Two candidates are seeking the votes for Flagler County School Board, District 5. This is a nonpartisan office that will be elected by all voters during the August primary.
News4Jax sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote -- in their own words.
Recommended Videos
Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4JAX staff.
| CANDIDATES |
Lauren Ramirez
Occupation: Owner and CEO of Salus Medical Training, LLC
Age: 40
Family: Married with 4 children
Education: Doctorate Coursework in Public Health Education, American College of Education
Master of Public Health, Certificate in Health Promotion and Education, Benedictine University
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences, University of South Florida
Political experience: None
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
1) Advocate for robust school safety protocols
Ensure teachers and administrators receive comprehensive safety training with dedicated time to implement it. Work closely with our School Resource Deputies, striving to retain them and exploring funding options to increase their numbers.
2) Increase resources for kids and teachers to make Flagler an “A” district, targeting ESE, graduation rates, and diploma + programs
To effectively assist teachers and elevate our school’s grade, several key initiatives must be implemented:
Update Materials and Technology: Ensure continuous updates to educational materials and access to necessary technology to enhance teaching and meet diverse student needs.
Professional Development: Offer targeted professional development to improve teaching practices and student performance.
Supportive Community: Build a supportive environment where every student feels valued, contributing to their overall success.
More Time for Teachers: Provide teachers with adequate time for professional development and lesson planning.
Recruit Volunteers: Actively recruit vetted volunteers to assist during non-instructional times, freeing up teacher planning time.
Improve ESE Scores: Increase resources for ESE students and teachers to enhance scores and ensure mastery of essential skills. ESE scores are the low hanging fruit for our overall school grade.
Orton-Gillingham Training: Train teachers in Orton-Gillingham methods to support dyslexic students and improve long-term educational outcomes as other counties have begin implementing.
Modified School Calendar: Explore a modified school calendar with the teachers’ union to provide more professional development time.
Certification Programs: Expand certification programs and partnerships with technical fields to enhance student readiness and improve school grades, transitioning from a B to an A rating.
3) Engage in collaborative policymaking.
I will work closely with families, teachers, administrators, and our superintendent to understand their needs. By actively listening and collaborating with the board, we can create effective policies that enhance our school district and support our students and staff.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
With four children in Flagler County schools and over seven years of active involvement in PTO and SAC, I have firsthand knowledge of the challenges and successes within our schools. I understand the day-to-day routines and what works and what doesn’t. Additionally, I bring over 12 years of teaching experience at the college level and have held roles such as Associate Academic Dean and Department Chair for the School of Health Sciences. My background in policymaking, faculty oversight, and budget management equips me with the skills necessary to effectively contribute to our school board and advocate for positive changes in our district. I am here for our kids and here to make a difference.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I hope to be remembered as the school board member who truly listened to the needs of our kids, educators, and community and fought hard to make meaningful changes for the better. I want to be the one who brought in the resources and tools that our educators thought they would never have, helping our students increase their scores and improving the morale of the entire school district. I want to be known as the one who made a difference, took a chance to make a change, and ultimately became the school board member that we needed.
Campaign website: salusmedtraining.com/lauren-for-school-board
Campaign social media: Facebook
Vincent Sullivan
Occupation: Attorney.
Age: 33
Family: I am married with a 9 year old daughter. My immediately family (Mom, Dad, and Brother) live in Flagler County as well.
Education: 2008 - High School Diploma from Matanzas High School
2012 - Bachelors from Flagler College
2015 - Law Degree from Florida Coastal School of Law
Political experience: This is my first interaction in running for office. I helped support Speaker Renner’s initial bid for House of Representatives. I assisted Hunter Conrad when he ran for St. Johns County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller.
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
1) School Safety - I will work with NEFEC (North East Florida Education Consortium) and Flagler County District Staff to determine what additional, cost efficient, safety measures can be implemented. I would also ask that our School Board revisit the Guardian Program to determine which version of the Guardian Program is appropriate for Flagler County Schools in an effort to support our School Resource Deputies.
2) Parental Rights/Parental Involvement - I will seek to make our student’s curriculum more readily accessible and transparent to our Parents. Further, I will continue to encourage Parents to take every day life as an educational opportunity.
3) Fiscal Responsibility - I will work with Flagler Schools District staff and review the current expenditures to determine appropriate areas where reductions can be made.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
My professional training as an attorney has afforded me the ability to hone and sharpen my critical thinking and mediation skills. These skills are invaluable to an elected official because all elected positions require balancing needs from different members of the community. Further, my critical thinking and analytical skills uniquely qualify me to represent the community on the Flagler County School Board.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I am not running to be remembered, but, rather I am running to make an impact. I hope the largest impact that I can make on Flagler Schools is enhancing our public education system to a level that becomes the standard for the State of Florida.
Campaign website: saveaseatforsullivan.com
Campaign social media: Facebook