Walton County Academic Team Advances to Final State Championship Competition!
Teen Trendsetter Program with VRB and SWHS
April 27, 2017
The Teen Trendsetters program, sponsored by The Barbara Bush Foundation and funded in part through a grant from the St. Joe Foundation was a huge success for the 2016-2017 school year. Selected Van R. Butler Elementary second grade students were paired with a mentor / tutor student from South Walton High School. Each pair met once a week throughout the school year. An overall gain in student reading Lexile levels of 10,315 points was achieved! The Elementary and High School participants enjoyed an end of the year celebration of the program's success on Wednesday, April 26th.
Pictured below: Dr. Alexis Tibbetts, Principal of South Walton High School; Shelly Hinojosa, SWHS Leadership Class Instructor; Kelly Layman, Barbara Bush Foundation; Janet Greeno, St. Joe Foundation; Carrie Chavers, Walton School District Literacy Coach; and Tammy Smith, Principal of Van R. Butler Elementary School.
WDE Students Have Enjoyed Celebrating Earth Day This Week
April 27, 2017
WDE students have enjoyed celebrating Earth Day this week! Students learned about taking care of the earth and how to reduce, reuse, and recycle! Several Kindergarten classes created a consumable bird feeder using peanut butter, ice cream cones, and bird seed. Students in first grade created useful items out of recycled materials. One student created a purse out of drink pouches! Second grade students worked in their class garden and wrote about ways to keep the earth healthy and clean. Finally, many art classes created detailed drawings of sea animals in honor of Earth Day. Submitted by Jessica Dawkins.
VRB Office Staff Appreciation
April 27, 2017
Teacher and Staff Appreciation week is May 1-5, 2017. Kindergartners in Mrs. Varner's class at Butler Elementary School recognized the school's front office staff with a huge banner they created for Office Staff Appreciation Day. "Without You This Place Would be A Zoo!" Submitted by Tammy Smith.
WISE Center Pre-K Students Visit Gulf World
April 26, 2017
Submitted by Debbie McBroom.
FHS’s AP Human Geography Students Take Learning Outside
April 24, 2017
Submitted by Patty Woodard.
1st Graders at MHS Encourage Students Taking FSA
April 24, 2017
First graders create a motivational poster for 3-5 graders taking FSA. They drew bees and colored the message, "We "bee"lieve in you!," to encourage those students to do their best on FSA. Submitted by Elizabeth Gaither.
WCSD Musicians perform with Sinfonia Gulf Coast
April 24, 2017
Over 390 Walton County School District 3rd and 4th graders joined students from Okaloosa County for the Sinfonia Gulf Coast “Carnegie Link Up” performance on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at the Emerald Coast Conference Center! Students from Maude Saunders Elementary and Freeport Elementary sang, danced, and played recorders along with Sinfonia Gulf Coast Orchestra following a yearlong curriculum through the Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute (WMI). They have been practicing and learning the music since September! Over 2500 students from Walton and Okaloosa Counties participated in the interactive orchestra concert with Maestro Demetrius Fuller and Sinfonia Gulf Coast as they learned how “The Orchestra Sings!” The performance included stunning visuals for the students to follow and perform along with the orchestra, as well as on-stage direction and entertainment by some of the district’s teachers.
Special thanks to Sinfonia Gulf Coast and their sponsor, St. Joe Community Foundation, for providing this unique opportunity for the students of Walton County School District!
Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe.
WDE Kindergarten Students Have Been Busy Reading This Year
April 24, 2017
Kindergarten students have been busy reading this year. The kindergarten students at West DeFuniak Elementary set a goal of earning 15 Accelerated Reader points for the school year. That is a least 30 books for each child. When students earn their goal they are presented an AR shirt on the school Morning Show. We are so proud of the effort that everyone in Mrs. Donna Timmons’ class has put forth this year. All 19 students have accomplished and passed their goal. Several of the students have met their classroom goal of 30 and are working towards 45. Submitted by Jessiva Dawkins.
WMS Students Celebrate Spring
April 24, 2017
Mrs. Kathy Russ' students at Walton Middle School created an edible carrot patch in their Life Skills class to celebrate spring! Submitted by Kristen Rhodes.