Step Up For Children CEO Doug Tuthill is shameless about the way his organization–the administrative agent for Florida’s school voucher program–spends lavishly on political races, which may explain why a Senate proposal to vastly expand the voucher program this year foundered.
Schools
Bill Vastly Expanding School Vouchers Dies As Questions About Accountability Mounted
The decision represents a defeat for the GOP’s Will Weatherford, who was home schooled as a child and strongly pushed the expansion of the system, which gives companies tax credits for donating to scholarship funds that help children attend private schools. Under the bills, retailers would have been allowed to divert sales-tax payments to the system.
In-State Tuition For Undocumented Immigrants Passes House, 81-33, as GOP Opposition Thins
The measure allows undocumented immigrants to pay cheaper, in-state tuition rates if they attend Florida middle and high schools for at least four straight years before going to college.
As Flagler District Prepare to Offer Voluntary Pre-K at all 5 Elementary Schools, Board Questions Raising $60 Fee
The half-day VPK programs are free, but many parents opt to leave their children for longer hours that coincide with extended-day care before and after school, at a cost of $60 a week. District administrators are looking to raise that fee to accommodate the expansion of VPK.
Common Core and FCAT Replacement Test Leads “Florida Standards” To $220-Million Contract With AIR
The $220 million contract with American Institutes for Research, which has been providing tests for just seven years, will be cheaper than it would have been to go forward with a test developed by a multi-state consortium that Gov. Rick Scott ordered Stewart to back away from last year, according to the Department of Education.
6-Year-Old Girl Is Baker Acted From Old Kings Elementary; Palm Coast Man Accused of Rape
The 6 year old’s Baker Act is the second time in two weeks that a young child was Baker Acted from an elementary school in Flagler. Separately, Andrew J. Vasquez, a 23-year-old resident of 56 Filbert Lane in Palm Coast, was arrested on March 9 and charged with rape.
NRA-Backed Measure to Let Armed Vets and Ex-Cops In Schools Triggers Controversy
Under the bill, opposed by the state School Board Association, principals and school superintendents could appoint staff members or volunteers who are military veterans with honorable discharges, active military or retired law enforcement officials as gun-toting “designees.”
Girl, 15, Uses School-Issued Macbook to Record Alleged Sex Assault by 22-Year-Old Man
Keith Foreman III, an R-Section resident, is in jail this morning on $11,000 bond, on charges of lewd and lascivious battery and marijuana possession following an incident his alleged 15-year-old victim video-recorded on the Macbook Air issued by the Flagler County School District.
A 7-Year-Old Girl Is Baker Acted at Belle Terre Elementary; It’s Not Punishment, District Says
The Baker Acting of a 7-year-old girl at Belle Terre Elementary last week, following a report of her allegedly lacerating the dean of students with thumb tacks, is one of three or four Baker Acts of students in the district every month, though they’re usually older. The district defends the Baker Acts as a necessary last resort that addresses underlying issues, and that must not be seen as retribution or punishment.
A Matanzas High Teacher Reveals Her Evaluation Scores, and the Absurdity of Florida’s “VAM” Scam
What do my almighty “VAM” scores reveal about me, my students, the quality of my instruction or what goes on in my classroom? Absolutely nothing, writes JoAnn Nahirny, who deconstructs Florida’s new teacher-evaluation scores, hers among them, and shows why they have little basis in reality, though they may well define a teacher’s fate.
For Special Education Students in Flagler, a Program That Unlocks Barriers Through Art
Now in its second year, Very Special Arts is an after-school program for students with learning disabilities that helps them find their talent and their place among peers. The program is under the leadership of Sue McVeigh, a former Flagler County schools employee of the year.
Flagler Beach Woman and St. Johns Man Face Capital Charges of Raping 2 Girls Younger Than 12
Rhonda Lynn Wilkerson, 49, of Flagler Beach, faces one rape charge and William C. Dillow, 27, of St. Augustine, faces two rape charges, after girls in a Flagler County school revealed the alleged incidents to staff. The incidents took place in St. Johns County.
Bitter Criticism and Some Caution from Flagler School Officials on State’s Teacher Rankings
The Flagler and Florida Education Association, the state’s teachers union, is criticizing the state’s so-called “value-added model” that presumes to rate teachers’ effectiveness, calling the data “flawed.” Many teachers and a Flagler County School Board member are also critical of the data, but for varying reasons, while Flagler’s superintendent cautions against making too much of the numbers.
“Massive Expansion” of School Vouchers Would Fund Private Education at Public Expense
Under the proposal, retailers could divert sales-tax payments to the system; middle-class families would qualify for partial scholarships; and each scholarship would cover more of the cost of attending a private school.
12-Year-Old Rymfire Elementary Girl Faces 2 Felony Charges in Knife Incident at Bus Stop
The 12-year-old Palm Coast girl faces charges of aggravated assault and the reckless display of a weapon, both felonies, for allegedly pulling a 12-inch knife on a 10-year-old boy and threatening to slash him. Both the boy and the girl accuse the other of teasing repeatedly in the past.
Florida Lawmakers Edging Toward Offering In-State Tuition for Some Undocumented Immigrants
A measure allowing some undocumented students to receive in-state tuition was easily approved Wednesday by a House subcommittee, but the bill still faces a steep climb in the Senate.
Matanzas and Flagler Palm Coast High Learn Of Suicide of Senior Alexandria Rodriguez
On Tuesday, the grandfather of Alexandria Rodriguez, an 18-year-old senior who’d attended Matanzas High School last year and Flagler Palm Coast High School until Thanksgiving, came to FPC to retrieve her two younger sisters and inform the administration that Alex, as she was known, had committed suicide that morning.
State Board of Education Approves Common Core Changes But Opposition Persists
The approval followed a raucous public hearing that seemed to indicate that passionate opposition to the benchmarks remains despite a concerted effort by Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Department of Education to tamp down conservative anger over the standards.
Ronald Reagan Republicans Launch Campaigns In Every Local Flagler Race, Signaling Insurgency Against GOP Incumbents
Six candidates introduced themselves Monday evening, including two for school board, two for the Palm Coast City Council, and two for the Flagler County Commission. Six of the seven are running against incumbent Republicans, suggesting that the Triple-R’s are looking to be the insurgent candidates of this election cycle—against their own party.
In a 1st, Flagler Requires All Juniors to Take SAT, Raising Concerns About County’s Image If Grades Drop
On February 26, almost 1,000 juniors–double the usual number–will take the SAT at Matanzas and FPC, but School Board member Colleen Conklin worried that the resulting drop in average results may send the wrong message to families and businesses looking to relocate to Flagler County.
No Surprise: Flagler School Board Votes 5-0 To Appoint Jacob Oliva Superintendent
The initial tally, reflecting how board members ranked the two candidates, was actually 4-1, with Collen Conklin voting for Pam Tapley of Osceola County schools, but the vote to actually appoint Oliva superintendent was unanimous, to reflect the board’s unanimity.
Jacob Oliva, In Commanding Performance Through Superintendent Interview, Describes Gains and Promise of Innovations
Acting Flagler Superintendent Jacob Oliva was second and last in the school board’s interviews Thursday. Surprising board members by challenging existing norms such as zero-tolerance policies, Oliva projected a strong command of his administrative leadership while outlining a series of recent innovations and more to come.
In Day’s 1st Interview, Superintendent Candidate Pam Tapley of Osceola Projects Bubbly Personality, Passion and Generalities
First of two interviews for school superintendent Thursday, Pam Tapley proved immediately personable, well-spoken, occasionally funny and comfortable with herself and the board, but she was less in command of specifics when answering probing questions by the board.
Youth Leadership Flagler’s 2nd Class Looking For 10th-Grade Applicants
The Flagler County Chamber of Commerce is looking for 10 future leaders of Flagler County to join the organization’s Youth Leadership Program next fall. The application deadline for current 10th graders is March 14, 2014.
Scott Proposes Increasing Education Funding By $542 Million, Mostly For Public Schools
The bulk of the new spending — $542 million — would go to public schools. While that is far lower than the approximately $1 billion increases Scott sought in each of the last two years, his office touted the fact that it would bring spending on education to the highest level in state history in terms of raw dollars, though unadjusted for inflation.
Yet Another Candidate For Superintendent Withdraws, Reducing Interviews to Two
Kevin Perry, an assistant superintendent in St. Lucie County schools, is the latest candidate to withdraw from contention, which means only acting superintendent Jacob Oliva and Osceola Assistant Superintendent Pamela Tapley will be interviewed on Thursday.
Board Picks 3 For Superintendent Interviews, But 2 Will Have To Travel on Their Own Dime
The Flagler school board elected to interview Jacob Oliva–its current acting superintendent–James Parla of New Jersey and Pamela Tapley of Osceola County, but the board was bitterly divided over whether to pay for candidates’ accommodation and travel. A 3-2 split decided against paying.
Fulfilling Pledge, Rep. Travis Hutson Files Animal Cruelty Bill Inspired By FPC Student
Animal abuse may cost abusers far more in penalties and punishment if a bi-partisan bill inspired by Flagler Palm Coast High School student Morgan Purtlebaugh and filed by Rep. Travis Hutson last week becomes law.
A Palm Coast-Based Referee, 66, Is Accused of Inappropriately Touching a Star 14-Year-Old Girl During a Game, and a Team Is Rattled
Marion Al Jennings, a Palm Coast retiree who officiates with A-1 Officials Association, faces a battery charge for allegedly grabbing a 14-year-old girl’s buttocks and rubbing her breast as he officiated her game earlier this month at Calvary Christian Academy. A-1 referees also officiate at Matanzas and Flagler Palm Coast High School.
State Plans to Rebrand Common Core to “Florida Standards,” But With Minor Changes
Stewart said the changes — which include 60 new standards, 37 clarifications and two deletions — and the inclusion of standards beyond the reach of Common Core, which only covers English and math courses, justifies the new name.
Superintendent Search Group Ends With Short-List of 5 to School Board, Including Oliva
After a day-long process Tuesday that included working through lunch and not adjourning until 4 p.m., the search committee for Flagler County’s next school superintendent agreed to recommend five names to the school board: Mary Murray, Jacob Oliva, James Parla, Christopher Quinn and Pamela Tapley.
Cindy Moore and Jill Espinosa Earn School District’s Top Honors for 2013
Cindy Moore, a testing coordinator and secretary at Flagler Palm Coast High School, was named the 2014 Employee of the Year, and Jill Espinosa, a kindergarten teacher at Belle Terre Elementary, was the Teacher of the Year.
Superintendent Application Window Closes With Just 20 Applicants, Several of Whom Are Already Disqualified
It is an unusually low number for superintendent postings across the state, but not a surprising one considering the circumstances in Flagler, where Jacob Oliva is a heavy favorite, his front-runner status broadly publicized. All the applications are included.
With 3 Days To Go, Flagler Superintendent Job Draws Just 13 Applicants and Fewer Serious Contenders
Candidates may have been turned off by the school board loudly and repeatedly telegraphing its favoritism for Assistant Superintendent Jacob Oliva, with the job posting straddling the holidays and the abbreviated search process likely not helping. The applications are published in full.
How I’m Graduating My Children From College Debt-Free: Planning, and Lots of Hard Work
Explaining what it takes to develop college-ready students and debt-free parents, columnist and Matanzas High teacher Jo An n Nahiriny describes the frustrations of dealing with students and families who don’t plan ahead and busts the myth that a college education must be debt-ridden.
Appeasing GOP Panic Over Common Core, Gov. Scott Promises Revisions To State Standards
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said earlier this week that her department would propose about 40 changes to the voluminous education benchmarks. The overwhelming majority of the changes Stewart is set to propose would add material to the state’s version of the standards.
Superintendent Search Committee Signs Off on Applicant Pool Criteria, But Questions Speed
The 40-odd questions aim to provide as objective a set of criteria as possible to weed through the pile of superintendent applicants and reduce it to a short list of four to six names that will be passed on to the school board as recommendations.
Board May Forego Buying Out Superintendent Valentine’s Contract, Saving her $18,000
School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin is recommending that the board not buy out the $75,000 and six months remaining on Superintendent Janet Valentine’s contract, since the board would owe her benefits through July, and Assistant Superintendent Jacob Oliva is running the district with no plans of having the permanent position filled until July 1.
A Flagler Farewell to 2013: The Local Year in Review
A tornado, plane crashes and mishaps, Flagler County going bonkers for clunkers, a spate of murders in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach’s firehouse follies, Bunnell’s reality show: 2013 is ending not a moment too soon. But first, a review.
Ryan Peeling of FPC One of Two Teens-In-Flight Students Admitted to Embry-Riddle
Two Teens-In-Flight students–Ryan Peeling of Flagler Palm Coast High School and Cora Rand of Seabreeze High–have earned admission at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University for the Fall 2014 session, with scholarships.
Your Backpack Please: Florida Appeal Court Rules Legal Search Based on Anonymous Tip
A high school student who took a loaded gun to school argued that the search of his back-pack, based on an anonymous tip, was illegal. A 2-1 ruling of the Third District Court of Appeal disagreed.
Matanzas High Community Awakens to Suicide of One of Its Own, 9th Grader Dalton Coxwell
Dalton Coxwell, a 9th grader at Matanzas High School, hung himself at his home in Palm Coast the afternoon of Dec. 18. The school is responding to students’ grief with a stepped-up presence of administrators and counselors while a school board member asks that social media be monitored.
With 78% of High Schools Rated A or B, Tougher Standards Will Kick In Next Year
Matanzas maintained its A, making it the third A since the school opened in 2006. FPC improved from a B, earning an A for only the second time in 13 years. But a state rule calls for automatically tougher standards when more than 75 percent of schools in the state earn an A or a B.
Superintendent Valentine Will Not Return to Work; “Expedited” Search Will Continue
The Flagler County School Board will look to buy out Janet Velentine’s contract, which runs through June. An attempt to appoint Jacob Oliva superintendent fell short as the board decided to stuck with an expedited search and a Feb. 4 appointment.
Flagler Schools Improve Graduation Rate For 5th Year in a Row, to 76.6%; Black Rate Lags
Flagler’s rate improves from last year’s 74.8 percent, and is up significantly from the 2008-09 rate, when it was 65.1 percent. But the graduation rate of 67.9 percent among black students continues to lag, adding to pressure on the district that it’s not doing enough to address a vast gap between white and black achievement.
Inquiry Into 4th Grader’s Suspension at Palm Harbor Charter School Raises Concerns of Arbitrary Discipline and Due Process
The Flagler County school district is investigating the case of a fourth grade girl who was suspended from Palm Harbor Academy, the Palm Coast charter school, for two days in late November without documented due process, and in apparent violation of school policy and safety standards.
Daytona State College Sets One-Stop Enrollment Day for Jan. 4; Online Tax Class Offered
With the spring semester looming large, it’s time for returning students and those new to a college career to lock in their schedule. Daytona State College offers an easy-access no-cost session on Jan. 4 to make registration a simple one-stop process.
Court Strikes Down University of North Florida Ban on Guns in Vehicles Parked on Campus
Alexandria Lainez, a business student at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, is celebrating. On Tuesday, the District Court of Appeal for the First District in Tallahassee upheld her challenge of a UNF rule banning firearms on campus. The full court voted 12-3 to overturn a Duvall Circuit Court decision that had upheld the university’s ban.
As Superintendent Search Committee Meets, A Ringer for Board’s Favorite Leads the Way
If there was any doubt left that the Flagler County School Board intends to leave little to chance as it steers its way to the appointment of Jacob Oliva as its next superintendent, that doubt was dispelled Tuesday afternoon when the board’s 15-member search committee met for the first time.
Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 300 Musicians Take Concert Stage Wednesday at Flagler Auditorium
The Flagler Youth Orchestra performs its first concert of the 2013-14 season on Wednesday, December 11, at 7 p.m. at the Flagler Auditorium in Palm Coast. Conductor Sue Cryan and fellow teachers of the FYO will lead five orchestras with more than 300 string musicians.