VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Volusia County School Board says it plans to decide soon whether to keep the superintendent in his post.
Community leaders, teachers and parents are divided about whether Superintendent Scott Fritz should stay.
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School board members plan to discuss a timeline to evaluate the superintendent’s job performance at an April 12 meeting before any decision on his contract is made.
The current deal expires in December.
A meeting to discuss the superintendent’s contract was scheduled for Tuesday before it was canceled.
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Members have pointed to improved graduation and enrollment numbers as a sign of the superintendent’s success, but some parents and union leaders feel a lack of trust and transparency means it’s time to move on.
Nancy Keefer, the president and CEO of the Daytona Regional Chamber Of Commerce, said Fritz managed to increase the district’s graduation by 4% to just under 92% and increased the number of dual enrollment certificates — all while dealing with a pandemic and him missing time due to cancer.
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“We just feel strongly now is the time to allow the superintendent to move forward with the strategic plan and a proper evaluation,” Keefer said. “Let’s see how we can help create a better environment for students to succeed.”
Some parents say they do not trust Fritz anymore because they feel that the decisions he made about masks went against what was legal. They said he also described parents who did not mask and vaccinate their children as “bad parents.”
The union says teachers do not feel supported by the administration and feel the success it had under Fritz’s watch was due to the teachers and support staff.
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“One individual does not create that kind of achievement,” said Elizabeth Albert with Volusia United Educators. “It comes because there are many stakeholders coming together to get those things done.”
The school board will have to come together to decide where Fritz will stay or leave. Board members Carl Persis and Linda Cuthbert both told Channel 9 they support keeping Fritz on. Member Ruben Colon declined to comment on his stance until a full evaluation and discussion is done first. The other two board members did not return calls for comment.
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