- May 16, 2024
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Cathy Mittelstadt's final day as the superintendent of Flagler Schools coincided with the School Board's special meeting to accept the district's fiscal year close-out.
Mittelstadt began the June 30 meeting on the dais and then stepped down after Interim Superintendent LaShakia Moore was sworn in and took Mittelstadt's seat.
Shortly after the meeting, Mittelstadt posted a selfie on Twitter with Moore taking the oath of office in the background. "Proud of this day and I wish Ms. Moore all the best. @FlaglerSchools is in great hands," she tweeted.
Mittelstadt's three-year contract expired on June 30. The board voted 3-2 in April not to renew it.
After the close-out meeting, Mittelstadt said her immediate plans are to spend time with her family and do some traveling.
"I'm looking forward to some downtime," she said. "I'm purchasing an Airstream (trailer), and I'll travel west. And then I'll do some international travel. I have a very large bucket list."
She said she looked at some options over the past two months and decided to retire for now.
"I have been a resident of Flagler County for 25 years," she said. "I have no desire to be a superintendent anywhere else."
Mittelstadt has been involved in public education in Florida for 30 years in Orange, St. Johns and Flagler counties as a teacher, coach, principal and district administrator.
She was the deputy superintendent of operations in St. Johns County in 2020 when she was selected to succeed Jim Tager as Flagler County's superintendent, days before the state's COVID shutdown.
The last three years, I've served at the highest level I could have imagined. I'm very honored and privileged, and I'm proud of what's been accomplished here." — CATHY MITTELSTADT
"The last three years, I've served at the highest level I could have imagined," she said. "I'm very honored and privileged, and I'm proud of what's been accomplished here. Our employees persevered during the most challenging times in public education beginning with COVID and with the up-ticked political divide our country is going through. Employees of Flagler Schools always try to do best for the kids."
Mittelstadt, who loves to fish and spend time on the water, received a Yeti cooler and a gift certificate from the School Board at her final regular board meeting on June 20.
She said she might look into consulting work in the future, but she plans to step away for a while.
"I'm going to Mexico in the fall," Mittelstadt said. "Next year, I'm traveling to Scotland and Ireland. And in between you might see me pulling an Airstream."
