We are continuing to monitor Hurricane Zeta.  Our local weather experts have forecasted tropical storm force winds beginning tonight and ending in the early hours of Thursday morning.  With this information, the Walton County School District will continue school as planned for tomorrow, October 29^th.  As always, safety is our number one priority.  If you have any safety concerns, absences should be based on the best decision for your family.  We will continue to monitor the weather, and we encourage you to continue to check back on our district website.   

Walton County School District, along with Superintendent Hughes and countless educators around the state of Florida would like to say happy retirement to a legend in the world of education to Mrs. Joy Frank, Esq.

Joy Frank has been the catalyst and conduit for Legislative Focus, solutions, grounding and centering for Millions of Students in the districts of all 67 counties in the state of Florida. There really is no way to measure the work, service, long lasting impact this Giant of A Person has navigated the past 23 years in her tireless and relentless work. Mrs. Joy Frank on behalf of the current almost 11,000 students, 1400 employees and the 1000’s  of both that have matriculated through the hallways of our schools the past twenty-three years, WE SALUTE YOU for being what we call EPIC!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially extended its summer meal waivers for the entire 2020-21 school year. 

The USDA waivers, which will now be in place through June 30, 2021, allow schools to waive meal pattern requirements and serve meals to all children under 18 at no charge. The waivers also enable meals to be served outside of the typically required group settings and meal times, and permit parents and guardians to pick up meals for their children. 

The previous extension of these waivers was originally set to expire at the end of December. Earlier this month, however, Congress passed a continuing resolution bill that granted authority and funding for further extensions, which was later signed into law.

The School Nutrition Association has been advocating for the waiver extensions, saying that they are vital for students and their families who may be struggling with food insecurity due to COVID-19.  

“These waiver extensions are great news for America’s students and the school nutrition professionals working so hard to support them throughout this pandemic," School Nutrition Association President Reggie Ross said in a statement. “Families struggling to make ends meet can be assured that their students will have access to healthy school meals, whether they are learning at home or in school. School meal programs can remain focused on safely meeting nutritional needs of children in their communities without having to worry about burdensome regulations.”