Timbercrest Elementary principal celebrates school's "A" grade by shaving 8-year-old beard

DELTONA — Timbercrest Elementary School Principal and Volusia County Schools’ Principal of the Year Lonnie Tidmarsh started growing a beard eight years ago when he was hired as the school's assistant principal.

Four years later, when he was named principal, he vowed to keep his beard groomed and growing until Timbercrest received an “A” grade.

When the Florida Department of Education’s school and district grades were released in December, the report showed that Timbercrest earned an “A” for the 2022-23 school year, up from a "B" the year before. The last time the elementary school achieved an "A" ranking was in 2015.

Timbercrest Elementary celebrated its success with a pep rally Jan. 5 where Tidmarsh finally shaved his beard in front of all the students and staff members.

“This achievement reflects collaborative efforts that define our school,” Tidmarsh said at the assembly. “As we celebrate this moment, let’s remember that this success is not an endpoint, but a milestone in our journey of continuous improvement. We have set the bar very high, and I’m confident that we will surpass it in this year to come.”

Where does Volusia fall in Florida's Department of Education school district grade?

Volusia County Schools received a B grade for the 2022-23 school year, the same as the previous year.

The assessments were calculated using performance standards in mathematics and English language arts and FAST assessments. FAST, which stands for Florida's Assessment of Student Thinking, measures progress throughout the school year and aims to improve student performance.

A district press release noted that 25 schools increased their grades by one or more letter ranking from the 2021-22 school year to the 2022-23 school year and no elementary or middle schools decreased a letter grade from the previous year. The number of “A” schools more than doubled, and no schools received a “D” or “F.”

In total, 17 Volusia schools earned an “A,” 20 earned a “B” and 29 earned a “C.”

Superintendent Carmen Balgobin highlighted the district’s success Tuesday at the Volusia County School Board meeting.

“We are a family that believes in our students. Here in Volusia County, we work together to achieve this,” she said.

She specifically thanked all staff members, custodians, cafeteria workers, office clerks, school and instructional leaders, bus drivers, board members, and community stakeholders and partners, among others for assisting in this success.

“It takes a village, and this is a testament that it takes a village," Balgobin said. “And when we’re focused on the right things, the sky’s the limit when it comes to achieving the best for our students.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Timbercrest Elementary principal shaves beard to celebrate "A" ranking