VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The superintendent of Volusia County Schools was terminated Tuesday after a vote by school board members.
The Volusia County School Board voted 3-2 during a school board meeting to fire Ronald “Scott” Fritz, who announced in late March he would not be extending his contract.
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“During a break, there was an interaction between the superintendent and the board chair that caused the shifting of the conversation and accelerated the exit of the former superintendent,” said Elizabeth Albert, president of the Volusia United Educators union.
Fritz started as the district’s superintendent in December 2019, filling the role after the school board ousted former superintendent Tom Russell in May 2019.
“I will tell you that the culture within the Volusia County School District has become toxic,” Albert said. “There is evidence that has now come forward that would indicate that the behavior of the former superintendent was not commensurate with the expectations.”
BREAKING: Volusia County School board votes 3-2 to immediately terminate Superintendent Scott Fritz. @news6wkmg
— Molly Reed (@Mollyreednews) April 13, 2022
Ruben Colon, school board chair, said the county is “a better place today than it was yesterday.”
“It was clear to me that he no longer wanted to be here in spite of what he was saying. For that reason I knew it was best to support that motion. It’s not what I was intending to do,” Colon said.
School board members voted Rachel Hazel, human resources director of the school district, to serve as interim superintendent.
“I am honored to be appointed Interim Superintendent, and I look forward to continuing to serve the students and families of VCS and guiding the district through this transition period,” Hazel said in a statement.
According to the district, Hazel started her career in 1996 as a clerk at the former Boston Avenue School and has also served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal. She has also served in several roles throughout the district including Executive Director of K-12 Curriculum, Chief Academic Officer of Curriculum, Curriculum & School Improvement, and was the Director of Human Resources before her appointment as interim superintendent, according to a news release.
“The difference here is that there is a mutual respect (between Hazel and educators). Even when we have our differences, our differences are not taken to a personal level. It’s business and we always seem to find a way, in the end, to come to a resolution,” Albert said. “Her goal, as I understand it, is to work with us to try and repair the damage that’s been done and rebuild a positive climate and culture within our school district.”
Hazel received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida and a master’s from Stetson University. She is also in the process of pursuing her doctoral degree from UCF.
“My primary role during this time will be to make decisions that must be made immediately and gather as much information as possible to ensure the transition for our next Superintendent is a smooth one,” Hazel said in a statement.
Albert added she’s excited for Hazel to serve Volusia County’s school district.
“We just need to get our house in order, and I think we can do it, so I’m excited,” Albert said.