School Board member Trevor Tucker confirmed he was considering a run for tax collector in four years, and if so would not run for school board again in 2018, while Commissioner Nate McLaughlin has his eyes on Paul Renner’s House seat in 2022.
Schools
Roma Court Academy Burglar Uses Classroom to Shack Up for a Night
A burglar at Roma Court Academy off Palm Coast Parkway stole money intended as Christmas presents and a computer tablet and used a classroom to sleep or take a nap sometime around Christmas.
Controversial “Best and Brightest” Teacher Bonus Pay Program Heading for Revisions
Under Best and Brightest, first approved by lawmakers in 2015, teachers who are highly rated and scored in the top fifth of the test results on the SAT or ACT, are eligible for bonuses of up to $10,000.
Flagler School Board Finds New Way to Recite The Pledge: With Pixels and iPhone For All
In a retreat at Cattlemen’s Hall on the county fairgrounds today, the Flagler School Board faced a dilemma: there was no flag to which to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. A minor debate ensued, then Superintendent Jacob Oliva found a solution.
In “Retreat,” Flagler School Board Meets to Revamp Its Rules as Tucker Seeks Streamlining
The public is not likely to detect too many changes, other than the obvious reduction in actual meetings, which will be cut in half. But more subtle changes will be apparent.
The Unnecessary Controversy Over “Sanctuary Campuses”
Even if colleges were targeted by the Trump administration, numerous privacy and legal obstacles remain before administrators would be enlisted in identifying students for deportation.
Enrollment in Florida’s 28 State Colleges Plummets 13.5% as Economy Rebounds
The actual head count of state college students is about 780,000 this year, down from a peak of nearly 900,000 in 2010. More than 60 percent attend part-time.
Thrasher, at FSU, Pledges to Kill “Campus Carry” Gun Bill Again As He Did in 2011
The so-called “campus carry” bill, which in the past has been approved by the House, has already re-emerged as an issue for the 2017 legislative session.
Flagler Schools’ Bus Drivers and Nurses, Among Others, Finally Get Modest Pay Increase
Bus drivers, among the lowest paid employees in the district, will get a $2-an-hour raise, nurses will get a $3.65-an-hour increase, improving recruiting in those positions. Administrators, too, are getting a raise: 25 cents an hour.
Two FPC Students Involved In Feared Plot Against the School Face Felony Charges
Two of the six students suspended from school after the feared plot was uncovered in September were charged with making false bomb threats and apparently expelled from school today, but have not been arrested.