Volusia County School Board confirms slate of principals, assistant principals and district transfers

The Volusia County School Board on June 2 approved the agenda and consent items and confirmed a broad slate of administrative appointments and transfers for the district, with many positions set to take effect July 1, 2026.

Chair Ruben Cologne called the meeting to order at 5 p.m. and the board approved the May 12 minutes after a motion by Jesse Thompson and a second by Jamie Haynes. The board then approved the agenda and the consent agenda by voice votes; no public comments were submitted that day.

The main item of the evening was administrative appointments presented by Superintendent Dr. Carmen Balgaban. Dr. Balgaban introduced a roster of recommended hires and lateral moves across schools, noting this is a routine end-of-year personnel process.

Cheryl Celeleski was recommended and accepted the role of coordinator for exceptional student education (ESC). "I accept this role with gratitude, purpose, and a deep commitment to making a difference one child at a time," Celeleski said, noting more than 25 years in education and a personal connection to special education services.

Several new principals were announced: Hillary Bloom as principal of Volusia Pines Elementary; Amy Kerry as principal of George Marks Elementary; Christina Donahghue as principal of Beachside Elementary; Samantha Fabulish as principal of Champion Elementary; Bobby Joe Grieve as principal of River Springs Middle; Dr. Faith Harris as principal of Blue Lake Elementary; and Kelly Moore as principal of Tamoka Elementary. Each appointee spoke briefly to thank the board, family and mentors and to pledge priorities for students and staff.

The board also confirmed a series of assistant principal appointments, including Don Bogs at Discovery Elementary, Riley Bryant at Timberrest Elementary, Angel Jordan at Titi Small Elementary, Octavius King at Pine Ridge High, Dr. Vonda Morris at Mainland High, Esther Morris at Edith I. Stark Elementary and Peggy Trinidad at David C. Henson Senior Middle. "I am honored to accept this appointment and want to thank you all for your confidence and trust in me," Don Bogs said as he accepted his new posting.

After the public appointments the board clerk read a longer list of administrative transfers and lateral moves for principals and assistant principals (principal transfers cited in the reading included John Cash to Creekide Middle School; Dr. Ricking to Port Orange Elementary; Thomas Vaughn to Silver Sands Middle; Mike Zablo to Woodward Elementary; and others). The clerk characterized these as routine, district-level reassignments that are included on the agenda for transparency.

The meeting adjourned with Chair Cologne inviting attendees to a special session scheduled June 8 at 2 p.m.

What this means

Most appointments and transfers take effect July 1, 2026, and reflect routine end-of-year staffing realignments across Volusia County Public Schools. The board approved the procedural items by voice vote; the transcript records motions, seconds and that the motions "pass[ed]," but does not record a roll-call tally. No ordinances, contracts, or budget appropriations were debated or adopted during the meeting.

Notes on reporting

All quoted attributions and role titles in this article come from the meeting transcript. When a name or spelling was inconsistent in the transcript (for example, references to the district name), this article uses the commonly accepted district name — Volusia County Public Schools — for clarity.