John Thrasher spent the first hour in his new position engaging with a group of about 25 confrontational students that had vocally opposed his recent appointment and now refuse to recognize him as the school’s new president.
Schools
Flagler School Board Makes Small Inroad for Some Employees’ Same-Sex Rights, But Other Agencies Dodge the Issue
The Flagler County School Board’s bereavement leave for same-sex couples formally acknowledges such unions, but only for support personnel, while teachers and employees of other government agencies still have no such rights.
UF and FSU Get New Presidents, Flagler Loses Sen. Thrasher, Special Election Next
The Board of Governors unanimously ratified Thrasher’s and Kent Fuchs’s appointments. Thrasher’s resignation is expected to set off a feeding frenzy in a special election for what may turn into a Senate seat and two House seats.
Old Kings’ “Leader In Me” Program: Corporate Indoctrination Posing as Character Education
Old Kings Elementary implemented FranklinCovey’s “Leader in Me” program with little oversight or proof of its effectiveness, through a $68,000 grant. Carmen Sanford, an Old Kings parent, sees too many similarities with Iron Curtain-era indoctrination.
As Florida Bans Use of Biometric IDs in Schools, Other States Scale Back on Big Brother
Laws cracking down on student-tracking technology reflect a growing sense of unease among parents over how biometrics are being used, what student data is being collected and stored and what security protects the information.
Daytona State College’s Harold Trey Orndorff, Poli-Sci Ace, Named Among Best Profs
Trey Orndorff, 31, earned runner-up status as Professor of the Year during the Association of Florida Colleges’ (AFC) 65th Annual Convention held this week in Destin, Fla. The organization represents Florida’s 28 state and community colleges.
12 Years in a Row: FPC Marching Band Bulldogs and Starlets Straight Superior Again
John Seth’s marching band at Flagler Palm Coast High School earned the highest rating possible in all categories by earning Straight Superior ratings for the 12th year in a row. Video included.
Sanford, Ferguson, Tallahassee: When Cops Act Like Vigilantes
When police from Sanford to Tallahassee protect themselves or FSU football players and sit on information that should be disclosed and vigorously pursued, they invite mistrust and charges of a cover-up.
Please Don’t Take a Seat: Flagler Schools Start Adapting to Stand-Up Desks in Fitness Push
A new trend is emerging at Flagler schools. It’s now all about “active learning,” a teaching style aimed at promoting better health and academic performance. At Belle Terre Elementary, that means adjustable standing desks.
The Other University Presidency: UF Selects Kent Fuchs, Cornell Provost and Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Kent Fuchs’s resume includes six years at Purdue University, where he was head of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and little more than a decade at the University of Illinois, where he was a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Coordinated Science Laboratory.