- December 15, 2025
About eight seconds after bringing the document to the table, the Flagler County School Board approved a revised agreement with the Flagler County Educators Association, closing the groups’ dispute over merit-pay standards.
The agreement stated that no instructor can receive less than a “Needs Improvement” or “Developing” rating in their reviews in Race to the Top’s inaugural field-study year unless the teacher has failed to complete a majority of goals outlined in a teacher success plan — a process lasting no shorter than 45 workdays.
The agreement also dictated that an appeals process be developed, which bargaining teams would reconvene to ratify.
“I’m just glad this is done,” School Board member Colleen Conklin said, after the item passed. “It’s my hope that, working together, there’s not much that we can’t do and accomplish and achieve for the kids.”
Race to the Top ready to rock
Having received approval from the Florida Department of Education, Stewart Maxcy presented the final Race to the Top teacher-evaluation plan to the School Board March 20 for ratification.
“We’re already thinking about reassessment and redesign, but we have to get through this year first,” he told the board.
Key to Race to the Top is open communication between teachers and administrators, he stressed.
Principal walk-throughs will not affect final evaluation figures, he added, but they will offer instructors an idea of where they stand.
“We want to give teachers time to improve — if it’s needed,” he said. All principal feedback will also be posted online as soon as it is compiled, for easier review.
At the end of Maxcy’s presentation, Conklin suggested quarterly reports on the program be given to the board to measure the tool’s impact and whether it has been successful.
For a breakdown of project guidelines, see “Race to the Top, year one,” at www.PalmCoast Observer.com.
Uniforms: the final session
With one last show of board support, the school uniforms issue, which has raged on since November, has been finalized.
Flagler County’s 2012-2013 dress code policy was approved 4-1, March 20. Andy Dance voted against the policy. No one from the public spoke.
The policy reads that repeat violations will be treated as disruptive behavior in the Student Code of Conduct. Any absence resulting from a violation will be considered unexcused.
Day-to-day discipline, however, will be handled by school principals.
