DeLand, FL - Though the investigation into placebo tests for an AP class and a fake class where students passed with 'A' grades continues, Mainland High School Principal Cheryl Salerno is no longer in the building. The Volusia County School Board officially received her retirement notice at their meeting earlier this week. Board Chair Carl Persis said the other choice for Salerno would have been termination. Her file is noted that she retired in lieu of termination. The investigation continues into what went on at Mainland.
Salary schedules for clerical support staff and paraprofessionals were approved, giving them a two percent raise. Employees not represented by a union also received that two percent raise.
Persis wants the community to know that the issues with school bus routes and parent drop-off and pick-up are being worked on. The new staggered schedule that started this school year was intended to keep the busses running on time. Persis said that there is sometimes a domino effect where a problem with an elementary school bus, which has the earliest dismissal time at 2:30 p.m., affects the middle school time out at 3:30 p.m. and the high school time out at 4:15 p..m. He asks for patience and said the Board is working to straighten out the problems.
The search for a new school superintendent was launched last week and the first public meeting is set for next Thursday, September 5 at the Port Orange South Daytona Chamber of Commerce and begins at 6 p.m. The School Board is also asking any interested parties to take part in an online survey.
