This is my first opportunity to address Flagler County School’s family as Superintendent. I have had the great fortune to get to know so many of you over the years and I am so very grateful for the warm reception I have received. I am honored to serve as your new Superintendent of Schools and vow to do my very best to keep up the high standards that Mr. Delbrugge has set for this office and our district.
I have lived and worked in this district for more than 27 years and in that time I have seen quite a few educational philosophies come and go.
I would describe myself as a pragmatist who is dedicated to doing whatever works best for students. I plan to focus on expanding and improving a learning community that fosters individual inquiry, emphasizes learning by doing, educates for social responsibility, celebrates success and acknowledges effort.
I know this won’t be easy. Our resources are likely to be stretched as never before. We will be increasing our reliance on data to inform our decisions and ensure that our resources are used to the greatest advantage. I encourage everyone to review the new strategic plan we will be adopting for the district, which will be posted on the web site in the very near future. Despite our challenges, I am confident that Flagler County Schools will continue to provide an educational experience for our students of which we can all be proud.
In closing, let me once again offer my thanks for the support I have received and invite the entire community to become an active partner in the education of our children. Let me leave you with a quote by authorHarrison Owen that has meant a lot to me and I think is applicable to all of us as we move forward:
“When the spirit of people is strong, focused, and vibrant, wonderful things happen.”
I expect to see wonderful things happen in Flagler County Schools.
Janet Valentine Superintendent, Flagler County Schools
Agency for Workforce Innovation released their unemployment figures on Friday (July 16, 2010). Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June 2010 is 11.4 percent. This represents 1,056,000 jobless out of a labor force of 9,237,000. The unemployment rate is down 0.3 percentage point from May 2010.
According to the June report, Flagler County no longer has the highest unemployment in Florida. Out of a labor force of 32,713 people, 27,661 are employed, leaving 5,052 people unemployed, making Flagler County unemployment rate 15.4%.
Even though the unemployment rate actually increased in Flagler County vis a vis May (15.1%) and April (14.7%), the County's 15.4% Unemployment is no longer the highest in Florida. Hendry County unemployment surpassed Flagler's: 16.1%.
The neighbors, Volusia County had 12.1% and St. Johns County's rate in June was at 9.6%.
Free Technology Training As Florida’s economy continues to recover, job seekers interested in improving their digital literacy and competitiveness in today’s increasingly technical job market are encouraged to visit ElevateAmerica.org to apply for no-cost Microsoft technology training and certification vouchers. The vouchers – 40,000 total – were made available to Floridians by Microsoft® Elevate America, an innovative partnership between Microsoft and the State of Florida. Vouchers will be available through Aug. 21, 2010, or while supplies last. All vouchers must be activated by Aug. 21
More Programs to be Available for Job Seekers due to Oil Spill Last month, Governor Crist announced that Florida was awarded a $7 million National Emergency Grant (NEG) to provide job training and employment/reemployment services to workers who have lost jobs as a result of the Gulf oil spill. The grant will help impacted workers secure jobs in other industries. Additionally, Florida received a federal $3.46 million On-the-Job Training (OJT) Grant in June to help employers in new and emerging industries access job training for workers and create employment opportunities. The NEG and OJT grants are being administered by AWI, with programs for job seekers becoming available in the coming weeks.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist, today announced that Florida has been ranked number one in the nation for its workforce by CNBC. The ranking came in CNBC’s fourth annual America’s Top States for Business rankings — a study of all 50 states that examines 10 different categories, including workforce, to measure each state’s ability to attract businesses.
Florida moved up from the number three spot in 2009, reclaiming the number-one ranking the state held in 2008.
Governer Crist said:
“The Sunshine State is home to the best talent in the world. We are committed to creating a highly skilled, innovative workforce across all industry sectors, and we take great pride in the role our workforce plays in driving Florida’s businesses into the 21st century.”
The workforce rankings in CNBC’s annual study are based on several indicators, including the education level of the workforce, the number of available workers, union membership and the relative success of each state’s worker training programs in placing participants in jobs. Workforce Florida Inc., the state’s business-led workforce policy and oversight board largely appointed by Governor Crist, is charged with strengthening Florida’s business climate and helping Floridians enter and advance in the workforce.
“We are committed to providing Floridians and businesses with the tools they need to ensure Florida’s competitiveness in the global marketplace,” said Workforce Florida Chair Belinda Keiser. “To receive the number-one ranking for the second time is a testament to the tenacity of our workforce, and to the excellence of Florida’s programs and collaborative partnerships that ensure we are able to create and sustain highly skilled talent.”
Most employment and training services in Florida are provided at the local level through the state’s 24 regional workforce boards, the backbone of the state workforce system. Key leadership is also provided by the Agency for Workforce Innovation, which is charged with administering workforce services in Florida.
In 2009, Florida’s workforce system provided services including job search, referrals and placement assistance as well as training to more than 1.7 million people.
The workforce ranking is one of the most heavily weighted categories in determining each state’s total score in the CNBC study, along with the cost of doing business and quality of life.
Unfortunately, the #1 ranking in workforce did not help Florida to move into the 50% percentile in the overall rankings for "Top Business Friendly States." Out of the 50 states, this year, Florida placed number 28 in the study’s overall ranking for top business states for the second consecutive year.
Unfortunately #1 ranking in Workforce did not help the overall rankings... This year, Florida placed number 28 in the study’s overall ranking for top business states for the second consecutive year.
Who is the #1 State? Texas. And who's number 50 in the list? Alaska.
Florida may be winning gold medals in Workforce, but the state is still in the bottom 5 in the nation in terms of unemployment, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. And unfortunately Palm Coast and Flagler County still have the highest unemployment in the state of Florida...
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About Workforce Florida
Since its 2000 inception, Workforce Florida has developed and directed numerous successful initiatives aimed at addressing the state’s workforce needs. Among them are Quick Response Training (QRT) and Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) grants, which reimburse businesses for a portion of the cost of training employees. Recently, Workforce Florida developed a new, five-year state strategic plan, with statewide input from Florida businesses and the education sector. The plan confronts the challenges of getting Floridians back to work while focusing on the most promising opportunities to diversify our state’s economy by strengthening talent development at every level of Florida’s Talent Supply Chain.
Through the recently launched Microsoft® Elevate America initiative, an innovative public-private partnership, free technology training is available to Floridians for a limited time. Another recent workforce-system initiative, responding to a real-time need confronting the state, is the creation of the Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs web portal at www.floridagulfrecoveryjobs.com. The portal is dedicated to helping Floridians access information about jobs stemming from recovery and cleanup of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
To find out about the comprehensive workforce services and resources available in Florida, visit www.EmployFlorida.com
Where is the Workforce Florida Office located in Palm Coast? Center for Business Excellence (CBE) is a member of Employ Florida, has an office in Palm Coast (Flagler County), Florida, located in the same building as the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce.
CBE - One Stop Employment Division 20 Airport Road, Suite E Palm Coast, FL. 32164 Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 5 pm Phone: (386) 586-5169
Are you one of the folks who couldn't wait for the new iPhone 4?
If you are left-handed you may be experiencing a problem, and that's got nothing to do with reception in Palm Coast or Flagler County...
iPhone 4 seems to be losing signal, the moment the metal antenna that surrounds the edge of the new device is covered, which really most happens with left-handed user.
Steve Jobs issued a bizarre advice as he responded to an email from a user on the Ars Technica technology news-site who had complained about the sudden loss of signal.
In an astonishingly blunt response, Mr Jobs's reply to the email was:
"Just avoid holding it in that way. All phones have sensitive areas."
And today, there are claims that Apple and Steve Jobs knew about the phone antenna issue but proceeded with going to market with it. Apple says there is no recall..
A Flagler County School Board Candidate Forum will take place on Wednesday, July 27 from 6 to 8 PM in School Board Chambers in the Flagler County Government Services Building.
Flagler School Board Candidates invited for the forum are, Marc Ray and Trevor Tucker for School Board District 3; and John Fischer, Peter Peligian, and Raven Sword for School Board District 5.
The Forum's objective is to give the Flagler County residents an opportunity to learn more about candidates and their platforms.
Circuit Judge candidates will also participate in forums on July 27th and 28th. Forum is hosted by the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce, the Flagler Home Builders Association and the Flagler County Association of Realtors.
Where: Flagler County Government Services Building. School Board Chambers, Bunnell, FL 32110 Phone: 386.437.0106
Channel 13 report explains the AT&T cell-phone outage in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Daytona Beach and surrounding area due to a road construction crew cutting a main AT&T cable:
AT&T is experiencing 3G cell service interruption in parts of West and Central Florida, a company official said Tuesday.
The AT&T outage began when a company working on road construction cut a main AT&T cable serving several cell sites, the company said.
Kelly Layne Starling of ATT says:
"At this time customers have 2G service and AT & T is working as quickly as possible to get 3G service restored."
Here is the screen shot of the conversation between a Palm Coaster and AT&T (used with his permission):
JPMorgan Chase & Co. today announced that former Senator and HUD Secretary Mel Martinez will join the firm to be its Chairman of Florida, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
He will serve on JPMorgan Chase's Executive Committee and will be the firm's senior executive in Florida and the region, representing the firm at the most senior levels to clients - from businesses to large corporations to non-profits and governments.
"Mel has been a business and civic leader and a role model in Florida for decades," said Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase. "He has served the people of Florida well at both the local and national level and now he will help JPMorgan Chase continue our expansion to serve the consumers, businesses and communities of Florida and the region."
"Mel's record of perseverance, hard work and integrity is a perfect complement to the many Chase and J.P. Morgan executives and bankers already there," Dimon said.
Chase serves nearly 6 million customers in Florida and employs 14,000 Floridians. The bank also has provided face-to-face loan counseling for more than 18,000 families struggling through its 11 Chase Homeownership Centers in Florida.
"I'm thrilled to accept this new challenge and look forward to building upon the reputation of this premier financial services company," said Martinez, who will be based in Orlando.
"The firm is a global leader, and it's an honor to take on this role in Florida, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean."
He immigrated to Florida in 1962 at age 15 through Operation Peter Pan, a humanitarian program to relocate children from Cuba in the early years of the Castro regime. After living in refugee camps and foster homes, Martinez worked his way through school, earning undergraduate and law degrees from Florida State University.
He worked as an attorney in Orlando for 25 years while serving in leadership roles on a Who's Who of youth, civic and business organizations. He was first elected to public office in 1998 as Mayor of Orange County, representing the greater Orlando area.
At President Bush's request, he became U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 2001. After his service at HUD, he was elected as the first Cuban-American to the U.S. Senate in 2004. He served on the following Senate Committees: Armed Services; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Foreign Relations; Energy and Natural Resources, and Commerce as well as the Special Committee on Aging.
Most recently, he has been a partner at DLA Piper in Orlando, a leading global business law firm. "I leave DLA Piper with warm relationships with many of its lawyers around the world, which I know will continue."
Julie from "Palm Coast with Julie" is all about Palm Coast and Flagler County...
She is a brand new online and social media personality broadcasting from Palm Coast, Florida, through her "webisodes" (video series on the web) on Facebook.
She's actually kind of a Super-Hero! Instead of fighting crime, she fights the temporary amnesia we all get when we forget how good we have it.
Though, she is not, a "rose-colored glasses" kind of gal... Julie isn't afraid to name things that seem a bit odd. The difference is, she does it with humor and style cause guess what, non of us are getting any younger and life is too short.
Her mission? To unearth all the hidden gems in Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Bunnell and even in Western Flagler County.
She says:
"Hair, Shopping, Exercise, Restaurants, Night Life, with great friends in and around Palm Coast is what I love. I'll do my best to share what I know about the area and the hidden gems I find all the time."
Precious Hearts Foundation will be holding their inaugural fundraising event, “A Family Affair” on Saturday July 10, 2010 at Central Park, 160 Lake Avenue at Town Center in Palm Coast.
The Foundation says to expect tons of fun; with space walk for the kids, face painting, pie-eating contests, and prizes.
People from the local business community as well families from Flagler County are invited to the event. This is a free event, there is no cost to attend.
Precious Hearts Foundation is a non-profit organization that aid men, women, and children who are victims of domestic abuse, as well as reaches out to the elderly and the less fortunate, and the homeless by establishing a "meals on wheels" program, and by providing hotel vouchers to domestic abuse victims along with counseling.
Precious Hearts Foundation's President and Founder, Elva "Precious Love" Thompson; a Pennsylvania native is a past victim/survivor of domestic abuse, and a divorced mother of 5 that range in the ages of 6-year-old twins to age 22.
Elva was determined to not allow the effects of her abusive marriage effect her children. She knew that self-sufficiency was the key to regaining her power as a woman and mother.
Elva began her journey of healing and transformed from victim to victor, as she holds a Bachelor's Degree in English and an Associate's Degree in Medical Editing and birthed her own limited liability company, Georgia Editing Service, LLC (a medical and general editorial service) since 1997, and she is the owner of Esquire Publications (a book publishing company).
Elva Thompson is also an author of a slew of nonfiction novels. Her current bestseller is "A Mother's Cry" an inspirational story about her life as a survivor that talks about her struggle and ordeal of living with domestic abuse and how she was able to set herself free physically, mentally, and emotionally. In this novel, Elva aspires to offer solidarity and hope to others who are in similar situations. She wants abuse victims to know they are not alone and if she survived it, they WILL too!
Here is an interview with the President and the Founder of the Precious Hearts Foundation, Elva Thompson (aka "Precious Love")...
Q: Who are the vendors/sponsors who signed up so far?
Elva: Sponsors of the "A Family Affair" event are Golden Corral, Cracker Barrel, Publix, Palm Coast Ford, Mezzaluna’s Pizza, Honey Baked Ham, Bob Evans, Denny’s, Worldwide Digital Advertising. Additional vendors are: John/Carole Wolfram of Waterless Carwash, Palm Coast Ford with their cars in display, James Tyson Treats, Denice of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Daytona State College, Montessori School of Palm Coast, and Esquire Publications.
Q: How does the fund-raising component affect visitors?
Elva: Precious Hearts Foundation is raising awareness of domestic abuse. There are no donations or any entrance fees required. This is a free event, there is no fee for the visitors.
Q: How is the raised money used?
Elva: Money is used to purchase hotel vouchers for domestic abuse victims who need a quick "out" and to aid in Angel Food Ministry to provide a "meals on wheels" type program for the elderly, as well as the homeless.
Q: How old is your organization?
Elva: We applied last year, so I guess we will be one year old this December.
Q: Where is your organization located?
Elva: We are headquarted in Palm Coast, FL, and my Vice President is based in Atlanta, GA. We are trying to raise awareness in both states (both Florida and Georgia), until we can eventually reach all around the world.
Q: Are you aligned with any regional or national organization?
Elva: I am still a volunteer with DAHMW (Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men and Women) as a helpline telephone advocate every Tuesday from 8am to 2pm; and they allow me to use their helpline 800 number in case when I'm not working and they receive calls for anyone needing help in my area.
The event, “A Family Affair” will take place on Saturday July 10, 2010 at Central Park, 160 Lake Avenue at Town Center in Palm Coast.
