Volusia County superintendent says he won’t extend his contract

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The superintendent of Volusia County Schools said in an email to staff on Monday that he will not extend his contract.

Dr. Scott Fritz’s current contract expires in December.

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School board members planned to discuss a timeline to evaluate the superintendent’s job performance at a meeting next month.

“Serving VCS has been the greatest experience in my 30 years of public education,” Fritz said in his email announcing the news to staff.

READ: Volusia County School Board to weigh whether to extend superintendent’s contract

Fritz said he will continue to serve in his current role through the end of his contract.

His decision means the school district will be looking for its fourth superintendent in seven years.

Some say frequent turnover at the superintendent position is not unusual, while others worry it signals instability and could turn some top-tier candidates away.

Under Fritz, the district saw its highest graduation rate at just under 92%, and fritz wrote in his email that he’s proud of the things done to support students, like the district’s mentorship program.

READ: Some parents, teachers say they are upset with Volusia County superintendent’s performance

Elizabeth Albert, with Volusia United Educators, which represents the district’s teachers, said staff is still processing the news.

The union said it did not feel supported under Fritz, and some parents say they lost trust in him when he called people bad parents for not masking and vaccinating their kids.

Albert said she only wishes Fritz well on whatever he does next.

“It’s time to look forward and figure out what needs to be done for the children of Volusia County Schools and the educational professionals working in our district to heal and get where we need to go to continue to be successful,” Albert said.

Fritz declined an offer to discuss his decision with Channel 9 on Monday.

Video: Volusia County School Board to weigh whether to extend superintendent’s contract The Volusia County School Board says it plans to decide soon whether to keep the superintendent in his post. (Mike Springer, WFTV.com)

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