- November 27, 2024
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Incumbent Volusia County School Board member Carl Persis, who represents District 4, is running for reelection.
Persis filed to run for his third term on the school board on Sept. 8. A Seabreeze High School alumnus, he is a former teacher and was a school principal for 27 years, 13 of which were spent at the helm of Tomoka Elementary.
Persis is also a former Ormond Beach City Commissioner and mayor, as well as former Volusia County Council District 4 representative. Serving in public office, Persis said, is in his DNA.
"Being an educator, this is what I do," he said. "This is what I've been doing my whole adult life and I still have that burning fire in my belly to want to do it again."
Persis was first elected to the school board in 2016. He was reelected in 2020, having run with no opposition.
Persis said he's excited about the direction the school district is headed, and that includes the performance of Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and the new staff members hired since she came onboard.
One of the district achievements he's proud of is the district's career technical education program, which is now offered at every Volusia high school. The program provides an alternate career pathway for students not interested in a college education.
If reelected, Persis said he would like to emphasize the importance of education in the early learning years.
"Reading is the number one skill that children need to learn, and I am concerned that children are coming into our kindergarten programs not ready to learn," Persis said.
The district, he added, also continues to face the reality that many students have issues with social and emotional learning and mental health, which is then compounded by the effects of social media.
When it comes to teacher shortages, Persis said the district is "turning over every stone" to recruit new teachers.
"We're just doing everything that we can to find people with the talent and the skills, and again, most importantly, the love to want to help a student," he said.
Persis is running against running against Merrick Brunker, of Ormond-by-the-Sea, and Donna Brosemer, of Daytona Beach.
