Believe it or not, Volusia County public schools open for students Monday, Aug. 12. There are several things that can be done prior to the opening of school that are helpful to parents, the student and the school.

If you are new to the area or you have moved and your child will be attending a different school than what was projected at the end of last year, please visit the nearest school of your child’s level and register. Also, you can check with the school’s website and see if there is a school-supply list offered for your child’s grade level.

A child needs to be up to date on their immunizations. The Florida Department of Health in Volusia County offers no-cost immunizations for students entering kindergarten and seventh grade. Appointments are available at the Orange City and Daytona Beach locations, with extended clinic hours in August. Make your student’s appointment soon by calling 386-274-0509.

The extended hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 6 and 7, at the Orange City facility at 775 Harley Strickland Blvd., and in Daytona Beach at 1845 Holsonback Drive. Also, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, at the New Smyrna Beach facility at 717 W. Canal St.

Normal operating hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Pilot Club of the Halifax Area offers a scholarship that was established to assist graduating high-school seniors in Volusia County who demonstrate severe financial hardship and a great passion to achieve success. Consideration is also given to academic achievement and community involvement.

This year, four $500 scholarships were presented, one of which went to Hayden Williams of DeLand High School. The other three recipients attend high school in East Volusia.

The Florida Department of Education has released the 2024 spring-assessments results, including FAST (Florida Assessment of Student Thinking) reading and math scores, statewide science-assessment scores and end-of-course exam scores in all other subjects.

Volusia County schools maintained or increased English Language Arts achievement in third through 10th grade; Volusia County schools increased the percentage of students meeting or exceeding proficiency in math in third through ninth grade; Volusia County middle- and high-school students (grades seven-12) increased 30 percentage points in Algebra 1 achievement year over year, outpacing the state’s 4 percentage point gain.

Every Volusia County public high school increased the percentage of students meeting or exceeding proficiency on the Algebra 1, Geometry and U.S. History end-of-course exams (EOCs); 10 out of the 11 (91 percent) Volusia County high schools increased the percentage of students meeting or exceeding proficiency on the Biology EOC.

Deltona Middle and Ormond Beach Middle had the largest year-over-year increase (11 percentage points) of students meeting or exceeding proficiency on the Civics EOC.

Blue Lake Elementary, Champion Elementary, Chisholm Elementary, Freedom Elementary, Friendship Elementary, Horizon Elementary, Pine Trail Elementary, Campbell Middle, Deltona Middle, Galaxy Middle, Silver Sands Middle and Taylor Middle-High saw an increase in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding proficiency on the Math FAST PM 3 Assessments at all grade levels.

Stetson University Athletics

The Stetson University Hatter baseball team has 26 players playing this summer in summer-league baseball.

The two playing in the West Coast League for the Bellingham Bells are Danny Witters and Ty Van Dyke.

There are five playing in the Florida Collegiate League, with Anthony Gonzalez, Bryce Gluckman, Andrew Ezell and Foster Apple playing for the DeLand Suns, and Jack Waddingham for the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs.

There are four Hatters playing in the New England Collegiate Baseball League: Nelphie Lopez at the Danbury Westerners, Juan De La Cruz at the Mystic Schooners, TJ Melani at the North Shore Navigators, and Matt Heyl at the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks.

The Cape Cod League has 10 students: Landon Moran, Lorenzo Meola, Evan Griffis and Brendan Walker with the Orleans Firebirds; Jayden Hylton at the Brewster Whitecaps; Isaiah Barkett with the Falmouth Commodores; and Zane Coppersmith, Gio Cueto, Yohann Dessureault and Yoel Tejeda with the Wareham Gateman.

James Hays is in the Valley League at the Charlottesville Tom Sox.

Stetson University Athletics has recorded its highest finish toward the NACDA Learfield Directors’ Cup. The Hatters finished with 97.5 points, which placed them 159th overall. Institutions earn points for their finish in the different sports in which that school participated. In the ASUN, the Hats were fourth among the conference members.

Dominic Clemons, a Stetson golfer, has qualified to participate as an amateur in the 152nd British Open Championship, which is being played at the Royal Troon Golf Course.

Soccer season for both the men’s and women’s teams is about to open for the 2024 season. The women’s team opens at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, against Florida Atlantic on the Stetson soccer field. Then, the Lady Hatters go to Gardner-Webb Thursday, Aug. 15, followed by a trip to Wofford Sunday, Aug. 18.

The men open on the road at Daytona State at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, and then to UCF at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15.

The Stetson ticket office is now taking $100 deposits for the first opportunity to receive basketball season tickets.

The Edmunds Center is currently undergoing renovations, replacing all seats with new and improved seating options, with some of the seating options including padded seats. Call 386-738-4287 for more information.

College honors

Vermont State University is proud to congratulate Aiden Trapani, of Deltona, for being named to the President’s List for the spring 2024 semester.

Kian Knutson, of DeLand, earned dean’s list honors at The University of Tampa for the spring 2024 semester. Knutson was a senior majoring in accounting.

Tufts University recently announced its dean’s list for the spring 2024 semester. Included are Anthony Caron, of Deltona, Class of 2027, and Andrew Korkus, of DeBary, Class of 2026.