Volusia County Schools has reported that it has received a B grade for 2023-24. It had 61 of the 64 points needed for an A and demonstrated substantial improvements in all areas of accountability. VCS increased the percentage of all schools earning an A or a B by 6 percentage points, from 57 percent in 2023 to 63 percent in 2024. VCS improved 11 places in rank from 40th (2023) to 29th (2024) in the percentage of possible points among all Florida school districts.
Those schools in West Volusia to get an A grade were DeBary Elementary, Volusia Pines Elementary in Lake Helen, Deltona High School and Volusia Online Learning.
The Parent Portal is an important avenue of communication for Volusia County Schools for parents and students. It is important for parents to create their own Parent Portal account.
For more information on how to sign up for the Parent Portal, visit www.vcsedu.org/portals, call the Help Desk at 386-734-7190, ext. 25000, or get in touch with your child’s school registrar.
The Black Homeschoolers of Central Florida has opened its corporate office and the BHCFL Homeschool Resource Center at 1609 S. State Road 15A, Suite 7, in DeLand.
Go to BHCFLStrong@gmail.com for more information.
The Orange City Sorosis Club has hosted a school supply drive to make sure that children have the supplies they need for the upcoming school year. The club’s main recipient is River Springs Middle School in Orange City.
You can help the club by shopping for and/or donating school supplies, or by making a monetary donation. Go to ocsorosisclubb@yahoo.com for additional information.
Volusia Speedway Park, a partner in education, is hosting a Racing Back 2 School Night at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10. For every ticket purchased, $5 will be donated to Volusia County Schools.
Volusia Speedway Park is at 1500 E. State Road 40 in Barberville. Go to https://bit.ly/3ShxOF5 for more information.
Sunrise Elementary School
It has been announced that the new principal of Sunrise Elementary School in Deltona will be Melissa Fratus, who comes over to Sunrise from River Springs Middle School in Orange City.
West Volusia high-school football
Six high schools in West Volusia are fielding varsity football teams this fall: DeLand High, Deltona High, Deltona Trinity Christian, Pine Ridge High in Deltona, Taylor Middle-High in Pierson and University High in Orange City. Below is a summary of the opening games for each of these high-school programs.
DeLand High, under the direction of Rick Darlington, has its Kickoff Classic against Eustis in Spec Martin Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, and the season-opening game will be played against Madison County in DeLand at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23.
Deltona High, under the direction of Matt Martin, goes to Flagler Palm Coast at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, for its preseason game, followed by an opening against Crescent City at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, on the field at Deltona High.
Deltona Trinity Christian Academy is once again under the direction of Allen Johnson. Their preseason game is at home against St. Joseph Academy of St. Augustine at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16. The season-opener is at Halifax Academy in Daytona Beach at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23.
Pine Ridge has head coach Gregory Miller directing the 2024 Panthers, with a preseason game at home against Halifax Academy at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, followed by its season-opening game at Winter Springs at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23.
Taylor Middle-High is led by Antuarn Williams and does not list a preseason game, but check with the school. The Wildcats are slated to open at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, against Aucilla Christian from Monticello on the field at Taylor.
University High in Orange City will be directed for the second year by Justin Roberts. Their schedule on MaxPreps does not show a preseason game, but check on this. The Titans open at Mainland at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23.
DeLand High School volleyball
The DeLand High School Lady Bulldog volleyball team is coached by Rhea Simon, and the Lady Bulldogs open their 2024 season at Spruce Creek at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15.
Stetson University Athletics
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, in which the Stetson University Lady Hatters women’s rowing team competes, has announced its honor roll for the past season, which includes 21 Lady Hatters. To earn this honor, the athlete must hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Isaki Sakashita, an incoming freshman member of the Stetson women’s golf team, has made a strong appearance in the 75th USGA Girls’ Junior Championship. She worked through the qualifying stroke play to qualify for the match play portion of the tournament.
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association has announced its 2024 Division 1 scholar-athletes and All-American teams, with the Hatters’ tennis programs (men and women) receiving the All-American team honor and 11 (six men and five women) student-athletes earning individual honors.
To qualify for the scholar-athlete honor, a student needs a GPA of 3.5 or better, while a team must have a 3.2 GPA. All varsity letter-winners should be factored into the cumulative team GPA.
The Stetson women’s basketball program has added Adrianne Harlow to its coaching staff for the 2024-25 season. Harlow comes to Stetson from North Alabama, where she served as the associate head coach. She has coached for more than 20 years on multiple levels of women’s basketball. She played her collegiate basketball at West Liberty University in West Virginia.
Stetson University Athletics will be hosting its yearly Hatter Athletic Fund Drive beginning Aug. 12-16, with the emphasis on fall sports — football, men’s and women’s soccer, cheering, men’s and women’s cross-country and indoor volleyball. Nov. 11-15, the concentration will be on the winter and spring sports. Contact Stetson University Athletics to make a donation.
