District News

Superintendent Hughes Showing Support of the Lady Seahawks of SWHS at State Championship

February 25, 2017

Dr. Tibbets and Superintendent Hughes embrace at halftime of the State Championship game in Lakeland, Florida in support of the Lady Seahawks of SWHS. What a great game and proud community that showed there is no distance too far to travel in support of our team! Proud of Coach Kevin Craig, Phil Tisa (AD), the cheerleaders, teachers, staff and parents for an outstanding year. A Clear Class ACT!!!!!! Submitted by Superintendent Russell Hughes.

ECMS Stingray Shines Light on the Arts

February 24, 2017

ECMS 7th grade student, Lily Gravlin won Best in Show for Middle School in the Rosemary Beach Music in Pictures contest. We couldn't be more proud of her for representing ECMS so well. Submitted by Angela Vance.

Paxton Student is One Winner of the Chelco Youth Tour

February 24, 2017

Macie Porter, Paxton School student, was one of four winners of the Chelco Youth Tour competition to Washington, D.C.! The competition was based on an interview and essay from two juniors representing each high school in Okaloosa and Walton counties! Submitted by Kalli McMillan.

Word Problem Operation at MSE

February 23, 2017

MSE 4th grade students are learning to dissect word problems using the CUBES strategy.  Today Mrs. Anderson turned her classroom into an operating room to solve measurement word problems. Submitted by Krisy Spence.

WDE holds Math & Science Nights

February 23, 2017

West DeFuniak Elementary students and parents participated in two nights of Math and Science activities.  Approximately 500 students and parents attended the events.  The love of learning was evident through the smiles of everyone present.  Check out more pictures from Math and Science Night on our school Facebook page.

WCSD Honors Tivoli School for Black History Month

February 22, 2017

Superintendent A. Russell Hughes was the Grand Marshal for the Black History Parade in Defuniak Springs on Saturday, February 18, 2017.  The parade was one of multiple activities held to celebrate February as Black History Month. The parade route ended in food, fun, and fellowship at the Tivoli Complex, formerly Tivoli High School - Home of the Tivoli Tigers. 

Tivoli High School, currently the home of the Walton County School District Administrative offices, wasn’t the first black school in Walton County, but it was the first high school.

According to documentation by the Tivoli Historical Society, the Tivoli was an elementary and junior high school from 1908 until 1935.  It was one of the more than 5,000 Rosenwald Schools, which were schools built in the south, predominately for the education of African American children.  The program was the result of a partnership between Julius Rosenwald, president and part owner of Sears, Roebuck and Company, and African American educator, author and presidential advisor, Booker T. Washington.  There were two other Rosenwald schools in the area in Argyle and Bruce Creek.  The school became Tivoli High School in 1935, adding a grade level each year until 12th grade was finally added in 1937-38.  By 1958, the total enrollment for Tivoli was 424 students.  The school had an active athletic program, with an award winning football team, as well as a marching band. 

“Tivoli High School was the heart of the black community,” said Eddie Williamson, President of the Tivoli Historical Society, Inc. “We’ve had engineers, architects, lawyers and doctors graduate from this school…and we love to bring back our alumni so they can see all that we have accomplished.”

The Tivoli Historical Society, Inc. works tirelessly to keep the memories of life at Tivoli School alive.  They have an active tutorial program for African American students in Walton County, and also have a scholarship program to provide opportunities for continued education after high school graduation.  The Tivoli Historical Society has also created a museum located in the main Tivoli School building at 145 Park Street, Defuniak Springs, Fl., which now houses the WCSD administrative offices. 

Black History Month Parade Grand Marshal

Black History Month Parade

Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe.

WCSD salutes outstanding alumni, Dexter McNabb for Black History Month

February 22, 2017

The Walton County School District is proud to recognize former Walton High School alumni, college and NFL football player turned teacher and high school administrator, Dexter McNabb, during Black History Month.

Dexter Eugene McNabb (born July 9, 1969) is an American former college and professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons during the 1990s. McNabb played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL.

McNabb was born in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. He attended Walton High School in DeFuniak Springs, and played high school football for the Walton Braves. McNabb is the father of two children, Matthew McNabb and Alivia McNabb.

McNabb accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Galen Hall and coach Steve Spurrier's Florida Gators football teams from 1988 to 1991.During McNabb's senior season in 1991, the Gators won their first official Southeastern Conference (SEC) football championship.

The Green Bay Packers selected McNabb in the fifth round (119th pick overall) of the 1992 NFL Draft, and he played for the Packers for two seasons from 1992 to 1993.After a year away from the NFL, he spent the 1995 season with the Philadelphia Eagles. McNabb played in thirty-three regular season NFL games, mainly as a blocking fullback for the Packers and Eagles, and received few carries.

After his NFL career was over, McNabb returned to Gainesville and graduated from the University of Florida with bachelor's degree in sociology in 2003. In 2010, he finished his Master's Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Master of Science (Administrative Leadership) and became associate principal at Pulaski High School in Pulaski, Wisconsin. McNabb previously worked as an administrator for at-risk students at West De Pere High School in West De Pere, Wisconsin, where he also served as an assistant football coach and Head girls' track and field coach for the West De Pere Phantoms. During the 2013- present school year, McNabb is serving as the associate principal of Green Bay West High School.

Mr. McNabb is pictured here with his brothers, Edward Robinson and Myrick Anderson, also graduates of Walton Senior High.

Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe.

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