Tuesday was one of those rare times when multiple county school superintendents were in the same room.
Sort of.
It was the final Osceola County School Board meeting for Dr. Ronald “Scott” Fritz, Osceola’s outgoing Chief of Staff for Teaching, Leading and Learning. Fritz has been named the new Volusia County Schools superintendent, where he’ll start Dec. 2.
Board members gave him a proper and warming sendoff at Tuesday’s meeting.
“I am proud that Volusia County is getting such a strong leader,” Board Chairman Kelvin Soto said. “And it’s good to know we’ll have a working partner in a county to the north (which Fritz immediately agreed to).”
“Have we officially voted to let you leave?” Board Member Tim Weisheyer joked in a mock last-ditch effort to keep Fritz here. “All kidding aside, I know you will be a phenomenal superintendent, without a doubt.”
Fritz has spent the last three-and-a-half years working in the Osceola district, and thanked his cohorts.
“These four years have been a highlight of my career, and I’m grateful to my mentors and my team,” he said. “My success is our success.”
Last month, Fritz was named as one of Volusia’s three finalists along with Peter Licata, a regional superintendent in Palm Beach County, and David Moore, a Miami-Dade area superintendent.
In his role in Osceola County, Fritz oversaw academic success, talent management, fiscal responsibility, community engagement and governance, according to the professional profile he submitted to Volusia County. He served as Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Curriculum and Instruction from 2008-11, and in between was an executive director and the Chief Academic Officer in Orange County.
His 27-year education career started in his hometown of Tampa, where he was an exceptional education teacher, assistant principal and principal in middle and high school. He earned Bachelor and Master’s degrees from the University of South Florida and his educational Doctorate from the University of Central Florida.
In her letter of recommendation, Osceola Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace said Fritz would bring “a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion to his work, and I am confident he would be an asset to your school district and community.”
“In addition to leading the school district’s charge to improve student achievement, Dr. Fritz has been instrumental in our efforts to break down silos and ensure all departments are working together to achieve our strategic goals … as second-in-command in our school district, he has consistently demonstrated sound judgement, professionalism and integrity. He has earned the trust of both internal and external stakeholders, including School Board members, serving as an ambassador for the school district in our community and across the state, and he acts as a role model for students, staff and parents as a life-long learner, dedicated to his own ongoing professional growth. While he would be greatly missed on my leadership team, I am confident he has the skills, dedication and passion to lead your district to new heights.”
