Volusia County School Board approves consent agenda, confirms administrators, rejects milk bid; Policy 320 pulled for further review

The Volusia County School Board on Jan. 14 approved its consent agenda, confirmed three administrative appointments and two assistant-principal transfers, rejected a direct-delivery bid for milk and dairy products and approved a piggyback contract for those products — and agreed to pull School Board Policy 320 for additional review, the superintendent told the board.

The superintendent, Dr. Carmen Balgobin, asked the board to remove item 19.01, "School Board Policy 320, media selection of print and nonprint materials," to allow staff to review additional information before any action. The board voted to approve the agenda with that item removed.

The board unanimously approved minutes for the special session, workshop and regular session of Dec. 10, 2024. Board members later voted to reject a bid for direct delivery of milk, juice and dairy products (item 11.01). Board member Christa Goodrich recused herself from votes related to the milk/dairy procurement; the rejection passed 4–0 with the recusal noted. The board then approved a piggyback contract for milk and dairy products (item 11.02) by the same margin with Goodrich recused.

Superintendent Balgobin recommended and the board confirmed three administrative appointments: Benjamin Carter as manager of professional standards (effective Jan. 15, 2025), Charles Bennett as assistant principal at Turie T. Small Elementary (effective Jan. 21, 2025) and Ronald Washington as assistant principal at Campbell Middle School (effective Jan. 15, 2025). Each appointment was moved and seconded and passed by unanimous vote when presented.

Board members also approved two assistant-principal transfers presented by the district's executive director of human resources, Stephanie Workman: Buffy Snipes to Sugar Mill Elementary and Shannon Van Slyke to Discovery Elementary, both effective Jan. 21.

The remainder of the consent agenda — after the separate votes on the milk/dairy items — passed as presented. The board also approved its 2025 board-member travel plan and other routine items in the consent packet.

Votes at a glance - Approval of Dec. 10 minutes: motion to approve carried; outcome: approved unanimously. - Agenda approval with removal of item 19.01 (Policy 320): outcome: approved unanimously. - Pull/withdrawal of item 19.01 requested by Superintendent Carmen Balgobin for further review: action taken; item removed from the agenda and will return at a later meeting. - Bid rejection, item 11.01 (direct delivery: milk, juice and dairy products): outcome: rejected, vote recorded as 4–0 with board member Christa Goodrich recused. - Piggyback contract, item 11.02 (milk and dairy products): outcome: approved, vote recorded as 4–0 with board member Goodrich recused. - Administrative appointments: Benjamin Carter (Manager, Professional Standards), Charles Bennett (Assistant Principal, Turie T. Small Elementary), Ronald Washington (Assistant Principal, Campbell Middle School): outcomes: approved unanimously. - Assistant-principal transfers: Buffy Snipes to Sugar Mill Elementary and Shannon Van Slyke to Discovery Elementary: outcomes: approved. - Consent agenda (remaining items, after separate votes on 11.01 and 11.02): approved unanimously. - Board travel confirmations for 2025: approved unanimously.

Board members conducted the votes during the regular meeting; where recorded, motions and seconds were voiced on the record and the chair called for voice votes. Several items were carried unanimously; the milk/dairy procurement items included a recorded recusal by board member Christa Goodrich.