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WDE K Zoo Field Trip

April 12, 2017

On April 7th, West DeFuniak Elementary School’s kindergarteners went on a field trip to the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge Zoological Park. Students are learning about living and non-living things in the classroom. This field trip allowed students were to observe, compare, and contrast different types of plants and animals. Students saw many different types of animals, such as llamas, lemurs, wolves, peacocks, and even a lion! There was a petting area where students could feed and pet goats. After all the excitement of seeing all of the animals, kindergarteners enjoyed eating lunch in the zoo’s picnic area. Students really enjoyed the zoo and want to go back! Submitted by Jessica Dawkins.

The 6th Annual Rosemary Beach Foundation - Music in Pictures arts in education initiative and juried art contest celebrates the music of five diverse composers: Leo Delibes, Igor Stravinsky, Astor Piazzolla, Aaron Copland and Phillip Glass.  Over 4,000 students from 17 Walton County Schools* listened to and visually interpreted classical music.  Their artwork was entered into a juried competition for public exhibition. This year, 403 paintings are on display from March 13 – April 22, 2017 at 3 locations: Amavida Coffee & Tea (Rosemary Beach®), The South Walton County Coastal Branch Library (Santa Rosa Beach) and Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast (Miramar Beach)

Created in collaboration with professional musicians and Florida State University Faculty, Music in Pictures also includes classical performances, classroom presentations, and professional development workshops for teachers. 

The Music in Pictures Awards Ceremony will be held Sunday, April 30, 2017, at 2 pm.  Festivities will include student artwork slideshow, and awards presentation.

*The exhibition features talented artists from these Walton County Schools:

Bay Elementary School
Emerald Coast Middle School
Freeport Elementary School
Freeport Middle School
Freeport High School
Maude Saunders Elementary School

Mossy Head School
Ohana Institute
Paxton School
Seaside Neighborhood School
Seacoast Collegiate High School
South Walton High School

Tree House Episcopal Montessori School
Van R. Butler Elementary School
Walton Middle School
Walton High School
West DeFuniak Elementary School

2017 BEST IN SHOW 

GiGi O'Connell

Van R. Butler Elementary School

Elementary

4th

 

Lily Gravlin

Emerald Coast Middle School

Middle

7th

 

Carter Hill

Freeport High School

High

9th

 

 

2017 JUDGES' AWARDS

Jaylen Allen

West DeFuniak Elementary School

Kindergarten

Johanthan Ginez

Maude Saunders Elementary School

1st

Rose Harris

Bay Elementary School

2nd

Addie Beauchamp

Van R. Butler Elementary School

3rd

Bella Fisher

Bay Elementary School

4th

Rinoa Callahan

Mossy Head Elementary School

5th

Reese Carter

Seaside Neighborhood School

6th

Syndi Free

Freeport Middle School

7th

Eva Carroll

Seaside Neighborhood School

8th

Audrey O'Flahery

Seacoast Collegiate High School

9th

Ariel Foster

Freeport High School

10th

Kaylee Regan

South Walton High School

11th

Cannon Mitchell

South Walton High School

12th

2017 CHAIRMAN'S AWARDS

Landry Kent

West DeFuniak Elementary School

Kindergarten

Chaz Estes

Tree House Episcopal Montessori School

1st

Kaylie Young

Mossy Head Elementary School

2nd

Jake Mikas

Paxton School

3rd

Lacy Lollie

Freeport Elementary School

4th

Grayson Gibson

Ohana Institute

5th

Lydia Schovan

Walton Middle School

6th

Reagan Wells

Seaside Neighborhood School

7th

Jhonattan Ramirez

Emerald Coast Middle School

8th

Audrey Webb

Seacoast Collegiate High School

9th

Mallory Hataway

Walton High School

10th

Makaydi Araneo

Paxton School

11th

Zoie Geoghagan

Paxton School

12th

2016/2017 Music in Pictures Sponsors:  St. Joe Community Foundation, Alys Foundation, Dugas Family Foundation, Daryl and Robert Davis, Winky and Bill Dowdle.

About Rosemary Beach Foundation

Rosemary Beach Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, offers and supports community events, cultural programs, educational projects, and charitable activities. Our annual programs are Girls Getaway, Music in Pictures, Rosemary Beach Unleashed™, Walk Her Way®, 30A Cornhole and Fall Bocce Tournaments. Through these efforts, Rosemary Beach Foundation has donated over $500,000.  www.rosemarybeachfoundation.org

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ROSEMARY BEACH® and ROSEMARY BEACH UNLEASHED™ are trademarks owned by Rosemary Beach Holdings, LLC and are used with permission pursuant to a license from Rosemary Beach Holdings, LLC.  WALK HER WAY® is a registered trademark owned by Rosemary Beach Foundation, Inc.

 Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe.

Buzzing with Excitement

April 11, 2017

We are "BUZZING with Excitement." Recently, Mrs. Katie Adams, a 4th grade teacher at WDE, received a grant for a bee hive from The Bee Cause. This project has provided hives for 220 schools in 46 states and 4 countries. Through this exciting project students will have the opportunity to learn about the natural world in a unique way and will be challenged by STEM activities. Also, we are grateful to NoWal Farms of DeFuniak Springs for providing the bees. We welcome students and parents to stop by the media center to see what's buzzing. Books, posters, and interesting facts are ready to help answer your questions. Find out more information about The Bee Cause at www.thebeecause.org.

On Friday, April 7, FMS AVID students created and implemented an event called “Donuts for Donations” to support Child Abuse Prevention Month for the Children’s Advocacy Center.  It was held in the FMS parking lot for the community to drop off donations for children in need and receive a donut for their generosity-donated by The Donut Hole and Dunkin Donuts. FMS students received over a truckload of items from the CAC’s wish list including diapers, personal care items, clothing, art supplies, snacks and drinks in addition to cash donations.  Brenda Farris, 6th grade AVID teacher, said,” Seeing my students help their community in such a caring way brought tears to my eyes.  I loved how the kids brought so much fun to the event.”   “Seeing these young adults work with their community to contribute to such a worthy cause was a heart lifting experience,” said Kendra Peloquin, 7th and 8th grade AVID teacher. Submitted by Kendra Peloquin.

FMS Donuts for Donations

Mrs. Amanda Simmons’ 3rd Grade Class at West DeFuniak Elementary has been diligently preparing for their upcoming FSA tests. They have been learning about several Olympians and what makes them so special. The class discussed many characters traits that athletes must have to be Olympians. They then learned to be successful on FSA they must be hardworking, perseverant, attentive, confident, and efficient. 
 
Submitted by: Amanda Simmons/Jessica Dawkins

The Freeport Bulldogs football team visited the Ronald McDonald House in Pensacola recently. They did chores, fed the staff and guests, and enjoyed some great conversations with guests. It is a top priority of the FHS football team to be involved in community service and directly helps those in need. Anyone who has any community service ideas or needs, please contact Head Football Coach Shaun Arntz at [email protected]

Submitted by Patty Woodard.

FHS Ronald McDonald House

Superintendent Hughes, School board member Marsha Winegarner, and members of the WCSD District Office staff donned their blue attire and ribbons to join students, administrators, faculty and staff in schools all throughout Walton County today in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Mr. Hughes, Mrs. Winegarner, and the staff at the Tivoli complex visited the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center in Defuniak Springs for a Child Abuse Prevention Proclamation ceremony as a demonstration of support and unity in the fight against Child Abuse. They returned to the Tivoli Complex to participate in a meaningful Pinwheel Garden Planting Ceremony with guest Julie Hurst (Chief Executive Officer) and staff members from the ECCAC.   

 

The color blue has served as a reminder to end child abuse since 1989, when one grandmother made a personal commitment to wear a blue ribbon after her own grandson died as a result of abuse.  The pinwheel is an uplifting symbol of childhood, and a reflection of hope, health and safety…something we wish for ALL children.  Throughout the month of April, students and teachers across the district will be participating in activities that focus on awareness, and administration and staff will be involved in professional development activities that highlight recognition, support and prevention.  The goal of the Walton County School District is to help end child abuse through education, enlightenment, awareness, and compassion!

Submitted Keitha Bledsoe.

Child Abuse

Pictured: Bill Fletcher, President of the ECCAC Board of Directors;  Julie Hurst, ECCAC Chief Executive Officer; Bob Campbell, Defuniak Springs Mayor; A. Russell Hughes, WCSD Superintendent; Marsha Winegarner, WCSD School Board member at the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center.

FES raised $200 for Relay Recess and over $3000 for the family of Scotty Roessler. He is an FES student recently diagnosed with leukemia.  Thank you to everyone for their support.

Submitted by Nancy Currie.

Savannah Slade, Hayley Seible and Tyler Gibbs represented South Walton High School at the East vs West All Star Basketball Game at Gulf Coast State College on Saturday.

Savannah (pictured) led all girl scorers with 18 points and was named MVP.

Submitted by Barbara Stratton.

MHS students in grades 2-5, who made “A” or “A/B” honor roll for the third nine weeks, participated in a kickball game with faculty at Mossy Head School. Everyone has a great time and enjoyed the friendly competition. Submitted by Elizabeth Gaither.