Happy New Year, Volusia County families!
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break filled with good food, fun with loved ones and plenty of rest.
As we enter 2025, I feel admiration for our students, teachers and staff who accomplished much during the first half of the 2024-25 school year. We opened brand-new school buildings, celebrated foreign language programs and helped each other before and after Hurricane Milton, just to name a few.
For many, the beginning of a new year is the marker of a fresh start and a chance to embrace opportunities for learning, growth and success.
The second half of the 2024-25 school year will see our students put their smarts to the test in academic competitions, such as the Pitch Competition, Battle of the Books, Envirothon, Science Olympiad and many more.
Our teachers continue to bring their best to their classrooms, empowering a culture of excellence and preparing their students for a bright future. These educators deserve high praise, and this month we will hold a special annual event doing just that. During the celebration, we’ll recognize each school’s Teacher of the Year nominee, and from that pool of appreciated and beloved educators, we’ll name our 2026 District Teacher of the Year.
January is also National Mentoring Month. We are so appreciative of all our mentors who generously volunteer their time to listen, support and inspire the younger generations. Being a mentor is a great way to make a significant difference in a student’s life. Students with mentors improve in academics and attendance, build better relationships with their peers and have fewer disciplinary issues. If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, please visit k12.vcsedu.org/mentor to learn more.
Additionally, this month includes Celebrate Literacy Week, which is held from Jan. 27-31. While the Volusia County school district works to prioritize literacy year-round, Celebrate Literacy Week gives us the opportunity to further foster a love of reading with storytelling sessions, reading challenges, guest speakers and more.
As we move into this new year, we encourage parents and guardians to stay involved in your child's education. Please also remember to check the school calendar for important dates, including deadlines, activities and events. We have many exciting things planned this year, including our first State of Our Schools event, and are eager to get started.
I would like to thank the district staff, teachers, students and community members for your continued support. Together, we can make this semester another great one!

Dr. Carmen J. Balgobin
Superintendent of Schools