- April 23, 2024
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Superintendent James Tager shakes Old Kings Elementary School students' hands at their eco-friendly lunch tray launch on Nov. 1. Photo by Paige Wilson
Superintendent James Tager's New Year's resolution is: “To work as a team to increase the graduation rate by encouraging all students to ‘Race to Create’ future stories.” Photo by Paige Wilson
Superintendent James Tager participated in three local races since starting at Flagler Schools in May, including the Oceans 50 relay race with other teammates on Nov. 4. Photo courtesy James Tager's Twitter
“Every student has a talent or a gift,” Superintendent James Tager said. “I think a lot people don’t believe that, but I think you can find something good in everybody.” Photo by Paige Wilson
James Tager majored in business at Flagler College, but a trip to the Special Olympics where he coached 18 students to win the gold changed his pathway for life. Now, as superintendent of Flagler Schools, he’s on a mission to create opportunities for every student.
“For the special needs students, they talked about that as that was their best days of their lives,” he said. “For me to be a part of that, that was a blessing and a privilege.”
Tager is carrying on his passion for helping students by focusing on the graduation rate, acceleration programs such as flagships, and early warning systems that could prevent graduation.
While he meets with his executive team each work morning and has meetings and projects filling up the week, Tager said he tries to designate Wednesdays as face-to-face interaction days around Flagler Schools.
“That’s where the work happens,” he said. “That’s where our kids are at, where our teachers and staff are at. They’re all valuable, and I think you have to look at it like each person at each school can make a difference — whether it’s the lady or the man who works in the cafeteria or the bus driver — whoever students touch during the day can affect a student’s day one way or the other, so I think it’s good to pay attention to that. And you can’t pay attention if you’re not there.”
Tager also attends as many academic, arts and sporting events at Flagler Schools as possible in the evenings to show students he’s supporting them in all their endeavors.
Tager’s stamina for his long work days stems from his active personal lifestyle. He runs four miles twice a week, with longer runs of 10-14 miles on the weekends.
While he ran three competitive races in Flagler County since being named superintendent in May 2017, he said he doesn’t run for competitive reasons.
“To me, it’s a great way to see new places, to see things I wouldn’t see in a car,” he said. “You meet a lot of good people running too.”
Tager said he uses running as an oppurtunity to clear his head and brainstorm new conversations and ideas for Flagler Schools.
Tager has worked in education for 35 years. He moved to Flagler Beach in summer 2017 from New Smyrna Beach. It was there that he worked alongside Dr. Earl Johnson, who is now Flagler Schools’ executive director of leadership development.
Johnson said Tager’s passion for student success is evident in the way he runs Flagler Schools — with a driven, transparent and collaborative approach.
The district grade report for 2016-17 by the Florida Department of Education put the graduation rate at 80% and rated Flagler Schools as a “B” district for the sixth consecutive year.
“I am very confident that Flagler County Schools will become an 'A' school district because of the superintendent’s laser focus on how we are going to meet each student’s needs,” said Johnson, who’s worked with Tager for more than 20 years.
Tager said the district is going to add at least one new flagship program to Flagler Schools in 2018 as well as maintain a sharper focus on early warning signs that could prevent graduation.
