- March 10, 2025
An off-duty deputy now patrols the hallways of Old Kings Elementary School, after a parent concerned for the safety of students donated about $12,000 to pay for the additional security.
The parent approached Nancy Willis, the school’s principal, and said she wanted a deputy in the school, and that she would be willing to pay for it. Willis directed the parent, who asked to remain anonymous, to Janet Valentine, superintendent of the Flagler County School District. District officials helped facilitate arrangements.
On Jan. 14, a deputy appeared on campus. The donation came as a shock even to some school officials, broadening an ongoing conversation in both the nation and the community about safety in schools.
“It’s an extremely nice gesture on her part to do that,” said Flagler County School Board member Sue Dickinson, referencing the donor. “I think I would have liked to have seen it go through the correct channels, though.”
Dickinson didn’t hear about the new security at Old Kings until a week after a deputy started working.
“Something like that, I would think should come to the School Board for approval before it happens,” Dickinson said, adding that she would have liked to hear legal insight into the matter from the district’s attorney.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has a program that allows private government entities to hire deputies while they aren’t on duty, said Sheriff Jim Manfre. Deputies who choose to work on the side are assigned to different locations.
Through the program, an off-duty, but fully armed, deputy is assigned to Old Kings during school hours, Manfre said.
Dickinson said she was happy to see the added security at Old Kings Elementary School, and that when School Resource Officers — deputies assigned to district schools — were removed from Flagler’s elementary schools after budget cuts several years ago, she was disappointed.
“But I’m a firm believer that if we do for one, we should do for all,” Dickinson said.
Manfre agrees. He’s trying to bring SROs back to elementary schools before the current school year ends.
“I don’t think SROs should have ever been removed from the elementary schools,” Manfre said. “In my opinion, the SRO program is only truly effective when it starts at the elementary level.”
That way, education about avoiding drugs, bullying and gangs can start early, Manfre said, and schools are more secure.
Because he’s currently in the midst of a fiscal budget year — and so is the school district — bringing SROs back quickly is a challenge, but Manfre said he’s looking into hiring seasonal deputies, since he doesn’t have the manpower to put deputies already employed in the schools.
This comes as good news to Dickinson, who said funding for SROs will be a high priority of hers come budget time.
“Because of budget cuts, we can’t really afford that security for every school, but I don’t know that you can put a price tag on that,” she said. “Safety is safety, no matter what the cost.”
As for the donation, it’s still shrouded in mystery. Dickinson said she first heard that the donation for the off-duty deputy at Old Kings Elementary School came from an individual, but then heard that the funding instead came from a company owned by a concerned parent.
Laura Lauria, a Flagler Beach resident who is widely credited with the donation, could not be reached for comment, nor could Valentine.
Dickinson said she hopes to see school officials — particularly Kristy Gavin, the district’s attorney — look into the arrangement to ensure the arrangement was handled correctly and to be sure all officials are aware of it. Overall, Dickinson said she believes Flagler Schools have a strong security plan, but that she supports any additional precautions. She would welcome SROs in every district elementary school.
“This is the first time in my 12 years on the (School) Board that we’ve had someone come forward with this kind of donation for this specific purpose,” Dickinson said. “But I believe a parent should be able to feel that a student is safe while attending school.”
