- April 19, 2024
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For the first time in three years, Flagler County schools will have an assistant superintendent on its payroll, to be filled by current Flagler Palm Coast High School Principal Jacob Oliva.
To open the Tuesday, June 19, School Board meeting, Superintendent Janet Valentine read a statement about her daughter, Sarah Jean Namdar-Yeganeh, who was involved in a June 13 car crash, for which Valentine had to miss a few days of work. The statement segued into a recommendation that the board reinstate its assistant superintendent position, to be filled by Oliva.
Her daughter’s car accident has taught Valentine that the district’s administration can handle any emergency, she said, citing staffers like Mike Judd, who filled in for her when she was away. But it also furthered her viewpoint that the superintendent needs a second in command, a possibility first proposed in May.
“Because of the economic situation (three years ago), we decided we would not fill that position,” Valentine told the board. “And although that has worked, the time is now (to reinstate) … so that the school district will never be in a bad situation. It’s not good management.”
Oliva’s entire career in education has taken place in Flagler County schools, Valentine said. Taking over for Oliva at FPC will be Lynette Shott, who will choose another FPC assistant principal to take her old job.
“It’s just something that’s been needed for a while,” School Board Chairwoman Sue Dickinson said. “We just needed to bite the bullet.”
No additional staff will be hired.
“I feel confident that these two appointments will only strengthen our district,” Valentine said.
THE FISTS ON THE BUS
A Flagler Palm Coast High School student was expelled by the School Board Tuesday, June 19, for getting into a fight on a school bus.
The student “engaged in a verbal confrontation with another student” after getting “bumped” by the other student, according to School Board staff. A teacher responded to the fight that ensued but had to remove the student from the bus several times because the student repeatedly came back up the steps to continue fighting.
Video footage also caught the attacker strike the teacher in the face, while the teacher attempted to separate the two students.
The student served an extended suspension and will return to school next year, with a recommendation that the student be removed from public transportation.
