Parents, leaders say Samsula Academy split has renewed enrollment and momentum ahead of June charter vote

Speakers representing Samsula Academy told the Volusia County School Board on Tuesday that a governance split and new school leadership have led to increased enrollment and improvements on campus.

John Shelton, chair of the Samsula Academy charter board, said the governing board formed a new nonprofit after a resolution in April recommended splitting SamSula and Reading Edge Academy. "Since the split, Samsula Academy has been thriving and progressing," Shelton said, and the board is "awaiting approval for our new charter application for the 2025 school year that we have already submitted." The group asked board members to visit the campus and see progress firsthand.

Dr. Amy Michalis, both a Samsula board member and a parent, told the board the school has a long history in Volusia and said a leadership transition has driven increased family involvement and repair work. "For those that don't know, Samsula has been going strong as a Volusia public school for over a hundred years," Michalis said, and added the school had seen a 19% increase in enrollment in recent weeks and was preparing for the June 24 charter vote.

Why it matters: the board must act on charter petitions and renewals; a governing-board split and a separate charter application mean the district will evaluate the new entity’s petition and consider whether to authorize operation for 2025. The speakers asked the board to visit campus and review facility improvements as part of that review.

Board members and the superintendent acknowledged the public comments and noted Samsula will be placed on the board agenda for the June 24 meeting for consideration of the updated charter application.

What’s next: Samsula Academy’s governing board expects the matter to appear on the June 24 agenda for the board’s action on the charter request.