- November 27, 2024
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Greg Schwartz will have to drive further to work this year – another four miles.
In a last minute shuffling of administrators that began with Holly Hill Elementary Principal Jeff Reaves accepting a job as principal of Matanzas High School in Flagler County and Pathways Principal Jason Watson taking his place at Holly Hill, Schwartz received the news that he would be the new principal of Pathways Elementary.
Schwartz, a principal intern at Pine Trails Elementary, also on Airport Road, has had several different jobs in Volusia County schools, including coaching wrestling and football at Atlantic and Seabreeze high schools. During his 13 years at Seabreeze he also worked in drop-out prevention.
Becoming an educator wasn’t on his mind when he started college on a wrestling scholarship.
“I didn’t see myself in this path,” Schwartz said. “Bob Wallace (former principal at Seabreeze High School) encouraged me to get my masters.”
He and his wife of 19 years, Jennifer, have three children; Grant a freshman at Seabreeze, Garrick an eighth-grade student at Ormond Beach Middle School; and Anna Theresa, a third-grade student at Pine Trails Elementary.
Knowing that there is always a bit of uncertainty when there’s a new principal, Schwartz has made getting to know the people at his new school his first goal. He had a “meet and greet” for parents and students on July 19th. He has also reached out to the staff to come in to say hello.
“You can’t do anything until you know your teachers and staff and parents,” Schwartz said. “This is already a great school with amazing parents and very well supported by the PTA.”
When asked about the future of the school’s signature soap box derby, held annually in the back parking lot, Schwartz laughed.
“I have already gotten a call about that, and, yes, we are continuing it.”
The motto Schwartz said he lives by as an educator is: “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
