Sean Gilliam, a sixth grader at Bunnell Elementary, correctly spelled the word buoyancy to defeat 16 competitors. Fifth grader Grayson Ronk of Wadsworth Elementary School was the runnerup.
Flagler County School Board
Worrisome Numbers for Black Students Behind Flagler School District’s “Touting” of Graduation Rates
The graduation rate for black students has taken a nosedive, with just 63.3 percent of black students are graduating, down 4.6% in 3 years. The numbers are especially bad at Flagler Palm Coast High School.
Flagler School District Earns Apple’s Distinguished Program Award
Flagler Schools was recently named as a Distinguished Program by Apple for the Digital Learning Movement in place across all district schools. Representatives from the company were at the last School Board meeting on Jan. 5 to make the announcement.
Kim Weeks (No, Not That One) Is Flagler’s Teacher of the Year, DeAndre Harris Takes Employee Honor
Kim Weeks is a media specialist at Old Kings Elementary School for 11 years, DeAndre Harris is a paraprofessional at Indian Trails Middle School where he works with Exceptional Student Education (ESE).
Flagler School Enrollment Flat For 8th Straight Year Even as Population Continues to Grow
Most of those moving into Flagler and Palm Coast are retired or non-working, while not enough working-age families with children are moving in to replace those moving out.
Artless Censors: The Flagler’s School Board’s Misplaced Allegiance to “Staff”
The Flagler school board shirked its responsibility when it chose to be a cheerleader for a principal instead of offering guidance and oversight after a student’s art work was censored at FPC.
Denied Belle Terre Swim Club, Innovative Soccer Academy Turns to Permanent Palm Coast Roots
The 57 students enrolled at Palm Coast’s Professional Sports Pathways are part of a growing trend of hybrid specialty school-skill training programs that also serve as magnets for families looking for specific educational opportunities.
Ethics Commission Orders School Board’s Colleen Conklin to Pay $1,500 Fine Over Mail Flub
The issue started as a $25-a-day fine over a late financial disclosure form that was itself never in question, that School Board Chairman Colleen Conklin never made sure had reached the commission.
“My Concern Is The Christian Kids”: A Pastor Raises Objections to Yoga in Flagler Schools
A local pastor complained to the school board that yoga and meditation in a wellness program at three Flagler County schools is a violation of the separation of church and state. The pastor largely misunderstands the $30,000 program, a grant through State Farm Insurance.
Next School Year’s Calendar Will Start on Aug. 10 and Restore Full Thanksgiving Week Off
Flagler schools’ 2016-17 calendar will start at its earliest date in recent memory, a full month before Labor Day, and end the day before Memorial Day.
Belle Terre Swim Club Gets a $25,000 Annual County Lifeline and Nears Membership Goal
County government’s annual contribution will make it more difficult for the school board to close the troubled Swim and Racquet Club, as will an advisory group’s campaign that has netted some 250 new memberships, or just 150 short of the goal the board set for January.
Transgenders in Flagler Schools: District Takes It Case By Case as State Scrutinizes More Than Nurtures
The state and, to some extent, Flagler County, have a long way to go to ensure that transgender students are treated not only fairly and equitably, but that the environment they face is more respectful than questioning, more welcoming than inhibiting.
Bottom Line Cost of Demolishing and Paying Off School Board’s Old ITT Property: $1.27 Million
The district bought the building in 2002 for $3.5 million. It will spend $200,000 to demolish it, $770,000 to pay off the mortgage, and $300,000 to renovate another location that will accommodate operations currently at the Corporate One property.
The Live Profile
Jim Guines, Smokin’ Shock to the System and Now 83, Will Be Celebrated Sunday
Jim Guines, the forceful and unpredictable member of the Flagler County School Board for 11 years until 2007, will be at the center of a community tribute Sunday at Flagler Palm Coast High School, at 3 p.m.
No Longer State of the Art, Flagler Auditorium Seeks School Board Support for Improvements
A joint meeting between the school board and the auditorium board revealed a wish-list of costly needs that would require the district to shift dollars and priorities toward the auditorium. First, school board members want more clarity on those needs.
Flagler Schools’ 1-to-1 Laptop Initiative Termed a Success, But Replacement Costs at $100,000 a Year
With almost 8,000 student computers in circulation, the Flagler district spent $194,000 on replacements and repairs in two years, well below projections, as the program spreads to middle and elementary schools.
For 4th Time in 7 Weeks, a Student is Struck by Vehicle in Palm Coast; Safety Panel Meets
Buddy Taylor Middle School student Maxim Bystrov, 13, was on his bicycle when an elderly driver violated his right of way at Belle Terre and Pritchard Tuesday, injuring the boy. Wednesday, the new traffic safety committee met.
Belle Terre Swim Club Has Until January to Find 400 Members or Close, Absent Savior
A divided Flagler County School Board voted 3-2 for a drop-dead date, relying on current members to build their ranks while leaving out, for now, a sports academy that sought to run the facility. But board members said such talks can continue.
Child’s Death at Bus Stop Prompts Creation of Joint School-City Safety Committee
Palm Coast City Council member Andy Dance and School Board member Andy Dance formed the joint committee with administrators from both agencies to explore safety improvements at bus stops.
Belle Terre Swim Club Pulled From Brink as School Board Turns to Community Group
In a remarkable turn-around for club supporters, the Flagler school board agreed to extend the life of the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club by turning over membership responsibilities to a community group and shortening hours of operation.
Flagler County Youth Center Marks 10 Years in Continuing County-School Board Partnership
Flagler County government built the $1 million youth center as part of a tax-supported referendum 10 years ago. The school board staffs it, under the leadership of Cheryl Massaro, its one and only director.
School Superintendents Have “Lost Confidence” in Florida’s Student Accountability System
The rebuke comes after months of controversy about the new Florida Standards Assessment, which was plagued by technical problems this spring, including computer glitches and a cyberattack.
At Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Fundraiser, It Felt Like the 1980s Again. That’s The Problem.
Even though a sizable crowd turned up for the fundraiser Sunday, the effort still falls significantly short of keeping the club going or convincing the school board that the group leading the effort can lease the property and make it work as a club again.
Worrisome Study in Hand, Lawmakers Question Tying Teacher Salaries to Test Scores
The study supported the use of the Florida Standards Assessment for school grades and teacher evaluations but said that “the FSA scores for some students will be suspect” because of the computer glitches.
“Somber” Board Severely Cuts Flagler’s Adults With Disabilities Program So It Can Survive
The program served 85 mostly full-time clients until it lost half a million dollars in state aid, forcing staff cuts and deep reductions in services. But unlike other districts, Flagler chose to keep its program going.
State Education Board’s “Historic” Funding Proposal Is Still $1,000 Per Student Below 2006 Level
In inflation adjusted dollars, current spending on public education is $1,100-per-student less than it was in 2007, and would still be $1,000 less if the Legislature goes along with a state board of education proposal.
Matanzas Woods Construction Forces Temporary School Bus Routes For Nearby Students
As school resumes Monday, transportation changes are afoot in the Matanzas High area, while the sheriff’s office has issued a series of cautions and tips to parents and students.
With YMCA Talks Dead, District Looks For Belle Terre Swim Club Savior in Final Effort
With the YMCA, Palm Coast and the county uninterested in supporting it, the days of the Belle Terre Swim Club as a public facility will end this fall if no bidder is found by early October.
Getting Past Cheap Praise: Superintendent Challenges Teachers to Adopt More Perceptive Mindsets
Speaking to 1,000 faculty members in a packed Flagler Auditorium this morning, Superintendent Jacob Oliva outlined the coming year’s objective the way savvy tech companies roll out new products.
School Bus Depot Building Behind FPC Briefly Evacuated After Worker Reaction from Mysterious 55-Gallon Drums
The large hangar at the school bus depot behind Flagler Palm Coast High School was briefly evacuated shortly after noon today when an employee there was indisposed after catching a whiff from an undetermined liquid in one of nine barrels behind the hangar.
Report on Active-Shooter Exercise at FPC Points to Serious Flaws in Command, Communications and Cooperation
The unvarnished after-action report paints a troubling picture of sheriff’s and fire rescue operations that worked poorly as a coordinated, cooperative and unified response, though they worked well in their individual parts.
News 13’s Jason Wheeler Becomes Face of Flagler Schools in District’s Push For Broader Community Appeal
Wheeler’s appointment is part of a reorganization reflective of Superintendent Oliva’s intention to broaden the marketing of the district’s programs to the community in hopes of further engaging the community at large.
Palm Coast Council Member Bill McGuire Wants End to City Funding of School Deputy
Palm Coast pays for one of the six school deputies on Flagler’s 11 campuses. McGuire wants the school district to pick up that cost, but he drew little support from fellow-council members.
Board Reverts Back to Old Rule: Middle and High School Students Must Wear ID at All Times After All
After the School Board agreed in June to ease the policy and let students only produce IDs on request, it decided this evening to go back to the original policy: all IDs must be worn at all times, or else the student will be subject to a visit to the dean’s office.
Flagler School Taxes Going Up About 4%, Heralding Season of Steeper Government Levies
The typical Palm Coast house valued at $150,000 will pay roughly $50 more in school taxes for the year even as the tax rate goes down slightly.
Say Goodbye: Old ITT Landmark and School Board Clunker to Be Demolished By Year’s End
The Flagler School Board got no bids on its 54,000-square foot building in pring, which it’ll pay $200,000 to demolish, after paying off a $770,000 debt on it.
School Board Hears Good and Bad of New Budget and Agrees to 3-Month Patch for Disabilities Program
The $2.5 percent state-funded budget increase falls short of restoring the money lost last year. The board agreed to a $120,000 band aid for the adults with disabilities program run by FTI, which lost its state funding this month.
Phoenix Will Close as All But Handful of Students Sign Up for Wadsworth’s New STEM Academy
An open house to introduce Phoenix Parents to Wadsworth’s new STEM Academy, and sell them on enrolling their children, was hugely successful Wednesday evening, sealing the fate of Phoenix for good.
$780 Million More for Education in Florida, But a $500 Million Property Tax Increase
The special session’s much-touted tax cut of $427 million is wiped out by a nearly $500 million tax increase to pay for education funding increases.
The End of Phoenix: Divided School Board Votes to Replace It With STEM Academy at Wadsworth
A contentious vote reflecting the board’s unhappiness with lack of transparency nevertheless led to the creation of a new STEM academy at Wadsworth, closing the long-embattled Phoenix Academy next fall.
School Board Seals Agreement Reforming Disciplining of Black Students, Ending Civil Rights Complaint
The Flagler County School Board this evening voted 5-0 to ratify an agreement with the Southern Poverty Law Center that seeks to eliminate racial disparities in school discipline, resolving a federal civil rights complaint the center filed three years ago.
Some Advances But More Retreats in School District’s Rankings in Science, History and Civics
In grade 5 science, the district’s ranking fell from 28 to 36 in the state, while 8th graders improved their science ranking significantly, from 28 to 15. High school history rankings slipped to 19th, from 8th last year.
Flagler’s Future Problem Solvers Claim 2 First-Place Trophies and 5 Overall at International Competition
Flagler County’s public school students have shined again, as they’ve made a habit of doing so at such competitions year after year, led by FPC’s Daniel Thomas and Rymfire Elementary’s group.
16 Matanzas High Seniors Still Awaiting Diplomas Because of Company’s Late Exam Scores
Pearson, the company scoring the Biology and US History end-of-course exams, has had a poor history of turning in its own work over the many years it’s administered standardized tests in Florida.
When LOL Means Loss of Life: Flagler Students Rap Texting-and-Driving In Video
A coalition of local agencies initiated by Chiumento Selis Dwyer led to a student video project at Matanzas High School and a 150-second public service announcement video warning of the dangers of texting and driving, which premiered Wednesday.
Flagler Schools Will Settle Civil Rights Lawsuit And Appoint Disciplinary Oversight Council
The lawsuit by the Southern Poverty Law Center had targeted Flagler schools’ disproportionate punishment of black students. The disciplinary oversight coalition will meet quarterly and publicly, reviewing disciplinary data and making recommendations to the superintendent.
In a Victory for Students, Divided School Board Relaxes High School Dress Code Substantially
Starting in fall, students in high school can wear school t-shirts, club shirts or team jerseys, as well as plaid and striped collared shirts. The policy does not change existing rules for middle and elementary school students. The board voted 3-2 to adopt the new policy.
We’ve Been Flocked! All Flamboyance For Future Problem Solvers’ Fundraiser
It was fabulous to wake up to a flock of pink flamingos on our lawn, part of a fund-raiser for Flagler County’s Future Problem Solvers, who head for international competition in Iowa in June.
At Rymfire Elementary, A Medical Lab Radiates School’s Health, Fitness and Science Flagship
Rymfire Elemetary teamed up with Florida Hospital Flagler and the Education Foundation to develop a student-centered medical lab as part of the school’s health-centered flagship program, and showcased it to acclaim Tuesday evening.
Superintendent Oliva Scraps 28 End-Of-Course Exams in Lower Grades in 1st Step of Broad Testing Revamp
The Flagler district is immediately scrapping 28 end-of-course exams in kindergarten through 3rd grade for science, social studies and special areas, with more eliminations likely for higher grades next year as the district implements a new, more flexible state law.