Workshop meeting addresses professional development time, staffing concerns, and student safety technology
The Flagler County School Board held an agenda workshop on December 9, 2025, covering topics ranging from potential calendar changes for teacher professional development to staffing challenges and student internet monitoring systems.
Professional Development and Calendar Discussions
A significant portion of the meeting focused on whether the district should consider implementing regular half-day Wednesdays to provide additional professional development time for educators. Board members noted that surrounding counties, including Hillsborough and Osceola, have implemented early release days with positive feedback.
Currently, Flagler County provides two professional development days during pre-planning at the beginning of the school year, one day in August on election day, and one day in January. While the district is on par with neighboring counties in terms of full professional development days, it does not offer early release days like other districts.
Superintendent Moore indicated the district would need to survey stakeholders before making any major calendar changes. “If we were going to make any major changes to the schedule, we usually pull our stakeholders,” Moore said, adding that the district would need to identify supports for families and elementary students and evaluate costs and impacts on support staff schedules.
Board members expressed concern about the challenges teachers face in fitting professional development into their schedules, noting that planning time is often consumed by IEP meetings, parent communications, and administrative tasks. The need for training on AI and technology was specifically mentioned as an area requiring attention.
The 2025-2026 school calendar will return before the board at next week’s meeting for approval at both the one o’clock and six o’clock sessions.
Early College Agreement
The board reviewed the annual early college agreement with Daytona State College, which is required by statute. District officials clarified that while the agreement must be approved annually, Flagler County students primarily participate in dual enrollment opportunities rather than the early college program. Hundreds of students currently participate in dual enrollment.
Board members asked about costs for equipment and materials, with officials confirming the district covers textbooks, workbooks, codes, and required classroom equipment. Questions also arose about how students with IEPs are supported in college courses. Officials explained that federal protections remain in place for students with disabilities taking dual enrollment courses, though accommodations may look different in the college setting. Students work with accessibility officers at the college level, and families are informed about expectations during the registration process.
Staffing and Teacher Retention
The district currently has 49 total job postings, with approximately eight classroom teacher vacancies. Officials reported that personal reasons remain the most common explanation given by departing staff in exit interviews. The district has updated its process to collect personal email addresses during onboarding to improve response rates on exit surveys.
To address teacher vacancies, the district uses long-term substitutes, ideally certified teachers, and supplements with online curriculum programs when needed. Academic coaches and school leaders provide support to classrooms with substitute coverage.
Board members inquired about international teacher cultural exchange programs as a potential solution to staffing challenges. Moore indicated the district had considered such programs in the past but found organizations lacked the capacity for a district of Flagler’s size. She noted the district is not currently in a position requiring such measures for classroom teachers, though positions like school psychologists and related services remain harder to fill.
The board requested data on teachers who have transferred into the district with more than 10 years of experience from out of state, along with information on how many of those employees utilize the district’s healthcare plan. This information is relevant as the district does not limit the number of years of experience it accepts from transferring teachers, which some board members suggested could impact healthcare costs.
Travel Expense Policy
The board reviewed Policy 6550 regarding travel expenses, which had been previously approved in June but was inadvertently replaced when new Neola policies were implemented. The policy standardizes reimbursement rates, including an $80 per diem for overnight travel lasting 24 hours or more, broken into six-hour increments for extended trips. Officials noted the policy update reflects rates that had not been revised for over 10 years and is more beneficial to staff while not creating a massive budget impact.
Student School Board Member Policy
A board member requested research into creating formal policy or bylaws governing student school board member participation. Currently, the district has no written policy codifying the role and engagement of student representatives at board meetings. Officials confirmed this topic had been discussed previously and that staff would bring back recommendations.
Internet Monitoring and Student Safety
Board members discussed the district’s web monitoring and filtering systems, with one member asking about Gaggle, a service that provides web monitoring combined with mental health support services, including access to therapists and a student crisis line.
District technology officials explained that Flagler County previously used Gaggle and currently has comparable monitoring systems in place. The current system uses AI technology combined with human review to identify concerning student behavior online, including keywords and context analysis across Google Workspace. Alerts are categorized by urgency level, with immediate alerts triggering coordination with local law enforcement for life safety checks when necessary.
Officials acknowledged that despite robust filtering, some students find ways around restrictions. “We do have really bright students and we do have students that are very curious,” Moore said, adding that the district works to redirect technologically inclined students toward positive uses of their skills and empowers families with tools to manage device access outside school hours.
Substitute Teacher Management
A board member requested information on the administrative overhead costs of managing substitutes internally versus outsourcing to placement services. The request came after discussions with board members from other districts at the Florida School Board Association conference who use outside services for substitute management.
AI in Education
Following the FSBA conference, board members expressed interest in expanding the district’s AI initiatives. The district’s technology team is already participating in a University of Florida AI task force. Board members noted the importance of supporting teachers and parents with AI education and exploring career pathway opportunities in AI-related fields, citing November 2025 as one of the largest layoff months since COVID, with AI being a significant factor.
Closing Announcements
Board members shared various community events and announcements. Belter Elementary School’s PTO and SAC meeting was scheduled for Thursday. Matanzas High School planned a holiday activity featuring the Grinch on Tuesday at 6 p.m., followed by Breakfast with Santa. Indian Trails Middle School will offer CPR certifications for $10 on December 20th, funded by Ed Foundation grant money, with all instructors volunteering their time.
Board members who attended the FSBA conference shared that nearly 30,000 scholarship students could not be confirmed as enrolled during a recent state audit, representing over $270 million in funding that could not be matched to correct schools.
Members also highlighted the Christmas with Community Heroes event organized by the Flagler Professional Women’s Association, where community members took students holiday shopping. Superintendent Moore encouraged families to check their children’s grades on Skyward as the semester approaches its end and to have conversations about completing missing assignments.
The board announced that December 10th would be the 80th day of school, with staff encouraged to dress in 1980s-themed attire. An FTC advisory committee meeting was scheduled for the following Tuesday, and Rymfire Elementary planned a Holidays Around the World event on Wednesday.
The workshop concluded with a reminder that the next board meeting would take place the following week.
Note: This was an agenda workshop meeting where items were discussed for future board action. No formal votes were taken during this session.
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