- November 19, 2024
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The Flagler County School Board voted unanimously at its Tuesday meeting to permit a Flagler County-managed construction project to build a sidewalk and trail on district land at Bunnell Elementary School.
“The overall ending would be a huge, huge plus for Bunnell Elementary,” Assistant Superintendent Jacob Oliva said at the meeting.
The Florida Department of Transportation-funded project would cost the district nothing, and about 800 feet of the planned sidewalk would be on school district land.
The sidewalk would encircle the school, and a trail would lead northeast to the nearby Joanne B. King Park, owned by the city of Bunnell.
Work on the project would begin in October, and construction on the school campus itself would be scheduled for winter break.
Educators recognized
In other business Tuesday, the School Board recognized two district staff members who have been honored for their achievements.
“You will not find two harder-working individuals in our school system,” Oliva said. “They are working for our community day and night, nights and weekends.”
The Florida Association of Student Councils named Flagler Palm Coast High School Activities Director Cheryl Perry its Advisor of the Year and gave the school’s SGA its Gold Medal award, the highest level available, in the medallion council competition.
The Central Florida Wrestling Coaches Association gave Flagler Palm Coast Athletics Director Steve DeAugustino its Lifetime Achievement Award.
The two educators got a standing ovation from the board and the audience.
“I have no doubt that if this was in the evening, it would be standing-room only,” School Board Vice Chairwoman Colleen Conklin said. “There are so many lives that both of you have touched and continue to touch.”
Project Play-able close to goal
A group of seven children trying to make Rymfire Elementary School’s playground more accessible for children with physical disabilities is nearing its fundraising goal.
The kids organized Project Play-able last year as sixth-grade students at Rymfire. They’re still calculating how much mulch they’ll need for the new schoolyard equipment, and how much it’ll cost.
So far, they’ve raised $1,357 and believe they’ll need about $1,800 to cover everything.
The kids said in a presentation before the board that they hope their project will encourage other schools to add school yard equipment for children with physical disabilities.
Conklin suggested staff look into placing a link to the kids’ gofundme.com account on the district’s web page.
“You guys are amazing,” she said.
School Board member John Fischer suggested the kids make sure the project’s work continues as they move into middle school.
“We need a team,” he said. “So maybe you can recruit some good members to take your places.”
Giving local
The Community Foundation of East Central Florida is holding its Give Local charitable event May 6, encouraging community members to donate to local causes or groups that interest them.
Matching donors will amplify the impact of donations received that day. Putnam County and Volusia County are participating in the charity event, as well. Nonprofit organizations are still signing up to participate.
The group has raised $13,000 for local groups over the past five or six years, said Community Foundation of East Central Florida President Nitz Schmellick.
Any organization that signs up, she said, agrees that money donated through Give Local stays in the community it came from.
Information on Give Local is available on the Flagler County School District website.
Superintendent Janet Valentine to enter intensive therapy program
Oliva said he recently spoke to Flagler Schools Superintendent Janet Valentine, whose responsibilities he has taken over since she suffered a stroke in November that left her unable to work.
Valentine has been accepted into a six-week intensive therapy program called Aphasia House at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, he said, and is excited to get started.
“She’s making a lot of wonderful progress," he said. "She definitely wants to know everything that is going on."
