- March 13, 2025
The Flagler County School Board is reviewing new sex education curriculum for the county’s middle schools; if passed, the curriculum would make the district eligible for a grant from the State Department of Health at $150,000 per year for three years.
The grant requires that schools teach one of four approved abstinence-only curricula. The application process requires that the board select curriculum by Oct. 1 if Flagler wishes to be eligible for funding.
Katrina Townsend, director of student services, said Wednesday at a School Board workshop that the grant requires schools to match the yearly grant money. The nurses in the district will meet this requirement, she said, so the schools won’t have to do anything but switch their curriculum.
Colleen Conklin, District 3 board member, called this opportunity a win-win situation.
“It’s a supplement to what we’re already doing,” she said. “We’re not changing our policy (by doing this).”
Townsend had originally endorsed one curriculum — Project AIM — and sent it to the board before learning that this curriculum cost about double what the others did.
Project AIM’s character-building approach, which discusses the risk of sexually transmitted diseases but not ways to prevent them or birth control methods, is similar to the options the grant allows, Townsend said.
No members of the board voiced concern about the grant itself, but said they wished to review the different curriculum choices before coming to a decision.
Board considers amendment to athletics rules
In light of new Florida High School Athletic Association rules that require students and coaches to be careful not to raise suspicions of coach-following or student recruiting, the School Board discussed possible revisions to Policy 320.
These changes would make non-school rentals of equipment or facilities more accessible by introducing a yearly flat rental fee of $250.
It also would allow coaches affiliated with high school teams to continue to work with athletes during the off-season if students and their parents signed a GA6 form. This form explains to students the risk of losing athletic eligibility for a year if they transfer to a school where they had previous contact with a coach from that school.
Conklin said it was important that the athletics departments within the district find ways to be sure that students fully understand the forms.
“It’s all about educate, educate, educate,” she said.
Board supports K2 ban
At its workshop, the board voiced its allegiance with the Palm Coast City Council’s plan to consider banning the sale, display and distribution of K2 or other synthetic drugs, which have gained popularity recently.
“It’s bad, the hallucinations and other stuff it does to you,” board member John Fischer said. “These kids are just going into stores and getting it right off the shelves.”
