Congratulations to our very own Superintendent A. Russell Hughes on being appointed by Florida Governor-elect Ron DeSantis to serve on the Transition Advisory Committee on Education and Workforce Development!
Last Thursday, 40 professionals were announced as advisors who will serve on this team and Mr. Hughes was among those on that list!
This committee is described as being “comprised of a diverse group of education experts”. Mr. Hughes and the other individuals on this team will help develop a plan to implement Governor-elect DeSantis’ vision of ensuring that every student in Florida has the chance to get a world-class education and develop the skills they need to get a great job and pursue their dream. A vision that aligns with what Superintendent Hughes works towards everyday in Walton County School District.
Mr. Hughes looks forward to sharing the Walton County Way with others through this opportunity.
Thank you for continuing to embody the EPIC mentality in everything you do!
Congratulations again, Superintendent! We are so proud of you!
Check out this video from Mr. Smith, where he provides important information pertaining to semester exams, updating parent/guardian contact info, and the cancellation of the senior trip.
https://www.facebook.com/WaltonHighSchool/videos/375612356338397/
Five hundred pairs of pajamas were collected for Golson Elementary in Marianna. An additional $510.00 was also donated to help their students.
Students, staff members, and friends of Freeport Elementary, South Walton High, West DeFuniak, Maude Saunders, and Mossy Head helped with this special project. Carter's Children's Store at Silver Sands also donated pajamas.
Special thanks goes out to all who participate in this project! Submitted by Laurie Langford
Last weekend, ECMS band members auditioned for the Troy University Southeastern United States honor band, and all six were placed in the top band. The students rehearsed all day on Friday, and presented a concert Saturday alongside some of the top middle school musicians in the Southeast.
The students who represent ECMS (pictured above) are Emma Knauer, Jonathan Levene, Michaela Bush, Zelda Ciko, Cameron Gray, and Maddie Brower.
Submitted by Darrin Lyon
5th grade students at WDE got to be electrical engineers during science class! They were given the materials needed to create an electric lighting system. The students had to first make a plan to design and build the circuit. Once the plan was in place, they were able to build the circuit, then trouble shoot and determine if any improvements were needed.
Image 1 (Cover Photo)
LtR – Ayden Hurst, Maddie Baur, Emily Anderson, Rolando Velasquez Andres
Image 2
LtR – Haiden Mosley, William Duggins
Image 3
LtR – Dominic Williams, Lee Parish
Submitted by Jessica Dawkins.
Superintendent Hughes met with senior student leaders from each public high school in Walton County School District to talk about various topics at the inaugural Superintendent’s Roundtable. The purpose of this exciting initiative was to hear from the students and learn from their experiences before they graduate from Walton County School District.
A few points of discussion were Safety & Security, changes that might help future students, and the level of rigor in their core classes. At the end of the meeting, students shared some final remarks about their thoughts from the day. A few of those statements included:
“It’s nice to realize that all the different schools in the county have similar experiences and problems.”
“For Superintendent Hughes to want to hear the students’ voices is amazing.”
“I feel honored because a lot of people have a lot of stuff to say and I get to be able to say what I have to say.”
“I think this was a really great experience getting to hear that everyone is doing something different in their school, but yet we’re all still working toward a common goal.”
Superintendent Hughes presented each student with a certificate to be included in their portfolios and resumes, as well as a special challenger coin and portable Bluetooth speaker as a token of appreciation for their participation and continued leadership. Superintendent Hughes looks forward to continuing this very special occasion each year as a benefit to both our students and district alike.”
Submitted by Debbie McBroom
