JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nearly 200 schools across Duval County will open their doors on Monday to welcome students back into classrooms for the new school year.
Some Duval families spent the last day of summer finishing last minute preparations.
Grace Ruben, who is going into 6th grade, was grabbing some last minute markers, incase she needs to do an art project at school.
Less than 24 hours before school starts and Grace is grabbing her last minute school supplies.
But she feels like she's ready to go back to school.
Her dad says they started preparing for the new year early, by establishing a school sleep schedule and meeting with her new teachers, but last-minute jitters are still present.
“Parents, you’re never ready. It’s the last day, especially this is her first time in middle school. So it’s a new world for her," David Ruben said.
The Duval County Public Schools District is the 20th largest in the nation, serving over 129-thousand students with close to 200 schools.
Empty shelves across the county give a glimpse of just how many students are ready for the first day.
“You can tell that Duval County is going back, so the shelves are looking bare," Keyanna Montague, mother of 3rd grade student, said.
For parents, the last day of summer is the time to buckle down.
“Early bed, we got to get back on that bed schedule. Off the tablets, we’re back down to no tablets during the week, and getting all the clothes out for the week and I think yeah, we’ll be ready," Montague said.
Duval County Public Schools leaders suggest creating a Linked Parent Account before the first day of school.