Volusia County School Board
School board elections are nonpartisan. Eligible voters may vote in the school board races appearing on their ballot, regardless of the voter’s party affiliation.
This guide includes all candidates in contested races. All were invited to participate; candidates who did not submit responses by the deadline are marked “Did not respond.” Incumbents are marked with an (i), and candidates are listed alphabetically by last name within each race.
Find the full school board candidate questionnaire here.
Inclusion in this guide does not constitute an endorsement.
Click the plus sign (+) to show the candidate’s responses.
District 1
Brenda Beery
Did Not Respond
Jaclyn Carrell
Did Not Respond
Jamie Haynes (i)
Did Not Respond
District 3
Grace Kellermeier
-
“Teacher 18 years at NSBHS, VCS Teacher of the Year 2015, District Curriculum Coordinator 9 years.”
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1. Voucher Expansion: Do you support or oppose the continued expansion of public funding for private school vouchers and education savings accounts in Florida?Answer: Oppose
“Public and charter schools employ FL certified teachers, instruct and assess FL standards. Private and homeschool do not. I support school choice but not vouchers without the same accountability.”
2. Chaplain Program: Do you support or oppose a volunteer school chaplain program in your school district?
Answer: Support
“I support school volunteerism in any capacity. It takes a village! Some schools would want to include a chaplain in their roster of approved volunteers, an option for students and families.”
3. Library Materials Accessibility: Do you support or oppose a local school board policy that prioritizes keeping challenged library books accessible to students while a formal review is conducted, unless the material must be removed under state law?
Answer: Support
“Other than the 7 copies required for the formal review, any additional copies should remain on the shelves until disposition. Materials have been carefully selected by FL certified Media Specialists.”
4. Religious Displays in Public Schools: Do you support or oppose allowing school-sponsored religious displays, such as the Ten Commandments, Bible verses, crosses, or other devotional materials, in classrooms or school buildings beyond what state law requires or what is used in a neutral curriculum context?
Answer: Oppose
“I have walked in Christian faith my whole life, but I appreciate that mine is not the only faith tradition. Many of my friends follow other faith traditions, or none at all.”
5. Comprehensive Reproductive Health Curriculum: Do you support or oppose comprehensive reproductive health curriculum that includes medically accurate information on disease prevention and contraception alongside required abstinence instruction?
Answer: Oppose
“Sexual health instruction is no longer required in Comprehensive Health instruction in Florida. We entrust parents and guardians to provide instruction to their children.”
6. Expanding Release Time for Religious Instruction: Do you support or oppose local school board policies that expand or facilitate “release time” programs for off-campus religious instruction during the regular school day beyond what is required by state law?
Answer: Oppose
“School districts are required to grant religious observance days for students and staff. I do not support any additional time off of school.”
7. Restricting Staff-led Prayer and Religious Expression: Do you support or oppose local school board policies that restrict staff-led prayer or staff participation in prayer with students during regular school hours and school-sanctioned activities?
Answer: Support
“I have walked in Christian faith my whole life. I do not support staff-led prayer with students. I support staff participation in student-led prayer, showing support to students of any faith.”
8. Is there anything else you would like voters to know?
“I am a part of the fabric of this community, a 27-year Volusia County Schools educator at the school (NSBHS) and district (curriculum) level. My education and work experiences make me a strong candidate for School Board. Please elect me on August 18th.”
Jessie Thompson (i)
Did Not Respond
District 5
Ruben Colón (i)
Did Not Respond
Dean Condon
-
“I have had three children in the Volusia County School District over the past three years.”
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1. Voucher Expansion: Do you support or oppose the continued expansion of public funding for private school vouchers and education savings accounts in Florida?
Answer: Support
“School vouchers empower parents with choice and introduce competition that drives all schools to improve. Parents deserve options, and stronger competition raises standards across public schools.”
2. Chaplain Program: Do you support or oppose a volunteer school chaplain program in your school district?
Answer: Support
“Volunteer school chaplains support students holistically — in mind, body, and spirit — by providing moral guidance, emotional support, and character development to promote overall student well-being.”
3. Library Materials Accessibility: Do you support or oppose a local school board policy that prioritizes keeping challenged library books accessible to students while a formal review is conducted, unless the material must be removed under state law?
Answer: Neutral
“The formal review process is sound, but any policy adopted by the school board must fully conform to state law, which may require the immediate removal of certain books.”
4. Religious Displays in Public Schools: Do you support or oppose allowing school-sponsored religious displays, such as the Ten Commandments, Bible verses, crosses, or other devotional materials, in classrooms or school buildings beyond what state law requires or what is used in a neutral curriculum context?
Answer: Support
“America is a Western civilization rooted in religious faith and freedom of religion. “Separation of church and state” is not a constitutional principle. Yet no one view is imposed or suppressed.”
5. Comprehensive Reproductive Health Curriculum: Do you support or oppose comprehensive reproductive health curriculum that includes medically accurate information on disease prevention and contraception alongside required abstinence instruction?
Answer: Support
“Supportive as it remains, biological and not ideological.”
6. Expanding Release Time for Religious Instruction: Do you support or oppose local school board policies that expand or facilitate “release time” programs for off-campus religious instruction during the regular school day beyond what is required by state law?
Answer: Support
“I support expanding release-time programs for off-campus religious instruction. Parents are the primary educators of their children and should have the flexibility to provide faith-based formation.”
7. Restricting Staff-led Prayer and Religious Expression: Do you support or oppose local school board policies that restrict staff-led prayer or staff participation in prayer with students during regular school hours and school-sanctioned activities?
Answer: Support
“School staff should not be placed in a position of spiritual authority during official school hours and activities.”
8. Is there anything else you would like voters to know?
“In all these cases, the Board must follow state law. My three priorities:
Improving student proficiency outcomes, establishing safe order in the classrooms, and ensuring financial transparency. These efforts focus on investing in the classroom — where it matters most for our children.”