We all roll on

WE ALL ROLLON

The Jax Roller Derby Girls prepare for their biggest battle yet: fighting COVID-19.

From rink rash, grand slams and hip whips to taking a knee and nine month injuries in the time of COVID-19, the Derby Girls have seen it all. Liz who’s derby name is “Lil Lass Kicker” and Rachel who goes by “Traumakazi” tell us all about what’s shaking these days with roller derby as they navigate how to deal with COVID-19 much like all of the worlds full-contact sports. During the Great Depression, Leo Seltzer invented a spectacle called Roller Derby. According to highrollerderby. com, at the time, it was believed that 93 percent of Americans roller skated at some point during their lives Traumakazi tells us that although skating started as a hobby, it has since elevated to being as competitive as some Olympic sports. “In the beginning they didn’t even wear helmets and it was quite rough,” said Traumakazi. “They would close line each other and even go so far as knocking each other out.” Of course in effort to make it safer and more appealing to potential members it’s not quite as rough these days, it even has its own governing body known as the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). Jacksonville Roller Derby League was founded in March 2006, and is the city’s first and only flat-track roller derby league. Ranked 17 out of nearly 400 teams in the world, the Jacksonville Roller Derby team has worked to become one of the very best. Being elite athletes, they train much like Olympians do—they should know, one of their local team members is a former Olympian. Jacksonville’s league consists of over 50 members. Derby team members balance full-time jobs along with the full time sport of derby. Lil Lass Kicker tells us “The Jax league consists of every type of person from homemakers to doctors, food service industry workers, Olympians, archaeologists, scientists, and more.” Most might view the derby as a very diverse sport, but board members feel it needs to include more diversity and are constantly making efforts to outreach within the community. The Jacksonville League is recognized for its athleticism but they are also known for their volunteer efforts as they donate time, labor, goods and more to the community and charity organizations on the regular. Derby has been greatly changed by the COVID-19 outbreak. Currently they are working with their governing body to outline a protocol for derby returning, which includes analyzing the percentages of positive tests in certain populations, in hopes of gaining an acceptable level to be able to return to even train in a rink. In the mean time some of the members are taking a break due to a “nine month injury,” meaning taking time to work on building a family. “Our members and family members must come first and waiting will be worth it, said Tramakazi. “Next season may be a bit limited as a result of putting safety first.” So while it’s a waiting game now, soon derby will be in full force showcasing those grand slams, hip whips, and rink rashes. For more information about the Jacksonville Roller Derby go to JacksonvilleRollerDerby.com or find them on Facebook @JacksonvilleRollerGirls.

FOLIO STAFF MAIL@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM PHOTOS BY DAVID ORTIZ

It’s July, when students are typically busy enjoying the last few weeks of summer before starting school. This year, the coronavirus pandemic has added a new level of uncertainty: will students return to class or continue distance learning at home? Local school district leaders have had to grapple with these issues, even as COVID-19 news changes daily. If teachers thought preparing for the fi rst day of school was challenging before, they now face the added pressure of having to keep students six feet apart, in masks and ensuring proper sanitization. These likely requirements are why district superintendents began back-to-school planning initiatives soon after the previous school year ended. Duval County Public Schools released its early insights on June 23, planning to reopen schools on Aug. 10. Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene added that the proposed reopening plan offered families exactly what they asked for -- options. Then on June 30, the DCPS School Board voted unanimously to install transparent screens in classrooms unable to guarantee a six-foot separation in between students. Students who choose to return to school may still be subject to temperature checks, frequent hand washing and hand sanitizing in addition to the screens, according to the district. Since June 30, DCPS held socially-distanced graduations on various dates at school football fi elds and TIAA Bank Field; with only two people permitted to attend per graduate. Also, First Coast High School and Frank H. Peterson Academies were added to the City of Jacksonville’s list of drive-thru, appointment-only COVID-19 testing sites from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. One major announcement came on July 6, when the Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran issued an emergency order impacting school reopening plans throughout Florida. While this announcement does not mean DCPS has to void its initial plan per say, it could mean that additional amendments to the early insights plan will be made. The possibility of more or less return-to-school options for parents and students are yet to be formally announced. While presenting options helps ensure districts are prepared for any level of COVID-19 exposure and progression, some students believe that distance learning is simply not up to par with classroom learning.

Lola Olivieri, 14, is preparing for her freshman year at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts. “COVID-19 caused my eighth grade graduation to be cancelled, as well as an end-of-year dance and class trip,” Olivieri said. She added that, while she was looking forward to participating in the DA theater program and making new friends, she believes elected offi cials need to increase restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19 so that she and her peers can return to school as soon as possible. In her words, Jacksonville was “slow to close and quick to reopen.” “We’re paying for it now with the rise in cases, and I don’t think the appropriate steps were taken to slow the spread,” Olivieri said. “[My peers and I] are absolutely devastated. We’re all going into highschool in the fall. That’s a nerve-wracking experience in itself, but to go into it largely online? That’s terrifying.” LINDSEY NOLEN MAIL@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

DCPS DECISION TIMELINE

FOLIO VOICES: “I honestly feel less comfortable being stuck at home. I didn’t like distance learning, and had very little motivation to do my schoolwork because I didn’t get to see my friends.”

- Merideth Anglin, 8th grade