A fireplace roared in the background.  Tablecloths adorned each table.  Candles flickered.  On Friday, January 31st, seventh and eighth grade reading students sampled great books in Mrs. Amber Proffitt's and Mrs. Jade Tucker's classrooms.  The two teachers opened the connecting doors between their two rooms, and students rotated from table to table "tasting" each course of books set before them.  After each course, students completed their "Book Tasting Menu," ranking books based on their levels of interest.  The experience gave students a chance to add new books to their reading lists and was a great bookend for WMS' literacy week.

STEAM Family Night was an EPIC evening with over 140 students in attendance! Hosted by the Dune Lakes School Improvement STEM Committee and their parent organization, Sandpiper Boosters, students and their families were given a Passport and map to rotate through activity challenges. The activities were based on grade level and ranged from Kindergarten’s “How Tall is Your Tower?” challenge to Fifth Grade’s “Boat Float” challenge.  Each activity tested participant’s problem-solving skills and encouraged collaboration to achieve goals in distance, weight, height and buoyancy.

Other challenges were “Can You Help Save Sam” and his capsized boat; “Popsicle Stick Catapults,” creating “Giant Snowmen” and “Stack the Cat’s Hat” giving extreme height to the Dr. Seuss story.

Many parents teamed up with their student to test their abilities and strategic plan.  As groups collaborated, teachers and volunteers enjoyed hearing comments of encouragement and success from parents and students.  Some favorites included: “I’ve got a plan…”, “I wonder if we should…”, “That’s not going to work, Dad…”, and of course “We did it!”

Thank you to the Dune Lakes School Improvement STEM Team, our volunteers and Sandpiper Boosters for making STEAM night a fun evening!

Pictured: Wyndy Crozier, ECTC Principal; Leslie Harrison, ECTC TOY for 2019-2020; Superintendent A. Russell Hughes

Emerald Coast Technical College is proud to recognize their 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year, Ms. Leslie Harrison.  Ms. Harrison was named one of the top three finalist in the District Teacher of the Year selection process.  

Ms. Harrison is in charge of the Information Technology Programs at ECTC, and is considered to be a highly valuable, dedicated and productive member of the ECTC team.  

Congratulations to Ms. Leslie Harrison, Emerald Coast Technical College!

From left to right: William Holley, Dariyon Moore, Ethan Miles, Destiney Waggoner, and Saffire Lewis

Choosing a college and career path is not to be taken lightly. In the efforts to have our students begin thinking about college and careers, each 5^th grade class was assigned a college to represent. Students conducted research on the universities to determine location, majors offered, requirements to attend, yearly cost, mascot, history of the college, and any major awards the school has received. Each student was also to consider a major offered at the assigned school that may interest him or her. Many of our students already have career goals in mind, and informing themselves of college requirements is allowing them to begin planning their individual paths of education. Mrs. Currid’s class – Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University, Mrs. Garrett’s class – Clemson University, Ms. Dickey’s class – Oklahoma State University, Mrs. Bush’s class – Southeastern Louisiana University, Mr. Stafford’s class – Emerald Coast Technical College