- May 18, 2025
VCS Superintendent Carmen Balgobin visits a sixth grade classroom at Hinson Middle School. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Volusia County Schools celebrated the first day of classes on Monday, Aug. 14. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
VCS Superintendent Carmen Balgobin speaks during a press conference at the district's transportation hub on Monday, Aug. 14. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Bus drivers start to leave the transportation hub to begin their routes. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
VCS Chief Operating Officer Earl Johnson Jr., Deputy Superintendent Rachel Hazel, Superintendent Carmen Balgobin, Chief Academic Officer Julio Nazario-Valle, Student Transportation Services Director Rodney Smith and Assistant Director of Fleet and Finance Chris Boyer. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
VCS Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and members of her cabinet wave to bus drivers on the first day of school. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Tonya Rone has been a bus driver for Volusia County Schools for 25 years. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Hinson Middle School welcomes students back to school with a banner. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
VCS Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and Hinson Middle School Principal William Dunnigan visit a sixth grade classroom. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
School Board member Jessie Thompson stops by Hinson Middle School. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
VCS Superintendent Carmen Balgobin visits a sixth grade classroom at Hinson Middle School. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
VCS Superintendent Carmen Balgobin visits a sixth grade classroom at Hinson Middle School. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Students walk the halls at Hinson Middle School during the first day of school in 2023. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Hinson Middle School Principal William Dunnigan and School Board member Jessie Thompson. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Phones are now prohibited during instructional time. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
School Board members Carl Persis, Jessie Thompson and Hinson Middle School Principal William Dunnigan. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin's first day of school began about an hour before dawn.
Surrounded by her cabinet members, Balgobin started her "Tour of Schools" on Monday, Aug. 14, at the district's transportation hub in Daytona Beach, waving to bus drivers as they left on their school routes.
"We want to welcome all of our students and their families as they return to Volusia County Public Schools," Balgobin said.
The district has two overriding commitments, Balgobin said. The district's number one priority, she said, is the safety and security of every single student and staff member on campus. The second commitment, she said, is quality teaching and learning.
In 2022, VCS began the school year with 256 classroom vacancies. This year, Balgobin said, the district has 97.
"However, I do want to remind and let all of our parents know that every single classroom is covered by a certified teacher," she said.
Last year, if classroom vacancies had been less than 100, that would have been cause for celebration, School Board member Carl Persis said. A total of 97 vacancies spread over its almost 70 public schools is manageable, he said.
"We want a qualified, certified teacher for every child in every classroom," Persis said. "So we're still working to achieve that goal, but it seems like we're almost there."
To fill classroom vacancies, the district has hired 55 interns from its apprentice program with Daytona State College and brought in 60 teachers through an international exchange program while continuing recruitment.
"We're so excited about that program, because it will provide our students not only the opportunity to receive quality instruction, because these are certified teachers, but also that culture exchange," Balgobin said.
Persis said the school year is off to a safe start.
"That's the most important thing," he said. "And just seeing the excitement, seeing the smiles on the kids' faces."
He also hopes to see an improved achievement level in reading and math for students in kindergarten through third grade this year. Those students had some of the most significant learning losses from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's critical that they gain that foundation by the time they get to third grade," he said. "So I'm really hoping that there's a strong emphasis to help build that foundation that they didn't have, so they can be successful after."
