Happy Presidents’ Day! 🇺🇸
Today, we celebrate the leaders who have shaped our nation and the values of democracy, leadership, and service. This is a great opportunity to reflect on the history of our country and inspire the next generation of leaders right here in our schools!
Whether you’re enjoying the day off or learning about our nation’s past, we hope everyone has a wonderful and meaningful Presidents’ Day!
Tesla, Rivian, Lucid....The Panther??!! In collaboration with Florida Power and Light, the students at the Magnet Innovation Center are building an electric vehicle to participate in Electrathon! Built from the ground up by students and MIC's plant manager Andrew Smith, this vehicle will run on 24v rechargeable batteries and be ready to hit the track next month! A REAL racetrack! The Electrathon is an endurance race - so the car that goes the farthest over the course of two hour-long races is declared the winner! Watchout for more from these EPIC students as they get ready to burn rubber at Five Flags Speedway!
February is CTE Month and the students at the Magnet Innovation are earning those certifications through hands-on activities! Check out these engineering students and the design students working on the Adobe certifications!
"C" is for Collaboration
Jackson County Superintendent Hunter Nolen visited Walton High School today to talk with Superintendent Hughes. While we don't give away the entire recipe to the Walton County Secret Sauce, we believe that EVERY child has a right to a world-class education, regardless of where they reside.
The Florida Department of Education is seeking parent and guardian input to enhance services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP), please complete the following survey to help us improve our services. If you have more than one child with an IEP, please complete one survey for each child. The information gathered remains anonymous and will be used to inform support and resources for parents and students with IEPs. Results will be compiled at the district and school level.
Take the survey here: https://fldoepaads.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3PG600mhqGEGIjI
Mossy Head School is working hard each day to “Achieve the Goal” in academic success! Each year, they take a school-wide aerial photo that exemplifies the school theme. This photo represents the consistent teamwork and unity of achieving school goals and is nothing short of "EPIypmpiC”! Way to go MHS!
Superintendent Hughes dropped by the WISE Center to check and make sure each person is rowing just as hard as the other! Did you know The Walton Intensity School of Excellence (WISE) was the brainchild of Superintendent Hughes? Hughes had a mission to ensure students who might thrive in a less typical educational environment would have a place they could do exactly that - THRIVE!
Can you believe we are already getting ready for the 25-26 school year? If you have a little one that is ready to be EPIC, then make sure to get them enrolled! Kindergarten registration starts on March 3rd at ALL Walton County Elementary Schools! We'd like to get as many students registered as possible by March 14th!
Make sure you have everything you need!
✅ Official Birth Certificate (can be obtained at the Walton County Public Health unit or Walton County Tax Collector Offices.
✅ Current Physical Examination (before entering school)
✅ Current Immunizations (before entering school)
Early learning is vital to ensuring your student is prepared for Kindergarten! Please see the information below regarding Summer VPK and VPK for the 25-26 school year! You can find more information at: https://www.walton.k12.fl.us/page/voluntary-pre-k
Today is homecoming for Paxton School, so the District Office showed out with RED! Paxton has a full schedule today starting at 5pm with homecoming court, then senior night for winter sports, Varsity Boys Basketball against Poplar Springs, then the dance! Let's go Bobcats!
This week is Celebrate Literacy Week, and WCSD's theme is "Building Literacy: Constructing the Foundation for Success" which connects with governor DeSantis' "Get There Workforce Initiative." Nathan Frymire came by West DeFuniak Elementary to share his career with students over the morning show. The library is a construction zone full of literacy activities!
We hope you can join us on February 6th at 6pm in the Walton High School Auditorium to celebrate our WCSD Teacher of the Year and ESP of the Year. We'll cross our fingers this time that a once-in-a-lifetime snowstorm doesn't come through this time!
The students at West DeFuniak Elementary got to experience a very special program by the Atlantic Coast Theatre of The Elves and the Shoemaker by the Brothers Grimm. A gym full of 2nd and 5th graders completely mesmerized by music? EPIC! Thank you to the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation for making this kind of experience possible for our students!
The Magnet Innovation Center (MIC) is an experience unlike any other offering hands-on instruction from uniquely qualified faculty. Come find out more on Thursday night at Parent Information Night. Don't live in the south end of the county? No worries! If you can get your student to DeFuniak or Freeport, there's a bus that will take them to school! You can find all that out, and more, on Thursday!
The snow has melted and we sure are glad to have students back on campus today! We do everything in EPIC fashion in Walton County, and that now includes the snow! It's pretty amazing to see some of our campuses covered like this!
After collaborating with local and state weather experts, the Walton County School District has made the decision to close schools on both Thursday and Friday, January 23rd and 24th due to the after effects of the Winter Storm. The closure includes students and employees as well as SPICE and extra-curricular activities. The amazing snow fall will begin to melt today but the precepitation may refreeze leaving ice on the roads for the next two days. This makes driving unsafe for buses on roads and especially bridges. Weekend weather will get above freezing, and we anticipate reopening on Monday, January 27. We will continue to monitor the weather, as safety is always our number one priority. Stay safe, and continue to stay engaged with your schools and our online platforms for more information. We hope our students enjoy today's record snow fall. It really is an unbelievable sight!
After collaborating with local and state weather experts, the Walton County School District has made the decision to close schools on both Tuesday and Wednesday, January 21 and 22 due to a Winter Storm. The closure includes students and employees as well as SPICE and extra curricular activities. Walton may begin to see precipitation to include ice on Tuesday afternoon which will make it unsafe for school buses to be on roads and bridges. Wednesday may continue to see freezing temperatures which may keep ice on the roadways. We will continue to monitor the weather, as safety is always our number one priority. At this time, we expect to be back at school on Thursday, January 23. Stay safe, and continue to stay engaged with your schools and our online platforms for more information.
The Walton County School District is closely monitoring the weather. Some districts to the west of us have canceled school for Tuesday but those districts are already in the Winter Storm Watch. For Walton, we have meetings later this afternoon to collaborate with weather experts both statewide and locally to make the best decision for students, parents, and employees as we receive the best up-to-date information on the approaching cold front. As always, safety is our number one priority. Bundle up out there as the temperature is beginning to drop!
Monday, January 20th - all WCSD offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Walton County School District is aware of the cold weather forecasted for next week and is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families. In collaboration with local weather authorities, we are closely monitoring conditions and will provide timely updates regarding any potential changes to school schedules. Updates will be shared via our official social media channels and the district website. We encourage families to stay informed and prepared by ensuring their children have proper attire for the colder temperatures, including coats, hats, and gloves, as we work together to navigate the upcoming weather.
We are blessed to have some truly gifted musicians in the Walton County School District. Last week 21 WCSD students participated in the honor ensembles at the Florida Music Educators Association Conference in Tampa, FL. These students undergo several days of intense and rigorous rehearsals culminating in awe-inspiring performances. The Whole Child is on display!
