Volusia County Schools has adjusted the school calendar to make up instructional time lost due to Hurricane Milton. The following early-release days will now be regular school days: Dec. 20, Feb. 19, March 12 and May 21. The remainder of the instructional time lost due to Milton, as well as the one day lost to Hurricane Helene, will be absorbed into the current schedule.
With this noted, Thanksgiving Holiday will begin Monday, Nov. 25, with students returning to school Monday, Dec. 2. The Winter Holiday will begin Monday, Dec. 23, with students returning to classes Tuesday, Jan. 7. The second grading period will end Friday, Dec. 20.
Volusia County Schools has named the 70 nominees for 2026 Teacher of the Year. From the list of 70, the top five will be announced by Thanksgiving. These five are chosen by a committee made up of parents, business owners, community members, teachers and administrators. The Teacher of the Year for Volusia County will be announced Saturday, Jan. 11.
Of the 70 teachers, the following list is of the elementary-school teachers in West Volusia and their schools: Darlene Fontanez of Blue Lake in DeLand; Katie Evans of Citrus Grove in DeLand; Jennifer Ray of DeBary Elementary; Dariel Auerbach of Deltona Lakes; Lauren Colwell of Discovery in Deltona; Holly Arnold of Enterprise Elementary; Bridgette Grant of Forest Lake in Deltona; Erika Ward of Freedom in DeLand; Barbara Watson of Friendship in Deltona; Janet Stone of George Marks in DeLand; Payten Ford of Manatee Cove in Orange City; Elaine Saxton of McInnis in DeLeon Springs; Steven Sanders of Orange City Elementary; Evette Vazquez of Osteen Elementary; Jose Alfredo Cortés of Pierson Elementary; Christy Salvatico of Pride in Deltona; Sheila Jones of Spirit in Deltona; Diana Bergery of Starke in DeLand; Cindy A. Verdi of Sunrise in Deltona; Michelle Ginn of Timbercrest in Deltona; Jeannine N. Dilligard of Volusia Pines in Lake Helen; and Jeff Leader of Woodward Avenue in DeLand.
Those who teach on the secondary level in West Volusia are Ray Knowles of DeLand High; Jill Ramroth of DeLand Middle; Michael P. Daly of Deltona High; LaRhonda Pride of Deltona Middle; Shilpa Sharma of Galaxy Middle in Deltona; Cari Zillmann of Heritage Middle in Deltona; Alexus Huber of Highbanks Learning Center in DeBary; Rose Mayr of Pine Ridge High in Deltona; Andrea Erthal of River Springs Middle in Orange City; Tamar Richards-Rogan of Southwestern Middle in DeLand; David Hughes of Taylor Middle-High in Pierson; Leanna Parrish of University High in Orange City; and Michelle Beasley of Volusia Online Learning.
Tomorrow’s Leaders is a six-month program in which students from the 11 secondary programs attend a seminar or workshop focusing on specific topics, such as criminal justice, social service, health care, manufacturing, the arts, government and education. During the seminar, students interact with community leaders, who share insights on goal-setting, effective communication, time management, motivation, human behavior and other aspects of effective leadership. Students apply to be selected for the program in the early part of the school year.
Forty students were selected for the 2024-25 program, with the following coming from West Volusia: DeLand High – Timothy Dobyns, Adam Gandia, Eli Harper, Jacqueline LeFils, Weston Millett and Anna Rickers; Deltona High – Andrea Blaha; Pine Ridge High – Wyatt Blair and Colton Beattie; Taylor Middle-High – Georgia Hough, Jimena Mancillas and Aurora Torres-Beltran; University High – Elizabeth MacDonald, Kevin Pari, Julianna Santana and Kristianna Wright; and Volusia Online Learning – Lola Mancuso.
West Volusia high-school football
On Oct. 25, the only West Volusia winning team was Orange City University, as the Titans topped DeLand, 55-35. Deltona was stopped by Tavares, 28-7, Deltona Trinity Christian lost to Old Plank Christian Academy, 34-0, Seabreeze defeated Pine Ridge, 24-7, and Crescent City downed Pierson Taylor, 49-6.
Nov. 1 would normally be the end of the regular season, but because of Hurricane Milton, the final regular-season games will be today, Thursday, Nov. 7, before the state playoff series starts for those who qualify. The Nov. 7 games have DeLand at Flagler Palm Coast, Deltona at Seabreeze, Pierson Taylor at Father Lopez, and Orange City University at Spruce Creek.
Friday, Nov. 15, will be the first round of state playoff games.
Five Star cross-country championships
The Five Star Conference meet was supposed to be at Spruce Creek, but since much of the course was underwater, the meet was moved to the New Smyrna Beach High School course Oct. 26. Flagler Palm Coast won both the boys and girls championships. All of these teams now head into district competition to qualify for regionals and eventually state, if possible.
Behind Flagler Palm Coast for the girls, in order of finish, were Spruce Creek, New Smyrna Beach, DeLand, Orange City University and Seabreeze. Atlantic, Pierson Taylor and Pine Ridge did not have full teams, and Deltona had no competitors.
The girls race was won by McKenzie Roy of Spruce Creek, with an outstanding time of 17:03.25, while her twin sister, Arianna, was second at 18:19.33.
The top female runners from West Volusia were Hannah Judge of Orange City University in third at 18:34.34; Addison Leonard of DeLand at 22:41.54; Ashley Fuentes of Pierson Taylor at 23:15.22; and Jackie Kemp of Pine Ridge at 24:57.12.
Following Flagler in the boys division were DeLand, Seabreeze, Spruce Creek, New Smyrna Beach, Deltona, Pierson Taylor, Orange City University and Pine Ridge.
The boys race title was claimed by Braedyn Wormeck of Flagler at 16:31.07. Those West Volusia top runners to follow him were Connor York of DeLand in fifth at 16:43.63; Lowell Cummings of Deltona in seventh at 16:55.94; Pierson Taylor’s Thomas Sistrunck at 20:30.57; Orange City University’s Aasen Watson at 18:57.92; and Anthony Amato of Pine Ridge at 19:56.55.
The second-place DeLand squad scoring runners included York, James Johnson, Solomon Lorenzo, Michael Mandell and Zach Sampson.
Five Star golf
During the week of Oct. 21, both the boys and girls golfers competed for the Five Star Championships. The girls and boys titles were claimed by Spruce Creek. All these teams now turn to the FHSAA playoff for the state crown.
On the girls side, behind Spruce Creek, in order of finish were Seabreeze, DeLand, New Smyrna Beach and Orange City University, with Seabreeze’s Riley Fletcher being the low medalist at 1 over on the Cypress Head course. DeLand’s Madison Dusenbury finished sixth, while Orange City University’s Cameryn Dunn tied for ninth.
The boys tournament was played at Venetian Bay, with Gabe Hull winning the individual title for Spruce Creek at 3 under. The DeLand squad was second overall, followed by Seabreeze, New Smyrna Beach, Flagler Palm Coast, Atlantic, Orange City University, Pine Ridge and Deltona, in order of finish. DeLand freshman Caleb Williams was third overall, Hagen Stanger tied for fourth, and Stanton Bonk placed seventh.
Five Star swimming
The DeLand High School Bulldog swimmers claimed the Five Star Conference swimming title, while the Lady Bulldogs finished second behind Seabreeze. The Orange City University boys were fifth, with the girls taking seventh.
With boys’ and girls’ points added together, DeLand was 290 points ahead of Seabreeze. Massimo Brunacci claimed first in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke, while Jake Naumovitz won the 100 freestyle. Piper Jamison won the girls 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. The Bulldog boys won all three relays.
DeLand High School
The DeLand High School Bulldog Robotic Team had four winners at the Robot Brawl: Timothy Breidigam, Nate Glover, Evan Smith and Will Kennedy.
Recently at DeLand High, there was a very moving memorial service for Matt Fair, who passed away in September. Fair was a member of the Class of 1984, where he set the long jump record that still holds at 24 feet, 5.5 inches. He went on to play football at Florida A&M, as well as in the World Football League in Europe. Nine Rattler teammates traveled to DeLand for the service.
DeLand High School Athletics
The DeLand High School Lady Bulldog volleyball team won the first two rounds of FHSAA regional eliminations by topping Timber Creek, 3-0, (25-20, 25-13, 25-13) and Lake Brantley, 3-1, (25-20, 20-25, 25-20, 25-17). They are now 25-2 on the season, and were slated to face Winter Park, one of two to defeat DeLand, last week for a trip to the state finals.
The DeLand boys golf team finished, 8-1, in the regular season, missing an undefeated season by three strokes.
Matt Bailey, a Bulldog football player who graduated in 2019, now plays for the University of Toledo as a graduate player, after playing for the University of South Carolina as a long snapper.
Luke Weaver, a Bulldog baseball player who graduated in 2011, is now pitching for the New York Yankees in the World Series. He made two appearances as a relief pitcher in the Yankees series with Cleveland. Weaver played his college ball at FSU and then spent time in the following pro organizations before becoming a Yankee: the St. Louis Cardinals, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Kansas City Royals, the Cincinnati Reds and the Seattle Mariners.
The winter sports calendar for the Bulldogs has the boys soccer team at Orange City University at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, with the girls soccer team at Wekiva at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 13, has the girl weightlifters at Matanzas at 4:30 p.m., the boys soccer team greeting Seminole at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., and the girls basketball team at Cocoa at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 14, has the girls soccer team at Mainland at 5:30 p.m.
On Friday, Nov. 15, the girls soccer team competes at Mendez at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Stetson University
Stetson University President Dr. Christopher Roelke has been named among the 50 Most Powerful People in Orlando by Orlando Magazine.
Stetson had a very successful Homecoming, during which the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity celebrated its 75th year on campus.
Stetson University basketball
The Stetson University Hatter men’s basketball team opened its exhibition season with a win over Columbia College of South Carolina, 105-60. Jordan Wood scored 18 points for the Hats, while Jamie Phillips Jr. added 17 points, with 11 rebounds and five assists. Treyton Thompson finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Alex Doyle made 11 points, with Mehki Ellison and Blaize Sagna each getting 10.
The men, on Monday, Nov. 11, are at The Citadel, while on Wednesday, Nov. 13, the women play host to Edward Waters at 7 p.m.
The men play at Oklahoma Saturday, Nov. 16, and the women go to UCF at 4 p.m. that same day.
Stetson University Athletics
The Stetson University Hatter football team lost to Davidson, 70-48, and lost to Presbyterian at Homecoming, 42-14.
The cross-country team traveled to a meet at Upstate South Carolina, with 19 teams competing. Stetson men were sixth, while the women were seventh. Conrad Voigt led the Stetson men with a 25-minute 8K, while Blair Durda ran the women’s 5K at 18:19.0.
The men’s soccer team knotted the score at 1 with Central Arkansas. Maurice Hauser scored the Hatter goal. The women’s soccer squad beat North Alabama, 2-1, with Avery Wise and Vanessa Manoli scoring the goals. The team lost to FGCU, 2-0.
The volleyball team lost to North Alabama, 3-1, (11-25, 16-25, 25-22, 25-12), while defeating Austin Peay, 3-0, (25-17, 25-21, 25-21), with Anabelle Standish recording 18 kills, three blocks and two aces. They also lost to Lipscomb, 3-0, (25-9, 25-18, 25-21).
The men’s and women’s rowing teams traveled to Massachusetts for the Head of the Charles Regatta. The men placed second out of 42 teams on the 3-mile course. Those on the boat for Stetson included Lukasz Bajorek, Endrik Brettmann, Ingmar van de Griek and Griffin Fender, with Alexander Moore as cox.
The women finished 27th out of 49 teams, with Sarah Sessions as cox. Jocalyn Ortega, Noelle Zinn, Ella Glover and Emma Rees did the rowing.
Stetson has noted the passing of John Boyle, who led the Hatter cross-country team for 18 years. He also served as an assistant coach at DeLand High, while promoting road racing throughout Central Florida.
The fall sport calendar is winding down as teams head toward ASUN Conference tournaments.
Friday, Nov. 8, has the Stetson men’s tennis team hosting the Mad Hatter Invitational on the Mandy Stoll Tennis Courts.
On Saturday, Nov. 9, the volleyball team greets Eastern Kentucky at 6 p.m., the football team plays host to Marist at 1 p.m. for Military Appreciation Day, and the rowing team goes to the Head of the Canal Regatta at Fellsmere.
Thursday, Nov. 14, finds the volleyball team at home against JU at 6 p.m., while Friday, Nov. 15, the cross-country teams go to Tallahassee for the South Regional NCAA tournament.
