The Superintendent visited the Technology Department at ECMS. What amazing acceleration work going on there. Spanish 2 going extremely well, teachers shouted out to the Superintendent and District for the 1 to 1 devices provided for all MS students this year that had proven to be a Game-changer that has allowed students to ;stay engaged and move faster and beyond normal hours of operation to Hang On Gain On! The students pictured have already gained at least three certifications this school year and are in target to add an additional (4th) the last nine weeks of school. They are approaching some advanced Coding Skills that will allow them to continue to excel in the area of technology! Great work by Ms. Carter and her students. WOW! Hanging On and Gaining On is happening in EPIC FASHION for our students! Enjoy your break; YOU EARNED IT!
March is National Arts Education Month
March 10, 2021
To celebrate National Arts Education Month, Ms. Estes' 7th grade art class at Freeport Middle School is sponsoring a schoolwide student art competition with an exhibit and prizes. The theme is "Spring Into Spring." All 5th through 8th grade students are invited to enter the competition. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be awarded at each grade level. The prizes are art sketchbooks, markers, and candy. This class has worked very hard to create, organize, and promote their art competition. The art will be on exhibit to the students and staff from Tuesday, March 23 until the end of the month. This is going to be so much fun!
Employment Opportunity
March 10, 2021
Walton County School District is currently accepting applications for the position of Chief Information Officer. Walton County School District offers a wide range of employee insurance and benefit options and is a participating member of the Florida Retirement System. To find out more details about or apply for this administrative position, please visit https://www.walton.k12.fl.us/employment.
Read Across America
March 3, 2021
WCSB Teacher/ESP of the Year and Census Recognition
March 3, 2021
The WCSB was recognized by as an invaluable member of the 2020 Census Community Partnership and Engagement Program last night at the WCSB Meeting.
The WCSB also recognized our Teacher and ESP of the year for 2020-21 with their plaques last night.
Congratuations to Leslie Coone the 2020-21 WCSD Teacher of the year.
Congratulations to Tanya Durham the 2020-21 ESP of the year.
WCSD Monthly Video Update for March 2021
March 2, 2021
WCSD Monthly Video Update for March 2021
Walton County School District Superintendent A. Russell Hughes shares his monthly video update for March 2021!
As an AVID school, WMS teachers design and lead lessons full of WICOR (writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading) strategies. Teachers use the WICOR learning model to guide students in comprehending concepts and articulating ideas at increasingly complex levels. Through WICOR, students build mental toolboxes of strategies they can apply to learning situations both in and out of the classroom.
Last week, while preparing students for the upcoming FSA writing assessment, sixth grade ELA teacher Mrs. Alex Parker led a two-day lesson full of writing, reading, and organization strategies. First, she taught students how to “PAT” the explanatory prompt they were given to write about, teaching them to text-mark and look for the purpose, audience, and task the prompt required. Reading the directions carefully to understand these key elements helps student writers better organize their thinking. Mrs. Parker also gave students a reading purpose based on the prompt, instructing them to text-mark two non-fiction texts, looking for evidence about why and how art can be created from trash. Teaching students to read for a purpose and mark key details along the way helps aid student reading comprehension in general. Before turning students loose to write their essays, the teacher showed students various organizational styles for constructing their thoughts, encouraging them to “do the way that works for you.” She even went a step further and provided students with sentence starters to help them organize their thoughts within paragraphs.
Teachers like Mrs. Parker use WICOR strategies to help students build mental frameworks they can apply to not only the tasks at hand but also to other learning situations. Across campus, WMS, as an AVID school, strives to develop well-equipped lifelong learners.
The Freeport Middle School Art department has made a new batch of Japanese Gyodan clay fake food. We studied Gyodan, the Japanese art of fake food and became Shokunin, Japanese fake food artists. Way to go students!!!
MSE collects $1,722.23 for Change for Children!
March 2, 2021
MSE collects $1,722.23 for Change for Children!
The collecting and counting is over and according to these 5th grade ac"count"ants, our students collected $1,722.23! Ms. Andrews students collected the most change ($224.24) which earned them a pizza party. Mrs. Dahl's class brought in the most quarters (519 quarters) to make her the 2021 MSE Quarter Queen! Our school participates in the Positivity Project and our focus this week was "Other People Matter". Our students certainly embraced this belief as they worked to raise money for "Children in Crisis", a nonprofit organization that provides a home to abused, neglected, and abandoned children in our community.
The Walton County School District was well represented at a recent event in Orlando sponsored by the Florida Department of Education. Pictured (L to R) Ms. Jeanine Abadie, teacher at Emerald Coast Middle School and past Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Devon LaMonica, past Teacher of the Year in Okaloosa County and current administrator at the Magnet Innovation Center at St. Joe Watersound, Mr. Richard Corcoran, Commission of Education for the State of Florida, and Dr. Alexis Tibbetts, Principal of South Walton High School and finalist for Principal of the Year.