Flagler County’s three charter schools’ enrollment exceeds 1,000, or 8 percent of the district, which saw its traditional schools’ enrollment fall to the lowest level since the 2005-06 school year.
flagler county schools
Rotary Club of Flagler County Donates 1,000 Dictionaries to 3rd Graders
The Rotary Club of Flagler County is donating 1,032 dictionaries to third grade students of Flagler County Public Schools. The presentation will take place on Tuesday, October 30 shortly after the noon meeting begins, at The Grand Club at Pine Lakes Golf Course, 400 Pine Lakes Parkway N, in Palm Coast.
Flagler’s SAT Scores Tumble to Lowest Level in at Least 8 Years as Florida’s Improve
The declines some of them steep, took place in all categories–reading, math, writing–at both Flagler Palm Coast High School and Matanzas High School, with one exception in reading at Matanzas.
Mother Chases and Fights a Boy On a School Bus, Drawing Charges; Sheriff Releases Video
Felecia Phillips, 35, of Espanola, is accused of attacking a boy at a bus stop Wednesday morning, then chasing him onto the bus that was to take him to FPC. She was arrested on child abuse and trespassing charges.
At Matanzas High School, an Irrepressible Teacher’s Untimely Farewell, For Now
Jo Ann Nahirny, an English teacher at Matanzas, put in her last day of the year today before a three-month leave filled with radiation treatments and surgery as she battles a cancer’s recurrence. This is the story of her last day in class.
Ripped from Her Trenches, a Teacher Mobilizes for Months of Cancer Combat, and Anguish
From feeling like a human easel to a convicted felon, Matanzas teacher Jo Ann Nahirny takes us step by step through the anguish of preparing for cancer treatment and its implications–physical, financial, emotional and spiritual.
Despite County’s Spike, Most Flagler and City Homeowners’ Tax Bills Will Fall in 2013
It’s been a familiar and recurring complaint, but also an inaccurate one: that property taxes keep going up. They don’t. For most people, property taxes fell this year. And for most people, property taxes will either stay flat or fall again in 2013. Here are the city-by-city details.
For the Flagler Youth Orchestra’s 8th Season, 200 Students Join Before Recruiting Begins
A Flagler Youth Orchestra trio is visiting five Flagler County schools Thursday and Friday in the FYO’s annual recruiting tour, but a record number of students have already signed up for the increasingly popular program ahead of its open house on Sept. 12.
What Six School Cops and $287,464 Buy: Mentor, Counselor, Law Enforcement Officer
A trio of school and sheriff’s officials described to the Palm Coast City Council the impact of six school deputies in Flagler County middle and high schools, but not without triggering questions about what “went wrong” to make the cops necessary on campus.
Flagler Students’ ACT Scores, Reflecting College Readiness, Fall for 4th Year in a Row
If Flagler County were a state, its composite score of 18.6 would rank at the very bottom of the table, below Mississippi’s 18.7, well below the national average of 21.1, and a universe away from the scores of students in New England and the Northeast.
Sheriff’s and School Bus Director’s Caution: “Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible.”
With Flagler County schools resuming on Thursday, Aug. 15, the sheriff’s office and the school district’s transportation department–responsible for 85 bus routes traveling 8,000 miles a day–are reminding parents, students and all drivers to heighten their prudence. A list of bus routes and times is included.
AP Oncology: What a Teacher Did On Her Summer ‘Vacation,’ and How It is Ending
Matanzas High teacher and columnist JoAnn Nahirny returns from what was not exactly a summer break, with a story of her students’ unique success in the Flagler school district–and shattering news about herself for her returning students next week.
Complaint Cites Broad, Harsh Discrimination Against Black Students in Flagler Schools
Flagler County schools are among five Florida districts cited by the Southern Poverty Law Center in complaints filed with the federal Office of Civil Rights, calling for federal investigations into discriminatory punishments that disproportionately target black students.
Uniform Policy Rules and Penalties Dress Up School District’s New Code of Conduct Edition
The Flagler County School Board Monday approved rules and penalties that apply to the district’s new uniform policy. But the Code of Conduct makes many allowances for students who cannot wear uniforms.
Two Flagler School Board Races Will be Decided Aug. 14: The Live Interviews
Three-term incumbents Sue Dickinson and Colleen Conklin are being challenged by Bill Corkran and Debbie Laury in two contests for the Flagler County School Board that will be decided Aug. 14. All registered voters may vote regardless of party affiliation or address.
Andy Dance: Why You Should Support Flagler Schools’ Renewal of the Half-Penny Sales Tax
Andy Dance, the school board member, explains why your vote approving the renewal of the half-penny sales tax in the Aug. 14 referendum is critical for Flagler County schools. All registered voters may cast a ballot regardless of party affiliation.
Bill Corkran, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Bill Corkran is one of four candidates in two races for Flagler County School Board in the Aug. 14 primary election, which will decide the winners: all Flagler voters, regardless of party affiliation and address, may cast a ballot in these races.
Sue Dickinson, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Sue Dickinson is one of four candidates in two races for Flagler County School Board in the Aug. 14 primary election, which will decide the winners: all Flagler voters, regardless of party affiliation and address, may cast a ballot in these races.
Colleen Conklin, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Colleen Conklin is one of four candidates in two races for Flagler County School Board in the Aug. 14 primary election, which will decide the winners: all Flagler voters, regardless of party affiliation and address, may cast a ballot in these races.
Deborah Laury, Flagler County School Board Candidate: The Live Interview
Deborah Laury is one of four candidates in two races for Flagler County School Board in the Aug. 14 primary election, which will decide the winners: all Flagler voters, regardless of party affiliation and address, may cast a ballot in these races.
Flagler School District’s Feared Budget Cut Was Vastly Overstated, But Tax Cut Is Real
A report in the papers this morning that the Flagler school district was facing an additional $3.8 million cut (or 4 percent of its budget) was premature. The state is cutting the local school tax and its revenue, but making up all the difference except $400,000, which the district has already plugged.
After 4 Straight Years, Flagler County School District Loses Its A Rating, to a B
The drop is reflective of a statewide drop in district and school grades, and it masks an improvement, at least relative to other districts, of Flagler’s ranking, from 29th in the state to 19th. Still, the drop is ill-timed with a district effort to renew a half-cent sales tax school levy.
Bucking State Trend, Flagler School Grades Stay Strong, But So Does Criticism
All but one Flagler County public or charter school scored an A or a B. The exception was Palm Harbor Academy, a charter, which scored an F. The state’s teachers union cautioned against making much of the results absent a more reliable testing system.
New Charter School Hastily Signs Lease for Tenant-Challenged Building at County Airport
Global Outreach Academy has been on the hunt for a building for months. The three-year deal at the Flagler County Airport fills a building on which the county has been paying $111,000 a year while having a terrible time keeping occupied since it built it for Embry-Riddle Aeronautic University in 2004.
Flagler’s Teachers Union President on FCAT, The GOP, and High-Stakes Misconceptions
Katie Hansen, president of Flagler County’s teachers union, forcefully argues against FCAT’s culture of high-stakes testing and false but pervasive notions that unions protect bad teachers and contribute only to Democrats.
Daniel Biles, Ex-Bunnell Elementary Aide, Re-Arrested In Court on Child Porn Charges
Daniel Biles, the former Bunnell Elementary school teacher aide arrested in April on 10 child pornography charges, was back in jail Tuesday on 14 additional, similar charges.
From Food Lion to Charter School: Deal Close To Convert Long-Vacant Flagler Beach Store
Jacksonville-based Florida International Language Academy has been on the hunt for a location in Flagler for its 364-student K-8, language-oriented school, opening in August. Talks in Bunnell and Palm Coast fell through, returning the company to the Food Lion location in Flagler Beach.
Flagler School District Won’t Lift Facebook Ban, But Cracks Are Beginning to Appear
Facebook is blocked on Flagler County school district networks, though students and faculty access it anyway by bypassing the network on phones, and the district, which prides itself on technology uses, is considering lifting the ban during after-school activities.
With Few Flagler Exceptions, Reading, Math and Science FCAT Scores Drop for Most Schools
As reading and math scores improved statewide in most grades, despite tougher standards, Flagler County students lost ground over last year’s results, and struggled to keep up with state averages.
Jim Guines Is Honored By the African American Mentor Program He Founded in 2007
Jim Guines, who served nearly 13 years on the Flagler County School Board until 2007, was received the Founder’s Award at the mentor program’s annual banquet Monday evening.
Flagler Third Graders Rank 19th in Reading, 23rd in Math, in Latest FCAT Batch
Out of 988 students who took the test in Flagler County, 130, or 13 percent, scored only a 1 on a scale of 5, and will be held back, absent improvements in summer reading school, which the district offers free.
Trey McMillin, 8th Grader at Buddy Taylor, Wins 1st Place in Statewide Essay Contest on Americanism
Trey McMillin, a 13-year-old 8th grader at Buddy Taylor Middle School, is the first student from Flagler County to win the statewide Elks essay competition.
Advanced Placement Gambit: Challenging Students at the Risk of Penalizing Teachers
Flagler County high schools are encouraging more students to take Advanced Placement tests, which beef up a school’s profile. But when students fail the testm their teachers are penalized, now that their pay is tied to student performance.
Flagler’s FCAT Writing Scores Collapse, a Reflection of Florida’s Tougher Standards
As expected, Flagler County’s writing scores for 4th, 8th and 10th graders, released today, fell precipitously as the state imposed a new writing standard and a new passing grade, but itself failed to convey those standards clearly to teachers and principals ahead of time.
FCAT Scores Plummet Statewide, Sending Education Officials in a Panic
The lower scores can have serious implications on school grades, students’ promotions and graduations, merit pay and evaluations for teachers. The state Board of Education called an emergency meeting for Tuesday to rethink its approach.
For Sen. Thrasher, FPC Visit Turns Into 3-Hour Education on “Unintended Consequences”
Sen. John Thrasher, at Flagler Palm Coast High School Tuesday morning, heard how legislation on testing and teacher evaluations is at odds with reality, vowed to study alternatives, and welcomed Flagler officials’ request to make public schools part of the reform game.
Dear Mrs. Nahirny: Tales From the “Don’t Quit” File on Teacher Appreciation Week
Every year during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 7-11), Matanzas’s Jo Ann Nahirny has her English students write thank you cards to teachers, and receives a few herself, which she’s always kept in what she calls her “don’t quit” file. She opens it up.
Fake Gun. Real Fear. Small Consequence: A Mother’s Outrage at Flagler Schools’ Response
On March 2, Gloria Kollosch’s son and a friend left Matanzas High School on their bikes, and had a confrontation with other Matanzas boys, who brandished a gun–a fake gun, which they thought was real. The school district responded with a slap on the wrist, calling the incident a “prank,” and blatantly contradicting its own Code of Conduct, Kollosch argues.
Daniel Biles, Long-Time Bunnell Elementary Aide, Arrested on Child Porn Charges
Daniel Biles, 38, an school employee for two decades, was arrested at Bunnell Elementary Friday afternoon. Nine years ago, charges were dropped following an inconclusive investigation of lewd behavior toward juvenile boys. He was rehired after a paid suspension.
FCAT 2.0: Computer Snags in Flagler Schools Compound Students’ and Teachers’ Anxieties
FCAT testing began this week, and with a dozen tests administered by computer only, to save money, teachers in several Flagler schools are reporting students being arbitrarily logged off, losing work and time and worsening already stressful conditions.
Teachers’ Bane: Students Who Don’t
Give a Damn, and Parents Who Reward Them
In her latest installment from the trenches, teacher Jo Ann Nahirny describes how regulations force teachers’ time to be consumed by efforts to improve the performance of indifferent students at the expense of students who actually want to learn.
Buddy Taylor Middle’s Winnie Oden Moving To Pathways in June, Carla Taylor To FPC
Neither administrator volunteered for the new assignments, but administrators work at the will of the district. No one has been named to the principal’s post at Buddy Taylor Middle School yet.
Public Pressure Works as State Funds Return to Flagler’s Disabled Adults Services
Flagler County would have lost $600,000 and 18 jobs, and disability and job-learning skills to 248 adults in the affected programs, had a Senate proposal to end funding prevailed. A public-awareness campaign led by school board member Colleen Conklin helped reverse the cuts.
When 125 Students, Infinite Expectations and Untold Critics Encircle Teachers’ 36-Hour Day
Down time after dismissal? Summers off? Think again. Matanzas High School teacher Jo Ann Nahirny, in her latest installment from the trenches, describes permanent on-call nature of a teacher’s days and evenings.
Flagler School District Mobilizing Against 18 Job Cuts and Lost Services to Disabled Adults
Flagler County is in danger of losing several programs that train and help the disabled find self-sustaining jobs as the Florida Senate ends funding for those programs. The cuts would affect 248 adult in the county, including 36 students in the transition program for 18 to 22 year olds.
Amelia Earhart, Gandhi, Einstein and Betsy Ross All Rise Again in Wadsworth’s History Day
Wadsworth Elementary’s “Who’s Who in History” day Tuesday drew on school staffers and community “celebrities” to perform dozens of historical figures, alive and dead, in a culmination of school-wide biography projects focused on the figures.
The Late Bernie Axelrod Leaves Flagler Education Foundation $200,000 Endowment
Bernie Axelrod never finished high school, but rose through the ranks of union print shops in new York City, founded a travel agency, and was a pioneer in donating technology to schools. He joined the Flagler Education Foundation in the 1990s.
Flagler Schools Will Start Earlier, On Aug. 16, End June 8, As District Sets 2012-13 Calendar
Thanksgiving will still be a full week off, but Christmas break will entail two broken weeks at either ends, so students can come back on Jan. 2 and have more time to prepare for the new FCAT: end-of-course exams. Printable calendar included.
Indian Trails Video Wins $70,000 in National Contest–But Needs Your Vote To Win More
Indian Trails Middle School was one of 25 schools selected out of 1,500 in the first round of a national technology contest, and made the cut to the final 12. Now it has a chance at $100,000 in prizes, but you must vote to help make it happen.
Mediocre Results for Flagler Schools, Worse for Its Charters, in Controversial State Rankings
School-by-school rankings follow last week’s district rankings. Belle Terre Elementary and Indian Trails Middle ranked best, but still barely in the top quartile, while Flagler’s three charter schools scraped the bottom, in contrast with several top-performing charters elsewhere in the state.