DAYTONA BEACH -- One of the top priorities for Flagler County Public Schools is to make its students aware of the different academic paths they can take during their school career and that those options include a technical education, said Superintendent Janet Valentine.
Valentine, who recently stepped into her superintendent role earlier this month, said the above will continue to be goal for Flagler administration and staff because it's in line with the district's mission to provide students with an internationally competitive education.
"The biggest challenge we have ... is marketing and communication, what our options are for students," she said.
In one of her first speeches since becoming the district's top educator, Valentine spoke Thursday before a group of business and community leaders at Enterprise Flagler's quarterly luncheon at the Advanced Technology College.
Valentine, who has done stints as a teacher and administrator in Flagler since 1983, replaces Bill Delbrugge.
Delbrugge, who was hired as superintendent in 2005, is leaving at the end of the month to become director of the American International School of Egypt.
Before he was superintendent, Delbrugge was the principal of Flagler Palm Coast High School for three years.
Pushing students to acquire a technology-based education is important, but so is making it easily available, she said. That's why district officials worked with Daytona State College to bring technology courses to its Palm Coast campus.
"We knew that students would be less likely to travel ( to the ATC)," she said.
Last school year, Flagler County students took more than 600 career courses through the district's dual enrollment program with the ATC, she said.
The rewards are rich for Flagler County because the education attained prepares those students for high-skilled jobs in the area, Valentine said.
"We want to make sure students have the chance to know about and participate in these programs because its these students who will keep our community economically viable," she said.
Greg Rawls, executive director of Enterprise Flagler, said the ATC's programs are necessary as Flagler County's economy transitions out of a housing-based community.
"The ATC and (its technology engineering program) is critical to that transition," he said.