Whichever way you look at it, the Flagler County Commission’s and its administrator’s letter to the school district calling for a plan to defund the county’s portion of money for school deputies was clumsy, terribly timed, and an unnecessary invitation to political grandstanding in an election year. Deputies aren’t going anywhere, nor is the county’s funding. But nor should this be another invitation for the School Board to consider harebrained ideas like arming staffers.
Schools
Three School Board Members Are Champing at the Bit to Close Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club to the Public
If they could have voted on it Tuesday, Flagler County School Board members Will Furry, Christy Chong and Sally Hunt would have closed the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club to the public. They would have turned the 11-acre club gifted to the school board by ITT in 1996 into a facility for students and school programs only, with the exception of swimming pool rentals to other clubs or parties.
School Board and Parents Grapple with County’s ‘Blindsiding’ Call To Defund Its Portion of School Deputies
Flagler County School Board members and parents spoke of surprise, concern and “blindsiding,” in the words of the board’s chair, in reaction to a Feb. 13 letter from County Administrator Heidi Petito to the superintendent saying the county had reached “an important decision” to “gradually transfer the financial responsibility” for $1.4 million in “these legacy expenditures to the school district,” including the county’s more than $1 million commitment to school resource deputies.
Sally Hunt Is Again a No Show, Raising Questions Among Her School Board Colleagues and Her Seat
School Board member Sally Hunt’s “chronic” absences drew criticism from fellow-Board member Cheryl Massaro at today’s meeting, concerns about the functioning of a board that, without a majority, could see many of its actions fail (a 2-2 vote is equivalent to the death of a motion) and questions about Hunt’s seat when she resign, as she said she will.
Flagler County Plans to End $1.4 Million Contribution for School Deputies, Administrator Tells Superintendent
Flagler County Administrator Heidi Petito last week wrote Superintendent LaShakia Moore that county government will no longer pay the $1.4 million a year in subsidies for the school district’s School Resource Officer, ending a 50-50 cost-sharing agreement that’s been in place for a decade. The county is not required by law to share the district’s security costs.
Buddy Taylor Middle School 7th Grader Douglas Seth Breaks Florida Record for 3,000 Meter
Buddy Taylor Middle’s Douglas Seth competed at the State Indoor Middle and High School Track Championships at the Alachua County Sports Complex in Gainesville. His time of 9:33.40 earned him the number one ranking among Florida middle school competition. His time was the fastest ever recorded for a Florida middle school student-athlete, as well as being the 13th fastest ever in the nation on the middle school level.
Superintendent Moore Rededicates ‘Our House’ in Bunnell
This Valentine’s Day, Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore and Flagler County Education Foundation Executive Director Teresa Rizzo, along with others from Our House and from within the community, helped cut the ribbon on the rededication of the 502 South Bacher Street facility.
GOP Proposal to Teach Tendentious ‘History of Communism’ in K-12 Draws Heated Debate
An at-times tense meeting of a House panel exposed a simmering debate about whether a proposal to teach about the history of communism in grades as low as kindergarten is a polarizing idea or, as a supporter said, “not divisive in any way.”
Why Florida Is Wrong to Have Downgraded Sociology in College
The American Sociological Association’s current president and a professor of sociology and public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst explains why Florida’s decision to reduce the number of students enrolled in sociology courses is both disturbing and an opportunity to help the public better understand the academic discipline.
Sally Hunt’s ‘Causes’ to Fire Attorney, Withheld Despite Numerous Requests, Repeat Fabrications and Unfounded Claims
Sally Hunt, who now openly says she will not complete her term on the board, claims she did not think her “notes” on firing former School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin qualified as public records. The list of 10 grievances echoes the six fellow-Board member Christy Chong filed, repeating some of the same inaccuracies or fabrications and making several unsupported statements.
UNF Breaks Ground on New Honors Residence Hall
The University of North Florida broke ground today on a new Honors Residence Hall and living-learning community that will house more than 500 students and open in fall 2025. The four-story, 164,579-square-foot residence hall is being built on Osprey Ridge Road along the east side of the campus adjacent to Osprey Fountains. UNF’s new strategic plan, approved last month by the Florida Board of Governors, includes plans to increase enrollment to 25,000 students over five years.
Indian Trails Middle’s Giles Platt Is Flagler’s Spelling Bee Champ After Conquering ‘Apparatus,’ ‘Vicarious,’ and of Course ‘Acclaim’
It took Indian Trails Middle School eighth grader Giles Platt eight rounds, but he hoisted the 2023-24 Flagler County Spelling Bee Champion’s trophy Thursday evening after spelling apparatus and vicarious correctly. He knew he had it right even before the judges confirmed it, beaming a grin as he repeated the word, then jumping with joy as the audience applauded. Joyce Holmes, an eighth grader at Imagine School at Town Center, is the runner-up.
School Board’s Sally Hunt Is Getting Tired of All Those Celebratory Spotlights and Awareness Proclamations
Flagler County School Board member Sally Hunt does not seem to be enjoying her job. At least not the fun parts, the parts that give district teachers, employees and students a chance to showcase their accomplishments, the parts that give the community a voice through proclamations. They just drag on too long, and maybe they shouldn’t be part of the “business” portion of the meetings, Hunt told her colleagues at a workshop earlier this week, as she spoke from an undisclosed location, phoning it in.
School Board’s Christy Chong’s ‘Cause’ Letter to Fire Attorney Is a Tissue of Fabrications, Petty Grievances and Cluelessness
The six “causes” Flagler County School Board member Christy Chong listed as reasons to fire attorney Kristy Gavin come nowhere near “just cause” as defined in Gavin’s contract. Rather, they’re petty, inaccurate, gossipy and falsified grievances that have more to do with Chong being out of her depth, her embarrassment, her hatred for the press and her contempt for transparency and the public than anything to do with the quality of Gavin’s work in nearly two decades of representing the board.
U.S. News Ranks Daytona State’s Online Bachelor’s Programs Among the Best in U.S. for 12th Straight Year
For the 12th straight year, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Daytona State College’s Online Bachelor’s Programs among the best in the nation. And DSC is again the top-ranked non-university college in the United States, advancing in the overall rankings among all colleges and universities nationwide.
Federal Judge Rules Against Palestinian Students on Florida Campuses, Saying They’ve Not Been Silenced
Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Florida and Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of South Florida filed lawsuits in November alleging that efforts by Gov. Ron DeSantis and state university leaders to disband the groups violated their First Amendment rights.
Brendan Depa’s Sentencing is Postponed as Lawyers Cite More Preparation Needed
Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the sentencing of Brendan Depa, the former Matanzas High School student who pleaded to a count of aggravated battery on a school employee, has ben postponed to an undetermined date, and may not be held until past mid-March.
Rymfire Elementary’s Allison Kucharski Is Flagler Schools’ Teacher of the Year, Jimmy Sorrentino Wins Honor
Allison Kucharski, a second-grade teacher at Rymfire Elementary School, was named Flagler County Schools’ Teacher of the Year, and Jimmy Sorrentino, Buddy Taylor Middle School’s campus advisor/security and a coach, was named District Employee of the Year Wednesday evening at the district’s annual celebration of itself at Flagler Auditorium.
Clarifying Its Own Roles, School Board Finally Approves Carver Gym Agreement with Expanded PAL Presence
It took half a year, but the Flagler County School Board Tuesday evening approved the new agreement that will revamp and control the operation of the Carver Center, or Carver Gym, in Bunnell, in cooperation with Flagler County, the City of Bunnell, the Sheriff’s Office and its Police Athletic League. PAL will have a much larger role running activities at the center.
School Board’s Sally Hunt Would Like You To Follow ‘Chain of Command’ Before You Contact Her
The School Board’s Sally Hunt made the startling assertion toward the end of Tuesday evening’s board meeting, placing parents and constituents in a subordinate role to what she twice described as a a board as “super boss,” and in effect reversing the roles of elected officials and constituents: she as an elected official is the boss. She wants constituents, her subordinates, to follow the chain of command, starting at school and through the administration, before their case is elevated to her level.
Will Furry Claims Kristy Gavin’s Firing Was ‘For Cause.’ His Termination Letter Contains No Such Thing.
School Board Chairman Will Furry insisted today that the firing letter he signed on Monday and that went to Kristy Gavin, the former school board attorney, was “for cause,” as required by her contract. The one-page letter, obtained by FlaglerLive, contains no cause. The silence on the matter appears to be one more weapon in Gavin’s arsenal should she sue the district for breach of contract and wrongful termination.
Cell Towers Behind FPC’s Football Field Is Not a Health Problem, School Board Is Told, and May Be There Years
A consultant the Flagler school district hired to survey and analyze the health hazards, if any, of the monopole cell tower behind the bleachers at Flagler Palm Coast High School had a simple conclusion today: the tower is not a problem. It’s not close to being a problem. And the School Board’s options with it are limited to none as it is leasing space at least until 2046.
School District Attorney Kristy Gavin Is Fired as Board Turns to Evaluating 2 Firms for New Legal Representation
Ending weeks of uncertainty, Kristy Gavin, the Flagler County School Board’s attorney since 2006, was fired on Monday, a district spokesman confirmed today. The firing is ostensibly for cause, though it sets up a likely legal battle between Gavin and the district, which severed her contract 18 months before its end. Meanwhile this morning, the School Board evaluated two law firms interested in representing the board–GrayRobinson and the Douglas Law Firm.
Objecting to County’s Control of Fees, School Board’s Massaro Not Ready to Sign Off on Carver Center Yet
Flagler County School Board member Cheryl Massaro, who had formerly run the Carver Center, is not ready to sign off on a joint agreement in the works for months with the county, the Sheriff’s Office and Bunnell on running the facility, raising new concerns about the county taking over authority for setting rental fees there.
Forbes Advisor Ranks Daytona State Among the Nation’s Best Online Nursing Programs
Forbes Advisor has recognized Daytona State College as offering one of the best affordable 100% online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) programs for 2024. The program is designed for new or working nurses who have earned an Associate Degree in Nursing interested in advancing their careers – including moving into leadership and management positions – by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
Don’t Wave Gay: Long In Force in Flagler Schools, Bill Would Ban Pride and ‘Ideological’ Flags from Public Buildings
The Florida House today began moving forward with a proposal that would restrict the types of flags that can be displayed at government buildings and schools, including preventing the display of LGBTQ pride flags. That ban has long been enforced in Flagler schools, based on an interpretation of local policy.
70 Years After Brown vs. Board of Education, Deep Segregation Persists
In June 2023, the Supreme Court ended most race-conscious college admissions efforts. The decision followed the Covid pandemic, which exacerbated racial inequalities in the U.S.. Politicians and school boards have banned or removed books by authors of color from school libraries and restricted teaching about racism in U.S. history. These setbacks amid the current political climate make finally realizing the full promise of Brown more urgent.
School Board Hobbles Toward Firing Its Attorney and Hiring New Ones, Mostly in Secrecy, as Lawsuit Looms
Though School Board attorney Kristy Gavin remained on the job, her firing is imminent, but the required “causes” for that firing have yet to materialize. Meanwhile, the board is evaluating replacement attorneys, keeping those applicants’ proposals secret.
As Escambia County Bans 1,600 Titles, Including Dictionaries, a Lawsuit Is Cleared for Trial
A federal judge cleared the way for a First Amendment challenge to decisions by the Escambia County School Board to remove or restrict access to school library books. An updated list of Escambia’s now-1,600 banned titles includes five dictionaries, The Guinness Book of World Records, a Thurgood Marshall biography, Sherlock Holmes and many more.
FPC Freshman K’imani Gerven-McCoy’s Anthem Opening Legislative Session Draws 29-Second Ovation
K’imani Gerven-McCoy spent her first day back from the winter break a little differently than other Flagler Schools students: she twice sang the National Anthem at the opening sessions of both the Florida House and a joint session of the Legislature, ahead of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s State of the State address.
The Brendan Depa I Have Come To Know
Brendan Depa, the former Matanzas High School special education student who pleaded guilty to the beating of Joan Naydich, his paraprofessional, last February, will be sentenced on Jan. 31. Gene Lopes is a retired special education teacher who has spent the last several months tutoring Depa at the Flagler County jail. Here’s his experience.
Tornado Watch in Effect for Flagler Until 6 PM; School District and Palm Coast Cancel Activities
Flagler County Emergency Management Director Jonathan Lord is urging caution and alertness in preparation for a day of stronger-than-usual winds around midday Tuesday, then a squall lines of storms Tuesday evening, especially between 5 and 7 p.m. Relative to the Panhandle, the unsettled weather won;t be as severe in Flagler County, but the most important thing will be to be informed through an alert system, Lord said, as there is a small potential for tornadoes and hail.
School Board and Other Elected Officials Could Soon Be Barred from Censoring People on Social Media
At stake is what constitutes state action – or action taken in an official governmental capacity – on social media. Under the First Amendment, officials engaging in state action cannot restrict individuals’ freedom of speech and expression. The ruling could establish whether social media accounts of public officials should be treated as personal or governmental.
Superintendent Appoints Angela O’Brien, a Former Special Education Executive, as Her No. 2
Superintendent LaShakia Moore is recommending the appointment of Angela O’Brien to the post of Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services. The post was previously held by Moore. O’Brien previously served as Regional Director for Pennsylvania-based New Story Schools–a national network of schools that focuses on students with special needs.
UF’s Extension Office in Flagler Offers 4-Week Florida 101 Course on State’s Ecology and How to Protect It
Florida 101 is an introduction to Florida designed for both new and seasoned residents of Flagler County who are interested in learning about the ecology of Florida, how to best take advantage of our unique climate, flora, and fauna, and how to protect it.
21-Year-Old Man Is Found Dead at Belle Terre Park of Apparent Overdose
Calvin Alexander Stull, 21, who had bicycled into Belle Terre Park the previous day was found dead Wednesday morning, of an apparent drug overdose. The park is adjacent to Wadsworth Elementary school, but school is not in session this week.
School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin Still On the Job, With ‘Progress’ and Uncertainty on Resolution
School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin was still on the job this morning–as a School Board attorney. But uncertainty remains, even though the board has approved a new job description that would theoretically allow Gavin to step into a new role as staff attorney, or general counsel, answering to the superintendent.
We Asked Flagler County Leaders to Tell Us About Their Favorite Book of 2023. Their Answers Are Page-Turners.
Twenty-one Flagler County leaders–in politics, culture, business, education, media–were asked to tell us about their favorite book of 2023. The very wide-ranging responses were always enlightening and often surprising, showing how minor our political or ideological differences can be, or ought to be, when we connect on a cultural and personal or literary level, which is to say: a human, or humanist, level.
Students Are Not Showing Up for Class. Lawmakers Want To Do Something About It. But What?
In measuring student attendance, the department looks at students who miss 21 or more days and students absent for 10 percent or more of the academic year. The 2021-2022 data showed that 32.3 percent of students, or more than 1 million students, were absent for 10 percent or more of the year.
Florida State Sues Atlantic Coast Conference, Banking on $1 Million in Taxpayer-Funded Legal Coffer
Florida State University on Friday filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference, alleging the conference has “persistently undermined its members’ revenue opportunities” and damaged FSU. The Seminoles became the first undefeated champion of one of the Power 5 football conferences to be left out of the College Football Playoff. Gov. Ron DeSantis recommends the state offer $1 million for any legal action about the snub.
Matanzas Teacher Anthony Zaksewicz Is Reinstated after Agreeing to Plea and Restitution Deal in Walmart Thefts
Anthony Zaksewicz, the Matanzas High School teacher arrested in early December on charges resulting from a long-running shoplifting scheme at Walmart, has been reinstated at Matanzas High School following a plea deal and pre-trial intervention program that, if abided by, may lead to the dropping of all charges in a year. Zaksewicz pleaded before Circuit Judge Terence Perkins on Wednesday.
Flagler Students Violated Limited Cell Phone Ban 1,300 Times This Year; Principals Caution Against Total Ban
There’s no recommendation from the administration to go further than the current cell-phone ban in schools, which still allows students to use their phones between classes and at lunch. If anything, Flagler’s middle and high school principals are cautioning the school board against imposing a stricter ban, finding the current balance effective and educational.
Belle Terre Elementary School Teacher Found Alcohol-Impaired in Classroom at the End of School Day
Cara Plummer, a first-grade teacher at Belle Terre Elementary School, was found impaired from alcohol at the end of the school day on Monday, and refused district personnel’s request for a drug/alcohol test at an urgent care clinic.
Approval of Carver Center’s Joint Agreement Is Upended as School Board Has Late-Breaking Changes
In the works since June, a new, joint agreement on management and oversight of the Carver Center in Bunnell will have to wait until at least January before it is enacted, because a misstep at the school district delayed a legal review of the agreement. That kept the School Board from seeing the revised proposal for the first time until the County Commission had already approved the original version.
Moore Overruled Panel to Name Cari McGee, Outspoken Diversity Expert and Advocate, Bunnell Elementary Principal
Superintendent LaShakia Moore’s choice of Cari McGee as Bunnell Elementary’s next principal says as much about Moore’s willingness to buck recommendations and trust her own instinct as it does about McGee, a committed and–like Moore, opinionated and socially conscious–leader who a few years ago signed her name to an open letter condemning “inaction in the face of oppression” and lambasting Nancy Pelosi for using the language of white supremacy.
Winnie Oden, Peripatetic Educator In Flagler Schools With Foresight and a Passion for Security, Dies at 75
Oden–who was officially known as Juanita Winnie Oden–had a mind of her own, opinions to spare and the kind of foresight that led to champion safety and security well before the Parkland massacre. She was as outspoken as she was irrepressible, and did not mind ruffling a feather or two–going as far as suing her own school board when she was serving on it.
Federal Judge Will Hear Arguments in Escambia Schools’ Book-Banning Case in January
The case is playing out amid wide-ranging debates in Florida and other states about school officials removing or restricting access to books. The plaintiffs in the Escambia County case contend that the school board’s decisions violated First Amendment and constitutional equal-protection rights. Attorneys for the school board argue the judge should dismiss the case because the board has authority to decide which books to purchase and keep on school shelves.
667 Students Graduate at Embry-Riddle Fall Commencement Ceremonies
A total of 667 students from the fall 2023 graduating class walked the stage Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, to earn their diplomas at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University’s commencement ceremonies, held at the Ocean Center, in Daytona Beach. Of the graduates, 524 were undergraduate degree earners, 112 were master’s earners, 13 earned doctoral degrees and 18 were Worldwide Campus students who walked in the Daytona Beach ceremony.
Flagler School District’s Poison-Pill Offer to Save Attorney Kristy Gavin’s Job Draws Warning of Lawsuit Ahead
The Flagler school district’s negotiations with Board Attorney Kristy Gavin have soured following the district’s condition that Gavin should give up the right to sue in exchange for her keeping her job. School Board member Cheryl Massaro says Gavin, who is not likely to accept such terms, is likely to be fired by year’s end, and to sue the district on numerous grounds including breach of contract, wrongful discharge, hostile work environment, age and sex discrimination and defamation.
The Minefield of College Free Speech Codes
Private colleges and universities have speech codes that allow them to punish certain speech. But in their testimony before Congress about antisemitism on their campuses, college presidents tripped, triggered a furor over their prevarications. and one of them resigned after failing to respond clearly to a simple question.