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Wadsworth Elementary’s Paul Peacock Is Told He’s Done in Flagler Schools; New Principal To Be Named Later

June 8, 2023 | FlaglerLive | 12 Comments

Paul peacock when he was principal at Indian Trails Middle School. (Flagler Schools)
Paul peacock when he was principal at Indian Trails Middle School. (Flagler Schools)

Paul Peacock, the embattled principal of Wadsworth Elementary school who worked with school board members to fire Superintendent Cathy Mittlestadt, was told this morning that his services will no longer be needed in Flagler County schools.

It was a firing in all but name. Mittelstadt informed Wadsworth Elementary staff by email in late morning that Peacock will not be returning. His contract will not be renewed, ending his 18-year tenure as a teacher and administrator in the district.




“I want to thank Paul Peacock for his service to Flagler schools and specifically Wadsworth elementary school over the past year,” the superintendent wrote all teachers and staff at Wadsworth. She apologized for doing so in an email, saying the summer break, and employees being in disparate places, made that form of communication the most efficient.

“At this time, we are moving forward in a different direction for leadership at Wadsworth Elementary School,” Mittelstadt continued. “Interim Superintendent LaShakia Moore will lead the search for Wadsworth’s next principal. There is no current timeframe for when this hire will be made. However, Ms. Moore is committed to bringing in a leader for the Panthers who will empower the teachers, staff and students to excel.”

Peacock has been on paid administrative leave since early May, barred from accessing any Flagler County school campuses. He was under investigation by an independent law firm the district hired. The investigation focused on a number of complaints filed by employees about Peacock. The district itself would normally investigate. But since Peacock filed a complaint against the internal investigator, that sidelined the district’s ability to do so, resulting in the hiring of the law firm.

The findings of the investigation appear to have played a direct role in Peacock’s fate: when his name had not appeared on a list of administrators whose contracts are being renewed, School Board attorney Kristy Gavin cautioned that it was not necessarily the case that his name would remain off that list by the time the board ratified it in two weeks. At the time, the administration was still awaiting the results of the investigation.




The investigation was conducted by David Delaney, a lawyer with Weiss Serota Helfman Cole and Bierman, the Gainesville law firm, and the school board attorney in Levy and Alachua counties. Delaney had completed his work before the Memorial Day weekend, by which time it was apparent that there were findings of concern. But Delaney gave Peacock time to provide a response to the findings. Peacock did so.

Subsequently, Mittelstadt made her decision definitely not to renew Peacock’s contract, in essence making it clear that the investigation’s findings had made a renewal impossible.

Peacock had worked closely with School Board member Sally Hunt, coaching Hunt in February on how to motion to fire Mittelstadt, arranging meetings between Hunt and Dusty Sims, the former principal of Flagler Palm Coast High School (who left FPC and the district in a lurch when he took a job with the state Department of Education the day before the start of the 2018-19 school year), in hopes of channeling him into the superintendent’s job, and all the while grieving a financial matter with the school board that, even to some school board members, had the appearance of a calculated distraction.

Peacock also met with School Board members Christy Chong and Will Furry. It was Hunt, Furry and Chong who voted to fire Mittelstadt, despite a strong evaluation of the superintendent by Chong, and behind tendentious and misleading claims by a local chamber of commerce that academic performance in the district had suffered under her.




Peacock lost the grievance, then claimed that the investigation was retaliation, though there appeared to be no connection between the two. Peacock had lost favor with Mittelstadt after a brief, year-long stint as her operations chief at the district, where he’d been elevated after several years as principal at Indian Trails Middle School, and as district management’s chief negotiators with one of the two employee unions. Revelations of his calculated alliance with Hunt came later.

A letter would have been sent Peacock as well, informing him of the superintendent’s decision. That letter has been requested. He is still under contract, and getting paid, until June 30. Ironically, his last day will also be Mittelstadt’s last day, since a 3-2 majority of the board opted not to renew her contract.

All teachers and administrators work at the will of their principal or the superintendent, their contracts being up for renewal at the end of each school year. Theoretically, any employee in that category could have her or his or their contract non-renewed. But it is unusual for established teachers or administrators not to be renewed. There is no grievance procedure in a non-renewal case. In other words, Peacock will not have that avenue to appeal the decision to the school board, and school board members have no authority over hiring and firing decisions in the ranks–at least not under law.

That doesn’t mean that board members abstain from inappropriately interfering with administrative decisions–as former School Board member Jill Woolbright, for example, interfered in what led to the firing of Abbey Cooke, one of the district’s stellar teachers, after a 13-year career, and over minor misjudgment.

Peacock also has the option to sue the district, and has intimated several times during his grievance procedure that he was considering doing so.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. LAW ABIDING CITIZEN says

    June 8, 2023 at 5:42 pm

    Adios Peacock, one of many who need to go and to take some others with him.

  2. Dee says

    June 8, 2023 at 10:44 pm

    Bye bye Peacock

  3. Bailey’s Mom says

    June 9, 2023 at 6:57 am

    Yes, good riddance! One giant step for Flagler County and hoping the net takes a few more scoundrels with him…!
    Well Done Ms Mittlestadt, we will miss you and all that you did for our Schools and Students.

  4. Flatsflyer says

    June 9, 2023 at 7:46 am

    Put the house on the market and get out of Flagler County, you made your bed and sleeping with fleas usually doesn’ end well. All DeSantis he will “create” a new position for you inhisbook banning administration.

  5. Deborah Coffey says

    June 9, 2023 at 7:47 am

    Good. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out. Now, if only we could get rid of Sally Hunt (our local George Santos), Chong, and Furry!

  6. Whathehck? says

    June 9, 2023 at 4:00 pm

    Peacock gone is a little balm on my heart but it will not bring back our Mittlestadt.
    Good by Ms. Middlestadtd and thank you for our children, another school district will be so lucky to have you.

  7. Can you hear us Sally says

    June 9, 2023 at 5:51 pm

    Sally, what do you have to say now ? You got in bed with this sleaze bag. No comment I’m sure. We would love to hear something anything from you. We certainly heard your big mouth during the elections and the behind closed door/emails/texts between you and Peacock devising your plans.
    Now what ? Let me go out on a limb here, silence from Sally

  8. Buh Bye says

    June 9, 2023 at 7:03 pm

    Don’t let the door hit you on the way out bud!

  9. Accountability says

    June 9, 2023 at 7:56 pm

    The group he pulled together to cover things up all need to be looked at. He has influenced quite a few people. I am confident that Ms. Moore will clean house. It’s a shame we are losing Cathy, but Ms. Moore now has the opportunity to re-evaluate administrators and make decisions based on the knowledge from this investigation. I believe Karma will make the rounds.

  10. Jon says

    June 10, 2023 at 12:55 am

    I find it crazy how negatively the comments are against Principal Peacock, went to ITMS for 2 years and actually partially worked alongside him and Mr. Andrews in the student ambassador program and SAC, even through my tough times they always were by my side and never gave me a cold shoulder, undoubtedly the two best administration I’ve got to be a part of 7th and 8th grade. I will always have respect for him as a man because he was always a nice guy throughout my time at ITMS same with people I know that we’re there on his final years before his initial promotion which was taken over if I’m not mistaken by my High School Principal Mr. Reeves.

  11. Celia Pugliese says

    June 10, 2023 at 5:50 am

    How could people on this county could have voted for these three Furry, Chong and Hunt to the school Board?I
    As a registered Republican knew better and didn’t!

  12. William says

    June 10, 2023 at 6:18 pm

    He does not live in Flagler County so guess he is and has been out.

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