- April 19, 2024
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The Flagler County School Board may let Superintendent Janet Valentine’s contract run its course to the end of June instead of spending the $18,000 required to buy it out.
Board members discussed buying out Valentine’s contract and appointing Assistant Superintendent Jacob Oliva to her position at the last school board meeting, but they took no action, in part because they didn’t know how much a buyout would cost, or how Valentine — who had a stroke in November and has not been able to work since — would feel about ending her contract early.
Since then, School District Attorney Kristy Gavin has met with Valentine.
“It would be my recommendation, and the superintendent has indicated, that she would just like the contract to expire at the end of its term without a buyout,” Gavin said at Tuesday evening's School Board workshop.
School Board Vice Chairwoman Colleen Conklin said she thought that made sense, for Valentine and for the district.
School Board Chairman Andy Dance, who spoke in favor of a buyout at the last meeting, agreed.
“I think since we at the last meeting decided to proceed on the expedited search and advertise, I think we’ll let that play out,” he said. “I wouldn’t do anything before that comes to fruition.”
Dance said the board could revisit the issue later, after a candidate is chosen. No candidate for Valentine’s position can be appointed as long as her contract is in effect.
Meanwhile, Oliva has taken over many of Valentine’s responsibilities, and Gavin said the district could consider giving him a stipend to compensate him for the extra work.
“If at the end of the day, you decide that you needed to compensate Assistant Superintendent Oliva, you would be able to give a stipend,” she said. “That shouldn’t be a driving force in the need to appoint a superintendent.”
So far, Gavin said, the district has received 12 applications for the position.
The application period ends Jan. 17, and advertisements for the position, which would pay $125,000 to $135,000 per year, were posted on the websites of Education Week and the American Association of School Administrators in December.
The superintendent search committee, Gavin said, will meet at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9 to discuss the rubric that will be used to evaluate potential candidates. The meeting is open to the public.
