Earl Johnson has been the executive director of leadership and operations for Flagler County schools–a position similar to that of deputy superintendent–for the past three years.
Schools
School Board Superintendent Interviews: Cathy Mittelstadt
Cathy Mittelstadt, an assistant superintendent for operations in St. Johns County for the past three years, spent the majority of her professional years, almost all of them in leadership positions, in Florida’s top-ranked school district.
School Board Superintendent Interviews: Janet Womack
Janet Womack, a 2016 Alabama Superintendent of the Year and the second of four candidates the Flagler school board interviewed for superintendent today, spoke repeatedly of framing her leadership aims toward excellence: “What is the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae, what will set us apart from the rest?”
School Board Superintendent Interviews: Vernon Orndorff
Vernon Orndorff, a 12-year veteran of Flagler schools who rose to the No. 2 administrative position before taking a job in a small Texas district three years ago, was first up this morning among four candidates for superintendent interviewing with the Flagler County School Board.
Full House and Senate Will Vote on Requiring ‘Moment of Silence’ in Schools
The Senate Rules Committee on Monday signed off on a bill (SB 946) that would direct principals and teachers to give students up to two minutes each day to reflect on anything they want.
How the School District Allowed “Rocco” Paffumi To Keep Teaching Despite 5 Violent Incidents
Jeffrey Rocco Paffumi, the former Buddy Taylor Middle School teacher who physically threw a student out of class in January, had a long and documented history of violent behavior in and out of the district, including two arrests and at least five previous instances of violent behavior toward students or adults, men and women–in 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2014. Yet he was allowed to keep teaching.
Flagler School District Explains Its Role and Parents’ Responsibilities in Wake of Coronavirus Outbreak
The Flagler County school district issued a statement regarding district protocols in place in response to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, and precautionary expectations as far as what parents and guardians may or should do.
Without Apologies: Why EPAC Exists, and Why We Are Concerned About the Choice for Superintendent
Kristi Furnari, secretary of the Exceptional Student Education Parent Advisory Council, explains the organization’s deep and at times controversial involvement in the Flagler school district’s search for the next superintendent.
Orndorff, Mittelstadt, Johnson and Womack Will Be Interviewed for Superintendent; Conklin Eliminated
Combining local and non-local applicants, the Flagler County School Board will interview four candidates for superintendent: Kathy Mittelstadt, Vernon Orndorff, Earl Johnson and Janet Womack.
Hearts and Rainbows v. Satan and Lies as LGBTQ Advocates and Opponents Hold Neighboring Demonstrations
The two demonstrations by advocates and opponents of LGBTQ rights outside the Government Services Building in Bunnell preceded the Flagler County School Board meeting Tuesday night, which again was dominated by transgender rights issues.
Issuing Superintendent Preferences, ESE Committee Is Sharply Critical of Process and Local Candidates
The Exceptional Student Education Parent Advisory Council, a group of volunteers recognized but not sanctioned by the Flagler County School Board, issued its own recommendations for superintendent–a list of six candidates, none of them local, while pointedly excluding or sharply criticizing four of the local candidates who’d made a different short list.
The Quiet Rooms: How School Employees in Illinois Used Isolation Timeouts Illegally
The investigations found public schools throughout the state overused seclusion, routinely breaking the law that allowed children to be placed in isolated timeout only when there was a safety issue.
Jim Tager Lands Superintendent Job in Vermont, But Not Before End of Local ‘Marathon’
A 1,700-student school district in northeast Vermont voted unanimously this week to appoint Jim Tager its next superintendent as the Flagler School Board’s search for his replacement approaches its conclusion.
Retreating from HPV Vaccine in Flagler Schools, Health Department Expands Its Own After-School Hours for Access
The second Tuesday of every month starting May 12 the Flagler Health Department will make all vaccines for all ages available free to accommodate parents who can’t take advantage of the department’s morning immunization schedules.
In Flagler Primary for Superintendent, Orndorff, Mittelstadt, Johnson and Conklin Are Committee’s Top Choices
Vernon Orndorff, Cathy Mittelstadt, Earl Johnson and Colleen Conklin each got 50 percent or more votes from the 20-member citizens’ committee making non-binding but still weighty recommendations for superintendent to the school board.
Special Education Council Draws Up Superintendent Recommendations as Board’s Consultants Fret
Flagler schools’ Exceptional Student Education Parent Advisory Council is submitting a list of superintendent candidates it deems worthy of further research to the school board-appointed citizens advisory committee. EPAC’s involvement was not quite welcomed by the board’s consultants.
The School Board’s Proposed Decorum Rules Are a Pretext to Silence Critical Information
The Flagler County School Board is considering speech restrictions at its meetings that include comment cards before a person can speak and prohibiting references to staff, students or anyone in the district.
Religious Leaders Defend Parochial Schools’ Shunning of LGBTQ Students on Taxpayers’ Dime
Religious leaders and some black lawmakers on Tuesday escalated a fiery debate over anti-LGBTQ policies at private schools that receive state-funded scholarships, fueling discussions of religious freedom, discrimination and politics.
Colleen Conklin’s Name and Harsh Charge Overlay Superintendent Search Advisory Panel’s First Meeting
School Board member Colleen Conklin’s decision to run for superintendent on at least seven occasions dominated discussions and concerns at the first meeting of the board-appointed Citizens Advisory Committee charged with drawing up a selection of top candidates from a list of 35.
School Board’s Trevor Tucker Asks For Expedited Attorney General Opinion on Conklin’s Superintendent Application
School Board member Trevor Tucker wants Attorney General Ashley Moody to shed clarity on the legal and ethical implications of Colleen Conklin’s “unprecedented” decision to apply for the superintendent’s post from her seat as a school board member.
Colleen Conklin, Candidate for Superintendent, Takes Leave From School Board to Avoid Conflicts
School Board member Colleen Conklin said to avoid any appearance of conflict and reduce difficulties for her colleagues, she would step back from board duties until the appointment of the new superintendent on March 17.
Rubio Derides as ‘Publicity Stunt’ Banks’ Funding Halt to Vouchers Underwriting Anti-Gay Schools
An investigation found at least 156 Florida private schools that took state-funded scholarships had anti-gay views or policies, and 83 of the schools refused to admit LGBTQ students or could expel them if their sexual orientations or gender identities were disclosed.
Girl Who Threatened to Kill FPC Teacher in Racist Screed Gets Probation, and Must Write Essay on Hate Speech
The 17-year-old former Flagler Palm Coast High School girl last December was found guilty of terrorist threats to kill her English teacher through racist-laced electronic messages with another student in December 2018.
School Board: Don’t Boot Out 4 Advisory Panel Citizens in Superintendent Search Because of Conklin’s Application
Stephen Furnari is one of the Conklin appointees to the Citizens Advisory Committee, and a representative of the ESE community. But he and three other Conklin appointees are being excluded from the committee now that Conklin is applying for superintendent.
Colleen Conklin Applies for Flagler Superintendent in Bold But Risky Move After 20 Years as School Board Member
Colleen Conklin, at 20 years the longest-serving member of the Flagler County School Board, this afternoon applied to be the next superintendent, a move that triggers a series of ramifications and places her four colleagues in the odd position of deciding whether to be her boss.
FPC Principal Cautions of Anonymous Threat With ‘Some Specificity’ as Campus Security Heightens
An anonymous threat was reported by way of a tip to Flagler Palm Coast High School officials, who are taking precautions this morning, heightening security sweeps.
Marcus Foundation Pledges $5 Million For Civics Education and Debate in Florida Schools
Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative with The Marcus Foundation for elevating civic knowledge, civic skills and civic disposition for middle and high school students.
Just 21 Apply for Flagler Superintendent With 4 Days to Go, Among Them Vernon Orndorff
Cathy Mittelstadt, the deputy superintendent in St. Johns County Schools, and Vernon Orndorff, previously Jacob Oliva’s right-hand man in the Flagler district, are among the applicants. The window closes Jan. 31.
NCAA Looking at Florida and Other States as Athletes’ Pay Is Debated
NCAA leaders reaffirmed they won’t support a system that makes students paid employees of schools, something Florida isn’t looking to do.
Military Training as College Credits? It Could Soon Be Reality in Florida
Florida lawmakers are fast-tracking legislation that would allow service members and veterans to receive college credits for their military training, with the goal of saving time and money.
Beyond Transgender Student’s Transfer Out of Matanzas, Calls on School Board to Take LGBTQ Safety Seriously
A throng of students, faculty members and parents asked the Flagler County School Board Tuesday to support more explicit procedures protecting LGBTQ students as Charlene Cothran, a Palm Coast pastor, again attacked the a transgender student and ridiculed LGBTQ rights.
Palm Coast’s Inaugural Tech Beach Hackathon Glimmers With Stress-Tested Innovations
Palm Coast’s first “Tech Beach Hackathon” at City Hall was a weekend cramming session of tech developers connecting their just-designed apps to local healthcare problems looking for a solution.
Buddy Taylor’s Michelle Coolican and Plant Services’ Lynn Mellow Take Top Honors in School District’s Annual Gala
Michelle Coolican and Lynn Mellow were named the 2020 Teacher and Support Employee of the Year for Flagler Schools at the district’s annual gala celebration at Flagler Auditorium Thursday evening.
A Day After a Teacher Is Arrested for Battering a Student, a 15-Year-Old Is Arrested for Battering FPC Dean
A 15-year-old Flagler Palm Coast High School student was arrested and charged with battery against FPC Dean Erin Davis, the student’s second such charge involving a faculty member since August.
Flagler Schools’ Graduation Rate Rises to 89%, Powered by Girls
There is a sharp disparity between boys and girls: among girls, 97 percent of Matanzas’ students graduated, and 91 percent of FPC’s did. Among boys, the rate was 91 at Matanzas and 82 at FPC.
Florida Lawmakers Pressured to Increase Penalties Over School Safety as Grand Jury Finds Flaws
The grand jury wants the Legislature to give the Florida Department of Education more power to investigate non-compliant districts and to allow the state agency to sanction local school officials, reprimands that could include fines or removal from office.
Jeffrey ‘Rocco’ Paffumi, 47, Teacher at Buddy Taylor Middle, Arrested for Battery on a Student, 14
Jeffrey Allen Paffumi, a teacher at Buddy Taylor Middle School, was arrested after physically throwing a 14-year-old student out of his classroom after the student would not turn down his music and called him a name.
Favoring Student Profits, House Speaker Says College Athletics Have ‘Basically Become Pro Sports’
House Speaker Jose Oliva offered support Tuesday to lawmakers who want Florida’s college athletes to be able to cash in on their names and images, as three influential House committees prepare to jointly discuss the issue next week.
School Board’s New Suicide-Prevention Policy Would Require Training for All Faculty
With youth suicide rising sharply in the past decade, the Flagler County School Board will discuss adopting a proposed suicide-prevention policy, the district’s first, which calls for two hours of continuing education training for all faculty, including administrators.
DSC’s Florida Lifestyle Institute Announces History Course for Seniors
The Florida Lifestyle Institute at Daytona State College opens the gateway to infinite opportunities and learning experiences. Starting January 21, the Florida Lifestyle Institute in conjunction with Wisdom In Senior Education (WISE), will host a three week history course for seniors, entitled “From the Crown to Brexit: A History of the United Kingdom in the […]
Daytona State College Awarded Grant from Department of Justice
The $300,000 grant is a three-year renewal of previous funding and helps Daytona State build on the success of its recently completed Campus Program.
Flagler School Board Lets a Pastor Insult a Transgender Student at a Meeting, In His Presence
Rev. Charlene Cothran of Palm Coast called a transgender student “mentally ill” and his father “confused” and “intimidated” in both their presence during a Flagler County School Board meeting this week, with pushback only from Colleen Conklin.
Fight at FPC Over Student’s Clothing Turns Into Brawl, But No Charges Are Filed
Sheriff’s deputies concluded the Dec. 11 fight had started within the school, then spilled into the parking lot by the Auditorium, involving dozens of students, and briefly continued in the parking lot near Olive Garden and through SnapChat.
Daytona State College to Admit New Cohort into Massage Therapy Program this Spring
Daytona State College’s Massage Therapy program will admit a new cohort in the Spring term of the 2019-20 academic calendar. The program is limited access, but only requires a standard GED and students must be 18 years old. A background check and drug screening are also required to ensure candidates are eligible to sit for […]
Florida House Revives Controversial College Survey That Would Undermine Intellectual Freedom
During the final hours of the 2019 legislative session, Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, warned senators the so-called intellectual freedom survey would “keep coming up again” and urged the Senate to block it from passing every time.
Amicus Curiae: The 16-Year-Old FPC Girl Was Racist. She Was Stupid. She Was Not Criminal.
In the case of an FPC girl who wrote bigoted threats about her teacher last December, the prosecution is making outlandish claims that it was act of terrorism, stretching the meaning of a 2018 law passed after the Parkland massacre. The law does not apply, as even the prosecution acknowledged the case’s weaknesses.
DeSantis Orders All High School Seniors to Take Civics Exam Similar to Immigrants’ Citizenship Test
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday his administration will require all high school seniors in Florida to take a civics exam, similar to the one taken by people who want to become naturalized U.S. citizens.
For Public, Diversity and Technology Don’t Rate as High as District’s Priorities in Superintendent Search
Inspirational, trustworthy and innovative. On top of current educational issues. Financially savvy. Good listener. Familiar with Flagler schools. Those are the top qualities unidentified respondents want in the next Flagler County school superintendent, according to a school district online survey.
School Boards and Superintendents Back DeSantis Pay Raise Plan
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposal to set a minimum $47,500 salary for public-school teachers received a boost Thursday when it was backed by the Florida School Boards Association and the Florida Association of District School Superintendents.
Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri Honored with LeRoy Collins Hometown Hero Award by Association of Florida Colleges
Craig Capri, a 1989 graduate of Daytona State College’s Law Enforcement Academy and current Daytona Beach Police Chief, has been honored as the 2019 LeRoy Collins Hometown Hero Award winner presented by the Association of Florida Colleges (AFC).