District News

Huge Shout Out to Destiny Worship Center for blessing our students with a total of almost 1000 backpacks that were delivered to the District office and distributed this weekend at Freeport and the DeFuniak Springs Community Center. The backpacks were filled to the top with school supplies for the 2019-2020 school year! Also distributed were some new shoes, and vouchers for a hair cut! We have no words to express our gratitude for their incredible generosity, and we are so appreciative of this collaboration with WCSD!

Destiny Worship Donation

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, through the STEM Summer Challenge Contract with the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium, provided more than $5,000 of STEM supplies to Paxton School this week. The supplies were received by Brent Jones, Principal and Heather Stewart, Embry-Riddle course instructor. They included mBot ranger robots with arms, Gizmos, and bracket packs, Dell Latitude laptops, Tello Quadcopters with GameSir remote controllers, Oculus Go VR Headsets, drone racing gates, drone landing pads and assorted batteries and chargers. Students at Paxton School will use these items throughout the 2019-2020 school year during the Embry-Riddle courses taught at the school.

Superintendent A. Russell Hughes welcomes our students, families, and teachers to an EPIC3 school year in his August Video Update!

We are excited to be an A+ School District!

7th in the state in school grades with 9 out of the 22 assessed areas in the top 10!!!

5th Grade Reading = 9th in the state
7th Grade Reading = 2nd in the state
9th Grade Reading = 6th in the state
8th Grade Math = 9th in the state
Geometry = 2nd in the state
Algebra 1 = 7th in the state
Biology = 6th in the state
8th Grade Science = 8th in the state
Civics = 4th in the state

Paxton High School faculty is excited to congratulate Skye Ramsey who scored a "5" on her AP exam. Watch for these signs in your community! We are sure to see more!!

Submitted by Rebecca Stuart

WCSD kicked off the 2019-2020 school year all across the district in EPIC3 fashion with Superintendent A. Russell Hughes’ theme of “No Breaks, Holding Fast, and Staying Strong”, “EPIC3: Curriculum, Character and Culture” on Monday and Tuesday, August 5 and 6. Teachers and dministrators worked together in special training sessions, listening to inspiring guest speakers, and making plans for an exceptional new school year!

Schools in the DeFuniak area met together in a collaborative event at Walton High School with guest speakers and professional development. ECTC staff helped around 40 teachers learn how to save lives with CPR. Several schools welcomed their staff back on the "Red Carpet" Hollywood style! Freeport Elementary welcomed Kim Bearden, co-founder of the Ron Clark Academy to help them "Rock the House." South Walton High School faculty, Administration and staff were welcomed back Hawaiian style with a big Aloha! Van R. Butler welcomed teachers and staff back with a "Toy Story" theme!

All the schools went above and beyond to set the stage for an EPIC school year with motivated teachers who plan with intentionality and strategically, with "No Breaks - Holding Tight" to continued student improvement!

EPIC3 Day

MHS teachers and staff met at the Mossy Head Community Center (the original Mossy Head School) on their first day back for the 2019-2020 school year. Everyone is proud of the accomplishments achieved last school year and looking forward to an EPIC 2019-2020 school year! Submitted by Elizabeth Gaither

Welcome Back MH Community Center

The CHAT Training Room was packed with newly-hired teachers and overflowing with excitement on August 2, 2019. The Human Resources Department welcomed the newest members of Walton County School District’s Instructional Staff for the Instructional Pre-Employment Orientation. Dr. Jennifer Hawthorne, Deputy Superintendent, and Sonya Alford, Human Resources Director, delivered words of inspiration, encouragement, wisdom and high expectations to the talented group. We are excited to welcome each of them to our dynamic team and are looking forward to an EPIC³ 2019-20 school year!

Submitted by Candy Bodie

New Teacher Orientation 2019

As the teachers at Paxton began their first week back at school, they were greeted like movie stars. They were given a delicious breakfast prepared by the lunch room staff and walked the red carpet to the auditoium, where they began their day with an introduction to Principal Brent Jones and a message from Superintendent Hughes. Mr. Jones introduced the faculty and staff to the theme for the new year: "Bring our Best!" The Paxton family is looking forward to another EPIC year. Submitted by Kalli McMillan

What an EPIC "Back to School Splash Bash" hosted by the Walton County Sheriff's Office in collaboration with the Walton County School District on Saturday, July 27 at the Wee Care Park! Over 370 backpacks were distributed, and the WCSO, the WCSD, and all the children and families had an fun day of interacting, collaborating and making connections! Special Thanks to the Walton County Scheriff's Office, and to all who came out to help make the day an EPIC Success!

Back to School Splash Bash