- March 29, 2025
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One of the most critical issues for Flagler Schools and other districts is attracting and retaining qualified teachers and other staff members.
At the Flagler County School Board’s information workshop on March 25, Human Resources Officer Robert Ouellette and Supervisor Joshua Walker presented a spotlight on the district’s Strategic Plan Goal 4, which is talent.
The goal “is designed to attract and retain top talent to Flagler Schools in order to be the nation’s premier learning organization,” according to the presentation document. It goes on to say that “a long-term investment in our employees is an even longer-term investment in the future success of our students.”
According to the document, the district aims to reduce the percentage of vacant instructional positions on day 1 of each semester from 5% in 2023-24 to 4% or less in the 2025-26 school year and non-instructional positions from 7% in 2023-24 to 6% or less in 2025-26.
Most students are being taught by permanent certified instructors, even in critical shortage areas, Ouellette said.
The district is attempting to reduce the shortage through job fairs and stronger recruiting systems, leadership development and individualized training and academic coaching and mentoring for instructors in their initial years coming into education.
The district is using a new applicant tracking system, SchoolSpring, which is tied into the Florida Department of Education’s system, “so our postings are statewide,” Walker said.
Once an application is in the system, the applicant doesn’t have to fill it out again to apply to a different district. When the district’s new wellness center opens, drug screenings will be free and provide rapid results. It will also allow potential employees to observe the benefits of the wellness center, Walker said.
A Daytona State College teacher apprenticeship program is a pathway for paraprofessionals to get bachelor degrees, Ouellette said.
Board member Janie Ruddy asked about finding replacements for teachers who leave before the end of the school year.
“We are losing teachers throughout the school year,” Ouellette said, noting we are currently in a “teacher’s market.”
One option that has been discussed, he said, is having a teacher at one school take over the class in another school virtually. There is also the possibility, he said, of hiring certified teachers from other countries on J-1 visas for 36 months.
But since the teachers are limited in their time here, Ruddy said, “they are not going to be immersed in our community.”
Board member Derek Barrs said providing more feedback and coaching, especially during the first five years, will be a key in maintaining and growing all staff.
Superintendent LaShakia Moore said it’s important to coach leaders who are in position to provide feedback to teachers.
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