District News

The 7th Grade Assessment for DNA asked students to CREATE a DNA molecule out of red licorice, toothpicks and marshmallows. This model not only had to be correct in its base pairs, it also had to take the correct form! Students were nervous about this not traditional assessment, but they all did AMAZING! We are extremely proud of our students at WMS!

Submitted by Kristen Nelson

Gavin Rhodes (blue shirt); Stephanie Mendez-Alvarez (gray shirt); Emily Moss (purple shirt)

The Butler Elementary School office staff honored our school Guidance Counselor and Resource Deputies with a surprise luncheon! These staff members help keep our school safe and happy. Pictured is Principal Tammy Smith, Deputy Jeff McIntosh, Guidance Counselor Meghan Turner, and Assistant Principal Sherrie Binkowski. Deputy Jeremy Fisher is not pictured, but greatly appreciated as well!

Submitted by Tammy Smith

WHS administrators cooked up a delicious breakfast on Feb. 12 to show their appreciation for their outstanding staff members and the hard work they do every day to help students build their legacies and succeed.

Thank you Mrs. Currid, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Smith for all that YOU do to make Walton High such a special place for our students, staff, and community members!

Submitted by Christy English

Florida’s Director of Safe Schools, Mr. Damien Kelly, recently toured Butler Elementary. School Administrators, Resource Deputies, and Walton County Safe Schools Coordinator, Mr. Charlie Morse, shared campus safety initiatives with the Director and discussed ways to help keep Walton County students safe.

Freeport Elementary served over 650 dads and students donuts this morning. Dads were invited to have a donut, juice, and sign up for Watch D.O.G.S. this morning. Thank you to PTO and McDonalds for supplying breakfast.

Submitted by Laurie Campbell

Students at Mossy Head Elementary, West DeFuniak Elementary and Paxton were treated to a special performance by the Sinfonia Gulf Coast Resident String Quartet on Friday, February 8, courtesy of Sinfonia Gulf Coast!

Founded in Tallahassee, Florida, (Lucky Strings) is a dynamic and evolving ensemble. This quartet features violinists Taylor Giorgio and Tracy Morgan, violist Daniella Isabel Angulo Martinez, and cellist Holden Bitner. With a passion for community engagement, (Lucky Strings) has performed interactive concerts in public schools, college classes, and in community spaces around the North Florida region. The ensemble performs often at Florida State University, where all four members are pursuing graduate degrees in music performance.

The students throughly enjoyed the performances, and learned a great deal from the performers. Special thanks to Sinfonia Gulf Coast for their collaboration with the Walton County School District!

Congratulations to WHS senior Joseph Woods for advancing to the State Science Fair competition! His “Rippin’ Lip” project, which studied the effects of tournament fishing on bass health, earned the top spot in the Earth & Environmental Sciences category at the regional competition.

Joseph has received a 2-year scholarship from Northwest Florida, as well as a 4-year scholarship from Bethel College to be on their bass fishing team.

Congratulations and good luck at the state competition!

Submitted by Christy English

Congratulations to all Walton County School District students who participated in the East Panhandle Regional Science Fair! We are very proud to announce our Regional Science Fair Winners and State Finalist for the 2018-19 school year. The 64th State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida will be held from March 25, 2019 – March 29, 2019 in Lakeland, FL.

Congratulations and best wishes at State!!!

Emerald Coast Middle School

Sophie Harris – Fishy Pheromones
o First Place in Cellular and Molecular Biology
o State Finalist
o Broadcom Finalist
Astrid Ascanio – It’s all Natural!
o 3rd Place in Biomedical and Health Sciences
Lauren Broussard – A Tea..rible Problem
o 4th Place in Chemistry

Walton Middle School

Aaron Wilmoth – Squishy Robots
o First Place in Engineering
o State Finalist
o Broadcom Finalists
Allie Saunders – Horray for Enzymes
o 3rd Place in Cellular and Molecular Biology

Walton High School

Joseph Woods – Rippin’ Lip
o First Place in Earth and Environmental Sciences
o State Finalist
o North West Florida College – 2 year scholarship
o Florida Association of Science Teachers - $25 Award
o Ricoh Americas Corporation

South Walton High School

Haille Roe – Engineering
o 3rd Place

Paxton High School

Tabitha Snow & Emily Wilson – There’s a good reason these heat packs are numbered honey you just haven’t thought of it yet
o 4th Place in Chemistry
o Drs. Alice and Louis Fay Award for Chemistry - $100 (to split)

Mr. Dennie Smith, 8th grade AVID teacher at WMS, works tirelessly to equip his students for future success. On Friday, February 8th, his third period AVID class presented about their future career aspirations with a captive audience of their peers and teachers and administrators at WMS. Mr. Smith began the class period by emphasizing the public speaking standards his students have been learning and practicing. Students confidently stood in front of the class and provided detailed information about careers they might one day like to pursue. After each presentation, Mr. Smith asked the audience to offer positive feedback to each brave presenter. The students offered gracious and constructive comments to each of their peers about the merits of each presentation. Not only did students explore career pathways that interested them but they also practiced public speaking skills--thereby gaining invaluable knowledge and confidence they will continue to develop as they blaze their own bright and unique paths in life.

Pictured:

1--Cynthia Ramirez (Translators and Interpreters)

2--Cerina Smith (Science, Technology, and Electronics)

3--Magen Duke (Singer)

4--Logan Potts (Logging)

Submitted by Kristen Nelson

Kindergarten registration for the 2019-20 school year will be held at all Walton County elementary schools during weekdays from Monday, March 4th, 2019 to Friday, March 15th, 2019 between the hours of
8:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

To be eligible to enter Kindergarten, a child must be five (5) years of age on or before September 1, 2019.
An official proof of birth is required at the time of registration. Hospital certificates are NOT official birth records. Parents who do not have their child’s birth certificate can obtain a certified copy by making a request to the state in which the child was born. Because this is often a lengthy process, parents needing to obtain a certificate are urged to do so now in order to receive it prior to this registration period. Children born in the state of Florida may obtain an official birth certificate at the Walton County Public Health Unit, 362 State Highway 83, DeFuniak Springs.

Before entering school in August, each kindergarten child must have the following:
• official birth certificate (required for registration)
• health examination**
• current immunization record (DOH 680)**
**Parents will need to see their child’s health provider for a current exam and immunization update.

WMS Students Create DNS Model out of Licorice!

February 13, 2019

Van R. Butler Honors Guidance Counselor and Resource Deputy!

February 12, 2019

WHS Hosts Staff Appreciation Breakfast

February 12, 2019

Florida's Director of Safe Schools Visits Van R. Butler!

February 12, 2019

FES Donuts with Dad is Huge Success!

February 12, 2019

Paxton, West DeFuniak Elementary and Mossy Head Schools Enjoy Guest Performers Courtesy of Sinfonia Gulf Coast!

February 12, 2019

WHS Senior Advances To State Science Fair Christy English Wed 2/6, 10:08 AM

February 9, 2019

Congratulations to the WCSD Regional Science Fair Winners and State Finalists!

February 9, 2019

Mr. Smith's 8th Grade AVID Student Impress Their Audience with Stellar Career Presentations

February 9, 2019

Kindergarten Registration Information for 2019-2020

February 8, 2019