District News

WCSD brought together their foremen, skilled workers, plans and tools to create and build the 2017-2018 school improvement plans on Manufacturing Day - 2017 at the Carlene H. Anderson Training Center. Administrators, teachers, and parents from each school in the district met to develop an overall plan to move Walton County School District to the number 1 position in the state by aligning each of the individual school improvement plans to our District Strategic Plan. Superintendent Russell Hughes gave an inspiring opening presentation where he revealed his vision of "The Walton County Way - Excellence, Professionalism, Innovation and Collaboration = E.P.I.C!"

Schools met to review their plans for 2016-2017, discuss barriers, and turn them into opportunities to increase student success in 2017-2018. Administrators from the district office in the areas of Data, Technology and Curriculum and Instruction, as well as a representative from The New Teacher Project (TNTP) were on hand to lend support and provide resources. Ideas were shared across the room as they collaborated to develop innovative ideas and implementation. The air of excitement in the room was contagious, and the results for the students of Walton County in this coming year are going to be EPIC!!!

submitted by Keitha Bledsoe

Advanced Placement teachers from WCSD gave up vacation time and gathered at Freeport High School on July 13 for a Boot Camp planning session! They spent the morning reviewing data from the last five years, and creating AP plans for their individual school sites. These dedicated instructors explored strengths and weaknesses by comparing progress across the district, and developed strategies for improving student success in AP courses.

Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe

Superintendent A. Russell Hughes gave Chamber of Commerce members and attendees of the First Friday Breakfast on July 7, 2017, his State of Education Address for Walton County. This included his vision of the Walton County Way which is being EPIC by providing Excellence in education, being Professional, Innovative and Collaborative within our schools and the community as a whole. Submitted by Kelley Stephenson/Donna Honish.

Submitted by Nancy Currie.

Paxton High School sends out a huge thank you to The St. Joe Community Foundation for their donation of $20,000 to support the school's aerospace program! Pictured, from left, is PHS Principal Cindy Neale, Aerospace Instructor Heather Stewart, and St. Joe Community Foundation Executive Director Janet Greeno.

Submitted by Heather Stewart

Congratulations to the ECMS Jr. Beta Club Quiz Bowl Team for their 3^rd place finish in the Quiz Bowl at the National Jr. Beta Club Convention!!! The ECMS Quiz Bowl Team not only made it to the oral rounds from a field of 25 teams at the national level but won the quarterfinal as well. Unfortunately, they fell in a tight race for first. They won the consolation round and received the bronze medal in the national competition!!! Quiz Bowl Team Members are Eric Plunk, Luke Messer, Sophia Bock and Lily Jamison. Also pictured is Lily Gibson who qualified at State to enter her acrylic artwork in the competition at the National Convention, and it showed well! We are extremely proud of our ECMS Jr. Beta Club Members!!!

Submitted by Candy Bodie

Students from across Walton County School District participated in the Unmanned Aerial Systems STEM Challenge this summer sponsored by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Participants learned to code utilizing terrestrial robots, pilot mini aerial systems to carry out real-world style missions, and even pilot larger aerial systems through an obstacle course. The three-day challenge accentuated skill acquisition and an introduction to unmanned aerial systems careers, plus was infused with an emphasis on teamwork and communication skills as students worked with their counterparts from Holmes County School District. The challenge was coordinated by Panhandle Area Educational Consortium.

Submitted by Heather Stewart