Walton County - School District

Let's Talk! A lot goes on in the lives of students and sometimes you have questions that aren't easily found - we can answer those! (we can answer the easy ones too). Put us in your phone contacts, and if you have a question, send us a message and we'll make sure it gets to the right place. You can also visit us online at walton.k12.fl.us/letstalk and route your question yourself.

This evening is "Back-to-School" night at the Blue Wahoos stadium and Superintendent A. Russell Hughes threw out the first pitch! When asked what he would name this pitch, he called it "the two finger EPIC ball!" - thanks for throwing strikes and hitting home runs for the students of Walton County!

We have so much to celebrate! Our students finished their first week of classes and did so in EPIC fashion! The 24-25 school is going to be a special year! Grand Canyon University's Development Counselor also dropped by today to celebrate WCSD being an A+ school district!

Welcome Back! Our kids had an incredible first day of the 24-25 school year! 12,000 excited students were met by 1,600 excited teachers and staff. Stay tuned for more from the first week back!

We are so close! First day of school is August 12th! Make sure your children get plenty of sleep before this weekend so they're ready Monday morning.

The Walton County School District is fortunate to have an entire community supporting our teachers, staff, and students! Thank you to Main Street Fitness (Nick Anderson), The Gym (Rob Hamilton), and Bend the Bar (Jamey Goddin) for offering our employees a FREE month of membership with no strings attached. We appreciate your partnership and your support of our teachers and staff!

4 Days Left! School starts on August 12th, and we can't wait to see all of our students. Here are the updated dress code requirements.

The start of school is right around the corner and we have just a few positions left to fill! Physics/Engineering at the Magnet Innovation Center, Elementary Education (2nd Grade) at Mossy Head School, and a temporary ESE position at Walton High School! Head over to walton.k12.fl.us/employment to join the greatest team in the country and change lives! Hop in the boat with us as we row for the goal!

Let the countdown begin! Another EPIC year is on the horizon! Here are all the school start times. Be sure to keep an eye on your school's website and social media!

Each day, a fleet of individuals show up and work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our children are successful, taken care of, and supported. Today is new-hire orientation for Educational Support Professionals - these individuals will join a tapestry of passionate bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, secretaries, and more that directly influence the ability of our students to learn.

Today was Pre-Employment Orientation for WCSD's new hires! Wow! The excitement and energy in the room was palpable. We have teachers new to teaching, career changers, and veteran teachers from surrounding counties who want to work here. The Pre-Employment Orientation is a chance for Superintendent Hughes to set the stage regarding expectations and get our teachers the information they need to hit the ground running on August 2nd when teachers are back on campus. We will begin the countdown to the start of school soon!

Are you the missing piece? We have a few positions left to fill before school starts. If you're ready to change lives alongside the best teachers and staff in the country, go visit www.walton.k12.fl.us/employment and find where you fit!

𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 Success isn't an accident. It doesn't just happen. Success is forged in the furnaces of intentionality, collaboration, and execution. That furnace is fueled by VISION. Success is built. Success is 𝙈𝘼𝙉𝙐𝙁𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙀𝘿! Every year, WCSD holds "Manufacturing Day", a time when administrators, teachers, staff, and even parents gather for a day of innovation, collaboration, and planning. Each administrator chooses the team they bring to Manufacturing Day, and as Superintendent Hughes said "We want the RIGHT people, in the RIGHT room, for the RIGHT reason!" The goal is to develop the plan for the year to move forward toward the goal of being the #1 school district in the state of Florida. Superintendent A. Russell Hughes remarked in his opening session "By the end of the day you have developed a clear path to success. We will get there! We will ALL get there. If we don't get there together, then it doesn't matter. We don't leave anyone behind in the Walton County School District."

❓❓How do you....❓❓ ✔️Get to the #3 Ranked (academics) School District in Florida ✔️Rank #1 in Geometry? ✔️#2 in Algebra 1 ✔️#3 in US History 💥You have layers of teams completely committed to excellence in their craft. This week, our administrators got together to ensure the path to achieve Superintendent Hughes' vision of being #1 is crystal clear! 💥You collaborate with others and within teams to ensure everyone has access to the best ideas and the best practices. Our teams worked together to ensure there are no weak links in the chain.

Walton County School District administrators, leaders, and coaches returned today from a full three days at the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium's annual conference. Several of our employees were part of the presentations - Principals Nathan Smith and Donna Simmons talked about their successes in the Freeport feeder pattern, and Director of Human Resources Ms. Candy Bodie talked about recruiting teachers!

🇺🇸 **Happy Independence Day!** 🇺🇸 Today, we celebrate the spirit of freedom, courage, and unity that defines our nation. Independence Day is not just about fireworks and barbecues; it's a time to reflect on the values that make America unique. We honor the bravery of those who fought for our freedom and remember the sacrifices that have shaped our history. Let us all take a moment to appreciate the liberties we enjoy and the opportunities that come with living in a free country. As we gather with family and friends, let us also think about how we can continue to uphold the principles of justice, equality, and democracy. Together, we can ensure that the legacy of independence remains strong for future generations. Wishing everyone a safe and joyful 4th of July! 🇺🇸🎆 --- All offices will be closed July 4th and 5th.

The results are IN! For the third year in a row, WCSD has maintained its position as 3rd of 67 counties in Florida. Congratulations to our students, teachers, staff, school board, and community! EPIC is the Walton County Way, and our students exemplify that every day!

Coach Wassman and Coach Smallwood set up at Freeport City Hall today! If you've missed the EPIC Van in Freeport this summer you'll have two more chances on July 10th and July 17th! 8:45-10:00 - Grady Brown Park 10:15-11:15 - Various PreSchools 12:15-1:30 - City Hall 1:45-3:00 - Choctaw Beach Splash Pad 3:15-4:00 - Hammock Bay Sports Complex

How do you get to #2 in the state from 35th in just a few years? You ensure your teachers are equipped with most cutting edge modalities and techniques in the business! Our teachers, and administrators are at the AVID conference this week. Superintendent Hughes has been there to support our teachers. They even got to meet the founder of AVID!

"C" is for Collaboration The Walton County School District is fortunate to have an EPIC relationship with the Walton County Sheriff's Office. Inside every school in our district is an SRD that is just as passionate about children as any teacher, staff, or administrator. There are two opportunities this summer for kids to beat the heat! On July 13th the SRD's will bring out the water slides and foam cannon at the Freeport Middle School Football Field from 11am - 2pm. Then, on July 27th the WCSO is pulling out all the stops for the Back-to-School SPLASH BASH! There will be bounce houses, water slides, foam cannons, free food, and a Backpack Giveaway! Wee Care Park - 11am-2pm.