BUNNELL – Flagler Schools has announced its newest major administrative hire: Don Foley has been brought on as Communications Coordinator effective January 8th. The hire was confirmed in a press release issued by Foley himself last week.
The decision to bring on Foley comes after the decision by the district’s previous communications coordinator Jason Wheeler to step down at the end of last year. Wheeler worked with the school district from 2015 to 2023, making him one of the longest-tenured figures in the area’s public communications industry. He accepted a job at the City of Pensacola this month.
“Jason [Wheeler] was the first person in this position and he truly made it his own, he made it special,” Foley said of his predecessor. “With a similar passion for serving the students of our county, I feel my experience will help provide the level of communication support our schools have thrived on for nearly a decade.”
Prior to joining Flagler Schools, Foley worked with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office for a few months in early 2022. His LinkedIn profiled shows further experience in public relations for institutions such as Georgia Northwestern Technical College, the City of Huntsville, Alabama, and Brightway Insurance. He has a news background with a regional NBC affiliate in Tennessee in the late 90’s and early 00’s.
Foley will work alongside existing Community Engagement Specialist Angela Dawson to manage the school district’s communications department, at a time where transparency in schools is as important to the public as it’s ever been. He’ll also come with a wealth of experience at a time when district leadership is comprised largely of those who are new to their roles. School Board members Will Furry and Christy Chong had yet to work in education prior to their 2022 elections, Superintendent LaShakia Moore is in her first tenure as a superintendent (though her Flagler Schools experience is extensive), and the School Board recently fired longtime Board Attorney Kristy Gavin from that post. Though it’s Foley’s first time working in a public school district, his credentials are evident.
