DCPS

Jacksonville stay-at-home mom of three, Whitney Touchton will soon spend almost the next half-year of her life in an intensive leadership program aimed at school parents and caregivers.

Duval Public Schools Superintendent Diana Greene said at Tuesday’s school board workshop, she’s willing to compromise with the showing of videos teaching students what to do if an active assailant were to come on campus, by not showing them to the youngest students.

The Duval County School District will show students videos teaching them what to do if a shooter were to come on campus. The videos are meant to help prepare students and staff before state-required active assailant drills later this month.

Duval County Superintendent Diana Greene said during a workshop Tuesday the district will now consider parent and teacher input when selecting new principals. It’s a process she used in her former district of Manatee County.

By law, all schools in Florida are required to employ a sworn officer or trained guard by the first day. With not enough guards hired, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is assigning officers to fill the gap.

The Duval County School Board — minus one member —  has been strategizing against an education amendment set to appear on Floridians’ ballots this November.

State law says medical marijuana dispensaries are allowed to open up where pharmacies can, which means a couple different types of commercial zones in Jacksonville.

With the Florida Department of Education’s release of school grades last week, the fate of two low-performing Duval schools was decided.