October 15, 2011

"No Parking Signs" Will Improve Safety Near Wadsworth Elementary:

For many years, some parents have been pulling off the shoulder on Parkview Drive and dropping their children off to school. What seems like a harmless activity on the surface has come close to harming parents, children and vehicles. During the hour before and after school, that area of Parkview Dr. is extremely busy, with cars pulling off and on the road plus the children crossing in front of vehicles is an accident waiting to happen.

The Sheriff's office couldn't do anything, as the shoulder is City of Palm Coast property. The City does not have an ordinance in place prohibiting this action in school zones, nor have they posted signs in the past. Parents in the area have called out for signs and some type of enforcement, and it seems like they will be getting some help later this month.

"No Parking, Standing, or Stopping" signs will be installed by the end of next week on Parkview Drive throughout the school zone at WES. Once installed FCSO will conduct an education and enforcement wave to discourage parents from dropping off their children in the roadway. The City of Palm Coast, Sheriff's deputies and School district staff will monitor the area to determine if the signs need to be extended further away from the school after the initial signs are placed. WES will be sending out information about this change to parents through the children (check their take-home notices). The notice will further explain the car rider, bike rider, and walking process. WES will also include contact info for extended day, if anyone needs that service.

The Flagler County Community Traffic Safety Team, consisting of representatives from law enforcement, emergency management, Public Works, Engineering Departments, & FDOT meet monthly to review traffic safety issues that come up and suggest improvements. I will start attending these in December, so keep sending me suggestions and I will pass them along for discussion at these meetings.

Thanks,

Andy

PS: You can read a more indepth article regarding this news item on FlaglerLive.com. Click HERE to read more.

August 4, 2011

Charter School Submits Application to Flagler School District for 2012 Opening

Parents of school-age children in Flagler county may be able to choose from a greater pool of schools in the 2012-2013 school year.

Charter schools are public schools that perform under contracts with local school districts. This frees them from some of the regulations for traditional schools but charter schools are responsible for their academic and financial performance.
Applications were due Monday for charter schools that intend to open for the 2012-2013 school year.

Flagler received an application from Global Outreach Charter Academy of Palm Coast, which would offer Russian language instruction to students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Paul Bratulin is helping a group of parents in Palm Coast, where there is a relatively large Russian population, start the school. Bratulin is one of the founders of Global Outreach Charter Academy in Jacksonville, which follows a similar model.
Students would receive core instruction in English and would not need prior Russian language knowledge. Most of the Jacksonville students are not native Russian speakers, he said.

The school "will provide a unique choice for parents within the Flagler public school system, giving students access to a comprehensive educational program that emphasizes early foreign language acquisition," according to the application.
The application estimates the school will enroll as many as 364 students the first year and up to 728 by the third year. About 20 percent could be English language learners and 80 percent would be eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.

The school boards in the two counties have 60 days to decide whether to approve the charters.

Read the entire Daytona New-Journal article.

July 21, 2011 (updated 8/10/11)

"Graduate One, Everyone" Campaign Kicks-off!

As Flagler County School District celebrates being an A+ School District for the 4th year in a row, we extend our most sincere thanks to the parents, students and community for making this possible. Flagler County’s school grades and it’s top ranking in the state is an indication of everyone’s hard work. Although our graduation rate of 83 percent outperforms the statewide average of 76 percent, this is not acceptable. Flagler County Schools strives for 100 percent of its’ students graduating high school!

In an effort to involve and inform the entire community of the vital role each individual has in educating our children, we invite Flagler County to join us in supporting the “Graduate One, Everyone” campaign. Our campaign will begin with Back to School Information Sessions for parents on August 4th at 7:00PM (See a PDF copy of the presentation HERE).  Flagler County Public Schools in partnership with local organizations and concerned citizens, will host the Information Sessions in the following nine locations throughout the community:

• Bunnell City Hall
• Government Services Building
• Hidden Trails Community Center
• Espanola Community Center
• African American Cultural Society
• Palm Coast Public Library
• Palm Coast Community Center
• Hammock Community Center
• Wickline Community Center

Straightforward information on the new promotion and graduation requirements, and the importance of parental involvement and children attending school everyday on time will be provided. Resources and information to support children’s education (like this Fla. Dept. of Education brochure, "Pathways to Success" - A Middle and High School Planning Guide for Students & Parents) will also be provided in addition to the School Lunch Program application and Information on how to receive free backpacks and school supplies.

Last year, we hosted the Back2School Jam. This year through the Backs4Packs Program sponsored by the Flagler County Education Foundation, backpacks and school supplies for eligible children will be available through the schools. Information on how parents can qualify and receive backpacks and school supplies will be disseminated. Thanks to generous sponsors that include Walmart; Jimmy Johnson Foundation; Palm Coast Data, LLC; Flagler County Association of Realtors, Inc.; Flagler County Chamber of Commerce; Women’s Initiative of United Way; and Flagler Home Builders Association, 2,600 backpacks and school supplies will be provided to families in need.

Although sponsors have covered the majority of backpack and school supply costs, the Flagler County Education Foundation needs funds, or donated supplies, to fill 750 backpacks at a cost of approximately $10 per child. To make a contribution, please contact Flagler County Education Foundation Executive Director Deborah Williams 386-437-7526 ext 3125 or email williamsd@flaglerschools.com.

With all of us working together, Flagler County will have ALL students graduating. We can meet 100% Graduation; “Graduate One, Everyone”. 

The above statement is from a Flagler County School District Press Release, dated 7/21/11. 

June 30, 2011

Flagler County School District is an "A" District for the 4th Year in a Row!

Flagler County was one of 30 Florida School Districts that made an A for 2011.  Even though high school grades have not been released yet, the district has recived enough point to rank in the top 30 statewide. Congratulations to first year Superintendent Janet Valentine and the rest of the school district team and students!

Elementary and Middle School Grades Released - Flagler's Traditional Public Schools Improve; up to 6 "A's" and 1 "B". Imagine Drops to a "C"

The Flagler County School system showed improvement in school grades for elementary and middle schools, with Rymfire Elementary showing the biggest gains, going from a "C" to an "A". Wadsworth and Old Kings Elementary also improved, moving one letter grade from "B's" to "A's". Buddy Taylor and Indian Trail Middle schools and Belle Terre Elementary schools all remained "A" schools. The lone "B" from the traditional public schools came from Bunnell Elementary, which dropped 15 total points, but remained a "B". 

On the Charter school front, Imagine at Town Center could not hold onto the "A" it earned last year, when it went from a "D" to an "A". The school went backward, to a "C" grade. Palm Harbor Academy does not have a letter grade yet, and Heritage is a K-12 school, so its grade will not be released until later in the year in conjunction with the high school grades for FPC and Matanzas.

Below please find a chart of the school scores. Red numbers show declines from the previous year, and Green numbers show improvement. Click HERE for a full PDF.

 

June 8, 2011

Flagler Ranks At The Top In New Algebra 1 End-of-Course Exam Results Statewide

The results are in for the first year of an end of Course Assessment in Florida. The exam counts as 30% of the final grade for the students. The test scores are reported in 3rds using a T score value of 20-80.

As you can see from the statewide results, Flagler had 56% of their students place in the top third. This places Flagler County tied for 2nd among the 67 traditional school districts in the state for this assessment. Looking at Flagler's mean scale score (54) also places Flagler among the top 4 districts statewide. Only Liberty, Okaloosa and St. Johns did better, and each by just one point. Flagler is also among the leaders In the low third group, placing just 17% of students in that category. This is a good beginning for the district with this new assessment.

Janet Valentine, Superintendent of Flagler County Schools, commented "although these scores are not yet a part of school grades, it is a fantastic reflection that we are teaching the standards ( and students are getting it) in Algebra I. These scores will now become 30% of a students final grade in Algebra I. Congratulations to our students, faculty and administrators on a job well done!"

Thanks to Jim Devine, the District's Coordinator for Assessment, Accountability and Equity, for the information provided above.

Click HERE for a copy of the statewide results.

May 9, 2011

FCAT Writing Scores Up Across the School District

FCAT results released from the Florida Department of Education last week show marked increases for 4th, 8th and 10th graders in Flagler County.

Every Flagler County traditional public school improved this year. The highest scores at the elementary level were recorded at Belle Terre Elementary and Rymfire Elementary, where 94 percent of students scored a 4.

Two of the three charter elementary schools improved their 4th grade scores. Heritage Academy improved to 60 percent this year, and Palm Harbor Academy improved to 58 percent this year. Imagine School at Town Center was the only school to decline, from 63 percent last year to 58 percent this year.

Indian Trails Middle School and Buddy Taylor Middle School both improved slightly from last year, with ITMS beating the state average.

Matanzas High School and Flagler Palm Coast High School both showed slight improvements. MHS went from 76 to 79 percent getting a 4 or better and FPC went from 75 to 78 percent. Overall, the district scored above the state average by three points.

From www.flaglerschools.com:

The district scores from FCAT Writing for 2011 were released by the Florida Department of Education on May 4. The Writing assessment is given annually in grade 4, grade 8 and grade 10. Students have 45 minutes to write to a prompt. The paper is scored by one reviewer on a 6 point rubric. This year for school grades purposes the benchmark for proficiency is set at 4.0. The percent scoring above 4.0 will compromise 12.5% of the school grade at Elementary and Middle and 12.5% of half of the school grade at High School.

The chart includes for reference only the percent scoring above 4.0 from the prior year. Writing scores cannot be compared statistically from one year to the next as prompts vary. Please read the statement in this regard from the Department of Education. http://fcat.fldoe.org/mediapacket/2011/pdf/WritingTrends.pdf

April 5, 2011

Flagler Awarded 2011 AP District of the Year

Flagler’s rigorous AP program challenges students in the humanities, math, and sciences.

The Flagler County School District has earned a 2011 AP District of the Year Award. Of 4,050 national school districts with 50 or more students taking such tests, only 388 were honored with an "AP District of the Year Award." Only seven Florida districts made this year's list.

To earn a place on this honor roll, Flagler County Public Schools achieved increases in access to AP courses for a broader number of students and also maintained or improved the rate at which their AP students earned scores of 3 or higher on an AP Exam. The AP exams, conducted by the College Board, are taken every year in May by students across the country for college readiness and credit with a passing score.

“These districts are defying expectations by expanding access while improving scores,” said College Board President Gaston Caperton. “They are experimenting with initiatives and strategies that have driven increases in average exam scores when making AP available to a much broader and more diverse student population.”

One of the District’s 2011 strategic plan goals is to “increase the number of minority students enrolling in and successfully completing advanced courses in secondary schools by 5% a year”. This award reveals that the district is meeting this goal and not only offering more testing opportunities, but that students are doing better on the exam.

Congratulations to our students, teachers and school administrators for this achievement!

February 8, 2011

Board to Hold Feb. 15th Meeting at Matanzas High School 

 

The Flagler County School Board will hold the next regular school board meeting at Matanzas High School. A board workshop will begin at 8:00 AM and the regular meeting will start at 9:00 AM.

 

The shift in board meeting locations was approved by the board last month as a community outreach effort to bring board meetings closer to the residents and parents.

 

Link to BoardDocs for meeting agenda for this meeting.

February 1, 2011

Board Adopts Calendar for 2011-12 School Year

The Flagler County School board adopted the school calendar at its February 1st board meeting. The calendar is very similar to the current calendar, but does have two distinct modifications that are sure to generate some discussion among the working parents in the district.  

First, two additional half days have been added. The additional half days were seen as the best solution by the calendar committee to maintain the "180 days of instruction" mandate and also find additional planning and professional development time for teachers. Half days do come with complications. They are inconvenient for working parents and businesses that have to deal with additional time off for working parents that need to leave work early. Half days also result in higher absences on those days. Data shows that the early release day from September 22, 2010 did result in a significant jump in absenteeism.

Second, the winter break release and return days have been shifted to mid-week. Again, half weeks typically result in higher absenteeism, so it remains to be seen how this shift to mid week release/return dates will affect absenteeism before and after the holiday break.

2011-12 School Year Important Dates to Remember:

First Day of School: August 22, 2011 (Monday)

Early Release Days: 9/21/11; 12/21/11; 2/29/12; 5/9/12; 6/6/12 (All Wednesdays)

Start of Winter Break: December 22, 2011 (Thurs)

End of Winter Break (Classes resume): January 5th, 2012 (Thurs)

Last Day of School: June 7th, 2011

LINK to download and print the 2011-12 calendar.

November 4, 2010

"Family Access" Parent Portal Registration-UPDATED 11/16/10 

Flagler County School District Parent Portal registration is under way!
 
Flagler County School District has a new parent portal called "Family Access" that is accessible from the Flagler County School District website, www.flaglerschools.com. This portal is a component of SKYWARD, the new district student information system. 
 
Here is an updated schedule of registration opportunities now being held in your neighborhood:

BTES - Wednesday, Nov. 17th; 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
ITMS - Thursday, Nov. 18th; 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
GSB - Tuesday, Nov. 30th; 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM
OKES - Wednesday, Dec. 1st; 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
WES - Wednesday, Dec. 8th; 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

If you can’t attend these dates and times due to work conflicts, please contact your school registrar to set up an appointment that is convenient to your schedule. 

The district is planning additional opportunities to register. Please watch for registration dates and times through your school's newsletter, website, marquee and/or Principal’s Letter.

For more information, click HERE.

"Family Access" Sneak Peek:

Below are sample pages of the new parent portal layout. I am using the pages assigned to my son, Drew Dance, a 3rd grader at BES. The first picture is the initial page, the CALENDAR. It shows all assignments, past and future. Click on a past assignment, and you will go to ASSIGNMENT DETAILS...scroll down to view this page.

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS:

The second page is Student Information, and I am leaving this page out. The third page is the GRADEBOOK. Again, just click on a GRADE (in blue) to get a specific Progress Detail Report, detailing all the assignments that contributed to the grade.

The fourth page is the MESSAGE CENTER. You can send/receive messages to/from the teacher through this portal page.

The fifth page is ATTENDANCE. From here you can track tardies, excused or unexcused absences and other absences.

The sixth page is the daily class SCHEDULE. From here you can click on the class to get a pop-up with additional class details.

The seventh page is HEALTH INFORMATION, which I did not include. The eight and final page is LOGIN HISTORY, which details the dates and times that the portal was accessed.

I hope you enjoyed this preview. There are a ton of great features in this new parent portal for parents, so please register as soon as possible!

Matanzas High School

Flagler School Grades Released - For The 3rd Year in a Row, The District Receives an "A"

The 2009 school grades were release today for all Flagler County School District elementary and middle schools and one charter elementary school. A summary of school grades for the past decade can be found HERE.

BTES - A

BES - B

OKES - B

WES - B

RES - C

ISTC - A

ITMS - A

BTMS - A

High school grades will not be available until later in the fall.

August 3, 2010

Revised Student Code of Conduct approved

June 30, 2010

School Board Opens Review of Student Code of Conduct

The Flagler School Board approved a 30 day review of the Student Code of Conduct at the June 30th board meeting. Citizen comments are encouraged through August 3rd, when the board will meet to approve revisions to the code of conduct.

The main topic of conversation among the board members focused on the dress code (page 9 of the code handbook) and the use of cell phones in school. The board made it clear to school administrators that policies must be enforced.

Board member Andy Dance suggested the addition of pictures to the code of conduct, showing inappropriate clothing vs. acceptable clothing to help administrators properly enforce the dress code. This will also help parents by giving clearer direction when purchasing new clothes for the upcoming school year. Additionally, Dance recommended a student produced video that can be shown to the student body and parents that shows cool ways to dress within the dress code limits, and also showing examples of clothing choices that are not allowed under the dress code limits. 

The use of cell phones in school is also a hot topic among teachers and students (page 19 of the handbook). The board will be reviewing this policy (see below) plus how violations of this policy are enforced by the schools.

Possessing a wireless communication device (i.e. cell phone, electronic telephone pager, etc.) is not a violation of Code. However, the device must be turned off and kept out of sight (i.e. inside a pocket, a book bag, a purse, or similar container) during school hours or while being transported on the school bus unless an administrator/designee gives permission to do something else. If a student uses a device during school hours or the device is on and emits any ring tone or other noise (i.e. vibration), it will be confiscated and kept until picked up by a parent/guardian. Violators will be subject to disciplinary measures. School staff is not responsible if these items are stolen, lost, or broken. 

Note: Additional information regarding cell phone prohibition while on the school bus is
contained in the section “Conduct on School Bus.” A wireless communication device that is used in a criminal act while the student is on school property or in attendance at a school function will be reported and/or given to the proper law enforcement agency.

You can read the entire Student Code of Conduct draft HERE. Suggestions can be emailed to Board Members. The email address for Andy Dance is dancea@flaglerschools.com.

June 28, 2010

Teachers Union Holding District Hostage Over Class-Size Compromise? - Article from FlaglerLive.com

June 16, 2010

Superintendent's Reorganization Saves District Nearly 1/4 Million in Administrative Salaries

As part of the expense reductions in preparation for the 2010-11 budget, the school board approved Superintendent Janet Valentine's administrative reorganization plan along with a new position, "Senior Director of Operations". The new position allows for a revamped school operations organization under the leadership of Mike Judd. Mr. Judd will oversee the non-instructional operations of the school district, including food service, facilities, construction, maintenance, risk management and custodial services.

On the instructional side, Supt. Valentine will not fill the Asst. Superintendent/Cirriculum position that she previously held. Instead, she is splitting the cirriculum duties by assigning a Director of K-8 Instruction and a Director of 9-12 & Virtual Instruction. 

This reorganization will result in a net savings to the district of $230,000.00 for the 2010-11 school year.

April 16, 2010

Buddy Taylor Renovations Near Completion

The renovations to Buddy Taylor Middle School are almost complete. I toured the facility last week and the new facility is a huge improvement over the old BTMS. The district will start moving furniture into the new facility next week. The removal of the portables and the final site work in the rear of the school will take place immediatley after the last day of school.

To summarize the construction work, the exterior and interior at BTMS were completely renovated. The old cafeteria was converted to classrooms, a music room and band room. Existing classrooms and the office area/reception area were renovated. A new pitched roof was installed over the entire school, as well as adding structural reinforcement to the support wall and adding stucco finish to the exterior. The biggest improvement was a safety feature and one that most parents will not notice when touring the new facility in the fall...a fire sprinkler system installed throughout the facility.

Pictures above right of the "old" exterior of BTMS and below right, the "new" facade.

Below please a photo album with the latest pictures of the new and improved BTMS:

March 17, 2010

Valentine Given 4-Year Term

New Flagler County School Board Superintendent-in-wating, Janet Valentine, was awarded a four year contract in a surprise decision at the 3/16/10 board meeting. The one year appointment, awarded just two weeks ago, will now be replaced with a four year term as part of the yet to be signed contract. The board was split on the decision, with members Conklin (motion), Dickinson (second) and Shellenberger in favor and Dance opposed. Trevor Tucker was not present.

Board member Andrew Dance said he wasn't comfortable with "the way it appears."
"This is nothing against Ms. Valentine, but going from a one-year contract to a four-year contract within two weeks of the appointment isn't right," he said.

Link to Daytona News-Journal Article

New Bell Schedule Approved For 2010-2011 School Year

The Flagler County School Board approved a new bell schedule for the 2010-2011 school year. This is the same bell schedule that was recommended by Superintendent Delbrugge last year, but was modified to reflect later start times district-wide (see article at the bottom of this page from July, 2009).

This time around, the bell schedule recieved unanimous support from the board. The new bell scedule is as follows:

Middle and High School:

7:30 am– 2:15 pm

Elementary Schools:

9:00 am – 3:15 pm 

Bus schedules will be released later in the summer. Check back in July for updates on transportation. 

March 3, 2010

Valentine Appointed Superintendent of Flagler Schools

The Flagler County School Board voted to promote Janet Valentine as new superintendent of schools Tuesday night. Ms. Valentine previously was the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction under Bill Delbrugge, who is leaving at the end of July.

Board members were split on whether to open a search for highly qualified and eligible candidates, both inside and outside the district, or to fill this vacancy just from within. After listening to a presentation by the superintendent that outlined timelines and potential costs to perform a search, estimated at $15,000 to $30,000, board member Colleen Conklin quickly motioned for the appointment of Janet Valentine to a one year contract.

Members Dance and Dickson discussed the need for a search and interview committee to find a replacement for Mr. Delbrugge. Such a process would bring forward the best available candidates, including candidates from within the district. Additionally, an interview committee that included community stakeholders would solidify community support for the eventual selection.

Board member Trevor Tucker seconded the motion and Chair Evie Shellenberger added her vote in favor of the motion, thereby declaring Ms. Valentine the first woman to be appointed superintendent of Flagler County Schools! 

All board members congratulated Ms. Valentine and promised to give her their support and the tools necessary to succeed.

LINK to Daytona News-Journal article

March 1, 2010

Myra Middleton Announces Retirement

Myra Middleton, Director of the Flagler County Schools ESE Department, announced her retirement Friday, February 26th. Ms. Middleton started her career as a special education teacher at Mainland High School in 1972. Under her leadership, the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Department provides services to over 2400 students identified as disabled or gifted. A full continuum of programs and related services are offered to students from preschool through high school in accordance with their individual educational plans (IEP).

In her email for the district staff, Ms. Middleton writes:
 
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
 
This afternoon I officially announced and provided written notice to Mr. Delbrugge and HR that at the end of this school year I will retire from Flagler County Public Schools. At this time I have no definite plans but feel that after 34 years, it is the right time for me to close this chapter in my life. I have loved my work in Flagler and will be pursuing opportunities in higher ed after I get some much needed rest. Thanks to you all for your collaborative spirit and kindness towards my work and me personally. All I ask is that you continue to be a positive support to my ESE family. God Bless you all and God Bless Flagler Schools as you face many transitions in the coming months.
 
Dr. Myra B. Middleton, Director
 
Exceptional Student Education Department

I thank Ms. Middleton for her years of service to the district and the children of Flagler County, and wish her well on her future endeavors. 

Credit: Picture courtesy of Flagler County School District 

February 28, 2010

Flagler Youth Orchestra Mourns the Passing of Their Leader

On Saturday, February 27, 2010, Jonathan May, Conductor, Teacher, Cellist, Friend, Father, Brother, and Husband suffered a massive stroke that took his life. Our thoughts and prayers are with the May family and all of Jonathan’s precious students.

Jonathan May was in his tenth season as Artistic Director of the Florida Young Artists Orchestra. He has worked with young musicians for the past 26 years and has developed orchestras throughout the United States including Minnesota, Colorado, Tennessee, and Florida. In the summer of 2001 he conducted the Florida Young Artists Orchestra in a successful tour of Italy, which featured performances in Milan, Fiesole and the Academy of Music at Santa Cecilia in Rome. He also led young musicians in concert tours of England, Scotland, Australia and Austria. And he was just named artistic director of the Music Academy at Schloss-Ort, in Austria.

May maintained a busy teaching schedule. Besides his commitment to developing Flagler County’s youth orchestral program, he was currently developing string programs at Trinity Preparatory School in Orlando, Park-Maitland Elementary School and Daytona Beach Community College. In addition to his exceptional work in the Orlando area, he was also the Music Director of the Central Florida Youth Orchestra in Lake County and the Daytona Beach Youth Orchestra in Daytona Beach.

Flagler Youth Orchestra is a joint project of the Flagler County School District and the Friends of the Youth Orchestra. Links:

Flagler Youth Orchestra Website
Wikipedia 

Link to YouTube Video of FYAO Florida Young Artists Orchestra Chamber Symphony concert 2-15-2009 Erev Shel Shoshanim Jewish Folk Song conducted and arranged by Daniel May. Cello solo by Jonathan May. Video by Gerard Hazuka

February 25, 2010

Update on Norovirus Outbreak

The Flagler County School District posted the PowerPoint’s from the recent Town Hall meeting on the norovirus outbreak. Flagler Schools covered information on how they are dealing with the virus, and answered common questions that are called into the school. The Flagler County Health Department presentation covers specifics on the norovirus, and answers many parent questions about virus, the symptoms and how it is spread. Here are the direct links to the presentations: 

Virus Informational Power Point From the Flagler School District
 
Virus Informational Power Point From Health Dept
 
The spread of the virus in Flagler County is subsiding. Attendance numbers are back to normal at Rymfire Elementary Schools.
 
However, children are still susceptible to catching this virus, and everyone must follow the proper handwashing protocols. Parents of children that have the symptoms now should view the slides and follow the protocols and recommendations from the health department and the school district.
 
Thank you to all the parents for doing your part to help control the spread of the virus.
 
Andy
 

February 16, 2010

Town Hall Meeting Planned In Response to Illness Outbreak

A "Parent Information Session on the Gastrointestinal Outbreak" will be provided by the Flagler County Health Department and Flagler County School District on Thursday--February 18, 2010 at Buddy Taylor Middle School Cafeteria, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. LINK

Additionally, the Flagler County Health Department issued a Press Release today, revealing satisfactory test results from samples taken at Rymfire Elementary. Read the press release hear: LINK

Flagler School District Adds Norovirus Information to Webpage

The Flagler County disctrict added a new section to their homepage at 1:00 PM today, "Outbreak Information". In the news release, the district states, "Students who are ill on our campuses with these symptoms will be kept separately from the other students and must be picked up immediately. This is an effort to help avoid spreading the illness to others. Please remind your child not to share drinks or other food items, to wash hands regularly and always before eating, and to cover his/her mouth when sneezing or coughing. It also very important for the child to notify a teacher if s/he has these symptoms while at school."

Additionally, the district added links to a "Parent Letter" this is going home with children today and a link to a "Norovirus Fact Sheet".

I will keep you posted when new illness information is added to this section of the district webpage.

Here is the LINK to the school district norovirus news.

Andy 

FCSD Food Services Release Illness Update

This  was released late Monday evening from Flagler County School District Food & Nutrition Services department:

Good Evening.

Not all of the Food Service staff at Rymfire Elementary were ill (as previously rumored). There are 4 who have not exhibited any symptoms. We are excluding from operations anyone who was sick for at least 72 hours after they no longer exhibit symptoms, per direction of the Department of Health who is treating this as the Norovirus. To be clear, there are 5 food service staff members of RES who will be allowed to come to work tomorrow, one of which was only mildly ill and whose symptoms subsided by Saturday morning. The Food Service Department has a staff of over 130 people District-wide. Staff will be pulled from the administrative office and other schools, as needed.

Our breakfasts and lunches will be pre-packaged for the remainder of this school week. There will be no direct hand-food contact from District employees. All food items we are serving are packaged at their manufacturing plants. Breakfast will be an Eastside Entrees Breakfast Break (bowl pack cereal and fruit juice) along with milk. Lunch will be a ham and cheese or turkey and cheese sandwich, a cup of fruit (packaged just like applesauce cups), carrot bites (in a plastic, sealed package) and milk. We will be placing the pre-wrapped items in bags, on-site, after all surfaces are throughly disinfected (again) with the antimicrobial food-safe sanitizing solution we use every day. We will be wearing gloves, as is part of our daily operation, but not normally necessary when handling pre-packaged food as there is already one barrier between the hand and the food. We're adding a second barrier, just to be safe.

In addition, we've received a waiver from the Department of Education to circumvent the use of the PIN pads to identify the student meals. Our goal is to help minimize as much hand-food, person-person or hand-equipment contact as possible for the next few days.

I'm a parent of Flagler students, too, and I'm saddened to think what many of you must have gone through with your children this weekend. Although no official link to our food or operations has been established, we are working closely with the Department of Health, District Administrators and all of you to help put a stop to the spread of this virus. More-than-frequent hand washing is the biggest ounce of prevention we can all take part in.

If anyone has food service concerns or questions, please feel free to contact me at torresa@flaglerschools.com or call me at 385-437-7526 x 1301. That invitation is open anytime, not only during situations such as this.

Sincerely,

Angela Torres
Director of Food and Nutrition Services

The Department of Health was at RES today and I can only speak for Food Services, but they are doing a full inspection of the cafeteria today and tomorrow. Those reports are public record and will also be posted on the Food Services page of the District's website by the end of the week. The most recent reports for each school are always posted there, per Department of Education Guidelines.

February 15, 2010

Latest Update on Possible "Norovirus" That Hit Flagler Families This Weekend 

One more update from the School District went out today via automated call. All faculty and staff have been sent email updates and an automated call as well.

District staff met twice with health department officials today. So far there has been no "official" cause identified from the Health Department, but we are treating this as "norovirus". There is definitely no correlation so far to food or water at RES. There are some cases reported at other schools, as I even got an email from an Imagine parent who has a sick child. It just seems to be making its way around the county.

Below please find a copy of our latest automated call:

Hello Flagler Families:

Some Flagler residents are currently experiencing virus-like symptoms. If you or anyone in your household has been ill with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramping, and/or fever, please report it via email to flaglerhealth@ doh.state.fl.us or call the Health Department at 437-7350, x 2261. It is helpful to report as soon as you start experiencing symptoms. If you have already done that, we thank you.

So far, none of the information indicates this is anything other than norovirus. You can read excellent information from the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov. Type in norovirus as the search word. Tests are underway to determine exactly what it is, but in the meantime, it seems to clear itself up in 24-30 hours. The symptoms can be severe but aren’t resulting in any long term issues from what we have seen.

Students who have shown symptoms should not return to school until 72 hours after their symptoms are completely gone. This means that after students seems to be better, they should not come to school because they are still contagious for about 3 days. If a student was sick before Saturday, they are ok to return to school Tuesday. If they were sick on Saturday or since then, please keep them home until the 72 hours has passed. Just send them with a note and these absences will be excused.

Custodial is doing a great job sanitizing all surfaces in the schools. The busses are also being sanitized. The main way to stop the spread of any illness is for students to wash their hands correctly and regularly with soap. We are asking students to wash hands upon entering the schools in the morning, before lunch, and before leaving school. Staff will also remind students to use the hand sanitizer that we have all in the schools.

Thank you!

Sent out by Katrina Townsend
(FCSD Director of Student Services)

February 14, 2010

Illness Outbreak Hits Flagler County Over Valentine's Weekend

The school district has been in monitoring a vast illness outbreak this weekend and has been in constant contact with the Health Department concerning the illnesses. The district is continuing to collect data, and the Health Department is continuing to analyze the data as it comes in.

The district is in the process of sending out automated calls to everyone in the district. Rymfire students are getting one message, and the rest of the students are getting a slightly different message.
The automated call messages are included below:
 
General Automated Call 

Hello Flagler Families. The Flagler County School District has had several reported cases of illness involving nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. Some people have also had low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness.

If you or anyone in your household has experienced any of these symptoms, please respond at the end of this message and provide the following information for the ill person: name, school attending, grade, and phone number. If the person does not attend school, please state that and give the person’s age. 

The health department is investigating and may be in contact with you for additional information. The illness lasts for about 1 or 2 days generally. Most people have no long-term health effects related to the illness; however, a few have received additional medical support while they get better. If your symptoms seem particularly concerning or long-lasting, or if the person has a chronic illness, you should contact your medical provider for individual recommendations for care.

(The calls give you options to press "1", "2", etc. to record your response)

Rymfire Students Specific Call

Hello Road Runners. This is Katrina Townsend with the Flagler County School District. Several staff members and students from Rymfire Elementary have reported having an illness with symptoms similar to stomach flu. The Flagler Health Department is collecting information to determine what exactly is occurring. Information gathered so far shows no connection between anything at RES such as food or water and the people that have gotten sick. However, just to be on the safe side for the next week, we are going to be serving food that is prepackaged instead of being prepared on site.

Additionally, if your child has experienced any symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach cramping, we need you to keep them home for 3 school days after their symptoms stop. If you send a note with your child stating you kept them home for this reason, the absences will be excused for the next week. We will be releasing more information as soon as it is available. Thank you.

If you do not get a phone call by tomorrow morning, you can email Katrina Townsend at TownsendK@flaglerschools.com.

Thank you,

Andy

January 20, 2010

Principal Changes In Store For 2010-2011 School Year

Flagler County Schools Superintendant Bill Delbrugge announced several changes in school leadership for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year. Changes were anticipated with the retirement of Indian Trails Middle School Principal Michelle Crosby. The dominoes started falling once the announcement of the new ITMS principal was made. Below please find a summary of the new position changes: 

1. Vern Orndorff (current Assistant principal at MHS) will become the new Principal of ITMS
2. Bob Sawyer (AP at FPC) will move to MHS to replace Vern Orndorff
3. Denise Haymes ( Principal at OKES) will be going the Curriculum staff at the GSB to replace Lynette Shott 
4. Nancy Willis (Principal at FPC) will replace Denise Haymes as Principal at OKES
5. Jacob Oliva (AP at FPC) will replace Nancy Willis as Principal at FPC
6. Lynette Shott will replace Jacob Oliva as Assistant Principal of FPC
7. Nick Schell (AP at OKES) will replace Bob Sawyer as AP at FPC

We all wish everyone the best in their new positions!

January 1, 2010

September 23, 2009

Veterans In The Classroom Program

Veterans Day is a great time to educate your children about the history of this holiday and the sacrifice and dedication of our U.S. veterans. With Veterans Day less than 45 days away, the time is right for planning classroom activities.

In the past, Flagler schools marked Veterans Day by closing school. However, this year and next, children will be attending school on Veterans Day and this provides us an opportunity to make this a day filled with special teaching moments.

To help with these teaching moment, Flagler County is blessed with many veterans who donate their time to come into the classrooms and give a first hand account of their special experiences. The Veterans-in-the-Classroom program is for all Flagler County Schools, public and private. It is established to increase youth awareness of the freedoms preserved by the sacrifices of veterans and their fallen comrades.

These visits will take place from October to November. If you wish to have a veteran visit your classroom, please fill in and submit this form.

September 22, 2009

Flagler Designated as "Academically High-Performing District"

Last week, the Florida Board of Education granted academically high-performing status to 21 of the state's 67 school districts. The Flagler County School District made the list for the first time.

Districts received the recognition by earning an A from the state for two consecutive years, and having no schools with an F grade. They also must meet class-size reduction requirements and have no material weaknesses in their most recent financial audits.

Academically high-performing districts are allowed the ability to waive certain state mandates, such as the requirement to start school no sooner than two weeks before Labor Day. Stay tuned. LINK

September 9, 2009

President Obama's Speech on Education

President Obama addressed education issues on Tuesday, September 8th, delivering a universal message encouraging students to study hard and be prepared to compete in a global economy. President Obama asked students to take responsibility for their own education, because it's important to them and to the future of the country. Here are some highlights from President Obama's back-to-school speech:

"At the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world - and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities," the remarks say. "Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed."

"No matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it. And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future."

"We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems," the text also says. "If you don't do that - if you quit on school - you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country."

I applaud the President for his message encouraging students to "fulfill your responsibilities", "really work at it" and how "every one of them was good at something." I agree with the President, that students should take responsibility for their own education.

In Flagler County, the school principals and teachers were given the option to show the speech. They understand their instructional requirements best, and as such, the district relied on them to decide when and if their students viewed the broadcast. Teachers who did not show the speech, due to conflicts such as tests, are likely to view the broadcast at a later time, when it may better fit their lesson plans.

If you missed the speech, the video is already available for you to view on the internet. Just click on this LINK to view the 18 minute video.

Andy Dance

July 21, 2009

Later start times for Flagler County School District students in 2009-10

"Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise," said Ben Franklin. But does this adage apply to teenagers? Since 1996, Kyla Wahlstrom and her research team at the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) have led the way in the study of later start times for high school students, beginning with their study of the impact of later start times on educational achievement in two different districts. Research found that later sleep and wake patterns among adolescents are biologically determined; the natural tendency for teenagers is to stay up late at night and wake up later in the morning.

This research indicates that school bells that ring as early as 7:00 a.m. in many parts of the country stand in stark contrast with adolescents' sleep patterns and needs. With this data in their heads, the school board voted (3-1) to increase the start times at all schools by an extra 30 minutes. Board member Andy Dance opposed the later start time and was in favor of the superintendent's recommendation, due in part to the change occuring so late in the summer and the affects of this change on working parents with elementary children.

During the summer, elementary parents seemed pleased with the recommended 9:00 AM start time, which was 15 minutes earlier than last year. With the sudden change, these parents are now faced with a 9:30 AM start time, and an afternoon release time that leaves active families and children with after-school sports less time to get everything done. Also, many parents will now be looking at the expense of before-school care in addition to after-school care in order to meet their job obligations and get to work on time.

The new school bell schedule for 2009-10 is as follows:

Middle and High Schools: 8:00-2:45

Elementary Schools: 9:30-3:45

Note: The interval between the two schedules is dictated by the bus routes and can not be shortened or lengthened without significant added costs for bus transportation.