Walton County School District
November 2019

The month of October was full of hustle and bustle in the Walton County School District with the Walton County Fair, fall Carnivals, football games, and the end of a very successful first nine weeks of schools. As we look to the month of November and the beginning of the holiday season, it is important to keep up the forward academic momentum in order to finish the semester strong! Help keep your students academically motivated during the fall and winter breaks through reading, educational media programming, and online resources available on the district website at: https://www.walton.k12.fl.us/students.

On November 11, 2019, all schools and administrative offices will be closed in observance of Veterans Day. Throughout the district, schools will be hosting Veterans Day programs and educational activities to emphasize the legacy, why it is celebrated, and how to properly thank our nation’s servicemen and women for their sacrifices.

On November 14, 2019, each school will be sending home the mid-term academic progress reports to inform parents of their student’s current standing, and how improvement can occur before the end of the grading period. Reporting student progress is an essential part of the communication and partnership between home and school.

November is also Florida Family Engagement in Education Month. When schools work together with families to support learning, children are more motivated to succeed, not just in school, but throughout life. Walton County School District recognizes the importance of the collaboration as we work together to provide and support a high-quality education for every child.

All schools and administrative offices will be closed for fall break during the week of Thanksgiving, November 18 – 22, 2019. Stay tuned for information regarding special Thanksgiving programming and activities at your child’s school! All students and teachers will return to regular school day schedules on Monday, December 2, 2019.

Superintendent Russell Hughes recently hosted a town hall meeting at Freeport High School on October 10, 2019, to address issues such as rapid growth, educational impact, construction and expansion, future goals and expected outcomes, and timelines. All who participated were able to ask questions and offer comments, and the meeting was well attended.

The Florida Senate Education Committee held a hearing on October 14, 2019 regarding the importance of continuing education programs across the state. Superintendent Hughes spoke in front of the committee, along with Superintendents Addison Davis of Clay County and Michael Grego of Pinellas County. Also speaking was Paul Burns, FLDOE’s Deputy Chancellor for Educator Quality. Regarding professional development for educators, Superintendent Hughes stated, “We have to do it, because the end result is we want success in those classrooms. And for that to be the case, we really have to be intentional. We have to be strategic. We have to be aggressive in what we are doing to make sure that is happening.”

Walton County School District hosted the ninth stop on the Florida Department of Education State Standards Listening Tour on October 23, 2019, at Walton High School.  Chancellor Jacob Oliva, Vice Chancellor Paul Burns, and FLDOE members enlightened attendees on the direction of the new standards, and fielded questions from all who shared their thoughts. More than 100 attendees participated, including six Panhandle superintendents, administrators, teachers, community members, and students. Marsha Winegarner and Jason Catalano represented the Walton County School Board.

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