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Volusia County Schools reports that Volusia County students’ scores on the SAT college entrance exam increased 8 points on average, topping both state and national averages for the first time. Volusia County SAT scores have risen four years in a row.

The mean score for the Class of 2020 was 1,061, up from 1,053 a year ago. The state mean decreased 7 points, to 992, and the national average decreased 8 points to 1,051. The students’ scores outperformed the state average in every category of the exam.

Volusia County Schools has also announced that for the first time this year, the Class of 2021 will be provided the opportunity to take the SAT during the school day and free of charge. This is the first time that the district has participated in the program.

Volusia County Schools is participating in a Virtual Volusia Job Fair, recruiting in four areas: substitute teachers; student transportation (bus drivers and attendants); ESE teachers for kindergarten through 12th grade; and secondary teachers in all certification areas. The need for substitute teachers is especially high this fall.

Details about the qualifications for all these positions are available at the Virtual Volusia Job Fair website at www.volusiajobfair.com.

Josie Stumpf, Volusia County Schools 2021 Teacher of the Year, received statewide recognition and an award of $1,000 from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations and Florida Power & Light Co. for strong student-engagement strategies and efforts to expand learning opportunities for her students. She is a fifth-grade English language arts and social-studies teacher at Holly Hill School.

McInnis Elementary School

McInnis Elementary School in DeLeon Springs has nominated Rebecca Dail for the 2022 Teacher of the Year. Dail teaches third grade at McInnis and is a product of Volusia County schools. She has been teaching school for five years, and is loved by students, parents and colleagues.

McInnis is currently celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a Hispanic Heritage Art Contest and a special day, where students and staff were encouraged to wear traditional Hispanic attire. The school is proud to have students on campus who were born in and/or have family members in Mexico, Honduras, Puerto Rico, El Salvador and other places.

DeLand High School

DeLand High School has nominated Jim Lowenstein for the 2022 Teacher of the Year. Lowenstein has been teaching at DeLand High for more than 25 years and is a graduate of DHS. He has a deep understanding of how to effectively communicate with students, and has established positive connections that allow him to inspire his students in the classroom and beyond.

Lowenstein is the CTE department chair, a former CTE facilitator, and a coach of three sports. He is an instrumental part of many events on campus, including but not limited to running the jumbotron at home football games, the Bulldog Palooza, the Homecoming Growl, and coordinating events to be broadcast on Bulldog TV.

DeLand High School Athletics

The sports calendar for the DeLand High School Bulldogs is short this year, and many sports schedules have just been formulated. Therefore, this column will try to let readers know when events will be taking place. Remember that schedules change for numerous reasons, so be sure to check out the current details before you travel any distance for a contest.

Friday, Oct. 2 – The Bulldog football team hosts Spruce Creek at 7 p.m. in Spec Martin Memorial Stadium, and the Bulldog cross-country teams play host to the DeLand Invitational at 5 p.m. at Sperling Sports Complex.

Monday, Oct. 5 – The boys’ and girls’ golf teams compete in the 5 Star Tournament at 9:30 a.m.; the bowling team travels to Atlantic at 4 p.m.; the girls’ junior-varsity volleyball team plays host to a three-way event in the Bulldog gym at 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 6 – The varsity and junior-varsity volleyball teams play host to Spruce Creek at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 7 – The boys’ and girls’ golf teams play host to Mainland at 4:30 p.m.; the bowling squad travels to Spruce Creek at 4 p.m.; the junior-varsity and varsity volleyball teams go to Winter Springs at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 8 – The junior-varsity football team faces Matanzas at 6 p.m. in Spec Martin Memorial Stadium, and the girls’ golf team plays at Spruce Creek at 4 p.m.

Pine Ridge High School

Pine Ridge High School in Deltona will have community-service training workshops so students can start counting volunteer hours toward graduation. The workshops will be in the multipurpose room (01-028) during lunch. The first workshop, for freshmen only, will be Tuesday, Oct. 6, while an all-grades workshop will be Thursday, Oct. 8.

Stetson University

Stetson University is sad to announce the sudden death of Dr. D. Gregory Sapp. He was the Hal S. Marchman Chair of Civic and Social Responsibility and professor of religious studies at Stetson.

Stetson University Athletics

Stetson University athletic programs are advancing through their permissible phases of activity, as outlined in the Stetson Athletics COVID-19 Resocialization of Sports Plan. As of Sept. 18, seven programs have moved into Phase III, which allows for the return to more normal team practices and, when permitted, outside competition. Those seven programs are men’s basketball, women’s basketball, women’s golf, women’s tennis, men’s cross-country, women’s cross-country and men’s golf.

On Sept. 16, the NCAA’s Division I Council announced men’s and women’s basketball competition would begin Wednesday, Nov. 25.

Stetson men’s tennis head coach Christophe Noblet has become certified as an Elite Professional by the U.S. Professional Tennis Association.

West Volusia high-school football

This past week, DeLand topped Deltona, 39-0, while Orange City University stopped Seabreeze, 26-7.

Coming up on the short end of the scoreboard was Pine Ridge of Deltona, who lost to Father Lopez, 32-20. Deltona Trinity Christian was shut out by Central Florida Christian, 41-0, and Taylor of Pierson was halted by Newberry, 37-14.

Games this Friday, Oct. 2, include Deltona at Mainland, Halifax at Taylor, Pine Ridge at New Smyrna Beach, Ocala Christian at Deltona Trinity Christian, Spruce Creek at DeLand, and Orange City University at Flagler Palm Coast. All games are at 7 p.m.

— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.

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