- April 16, 2024
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School Superintendent Jacob Oliva (fifth from right) joins those retiring in one last, "dirty look" on the stairs of the Government Services Building before the Flagler School Board meeting on Tuesday. Photo by Jacque Estes
A second photo with the Flalger School retiree's smiling faces. Photo by Jacque Estes
Between the Flagler School board workshop and meeting on Tuesday, June 7, Superintendent Jacob Oliva, and the members of the school board, said goodbye to those retiring from the school district in the 2015-2016 school year, at a special dinner reception at the Government Services Building.
Oliva said he was “taking attendance,” as he asked each of the supervisors of the retirees to introduce their retiring staff. This resulted in laughter and tears. Retirees included bus drivers, custodians, teachers and administrators.
Barry Wills, assistant principal at Belle Terre Elementary, started his career 34 years ago, just a couple miles down the road, at Belle Terre Middle School. The school was renamed in memory of Buddy Taylor years later.
“I was at BTMS in '82, until Wadsworth opened five years later. I was a teacher and assistant principal there,” Wills said. “I stayed there 15 years. I was an assistant principal at Indian Trails for three years, and BTES the last 11.”
The first thing Wills plans to do after retirement is spend time with family and friends in West Virginia.
“My happiest memory is working with the great people in Flagler County,” Wills said.
Robin and Richard Dupont received an unusual gift at the retirement party their family had for them – a positive pregnancy test from their daughter.
“Our grandson was born on Super Bowl Sunday, and we are going to be grandparents for the second time in January,” Robin Dupont said.
After 27-year careers in Flagler Schools, the couple will pick up their new fifth-wheel recreational vehicle in Ohio, and tour Michigan.
Betty Farrell started her 26-year career behind the wheel of a bus, driving a handful of kids to the St. Augustine Technical Center. When the year-long grant expired she was asked if she could type, and became a secretary at Flagler Palm Coast High School. Farrell spent the past years in the finance department in the school district office at the Government Services Building.
“I just want to relax, to begin with,” she said, admitting that she was still up at 6:45 that morning, when she could have slept in. “I'll travel, eventually.”
During the school board meeting the retirees were formally thanked for their service.
