Hawk Nation Bulletin
July Newsletter
Hello Hawk Families,
The 2025–2026 school grades have been released, and I am delighted to report that Mandarin Middle is an “A” school! Congratulations to our students and teachers for their hard work and dedication. Thank you to our parents and guardians for your unwavering support throughout the school year—we could not have achieved this success without you.
As we celebrate this accomplishment, Hawk Nation is excited to announce our theme for the 2026–2027 school year: “Going for the Gold.” Together, we will continue to strive for excellence, set high goals, embrace challenges, and pursue our very best in everything we do. We look forward to another outstanding year of learning, growth, and achievement as we continue Going for the Gold!
Before attending the first day of school on Monday, August 10th, please see below important back to school announcements.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
As always, Go Hawks!
Principal Humphreys
Summer is the perfect time to relax, explore new interests, and dive into a great book! We encourage all students to participate in summer reading to strengthen their skills and stay engaged in learning. Visit your local library, explore digital reading options, and set personal reading goals.
Students are encouraged to participate in the Jacksonville Public Library Summer Reading Program. Students will be able to turn in their Reading Dragon cards for Hawk Bucks.
For more information on how your child can earn Reading Dragon cards, click below
2026 Summer Reading Challenge and Recommendations | Jacksonville Public Library
Keep your mind active this summer—we can’t wait to hear about what you’ve read when we return for the 2026–2027 school year!”
For our 6th grade families, if your child is presently served in a gifted program at their elementary school, we recommend completing the GATE application. Completed applications may be submitted to Mandarin Middle School to the attention of Ms. Humphreys (humphreysj@duvalchools.org) or Ms. McMillan (mcmillanm1@duvalschools.org). If you have any questions regarding the GATE process or the Advanced Academics course, please feel free to contact me. *If your child was previously enrolled in GATE classes, you do not need to complete another application.
GATE Application 26-27
The front office is operating on a four-day work schedule (Monday-Thursday) and will be closed on Fridays. Our office hours will be from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
We currently have a waiting list for students to attend MMS during the 26-27 school year. We would love to enroll additional students to Hawk Nation, but we do not have the enrollment capacity. If your child will not be attending MMS, please reach out to Principal Humphreys (humphreysj@duvalschools.org).
Registration for 2026-27 Extended Day will open Monday, July 13th at 8:00am. Pricing is not yet known. If you have specific questions regarding the Extended Day program at Mandarin Middle School, please contact Mr. Bacon: Bacons1@duvalschools.org.
Registration link:
https://dcps.duvalschools.org/o/dcps/page/2026-2027-extended-day-registration
Football, Volleyball, and Cheer
Contacts: Coach Dye (Dyej@duvalschools.org)
Coach Kulwicki (KulwickiD@duvalschools.org)
Date: Friday, July 17th at 6:00 pm
Location: Auditorium
We are already looking forward to welcoming your students back for the 2026-2027 school year! To ensure a smooth journey on day one, all bus riders—both new and returning, in General Education and ESE—must register for transportation. Remember, you must have a Linked Parent Account to get started.
Important Dates to Remember:
Wednesday, July 22: The final deadline to register to guarantee a bus stop for the very first day of school. (Requests submitted after July 10 will be posted approximately 10 days after submission.)
Monday, July 27: Bus stop details will be available to view on FOCUS.
The PTSA is excited to host a 6th Grade Summer Mixer on Monday, July 27th for all incoming Mandarin Middle School 6th grade students!
Choose one of two sessions:
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
This fun event is a great opportunity for students to:
- Meet new friends
- Play games
- Explore the school
- Get excited about starting middle school
Space is limited to 300 students, so be sure to sign up soon!
MMS Families: Register here for the 6th Grade Summer Mixer. We look forward to welcoming our newest Hawks to Hawk Nation!
https://url.usb.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/XoCvCM7qwyiqGlnVktwf8U8vUKy?domain=signupgenius.com
We are looking forward to seeing everyone during orientation. Families will have the opportunity to visit campus, receive their child’s schedule, and allow students time to locate their classes.
If your family cannot make it, please do not worry. Your child can receive the same information the first week of school. Also, you can view your child’s schedule through your Parent Focus Portal on August 3rd.
8th Grade: Wednesday, July 29th
- A–K Last Names: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- L–Z Last Names: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
7th Grade: Thursday, July 30th
- A–K Last Names: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- L–Z Last Names: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
6th Grade: Friday, July 31st
- A–K Last Names: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
- L–Z Last Names: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Football Tryout Date: Monday, August 10th
Volleyball Tryout Date: Monday, August 17th
Please contact dyej@duvalschools.org for more information.
In order to minimize heavy backpacks with unnecessary supplies, students will receive individual lists from their teachers during the first week of school. We also hope this helps our parents save a little money for back-to-school items.
A student's DCPS password is the key to keeping their account secure. Students in grades 6–12 have the ability to manage and update their passwords at any time, giving them greater control over their account security. Click here or review the attached flyer for step-by-step instructions on how to update your password. If you need assistance, please contact your school principal, who can help you with password management and account access.
Taking a few minutes to ensure your password is secure helps protect your personal information and keeps your account safe throughout the school year.
New state requirements, volunteers must be fingerprinted and cleared before they interact with the student population.
Tier 1: Volunteer with a teacher and whole class. (Students are never left alone with the volunteer.)
Tier 2: Volunteer one on one, field trips, or any situation where volunteer is alone
with a student.
Click the link below to register:
https://dcps.samaritan.com/custom/506/volunteer_registration
Monday, August 10th:
First Day of School 9:30am - 4:15pm
Monday, August 10th:
Football Tryouts
Friday, August 14th:
Jet's Pizza Spirit Night 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Monday, August 17th
Volleyball Tryouts
Thursday, August 20th:
Jersey Mike's Subs Spirit Night 5:00pm - 8:00pm
SAC Meeting 5:30pm
Thursday, August 27th:
Esports Meeting 6pm in Rm 55
JSO is sharing important safety concerns affecting students nationwide and within our community. Recently, there has been an increase in counterfeit (fake) vape products circulating among youth. These products are particularly dangerous because they are unregulated and may contain unknown and harmful substances, including toxic chemicals and even illicit drugs.
FortifyFL Link
Please review the link with your child if they are aware of any suspicious activity. The link is a reporting tool that allows anyone to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials. Students can also access the link on their school laptop. Thank you for helping us keep our school safe!