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January 24, 2011

Janet Valentine
Superintendent
Phone: (386) 437-7526
E-Mail: valentinej@flaglerschools.com

Liz Binkley
Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
Phone: (386) 437-7526
E-Mail: binkleyl@flaglerschools.com

FAX: (386) 586-2641

As we begin the second semester, I can hardly believe that the school year is half over.  It seems like only yesterday that the buses were rolling out to start the first day of school.   FCAT testing is right around the corner and soon we will see the fruits of all our labors as determined by student scores and school grades.

Student achievement can certainly be measured by more than just raw test score data, but student test scores are going to soon become an even more integral part of the professional lives of educators here in Florida.  Florida is one of the few states in the country to be awarded the Federal Race to The Top grant.  Flagler County’s plan for Race to The Top has been accepted by the Florida Department of Education and we are in the beginning stages of implementation.  Long-time principal Stewart Maxcy is taking the lead role in putting the District’s plan into action.

One of the outcomes of Race to the Top is that teacher evaluations and salaries will be tied in part to the achievement of the students assigned to a teacher.  That is just one of the reasons that I am so pleased we were able to use Federal Jobs Education Funds to get our teachers and support staff back to the salary step that their contract required.  Now we have this employee compensation back in line as we move forward into a new era.

This new era will certainly have its challenges.  Florida is facing a daunting budget shortfall as we struggle to get our economy back on track, and it is unlikely that there will be any more Federal stimulus dollars to make up for the deficit.  Fortunately, we have a School Board, employees and community capable of triumphing over any adversity we might face.

There is a sign hanging in my office that I think applies to all of us as we go forth.  Its simple message states, “Because Nice Matters.”  I think we would all be well served if we were to keep that in mind in our dealing with students, the community and each other as we rise to meet the challenges of the future.

Janet Valentine
Superintendent
Flagler County Public Schools

December 16th 2010

During this Holiday Season I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the Flagler County community.  Your continued willingness to help is what makes our school district great!  In times of great economic challenge, you have weighed what is important and showed that your priorities include our children.  The Flagler County School District family thanks you.

First of all, you approved the .25 mill continuation that will help our schools financially during the 2011-2013 school years.  These dollars will be used to preserve academic programs, retain highly qualified teachers, and to protect arts, athletics and student programs that enhance our children’s education.  This money is needed to replace other federal and state funding that will be lost at the end of this year.

You not only donate dollars for student activities such as sports, field trips and clubs, but also give us your time through regular volunteering and mentoring our students who are most in need.  Thirty minutes a week with a child can bring new hope to young lives.  We have over 3,000 active volunteers and 200 mentors.

Our local businesses and community partners have given over 1.5 million dollars in support to education in Flagler County through the Flagler County Education Foundation, a not-for-profit direct-support organization.  The programs they support benefit all of our students and teachers.  The work of the foundation enables us to address projects that would go lacking if not for their support.
 
Flagler Christmas Angels is a community project that connects children with providers for holiday gifts.  Over 3,000 children from babies to 18 years of age will be provided gifts for Christmas because of the many volunteers, community providers and businesses that have stepped forward in giving donations this holiday season.  Requests continue to come in and the Christmas Angels are scrambling to ensure that every child in Flagler County will have a joyful holiday.

Flagler County is blessed to have such caring residents.  The Holidays are a time for counting our blessings and giving thanks.  Even when times are tough it is gratifying to know that we can count on each other.  Thank you Flagler County.

Teachers of the year for 2011

Schools in Flagler County have selected their Teacher of the Year for 2011! We take great pride in recognizing these individuals who make a difference in the lives of our students. We want to congratulate the following outstanding teachers who have been chosen by their peers to represent their school! Agatha Lee, Belle Terre Elementary School; Heather Doutrick, Rymfire Elementary School; Debra Breeding, Bunnell Elementary School; Beverly Thompson, Wadsworth Elementary School; Joan Blasingame, Old Kings Elementary School; Christina Miller, Buddy Taylor Middle School; Cara Cronk, Indian Trails Middle School; Louise Wolfe, Matanzas High School; Jim Pignatiello, Flagler Palm Coast High School; Brian Tuttle, Pathways Alternative School and Maureen Stowell, Flagler Technical Institute (Adult and Community Education)
 

Each year schools are asked to choose one teacher to represent their school as the Teacher of the Year. The teacher must have a minimum of 3 years teaching experience and exemplify the characteristics of a master teacher. They are chosen based on their student’s growth and their willingness to go above and beyond simply lecturing students. These teachers have high expectations for student achievement, student engagement, and work to continually build a positive rapport with their students and parents. The staff members at each school nominate their choice for Teacher of the Year and list the reasons why they feel their nominee is the best. The final results lie in the hands of the administration – it is a tough decision, because Flagler is known for having excellent teachers.

Flagler County will select the District Teacher of the Year on January 13, 2011 at the Flagler Auditorium Dennis Fitzgerald Performing Arts Center. The winning teacher will go on to compete in the Florida Department of Education-Macy’s Teacher of the Year Program. Our teacher will compete with nominees throughout the state of Florida who have demonstrated a superior capacity to inspire a love of learning in all students. Flagler County School District has three teachers who were awarded the Region II Crown Finalist in the state competition. These top notch teachers include Libby Kuleski (1989-1990), Flagler Palm Coast High School (recently retired), Lorna Moshetti (1994-1995), Buddy Taylor Middle School, now a Media Center Specialist at Flagler Palm Coast High School and Diane Tomko (2007-2008), at Flagler Palm Coast High School.
 

The selection process for the state competition is comprehensive! Criteria includes the teacher’s philosophy of education and how that is aligned to their practice, professional development activities completed during the past five years, their impact on student learning and their leadership with students parents and within their school and district. We want to all congratulate our winners and wish them well in the upcoming events!

Funding Flagler’s Future

Dear parents and community members,

We need your help! We need you to read, listen, question and understand what the Flagler County School District is getting ready to face during the next school year. Education is a vital part of our community and it is being threatened by the downturn in our economy. We are facing a 7.4 million dollar reduction in our annual budget for the 2011-2012 school year.

In August, 2010, the School Board voted to place on the November 2nd ballot the continuation of the 0.25 Critical Needs Millage. This will place a referendum on the ballot for voters in Flagler County to decide if they will authorize the School Board to continue to levy the 0.25 millage for the next two years. The millage is not a new tax; it is a continuation of a tax levy that has been in place since 2008 as part of local efforts to fund Flagler County Schools. If the voters approve the referendum, the .25 mill will only be in effect for two years. This tax equates to $25.00 a year on a $150,000 homesteaded home, the average home price in Flagler County.

The 0.25 mill funding has enabled the District to recruit and retain high-quality teachers, maintain award-winning academic and arts programs and enhance other services that have helped improve student achievement.

The District has continued to make budget cuts over the past three years. Cuts have included eliminating after-school transportation, tutoring, cell phones, travel, middle grade sports, clubs, field trips, maintenance, supplements for extra duties such as department chair; invoking the 2-mile rule for student transportation for the middle and high schools; reducing maintenance and custodial staff; and reducing other personnel through a hiring freeze. The District also took steps to consolidate the construction and maintenance departments this year as a result of the downturn in population growth, resulting in less construction. The entire School District, including each student, has been doing all we can to reduce costs. We have reduced our electrical consumption and, as a result, have lowered the bill by more than $100,000 during the 2009-10 school year. Over the past two years, economic conditions have forced the District to reduce its annual operating budget by more than $10,141,835 and to eliminate administrative and other staff positions. This referendum revenue will provide the School Board a critical buffer against even deeper cuts.

Even if the voters agree to continue the 0.25 millage, the District will still face budget cuts next year because of reduced property values in the County and continuing shortfalls in State revenue. If the millage is not continued, the District will lose a projected $2.1 million next year. 

This is an important time to make your vote count!

 

New Superintendent Message

This is my first opportunity to address Flagler County School’s family as Superintendent. I have had the great fortune to get to know so many of you over the years and I am so very grateful for the warm reception I have received. I am honored to serve as your new Superintendent of Schools and vow to do my very best to keep up the high standards that Mr. Delbrugge has set for this office and our district.

I have lived and worked in this district for more than 27 years and in that time I have seen quite a few educational philosophies come and go. I would describe myself as a pragmatist who is dedicated to doing whatever works best for students. I plan to focus on expanding and improving a learning community that fosters individual inquiry, emphasizes learning by doing, educates for social responsibility, celebrates success and acknowledges effort. 

I know this won’t be easy. Our resources are likely to be stretched as never before. We will be increasing our reliance on data to inform our decisions and ensure that our resources are used to the greatest advantage. I encourage everyone to review the new strategic plan we will be adopting for the district, which will be posted on the web site in the very near future. Despite our challenges, I am confident that Flagler County Schools will continue to provide an educational experience for our students of which we can all be proud.

In closing, let me once again offer my thanks for the support I have received and invite the entire community to become an active partner in the education of our children. Let me leave you with a quote by author Harrison Owen that has meant a lot to me and I think is applicable to all of us as we move forward: “When the spirit of people is strong, focused, and vibrant, wonderful things happen.” I expect to see wonderful things happen in Flagler County Schools.