Back to school: Free lunch, sales tax holiday, cell phones turned off

Flagler County students return to school on Aug 11; Back to School Jam helped families prepare for new year.

  • Palm Coast Observer
  • Schools
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With just over a week remaining before Flagler County students return to school on Aug. 11, hundreds of families attended the Back to School Jam on Saturday, Aug. 2, inside Flagler Palm Coast High School’s gym.

The event featured over 70 vendors, district administrators and representatives from each school. Families could register their students for school, grab school supplies, get their transportation schedules and learn about extracurricular activities.

This year, school breakfast and lunch are free to all Flagler Schools students again thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Students will need their Student ID Cards.

Florida’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday will run through August. Tax exemptions include school supplies selling for $50 or less, clothing and backpacks priced at $100 or less, learning aids selling for $30 or less and computers and accessories selling for $1,500 or less.

State statute now prohibits cell phone use for the entire school day for middle and elementary school students. Flagler Schools had already prohibited cell phone use in elementary schools.

Here’s a school-by-school look at what’s new this school year.

Flagler Palm Coast High School: “We are excited about the newest members of our team,” Principal Bobby Bossardet said. Over 50 FPC alumni are working at the school in some capacity, including Bossardet himself and Assistant Principal Stacia Collier. FPC increased its overall school grade by 30 points in 2024-25 with every single area seeing academic growth.

Matanzas High School: The Pirates have a new principal in Mike Rinaldi, who had been the district’s coordinator of professional standards. Rinaldi has 25 years of education experience in Volusia and Flagler counties. Matanzas has added an Allied Health medical program preparing students for careers in the medical field. The program had been available at FPC only.

Buddy Taylor Middle School: Buddy Taylor’s Katie Hansen is the other new principal in the county. She received the news during her vacation in Hawai. “It was agreat place to be told you have a promotion,” she said. Hansen had been an assistant principal at Indian Trails Middle School. She said the new bell-to-bell cell phone restriction won’t be a huge change. “We’re making sure we’re communicating (the policy),” she said.

Indian Trails Middle School: ITMS has two new assistant principals in Ida Sierra and Efrain Gutierrez. The Mustangs are welcoming in over 400 new sixth graders, Principal Ryan Andrews said.

iFlagler Virtual School: The biggest change with iFlagler is not virtual. It has moved into Flagler Schools’ Engagement Center at the historic county courthouse. “This gives us more opportunities to invite kids to campus,” Assistant Principal Scott Bannon said. “We had restricted opportunities at the old campus (at FPC). Now with more space, kids can come to meet with their teacher in small groups or one-on-one.” iFlagler has 136 full-time students and hundreds part-time who take one or two classes at one of the middle schools or high schools,” Principal Erin Quinn said.

Flagler Technical College: FTC is offering Spanish and sewing lessons at its A1A Center at 5633 N. Oceanshore Blvd. FTC is also running Aqua Splash and Aqua Fusion water aerobic classes for seniors at the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club pool. The pool has open swim 9 a.m.-3p.m. on Saturdays.

Belle Terre Elementary School: Lisa Gilbert joins Tim Ruddy as assistant principals. Jessica DeFord enters her sixth year as principal. The school is celebrating its 20th year with the theme, “Once Upon a Time.”

Bunnell Elementary School: BES has new technology for its garden and culinary program’s cooking show. The technology will also be used for the school’s new news crew, Principal Cari McGee said.

Old Kings Elementary School: PE teacher Jan-Michael Scott is starting an after-school flag football program. The marine science club’s partnership with the Flagler County Education Foundation and 4-H continues. The marine science and art teachers are collaborating to bring arts into the marine science career program.

Rymfire Elementary School: Rymfire is celebrating its 20th anniversary. with the theme “Legacy of learning, 20 years strong.” Rymfire has a partnership with AdventHealth for fourth and fifth graders in its medical sciences, health and fitness career program. The school is aiming for an A grade after missing it by two points in 2024-25.

Wadsworth Elementary School: Wadsworth has a new assistant principal in Rachel Hayes and a new dean in Emily Creel. It will also get new playground equipment for kindergarten and first grade this year. The current playground equipment was original when the school was built, Principal Amy Neuenfeldt said.

 

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