Interim Volusia Superintendent Rachel Hazel named deputy amid dozens of leadership hires

Mark Harper, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·7 min read
Volusia County School Board members pose with Rachel Hazel, third from right, who has been serving as interim superintendent and was named deputy superintendent of teaching, leading and learning at Tuesday's meeting. The board members are, from left, Carl Persis, Anita Burnette, Jamie Haynes, Linda Cuthbert and Chair Ruben Colon.
Volusia County School Board members pose with Rachel Hazel, third from right, who has been serving as interim superintendent and was named deputy superintendent of teaching, leading and learning at Tuesday's meeting. The board members are, from left, Carl Persis, Anita Burnette, Jamie Haynes, Linda Cuthbert and Chair Ruben Colon.

Carmen Balgobin, the incoming Volusia County Schools superintendent, has selected her cabinet, which was ratified Tuesday by the school board.

Rachel Hazel was named deputy superintendent of teaching, leading and learning. Hazel is the interim superintendent until Balgobin officially starts on July 1. She had been serving as director of human resources prior to being tapped for the interim role.

Mark West, chief human resources officer, said Balgobin wanted to convey the significance of Hazel’s role.

Pay Increase: Volusia Schools, unions announce deal to begin $15-an-hour minimum wage on July 1

Commencement: Nearly 4,000 Volusia County students to graduate this week

Change at the Top: Volusia County School Board terminates Superintendent Scott Fritz in 3-2 vote

Incoming Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin
Incoming Volusia County Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin

“She also recognizes the enormous amount of responsibility, loyalty and trust she has to have in the person in this position. You have appointed her as the interim superintendent based on your trust in her and so Dr. Balgobin obviously has an enormous amount of trust in Ms. Hazel as well,” West said.

Hazel started in Volusia County in 1996 as a clerk at Boston Avenue School and has been a teacher at the elementary level, a principal and in other administrative roles.

Board members were effusive in their praise of Hazel for filling in as interim superintendent at a busy time in her life, as she is writing a dissertation for her doctorate degree and has recently welcomed a new granddaughter to her family.

“You’ve really, I think, served so well to uplift the morale of the entire district, actually, and at a time when it could have gone south, and rather than make that divide wider, you’ve kind of brought us together," board member Carl Persis said. "And that sounds so easy to do but it isn’t and that requires leadership and you have demonstrated that and so Dr. Balgobin being the smartest woman that I know … I think she has made a very wise decision in recommending you for this position.”

Board member Jamie Haynes said Hazel has worked "tirelessly" since her appointment in April.

"I can’t say thank you enough because I don’t think people realize how hard the job is that you stepped into, especially at this time of the year, and I’ve never once heard you complain," Haynes said.

Hazel said it will be difficult to fill Balgobin’s shoes as deputy superintendent.

Interim Superintendent Rachel Hazel
Interim Superintendent Rachel Hazel

“I’ve laid awake thinking, 'How will I ever match her energy, her dedication, her commitment, her drive?'" Hazel said. "I’ve never met someone so passionate, so relentless in meeting the needs of students."

Earl Johnson, shown speaking at the Seabreeze High School commencement in May at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, has been named chief operating officer of Volusia County Schools. Johnson had been serving as principal at Seabreeze, where he graduated from high school.
Earl Johnson, shown speaking at the Seabreeze High School commencement in May at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, has been named chief operating officer of Volusia County Schools. Johnson had been serving as principal at Seabreeze, where he graduated from high school.

Other Cabinet appointments

Earl Johnson, principal at Seabreeze High School, was appointed chief operating officer, with oversight of transportation, maintenance, purchasing and facilities.

He was previously executive director of student and community engagement and operations at Flagler County Schools, as well as a principal at Matanzas High School in Flagler County, Turie T. Small Elementary in Daytona Beach and Osceola Elementary in Ormond Beach.

Prior to his career in education, Johnson graduated from Seabreeze and played in the National Football League in 1985 and 1987 with the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos

"I am humbled, honored and blessed to sit before you today," Johnson told the board. "It was just last year I sat here in the same seat and said, 'I will be retiring from Seabreeze High School.' There is a bigger being that controls our destiny, and I've learned that."

Matthew Kuhn arrives from the Thompson School District in Loveland, Colorado, to be chief information officer.

He has worked in technology leadership and served as a principal, teacher and an officer in the Florida Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve in Colorado. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach.

"One of my goals is to bring balance of innovation and stability to ITS so that we can collaboratively come together to build a strategic plan, to build upon our strengths and shore up our weaknesses, to become a more effective organization to support classrooms, schools and administration," Kuhn said in a video played for the board.

Melissa A. Brown will be the director of budget after having served in financial services as a budget analyst in that department since 2004.

Julio Nazario-Valle, the lead state executive director in the Florida Department of Education Bureau of School Improvement, has been hired to be assistant superintendent of elementary curriculum and instruction. He has served in other state administrative roles in addition to serving as a principal at schools in Orange and Lake counties.

New principals, assistant principals

The board approved other Balgobin recommendations, including moving:

  • Tucker Harris from principal at Palm Terrace Elementary in Daytona Beach to principal at Seabreeze High School.

  • Rene’ Clayton from assistant superintendent of elementary curriculum and instruction to principal at Ormond Beach Middle School.

  • Joy Boyd-Walker from principal at Freedom Elementary in DeLand to principal of Turie T. Small Elementary in Daytona Beach.

  • Melani Johnson from principal at Turie T. Small Elementary to principal at Horizon Elementary in Port Orange.

  • Paul Nehrig from principal at Pine Ridge High School in Deltona to principal at Freedom Elementary in Deltona.

  • Carlos Scott from principal at Woodward Avenue Elementary in DeLand to principal at Friendship Elementary in Deltona.

  • Michelle Sojka from principal at Manatee Cove Elementary in Orange City to principal at Pine Trail Elementary in Ormond Beach.

  • Susan Tuten from principal at Ormond Beach Middle to principal at Manatee Cove Elementary.

  • William Ryser Jr., intern principal in Broward County Schools to principal at Pine Ridge High.

  • Eidie Velez from principal at Friendship Elementary to principal of Galaxy Middle School in Deltona.

  • Tami Fisher from principal at Pine Trail Elementary in Ormond Beach to coordinator of student services.

  • Jennifer Robinson from specialist in student services to assistant principal at David C. Hinson Middle School in Daytona Beach.

  • Efrain Alejandro Jr. from principal at Galaxy Middle School in Deltona to assistant principal at DeLand Middle School.

  • Jocelyn Baker from assistant principal at Osteen Elementary to assistant principal at George Marks Elementary in DeLand.

  • Kyle Bryer from assistant principal at Creekside Middle School in Port Orange to assistant principal at Edgewater Public.

  • Sarah Callahan from assistant principal at Ormond Beach Elementary to assistant principal at Sweetwater Elementary in Port Orange.

  • Widalis Camacho from assistant principal at Citrus Grove Elementary in DeLand to assistant principal at Freedom Elementary in DeLand.

  • Corrine Cobb from assistant principal at Palm Terrace Elementary in Daytona Beach to assistant principal at DeBary Elementary.

  • Brian Goddard from assistant principal at DeLand Middle to assistant principal at Deltona Middle.

  • William Goldsmith from assistant principal at Freedom Elementary to assistant principal at Spirit Elementary in Deltona.

  • Gregory Iorio from assistant principal at Deltona Middle to assistant principal at Creekside Middle.

  • Francenia Maddox-Barrs from assistant principal at Sweetwater Elementary to assistant principal at Ormond Beach Elementary.

  • Chad Miller from assistant principal at DeBary Elementary to assistant principal at Forest Lake Elementary in Deltona.

  • Sherry Pough from assistant principal at Galaxy Middle in Deltona to assistant principal at New Smyrna Beach Middle.

  • Jamie Robinson from assistant principal at Spirit Elementary to assistant principal at Edith I. Starke Elementary in DeLand.

  • David Sanford from assistant principal at Forest Lake Elementary to assistant principal at DeBary Elementary.

  • William Smith from assistant principal at David C. Hinson Middle to assistant principal at Southwestern Middle in DeLand.

  • Tai Swift from assistant principal at Southwestern Middle to assistant principal at Galaxy Middle.

  • Shannon Van Slyke from assistant principal at George Marks Elementary to assistant principal at Osteen Elementary.

  • Willie Williams from assistant principal at Edith I. Starke Elementary to assistant principal at Highbanks Learning Center.

  • Tracy Blinn from specialist in secondary writing to assistant principal at Taylor Middle High.

  • Jane Jilka from teacher on assignment to assistant principal at South Daytona Elementary School.

Never miss a story: Subscribe to The Daytona Beach News-Journal using the link at the top of the page.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia School Board ratifies dozens of new administrators, principals