- January 31, 2025
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Parents of Port Orange Elementary School students are acting against Principal Tennille Wallace and Michele Duguay, the school's teacher on assignment.
Nicole Carr, PTA President for Port Orange Elementary, approached the Volusia County School Board on Oct. 23, representing a large group of parents and students from different backgrounds — Title 1 to gifted to general education — about creative a better environment for all students at the school.
Carr said she has heard concerns from parents during drop off and pick up about the divide among students on both sides of the economic spectrum. She said the divide is greatest between Title 1 and gifted students. General education students are ignored.
She said multiple attempts have been made to contact the principal and the teacher on assignment, but she said they avoid their texts, and Carr was told they will only communicate through the parent portal. Bringing it to the School Board was their last step in taking action, she said.
Carr said in addition to beginning a petition, parents also will file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration about the school's conditions.
"Our students deserve to learn in a safe, clean and healthy environment," she said.
Superintendent James T. Russell said ABM is investigating cleanliness levels at Port Orange Elementary and also Palm Terrace Elementary in Daytona Beach. Should there be an issue, a safety officer will follow up and the district will address it.
