- May 1, 2024
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Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore speaking at a community forum on Sept 27. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Community members pack the Carver Center on Sept. 27 for Flagler Schools' Community Connection Forum. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Carl Jones, president of the African American Mentoring Program, told parents, "Don't shortchange yourself." Photo by Brent Woronoff
Kristin Frank, a Teaching and Learning specialist with the district, picks out books to hand out to students at the Bunnell Block Party. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Kristin Frank, a Teaching and Learning specialist with the district, passed out children's books at the Bunnell Block Party. Frank distributes books at events and at Grace Community Pantry. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Brandon Stewart and Deanna Dempsey, who lead #MIP: Me, In Progress, asked students to paint positive messages on rocks, which they will place around the county. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Marian Irvan-Reddin asked how the community can assist parents in helping their children succeed. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Superintendent LaShakia Moore answered questions at the Community Connection Forum at the G.W. Carver Center. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin attended the school district's Community Connection Forum. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Superintendent LaShakia Moore answered questions at the Community Connection Forum at the G.W. Carver Center. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Superintendent LaShakia Moore. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore said the goal of the district's Community Connection Forum was for the community to come together and have frank conversations about education.
“For so many years, we’ve had to take on other things that have caused us to not focus on the goal of educating our students,” Moore said at the beginning of the forum on Sept. 27 at the G.W. Carver Center. “We’ve taken on responsibilities that are not appropriate for the school district to take on.”
She said that during the last few months, she has heard “over and over” about a disconnect with the school district and the communities of Flagler County.
Perhaps the greatest example of that disconnect was the impetus for the forum — the assemblies for African American students at Bunnell Elementary School on Aug. 18 to discuss low standardized test scores. The segregated assemblies outraged parents who were not informed about them ahead of time and drew national media attention. A district investigation resulted in the resignations of the teacher who presented the assemblies and the school principal who approved them.
The assemblies included all African American fourth and fifth graders — those whose assessment scores were below grade level as well as those whose scores were at grade level or higher.
Moore said that since the incident, students involved were offered resources ranging from tutoring to counseling services. Some parents asked to have their children transferred to a different school, and the district was accommodating their requests, she said.
A series of trainings for staff were being arranged through several entities, including the Office of Civil Rights, she added.
Moore alluded to a stigma within the district that may have prevented school or district staff from saying something before the assemblies occurred.
People are fearful to speak up. We have to give them methods to speak up and not fear retaliation.”
— LASHAKIA MOORE
“People are fearful to speak up,” Moore said. “We have to give them methods to speak up and not fear retaliation.”
Moore said she does not believe there was any bad intention in organizing the assemblies.
“The principal (Donelle Evensen) is someone I have high regard for, someone I’ve worked with and I love. But (what happenend) was not appropriate for those students and not something we can support,” Moore said.
Citizens filled the bleacher seats and rows of folding chairs placed in the Carver gym for the forum. The forum followed the Bunnell Block Party, which was organized by the schools in the area — Bunnell Elementary, Buddy Taylor Middle School and Flagler Palm Coast High School.
Among the tables set up in the gym for the block party was Kristin Frank’s “The Reading Tree” table, stacked with children’s books. Frank, the district’s Teaching and Learning English Language Arts K-5 specialist, distributes children’s books at events and at Grace Community Food Pantry.
“Bringing literacy into the home includes support for the parents,” she said. Frank receives book donations from teachers and community members and also pulls books that no longer in circulation at the media centers.
Deanna Dempsey and Brandon Stewart manned the “#MIP: Me, In Progress” table. #MIP is a free program in Flagler County funded by Flagler Cares and developed by Easterseals Northeast Central Florida to provide behavioral health services to teens. Students at the block party painted rocks with positive messages. “Some took them home. If they leave them, we’ll place them around Flagler County,” Stewart said.
Community members were encouraged to ask questions during the forum. Marian Irvin-Reddin asked about tools that can help parents support their children.
Moore said there are many organizations in the community that parents can contact, such as the Flagler County Education Foundation, Faith in Flagler Schools and the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler and Volusia.
She emphasized that the district needs support from community organizations and faith-based leaders so the schools can focus on academics.
“Education is a community thing. We cannot do it without you,” Moore said.
She encouraged people to get involved by becoming a mentor to students or a school volunteer to take on peripheral duties to help teachers focus on educating.
Moore said it’s important for parents to understand what the graduation requirements are and the different programs available to students.
“Our students should be coming out with industry certifications or degrees if they want, or AICE diplomas,” Moore said. “We base our (Career and Technical Education programs) on what the workforce in the community needs. Our job is to save our families money by providing opportunities to earn certifications, advanced diplomas or AA degrees.”
Moore said the district will have community forums on a regular basis, with the next one to be on the north side of the county in conjunction with a block party.
“What I’ve heard is it’s necessary to have conversations in our community,” Moore said after the forum. “What I will walk away from is this is one step in moving Flagler Forward.”
