- January 15, 2026
By next school year, the Flagler County School District’s leadership team will have a different look with new chiefs of Human Resources and Operations.
The School Board got a first look at minor changes to the job descriptions in both positions at an agenda workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 13, in anticipation that both HR Chief Bob Ouellette and Operations Chief Dave Freeman will be retiring this year.
Superintendent LaShakia Moore said the district plans to post the new positions as early as February whether or not the board agrees to the job description changes at its Jan. 27 business meeting.
Board member Janie Ruddy initially asked about the possibility of hiring a search agency for the HR position. She also asked about adding specific certification requirements such as the SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) certification to the job description.
Joshua Walker, the district supervisor of Human Resources, said the intent of the adjustments is to cast a wide net that could then be narrowed after applications come in. For example, the qualification of having a minimum of five years as an administrator or supervisor would be changed to “preferred” under the new description.
The changes are all about adding flexibility to searches, he said.
“It's about making sure you're having an open mindset, and not putting yourself in a box,” Walker said.
The required certifications, which would remain the same from the current job description, are not specific. Candidates are required to have certification in “administration and supervision, educational leadership, human resource management or other leadership certification.”
“This is only me individually,” Ruddy said. “But I would recommend to Ms. Moore and staff leadership that the certification is too broad and to include the highly valued HR specific certifications that we feel that somebody who's trying to go for a high level role like this chief Human Resources officer would undoubtedly have earned.”
Board member Will Furry said the bar should be set as high as they can, but he said that because they’re “looking at a field where there's not a large pool of availability, I think it should be more broad.
“Sometimes when you make things too detailed you may discourage a good candidate,” he added.
Ruddy countered that the HR role is so common that there would be no shortage of applicants and adding specific certifications would limit unqualified applicants.
“Even in our smaller Palm Coast area, we could potentially have a lot of folks who would apply but yet not meet the criteria that we're really looking for, putting additional burden on the staff,” she said.
Moore said the district expects the applicants to already have SHRM and other certifications and coursework.
“However, if the individual came with the appropriate experience, and we believe that they were the best candidate, we would provide professional learning to them, as we have done with many of our staff members to get those certifications,” she said.
In the Chief of Operational Services job description, coordinator of planning and intergovernmental relations was added.
Moore said staff will get revised descriptions back to the board with the intention of getting them approved at the Jan. 27 meeting.
