Volusia County Schools has announced the five finalists for Teacher of the Year 2024, with two of them teaching on the west side of the county. The two finalists from our area are Amy Dempsey of DeLand High School and Gina Walker from George Marks Elementary in DeLand. The other three are Emily Fagerstrom from Champion Elementary in Daytona Beach, Caryn King from Ormond Beach Middle School, and Tanner Norvell from Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach. The Teacher of the Year will be named Sunday, Jan. 21, at a banquet.
In an earlier edition, this column mentioned the Standard Response Protocol based on an all-hazards approach and the actions to be taken. During an emergency, a principal’s first priority is to secure your child’s campus. They will immediately contact security and respond to any incident that may arise.
Parents will be notified as soon as possible through a School Messenger call, text and email, and social media as appropriate, if your child’s school is placed in a hold or lockdown or is experiencing another incident.
A “hold” means that while individuals are not moving around campus, all doors are still locked and classroom instruction can continue. There is not an immediate threat.
A “lockdown” means there is an immediate threat and further safety precautions to secure rooms are taken.
Immediately after an emergency, the school or district will notify parents once the hold/lockdown is lifted and let parents know that all students are safe. If more details are available at this time, they will be shared.
After an emergency, your school will send a more detailed message if necessary, detailing the situation. Keep in mind that some scenarios require further law-enforcement investigation and not all details can be shared during this time. Depending on the situation, law-enforcement presence will continue on campus to deter future incidents.
Blue Lake Elementary School
Blue Lake Elementary School in DeLand congratulates Harmony Denby on being selected as the Superstar of the Month.
Freedom Elementary School
The PTA at Freedom Elementary School in DeLand will present Winter Wonderland 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, in the multipurpose room. The cost is $2 per student, and the student must have an adult present. RSVP was due by Nov. 28.
McInnis Elementary School
Four classes at McInnis Elementary School in DeLeon Springs claimed standout performances during the October iReady and Waterford Challenge. Those classes earning a sweet treat were those of Elizabeth Lundy, Wanda Cooper, Emily Naghdi and Jennifer Campbell.
Volusia Pines Elementary School
Volusia Pines Elementary School in Lake Helen congratulates its Employee of the Month, Janet Denis, who teaches kindergarten.
Deltona Middle School
Student Ryan Wilson, an eighth-grader at Deltona Middle School, achieved a perfect score on the B.E.S.T. Algebra 1 End of the Course Exam last spring, as a seventh-grader.
Southwestern Middle School
Southwestern Middle School in DeLand congratulates Mar’Kayviah Mims on being recognized as a City of DeLand Super Star Student last month.
Deltona High School
Deltona High School has named the Students of the Month for October: Janiyah Pate, Wolf of the Month; Emily O’Donnell, Scholar of the Month; Joshua Lopez, Citizen of the Month; and Carlos Cerrud, Athlete of the Month.
DeLand High School Athletics
The DeLand High School Bulldog baseball team has a Holiday Fundraiser, selling 24-inch fresh Christmas wreaths. You need to order by Wednesday, Dec. 6, with pickup Friday, Dec. 8. There are four different wreaths to select from, with costs running from $65 to $85.
The DeLand High football team has reported that the varsity team had a 3.22 GPA for the first grading period, while the freshman team had a 3.26 GPA. Fifty-eight of the 79 players had a 3.0 or higher GPA.
The boys soccer team downed Deltona, 8-0, and they lost to Spruce Creek, 3-1, and Lake Mary, 6-0.
The Lady Bulldog soccer team topped Deltona, 8-1, with Mika Chong getting the hat trick (three goals), and Yasmin Rios collecting two more.
The team then knotted the score with Lake Buena Vista at 0, and lost to Pierson Taylor, 3-2, with Samantha Sharp and Lairen Ramirez scoring the goals.
On Thursday, Nov. 30, the girls weightlifting team will compete at Father Lopez at 4:30 p.m., and the boys basketball team will host Seabreeze at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
On Friday, Dec. 1, the wrestling team competes in the University Clash in Orange City at 9 a.m. The match continues Saturday, Dec. 2.
Also on Friday, Dec. 1, the girls soccer team faces Trinity Prep in Winter Park at 6 p.m., and the Lady Bulldog basketball team goes to Calvary Christian, with game time to be determined. The boys basketball team is at home against Mount Dora at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. that same day.
On Saturday, Dec. 2, the competitive cheerleading squad goes to Bartow for the Chase to State Competition.
The Bulldog basketball team comes home to face Atlantic at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, and the girls soccer team is home against Jones at 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 5, has the girls basketball team playing at Umatilla at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and the boys basketball team playing in the Bulldog gym against Deltona at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, has four Bulldog teams competing: The girls basketball team greets Forest Lake Academy at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and the girls soccer team plays at Forest Lake Academy at 5 p.m. The Lady Bulldog weightlifters are home against Seabreeze and University at 4:30 p.m., and the boys soccer team greets Seabreeze at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, has Lyman coming to town to face the DeLand High girls basketball team at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Stetson University
Stetson University has been selected for The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges for the eighth time, recognizing the university as one of the nation’s leading most environmentally responsible colleges.
The Stetson Room in the Carlton Union Building will now be known as the Warren and Barbara Carr Stetson Room.
Stetson Votes, a student organization on campus, has been working the campus to educate classmates about political engagement and to register them to vote. The nonpartisan voter registration organization has been designated as the 2023-24 “Voter-Friendly Campus” from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, a nonpartisan recognition program for higher education.
The Stetson Centurion Sales Program took first place in the 2023 International Collegiate Sales Competition, World Cup of Sales. The Stetson group competed against 80 universities and more than 300 students in three events — Elevator Pitch, Sales Management Case, and Role Play. Teams represented the U.S., the Netherlands and Canada.
Stetson University Athletics
Stetson University Athletics has announced the first-ever Hat ter Legacy Auction taking place Monday-Sunday, Dec. 4-10. The auction is open to everyone wanting the chance to bid on Hatter sports memorabilia, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and exclusive team gear. Go to gohatters.com/auctions for more information. All proceeds will go directly to each team and the general athletic fund.
The Stetson men’s basketball team faced the University of Houston in Texas. The Hats came up on the short end of the score, 79- 48, with Jalen Blackmon and Alec Oglesby each scoring 11 points. The Hats suffered through 23 turnovers.
The Lady Hatter basketball team lost to High Point in North Carolina, 59-54. The Lady Hats outscored the home team in the last three periods of play, but just fell short of victory. The Stetson squad out-rebounded the hosts by 25.
The Stetson calendar has the Lady Hatter basketball team at home against Webber International at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30. On Sunday, Dec. 3, the team plays at Indiana at 2 p.m., and the men play at Chicago State at the same hour. Tuesday, Dec. 5, has the men at Charlotte at 7 p.m.
— Send school news to Tony Tussing via email: at flacoach43@hotmail.com.
