District News

Superintendent Hughes attended the 2020 Advanced Placement Capstone Seminar presentations at Freeport High School in Mrs. Bump’s classroom on January 31st.

AP Capstone™ is a diploma program from the College Board. It’s based on two yearlong AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research.

Rather than teaching subject-specific content, these courses develop students’ skills in research, analysis, evidence-based arguments, collaboration, writing, and presenting. Students who complete the two-year program can earn one of two different AP Capstone awards, which are valued by colleges across the United States and around the world.

AP Capstone FHS

National School Counseling Week 2020 (#NSCW2020) is Feb. 3–7, 2020. The week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and the tremendous impact they can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Take a moment to thank your local school counselor(s). Follow #NSCW2020 on social media.

To learn more about National School Counseling Week, visit www.schoolcounselor.org/nscw

Every month, Mr. A. Russell Hughes, Walton County, Florida Superintendent of Schools, will share a video message with an update on the exciting things happening in the Walton County School District, Walton County, Florida. Check back often to stay informed on all the activities, events and accomplishments of teachers and students in the Walton County School District.

This month's video was filmed at the Walton County School District offices. Superintendent Hughes shares the recent Graduation Rate data, upcoming special events, and introduces the new principal at Van R. Butler Elementary School, Mr. James "Jimmy" Ross.

Mrs. Thorson's seventh grade science students collaborated to create a DNA model using toothpicks and gumdrops to strengthen their understanding that DNA is the genetic material for all living things. In the model, gumdrops represented the four nitrogenous bases. Students were given one side of the DNA ladder based on traits of individuals. Students had to know how to code for the alternate side--higher order thinking at its finest. When finished, students had to make their model twist into the double helix form of DNA. Students also attempted to decode another group's DNA. Students had a blast learning about the building blocks of life.

WMS Gumdrop DNA

Text Feature Surgery from Mrs. Donna Stark’s Third Grade Class! Her students analyzed patient records and diagnosed the transplants needed before surgically removing examples of them from magazines and attaching them to individual patient files. Students generated rich conversations among their surgical teams as they collaborated to complete a 30-minute surgical procedure. Special guest, Principal Meredith Spence, observed and enjoyed the project too!

Text Surgery DLE

A fireplace roared in the background. Tablecloths adorned each table. Candles flickered. On Friday, January 31st, seventh and eighth grade reading students sampled great books in Mrs. Amber Proffitt's and Mrs. Jade Tucker's classrooms. The two teachers opened the connecting doors between their two rooms, and students rotated from table to table "tasting" each course of books set before them. After each course, students completed their "Book Tasting Menu," ranking books based on their levels of interest. The experience gave students a chance to add new books to their reading lists and was a great bookend for WMS' literacy week.

Book Tasting at WMS

Walton County School District Elementary and Secondary Choral music students presented the 3rd Annual All-County Choral Concert on Saturday, January 25, at the beautiful Freeport Auditorium. 10 school choral programs came together to form the All-County Elementary Chorus, All-County Middle School Chorus, and All-County High School Chorus, for a total of over 170 singers in performance! Congratulations to all the participating students on a moving and musical performance!

Elementary Clinician, Michelle Tredway, has taught at all levels K-12, plus college, and is currently the choral director at Ruckel Middle School in Niceville, Florida. Mrs. Tredway has taught ten years in elementary schools, twelve years in middle schools, two years in high schools, and eight years as a professor in a small central Florida college. Her choirs have consistently received the top rating of Superior at the Florida Educators District Music Performance Assessments, and she currently serves as the FVA District 1 chairman. Choirs under her direction have also been named Choirs of Distinction by the Florida Vocal Association.

Middle School Clinician, Joy Tyner, has taught public school choral music education for 22 years, and is currently teaching both choral music and Exceptional Student Education at Thomas L. Sims Middle School in Pace, Florida. In its fourth year, the choral program at Sims has grown from 90 singers to 220. Mrs. Tyner has served as a music therapist in a residential setting for mentally and physically disabled and has taught piano in her private studio. She served as District Chair for Florida Vocal Association’s District 1 and earned her National Board Certification in Adolescent Music.

High School Clinician, Caroline Ireland, is the 2020 Santa Rosa County Teacher of the Year and the choral director at Navarre High School, Navarre, Florida. Since 2010 her choral program of 200 students has received superior ratings at both the Florida Vocal Association District and State Music Performance Festivals. Four of her choirs received the prestigious “Choir of Distinction” award presented by the Florida Vocal Association.Throughout her tenure at Navarre High School, she has served as the District Chairman for the Florida Vocal Association and has conducted Honor Choirs in Okaloosa and Duval County.

Students were selected at their individual school sites, and came together as a group for a total of 5 hours over two sessions, performing repertoire selected by clinicians. All three choruses combined on stage for a closing Finale piece conducted by Walton County Fine Arts Coordinator, Keitha Bledsoe.

Thanks to our wonderful clinicians for their time and expert preparation of the All-County repertoire, and for sharing their passion for music with our students!
Thanks to music educators William Goodman, Mossy Head Elementary; Cathy Drake, Maude Saunders Elementary; Nathan Hight, West DeFuniak Elementary; Angela Saltsman, Freeport Elementary; Daniel Browne, Van R. Butler Elementary; Corrie Sober, Dune Lakes Elementary; Lona Robinson, Walton Middle School and Walton High School; Susan Behrens, Freeport Middle School and Freeport High School.
Congratulations to these amazing students on a phenomenal performance

2020 All-County Chorus

STEAM Family Night was an EPIC evening with over 140 students in attendance! Hosted by the Dune Lakes School Improvement STEM Committee and their parent organization, Sandpiper Boosters, students and their families were given a Passport and map to rotate through activity challenges. The activities were based on grade level and ranged from Kindergarten’s “How Tall is Your Tower?” challenge to Fifth Grade’s “Boat Float” challenge. Each activity tested participant’s problem-solving skills and encouraged collaboration to achieve goals in distance, weight, height and buoyancy.

Other challenges were “Can You Help Save Sam” and his capsized boat; “Popsicle Stick Catapults,” creating “Giant Snowmen” and “Stack the Cat’s Hat” giving extreme height to the Dr. Seuss story.

Many parents teamed up with their student to test their abilities and strategic plan. As groups collaborated, teachers and volunteers enjoyed hearing comments of encouragement and success from parents and students. Some favorites included: “I’ve got a plan…”, “I wonder if we should…”, “That’s not going to work, Dad…”, and of course “We did it!”

Thank you to the Dune Lakes School Improvement STEM Team, our volunteers and Sandpiper Boosters for making STEAM night a fun evening!

STEAM night at DLE

Fifty chorus members from WHS and WMS recently joined other singers from across the district in the annual All County Choral Concert. Walton High vocalists Anna Graham and Morgan Hardesty were the featured soloists.

WHS WMS CHORUS at ALL-County