00.000-05:00

Well...the holiday season break is quickly approaching and I bet you're wondering how are you ever going to keep that youngster(s) of yours busy. Did you know it will be almost 3 weeks that students are not actively learning during the break? Well, Duval County's Academic Programs have coordinated winter break learning packets for students in Kindergarten-8th grade in the areas of reading, math, and science. Just click on the title ("Winter Break Learning Packets") above for the list of all of the packets and resources.

On the last day of school before the break, students will be given these packets. So, look in that backpack and have them bring it out at least for 15-30 minutes each day. It will help them continue and be prepared when they come back to school in January 2010! Have a safe and happy holiday.

Parent Portal Opening Soon!

2009-10-01T21:34:00.000-04:00

Calling all parents! If you have ever wanted to access your child's grades and other important information in one quick spot, your wish will be coming true very soon. Duval County Public Schools is proud to announce the Parent Portal. Soon , we will be sending information home how you can access this wonderful tool. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Save the Parent Portal link: https://dcps.mygradeportal.com/

Make sure the school has your email account. Please call us at 745-4990 so we can update your child's records.

We will create a system for you to receive the username and password which is required for entry into the portal.

Once the portal is open, we hope this service will be of great help to you and your child.

We're Off To A Great Start!

2009-08-29T22:24:00.000-04:00

We're off and running for a great school year at Don Brewer Elementary School! The opening of school was a smooth success. We want to welcome those that are new to the Don Brewer family. This year, we welcome Mrs. Stewart to 3rd grade, Mr. Roberts to 4th grade, Ms. McAllister and Ms. Renfroe to our ESE team and Ms. Marty (from Merrill Road) to our paraprofessional team. We are so thankful to have these wonderful teachers to be a part of our outstanding team of educators. All of these individuals are committed to making every child successful at Don Brewer.

As you may be aware, we had to make some changes to our dismissal procedures. We added a new feature called: Park and Pick Up. This allows for parents and authorized adults to park in our parking lot and sign out students. We still have our car rider option for parents. Please make sure that you inform your child's teacher how your student will get home everyday. This allows for quicker dismissal for all students. PLEASE do not ask your child to be a walker and pick them up in the parking lot. This is a major safety concern to allow and encourage your child to walk unescorted as buses and other cars are constantly using the road between the sidewalk and the parking lot. We thank you for your attention to this matter.

Don't forget the following dates!

September 3rd @ 7:00 p.m.: Open House

September 24th beginning at 5:30: Family Learning Night

We look forward to a wonderful school year at Don Brewer!

August 24th is the First Day of School!

2009-08-04T19:55:00.001-04:00

August 24th is the first day of school for the 2009-2010 school year. We are so excited to have you and your child as a part of the Don Brewer family. Here are some upcoming events that you will definitely want to mark your calendar to attend:

*August 20th at 10:00 a.m. "Meet The Teacher". This is your opportunity to introduce your student to your child's teacher, go to the classroom and take a brief walk around the building to acclimate your family with our building facilities. It is also the opportunity for returning Brewer Bobcats to see some of their friends. You can also join PTA while you are here. Only $ 5.00 per family member. More than one family member can join.

*August 24th: 1st Day of School. Students may arrive beginning at 8:00 a.m. We hope that all students will be in their classrooms no later than 8:30 a.m. Beginning the first day of school on time is the first step to school success!

*September 3rd: 7:00 p.m. OPEN HOUSE. We invite you all to our Open House. This will allow you to spend some time with your teachers to see what a "day in the life" of school is like for your child. There will be representative from various organizations that help support student learning at Don Brewer. We hope to see you there!

In the "Share" Box below, you will find documents throughout the year that you may find helpful. Please check back often.

I would like to personally encourage you to join our School Advisory Council. We meet the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. Please look for our table at Open House on September 3rd.

You might find it helpful to check our website: www.duvalschools.org/donbrewer

We update this website frequently and you won't want to miss it!

Summer Time Reading

2009-06-26T10:15:00.000-04:00

Are you looking to keep your youngster busy during the summer and keep his/her reading skills sharp? Well...here is your answer. If you click on the title, it will take you to Duval County Public School's list. It will list the title of the book, level and genre. Remember, you can add these titles when school starts in the August towards the Million Word Campaign.

Just ask your child's teacher what the requirement will be for recording reading for the Million Word Campaign. Don't forget about the Destination Success Reading and Math programs. You can find the link to these websites on our school's website under "Web Resources". Check us out at www.duvalschools.org/donbrewer. Happy Reading!

Summer Learning Opportunities

2009-05-17T08:51:00.000-04:00

Duval County Public Schools is offering a great summer learning opportunity for your student. There are two unique programs that Don Brewer students can attend if they meet the eligibility requirements. Here are our two programs:

*3rd graders who scored a Level 1 on FCAT: If your child would have been promoted to 4th grade except he or she scored at FCAT Reading Level 1, this 6-week program is for you. (This program will also accept students who scored at FCAT Reading Level 1 and failed reading on the report card.) Students will work on a portfolio and prepare for an exit test through a rigorous curriculum and intervention plan. Attendance policy applies. All students will attend one of twelve summer school sites.

*3rd-5th graders who received an overall F on their report card for reading or mathematics: If your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade child would have been promoted to the next grade except he or she failed READING or MATH only on the report card, this 6-week program is for you. Students will be engaged in a rigorous standards-based reading or math program to prepare for a grade level exit benchmark test. Attendance policy applies. All students will attend one of twelve summer school sites.

Important Information:
*Students will attend their "neighborhood" school.
*Dates: June 22-July 31
*Don Brewer's Neighborhood Site: Fort Caroline Elementary School (904) 745-4904

What A Great School Year It Has Been!

2009-05-16T21:35:00.000-04:00

As we come to the close of another great school year at Don Brewer, I would like to personally thank each and every parent who volunteered 5 minutes to the success of our students and therefore, our school! YOU make the difference! The next few weeks will be filled with lots of activities including play days, our final Principal's Party for the school year, volunteer appreciatoin breakfast, the 5th grade field trip to the Diamond D Ranch, and, of course our awards ceremonies. If you have the opportunity, take time to be a part of these events with your child. You will make memories that will last a lifetime!

WE ARE THE DON BREWER BOBCATS!

2008-05-04T15:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Don Brewer Elementary School Blog! We are proud to be a part of the Arlington community right here in Jacksonville, Florida. At Don Brewer, we serve students in grades 3-5. Our sister school, Merrill Road Elementary School, serves students PreK-2. We are a standards-based school who utilizes a variety of academic programs like Reader's Workshop, Writer's Workshop, Math Investigations, Everyday Math Counts and Science Investigations. We are fortunate to have Art, Music, PE and Media. We also have a computer lab for students access. Please check back frequently for new updates.