Calling all 1965 AJ Tigers

The Andrew Jackson class of 1965 will be holding our  56th class reunion  November 13, 2021  on the river’s  edge at the  beautiful and historic Ortega River Club, 4165 Lakeside Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32210   

 The fun will begin at 5PM with a meet and greet social hour. A cash bar is available for your favorite adult beverages.

  Bono’s BBQ will be served at 6:30 followed by music and socializing.

 The cost of your reunion is $30.00 per person if paid by October 12, 2021. . $35.00 after October 12. You can pay by check or PayPal.  Add $10 per person if you wish to join us for the Friday night cookout. There will be no walk ups for the Friday night cookout.  ***

 Friday night option! ***

 Our class is able to attend the Friday night dinner at the Ortega River Club. You would bring your meat of choice to grill on their gigantic BBQ grill. The charge for Friday night will be $10 per person that includes salad, baked potato, dessert, ice tea and water.  . 

We will share the club on Friday Night with the members of the Ortega River Club.

The PayPal address is ggarciaiii@gmail.com

Call Floyd Veal 904 742-4917 or George Garcia (904) 707-2800 with any questions.

 Nearby motels-Hilton Garden Inn Orange Park or Hampton Inn and Suites   (833) 677-0150

https://www.classcreator.com/Jacksonville-Florida-Andrew-Jackson-Senior-1965/

The School Advisory Council for Andrew Jackson has met and come up with the proposed names:Springfield High School for Advanced Technology, East Side High School, Main Street High School for Advanced Technology, Springfield High School or retain the name Andrew Jackson High School for Advanced Technology.

VOTING on the proposed name change will take place will be 4/27 - 5/7 from 10am-6pm at Jackson!!!

All voting must be done in person.

Please bring your identification that will identify how you are and for ladies please bring verification of your name as it was in high school. Bring your yearbook if you have one which will help with the process.

The Duval County School Board is considering renaming many of the area schools of which Andrew Jackson duval schools you can check out the informational Why on for updates at duvalschools.org/ajhs.  Below a list of meetings scheduled for Jackson.  Let me point out there are other local schools, Ribault, Lee, Kirby Smith who are also being considered.  Share this link dcps.duvalschools.org/tracker for information on all of the schools involved.
 
There will be people attending these meetings who will speak negatively about Jackson.  I feel we need speakers at these meetings who will highlight the positive things that Andrew Jackson did throughout his life.  Each speaker has 1 1/2 minutes to speak.  The Jackson basketball coach spoke at the last meeting,y pride in being from Jackson. To him I would say, pride like any opinion - like prejudice, is taught.  He can coach them in the game of basketball.  He should be able to tell him the good things that Jackson did.  Unfortunately, the opposition hammered home the fact that Jackson had slaves and his participation in the Indian Trail of Tears which forced the Indians off their land in the Carolinas.
 
Remember, it is time to let your voice be heard either at one of these meetings and/or to your school board representative.  Only Jackson alumni, current students and parents of current students will be allowed to vote.  When you go to vote, you will need an id bearing your name at graduation, or high school diploma, possibly even your year book reflecting your picture.  As far as I know, voting will be done in person. Voting will be  April 26th - May 7th, 2021.  Presently it is schedule to be done during the day.  We need to have some evening time so that folks who work, can have an opportunity to vote.  
It is important that you write each of the School Board Representatives and Sup. Diana Greene greened@duvalschools.org .  A few points

(1) Why is this being discussed now in the midst of the COVID pandemic, when so many are not getting out,

(2) Many of these schools are close to 100 years old.  Why now is it an issue,

(3) Presently voting hours will be between 2-4pm at Jackson.  We need some evening hours so that those who work are able to vote.and

(4) How will these changes be paid for? 

Surely they aren't considering the 1/2 cent sales tax that was recently voted on to improve the school buildings.   Another opportunity to speak out is to contact Jackson's School Advisory Council (SAC).  Those comments should be forwarded to Laura Mobley, Administrative Assistant to Principal Moreland.  Laura's email is mobleyl1@duvalschols.org.  She will forward concerns onto the SAC committee.  The SAC committee will recommend the names to be considered.  The options will be to either retain the Jackson name or rename it, perhaps as an area name.  As was the situation when Forrest High was renamed Westside High.  There will not be any names of persons living or deceased added to the list for consideration.  
 
The next meetings are listed below. 
• March 16, 2021 – 6:00 - 7:30 pm in the Auditorium
• March 18, 2021 – 6:00 - 7:30 pm in the Auditorium
• March 24, 2021 – 6:00 - 7:30 pm in the Auditorium
 
Community Balloting:
• April 26th - May 7th, 2021
 
 
SAC Meeting to determine Ballot:
•April 13th @ 6:00 pm in the Cafeteria
 
Duval County school board members are:
 
District 1 - The Honorable Dr. Kelly Coker|  cokerk@duvalschools.org   
District 2 - The Honorable Elizabeth Andersen  andersene1@duvalschools.org
District 3 - The Honorable Cindy Pearson|  pearsonc1@duvalschools.org
District 4 - The Honorable Darryl Willie|  willied@duvalschools.org
District 5 - The Honorable Warren A. Jones |  jonesw2@duvalschools.org 
District 6 - The Honorable Charlotte Joyce |  joycec@duvalschools.org
District 7 - The Honorable Lori Hershey |  hersheyl@duvalschools.org
Phone Numbers:
District 1 - The Honorable Dr. Kelly Coker | 390-2371
District 2 - The Honorable Elizabeth Andersen | 390-2386
District 3 - The Honorable Cindy Pearson| 390-2239
District 4 - The Honorable Darryl Willie | 390-2374
District 5 - The Honorable Warren A. Jones | 390-2372
District 6 - The Honorable Charlotte Joyce | 390-2373
District 7 - The Honorable Lori Hershey | 390-2375

They want to rename our Alma Mater

Subject: Possibly renaming Andrew Jackson next meeting 3/1/2021



You are receiving this email as you are a member other than the class of '64.  Please share with as many of your classmates/friends/cousins/family members as soon as possible.  It is important that our voice be heard. Also if you have friends from Ribault, Lee, John Gorrie, Kirby Smith - it affects them also.  Their meeting dates will be different.  Refer to the duvalschools.org for those dates. Thanks, Dianne Haines Roberts, Class of 64

My husband and I attended the meeting this past Tuesday at Jackson for the possible renaming of the school.  This is a county wide effort to rename any school named for after a confederate leader. 

There were approximately 15 people in the auditorium.  Each speaker had 1 1/2 minutes to speak.  There were 5 Jackson alum who spoke, myself from '64, Bubbles Winn and Vinnie Ferreira '63, Ray Moore '62 and a lady from '89.  We all spoke of our proud heritage and the rich tradition we had from attending Jackson.  One student spoke who said he thought it was time for new traditions at Jackson.  The Principal said that there was a playoff game that night which probably kept many students, faculty and parents from attending 

There will not be any new names of people alive or deceased added to the list of options.  Retaining Andrew Jackson will be the only name.

It is important that we have as many alum as possible to attend and speak at these meetings.  Again, you comments are only 1 1/2 minutes long - so there is no need to be nervous.  Also important is that we all send emails and/or call all of the school board members and let them know how we feel.  There were two school board members present.  Our own school board member was not present.  The board member for Robert E. Lee came over and spoke to us after the meeting.  She stressed the importance of letting all of the board members know how we felt.  She said Lee had their army ready to speak the next night at Lee's meeting.  From what I heard their auditorium was filled, as was an over flow area. Tigers we can do better than the few who attended last week.  There is ample parking in a lot on the 30th Street side of the school.  Call your friends and carpool.  

I encourage everyone to contact all of the school board members (emails are listed below) and the Supt. Dr. Diana Greene greened@duvalschools.org.   

A few points to make (1) Why is this being discussed now, which requires people to come out during the COVID 19 pandemic.  Many have not been vaccinated at this time and do not feel comfortable attending functions.Since voting can only be done in person, this is ridiculous at this time.  (2) These schools are rich in tradition, generating many public figures, elected officials at local, state and national levels, movie stars, educators, Police/fire personnel, private citizens who have made contributions in health, science, photography, authors, sports - the list goes on. (3) Many of these schools are almost 100 years old.  Why now, is it an issue to rename them? (4) Presently the voting hours are to be between 2-4pm from 4/26-5/7 at Andrew Jackson. There should be some evening hours to accommodate those who work. (5) Why is voting restricted to only "in person", as many alum live out of town.

Another opportunity  is to contact Jackson's School Advisory Council, SAC.Any questions you may have for Jackson's SAC can be sent to Laura Mobley, Administrative Assistant to Principal Moreland.  Laura's email is mobleyl1@duvalschools.org   She will forward all correspondence to the SAC team.    

The Duval County School Board is considering renaming many of the area schools of which Andrew Jackson is one.  You can check out the information for updates at duvalschols.org/ajhs.  Below are a list of meetings scheduled for Jackson.  Let me point out there are other local schools, Ribault, Lee, Kirby Smith who are also being considered.  Share this link dcps.duvalschools.org/tracker    for information on all of the schools involved.

There will be people attending these meetings who will speak negatively about Jackson.  Remember, it is time to let your voice be heard either at one of these meetings and/or to your school board representative.  Only Jackson alumni, current students and parents of current students will be allowed to speak and vote.  When you go to vote, you will need an id bearing your name at graduation, or high school diploma, possibly even your year book reflecting your picture.  As far as I know, voting will be done in person. 

• February 23, 2021 – 6:00 - 7:30 pm in the Auditorium

• March 1, 2021 – 6:00 - 7:30 pm in the Auditorium

• March 16, 2021 – 6:00 - 7:30 pm in the Auditorium

• March 18, 2021 – 6:00 - 7:30 pm in the Auditorium

• March 24, 2021 – 6:00 - 7:30 pm in the Auditorium

Community Balloting:

• April 26th - May 7th, 2021

SAC Meeting to determine Ballot:

•April 13th @ 6:00 pm in the Cafeteria

Duval County school board members are:

District 1 - The Honorable Dr. Kelly Coker|   cokerk@duvalschools.org   

District 2 - The Honorable Elizabeth Andersen   andersene1@duvalschools.org

District 3 - The Honorable Cindy Pearson|   pearsonc1@duvalschools.org

District 4 - The Honorable Darryl Willie|   willied@duvalschools.org

District 5 - The Honorable Warren A. Jones |   jonesw2@duvalschools.org 

District 6 - The Honorable Charlotte Joyce |   joycec@duvalschools.org

District 7 - The Honorable Lori Hershey |   hersheyl@duvalschools.org

Phones:

District 1 - The Honorable Dr. Kelly Coker | 390-2371

District 2 - The Honorable Elizabeth Andersen | 390-2386

District 3 - The Honorable Cindy Pearson| 390-2239

District 4 - The Honorable Darryl Willie | 390-2374

District 5 - The Honorable Warren A. Jones | 390-2372

District 6 - The Honorable Charlotte Joyce | 390-2373

District 7 - The Honorable Lori Hershey | 390-2375

Community Balloting:

• April 26th - May 7th, 2021

SAC Members Cast Individual Votes:

• May 11th @ 6:00 - 8:00 pm in the Cafeteria

MEMO

TO:                  ANDREW JACKSON CLASS OF 1965

FROM:             55^th CLASS REUNION COMMITTEE

DATE:              APRIL 29, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 virus your Andrew Jackson Reunion Committee has voted to postpone our 55^th Class Reunion scheduled for July 18, 2020.  In these uncertain times, we feel that it is in the best interest of the health of all of our class members.

The new date will be Saturday, July 17, 2021, on the river’s edge at the beautiful and historic Ortega River Club, 4165 Lakeside Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32210.   

The fun will begin at 5:00 PM with a meet and greet social hour.  A cash bar is available for your favorite adult beverages.  Bono’s BBQ will be served at 6:30 followed by music and dancing.

The cost of your reunion is $50.00 per person.  Details for mailing your check or paying by PayPal will be provided at a later date.  If you have already paid for the 2020 event, we will refund your money as soon as possible. 

We will also have a Friday night event and details for that will follow at a later time.  It will require a reservation made by you to the Club as before.

Look for updates as soon as the City of Jacksonville opens after this pandemic!  Please stay healthy!  We love and miss you all and are sorry we have to reschedule this event, but feel it is the most prudent thing to do!

We look forward to a wonderful and even better event in 2021!

Regards,

Andrew Jackson Class of 1965

Reunion Committee

The following postcards have been returned and I know some of these people are around somewhere.  Please post and ask "if you know where you are or if someone else knows where they are, please let us know."  That way they respond via the website? 

Bunny Mostyn  McHenry, Art Pollan, Nelson Riner, Kenneth George, Norman Connelll, Jr., Craig Perry, Ronnie Chesser, Alice Luckie Taylor, Richard Kincaid, William Dew

Thanks,

Your Tiger Reunion Committee