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Monday, March 13, 2023Okaloosa County School District Launches Anti-Vape Campaign
Superintendent Marcus Chambers kicked off the Okaloosa County School District's Anti-Vape Campaign today alongside Sheriff Aden in a video message on the District’s Social Media accounts and Website. In the video, Chambers and Aden express that their intent with this campaign is to help students make the right choices and deter them from vaping while educating families about the consequences of vaping on school property as outlined in Okaloosa County School Board Policy. A letter to parents will be sent
Monday, March 13, 2023Destin Middle School Celebrates New Tennis Courts with a Ribbon Cutting
On Monday, March 13, Destin Middle School celebrated its new tennis courts with a ribbon cutting. Just after the ribbon was cut, the DMS Tennis Team took to the courts for the first ever true home tennis game. "Our school community would like to thank Superintendent Marcus Chambers, the Okaloosa County School District, former DMS Principal Grant Meyer, Coaches Brett Chipser and Allison Frankfurt, and Brett Driver for helping make our vision a reality," said DMS Principal Dr. Belinda Small. The school is
Wednesday, February 22, 2023Okaloosa County School District Donation Drawing of a 1956 Chevrolet Belaire
The Okaloosa County School District (OCSD) is grateful for the community’s support of donating $1 to their favorite participating OCSD team or organization for a chance to win a pristine 1956 Chevrolet Belaire. There is still time to participate, and donations will be accepted through May 15, 2023, and the proceeds stay with the student team/organization that raised them. The drawing for the winning ticket will take place on May 22, 2023, at 11 am at the OCSD Central Office in Niceville, located at 202 A
Friday, February 17, 2023Okaloosa County School District Legislative Priorities for 2023
The Okaloosa County School District Legislative Priorities for 2023 focus on the recruitment and retention of employees and continued funding for safe and secure schools. Superintendent Marcus Chambers is in the process of presenting these items to the Northwest Florida Legislative Delegation with the intention of impacting upcoming legislation in these critical areas for education. “A lot of thought has gone into these priorities. We want to be impactful and create positive change in these areas of
Friday, February 17, 2023Okaloosa County School District Highlights Career and Technical Education Month
The Okaloosa County School District (OCSD) strives to lead the way for Career and Technical Education in Florida. We are constantly looking for new ways to meet the needs of local industry and prepare our students to explore, compete, and succeed as lifelong learners in careers that are available in our area and the entire state of Florida. A few statistics about CTE in the OCSD: •OCSD offers 19 different CTE Programs and 101 different courses •School Year 2021-2022 o1,382 Industry
Monday, February 13, 2023Crestview High School Student Receives Scholarship for Building Trades Achievement
Troy Young, a Crestview High School Senior, received the Robert and Amy Harper Scholarship at the International Builders Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 31-February 2. The scholarship is awarded to one high school student who plans a trade career. Out of 72 schools in the State of Florida and over 300 nationwide, Troy won the award for his achievements in the Building program at Crestview High School. He has earned six certifications in construction and HVAC and is a lead project manager and
Monday, February 13, 2023Okaloosa County School District Selects Education Staff Professional Employee of the Year
The Okaloosa County School District is proud to announce this year’s Education Staff Professional of the Year is Ms. Shawna Crist, Media Assistant at Plew Elementary School. Mrs. Crist spent thirteen years in the classroom before becoming a mom and choosing to become a full-time volunteer at Plew Elementary, where she received the 2012 Senior Adult Volunteer of the year award. Now, in her eleventh year as the Media Assistant, she shares ideas with others throughout our District and is known to staff and
Thursday, February 09, 2023Okaloosa County School District Launches Student Anti-Vape Campaign
Vaping is not exclusive to Okaloosa County students. It is a national issue. In a partnership with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers, our middle and high school students are participating in a contest to produce video Public Service Announcements in an effort to decrease and end teen vaping. Thanks to the Okaloosa County School Board’s support, we are in the process of purchasing vape detection devices that will be placed on campuses to help deter students from bringing
Monday, February 06, 2023Okaloosa County School District Selects Teacher of the Year
The Okaloosa County School District is proud to announce this year’s Teacher of the Year is Mr. Royal Preston, Construction Teacher at Okaloosa Technical College. Preston is a product of Okaloosa County Schools. During his senior year, he spent half his school day studying Carpentry at the Bay Area Vo-Tech School, now the Okaloosa Technical College (CTE), where he teaches Carpentry and Building Trades. “I always love celebrating our teachers who spend day in and day out going above and beyond to educate our
Tuesday, January 31, 2023Okaloosa STEMM Academy Nominated for the National Blue Ribbon Program
The Okaloosa STEMM Academy has been selected to participate in the 2022-2023 National Blue Ribbon Program. The program honors public elementary and secondary schools whose students achieve at very high levels. The Okaloosa STEMM Academy is a public middle school with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medical fields. Due to the rigorous, advanced program of study with high school-level classes offered beginning in 6th grade, students are selected to attend based on a solid academic
Tuesday, January 24, 2023Florida Power & Light Company Donates $5,000 to Okaloosa County School District Career and Technical Education Summer Camp Programs
A generous donation by Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) will enhance the summer camp experience for rising 5th graders to help spark interest in coding, construction, biomedical, automotive, welding, culinary, entrepreneurship, digital design, and cosmetology. On Thursday, January 19th, FPL Regional External Affairs Manager Bernard Johnson presented a $5,000 check to District staff, which will help provide free week-long summer camps to students. The donation will help expand camp offerings, support
Tuesday, January 17, 2023Okaloosa County School District Parent Climate Survey Available Online
The 2022-2023 Parent Climate Survey is available now. We invite parents and guardians to take a moment to complete this valuable survey about your child's school. We rely on your feedback to continuously improve our schools. You can complete one survey per child enrolled. The survey is available in English and Spanish. Please visit www.okaloosaschools.com. Thank you for your continued partnership which helps to make Okaloosa County Schools even better!
Tuesday, January 17, 2023Two Apps to Stay Connected with the Okaloosa County School District
Thousands of Okaloosa County School District parents have set up their FOCUS parent accounts through our website and connected their students to their accounts. We encourage all parents to visit our website, www.okaloosaschools.com, to set up their accounts and link their students to it if necessary. Contact your school if you need help connecting your students to your account. As a reminder, the OCSD Focus App can be found in the Apple App and Google Play Stores for download. You can find it by searching
Wednesday, December 21, 2022Florida Power and Light Company Donates $20,000 to Okaloosa County Public Schools Foundation Teacher Grant Program
On Friday, December 16th, Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) graciously donated $20,000 to the Okaloosa Public Schools Foundation (OPSF) to support the Teacher Grant Program. The check presentation took place at Meigs Middle School, and the donation will help support grants for teachers of students in grades K-12. “We are grateful for the strong community partnership with FPL, and it means a great deal to our teachers who are pursuing meaningful programs in their classrooms to engage students and enhance
Wednesday, December 21, 2022All Sports Association Donates $50,000 to Support Okaloosa Student-Athletes
Since 1970, the All Sports Association (ASA) has supported and honored the "best of the best" High School, Collegiate, Amateur, Professional, and Special Olympic athletes and recognized individuals who have fostered youth activities in Northwest Florida. The ASA, made up of dues-paying volunteers, has donated their time and raised money for non-profit organizations emphasizing local youth sports programs. This year, the ASA has made a generous donation of $50,000 to the Okaloosa County Public Schools
Monday, December 19, 2022HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital Awards $15,000 Scholarship to Okaloosa Technical College
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital Thursday awarded a $15,000 scholarship to Okaloosa Technical College to support efforts to strengthen and expand the state’s healthcare workforce. The funding is part of HCA Healthcare’s ongoing commitment to partnering with organizations to help develop a diverse pool of future healthcare leaders and is designed to ensure that every student has the same opportunity to graduate and attain a high-quality degree or industry certification. “The ability to provide
Friday, December 09, 2022Okaloosa Superintendent Marcus Chambers and District Programs Highlighted by the Florida Association
We are pleased to announce that Okaloosa County Schools Superintendent Marcus Chambers was recently recognized by the Florida Association of District School Superintendents (FADSS) for his accomplishments during his tenure. In addition, several innovative district programs and awards were mentioned, which included the following: •The Okaloosa County School District (OCSD) was one of 38 school systems worldwide to receive the Cognia's District of Distinction award.•OCSD has returned to an authentic and
Tuesday, August 09, 2022HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and Okaloosa County School District Announce Health Academy
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and the Okaloosa County School District (OCSD) announced today the launch of the Health Academy of Northwest Florida. A joint partnership between HCA Florida Fort-Walton Destin Hospital and OCSD, the Health Academy of Northwest Florida is a program of the Career and Technical Education Department of OCSD, which provides high school juniors and seniors interested in healthcare careers the opportunity to earn industry certifications. The Health Academy of Northwest
Wednesday, July 20, 2022Okaloosa County School District Is Hiring
Thursday, June 02, 2022June 2022 Update from One Okaloosa EDC
By Nathan Sparks, CEcD Executive Director of One Okaloosa EDC While the true start of summer may still be a few weeks away, it only requires a visit to one of our local eateries, a stroll on our beaches or a short drive down Highway 98 to confirm that summer is already in full swing. Here at One Okaloosa EDC, spring went by in the blink of an eye but left many good memories and new opportunities in its wake. Since my last “Director’s Desk” piece in March, One Okaloosa hosted our 5th annual Technology
Thursday, April 28, 2022Northwest Florida Ballet Trainee & Pre-Professional Program Auditions on May 14
Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) Company Trainee and Pre-Professional Program (PPP) auditions will take place on May 14, at the main building in downtown Fort Walton Beach. Trainee auditions will take place from 9-10:30 a.m., and auditions for the PPP and Company programs will be conducted from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Company auditions are open to students entering the eighth grade and up with no less than six years of formal ballet training and two years of pointe experience for female dancers. NFB’s
Monday, February 07, 2022Northwest Florida State College Awarded Two New Grants to Fund Workforce Training and Education Opportunities
Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC) was awarded two new grants to support students in their pursuit of innovative workforce and career education opportunities that lead to employment in high-demand industries. The Florida Department of Education awarded the College $116,954 through the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant to support apprenticeships in Computer Support and Computer Networking. With this grant, NWFSC will work with employers and CareerSource Okaloosa-Walton to make apprenticeship
Monday, October 11, 2021IMPACT 100 of Northwest FL Announces Grant Finalists for 2021
After reviewing funding requests from many nonprofit organizations in Okaloosa and Walton counties, Impact100 of Northwest Florida, Inc., recently announced the ten (10) grant finalists for 2021. Representatives of the organizations were present at the announcement, as well as Impact100 NWF officers and members. The finalists were selected from the following five focus areas: Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation & Preservation; Family, and Health & Wellness. At its Nov. 7 Annual Meeting,
Monday, October 11, 2021NFB Re-Launches Capital Campaign for NFB Académie Academic Classrooms
Initially launched in October 2019, the public phase of the Northwest Florida Ballet's Académie Academic Classroom Capital Campaign was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, just before the hiatus, NFB recognized the collective generosity of its lead donors' $200,000 in-kind commitments by dedicating the second floor of the building to Susan Myers, Clark West and Elliott Mitchell. Now, it's time to begin again with its efforts to raise $500,000 to continue growing and serving the community
Friday, September 17, 2021United Way Emerald Coast Honors 40 Under 40
United Way Emerald Coast’s (UWEC) Emerging Leaders is pleased to announce the inaugural class of “40 Under 40” honorees, presented by Step One Automotive Group. This award seeks to recognize Okaloosa and Walton counties’ top young leaders excelling in their workplaces and making a difference in the community. This is UWEC’s first year organizing the Emerging Leaders 40 Under 40 award. Seeing the talent, leadership, and passion possessed by the community’s young professionals, UWEC created a venue to
Monday, April 05, 2021NFB Académie 2021-2022 Academic Year Auditions Scheduled for May 1
The Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) Académie will hold auditions for third and fourth graders entering the 2021-2022 academic year on May 1, by appointment only. Incoming third-grade students will audition from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., in 20-minute increments, and no prior dance experience is necessary. Incoming fourth-grade students will audition in 30-minute increments from 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., and at least one year of recent ballet experience is required. Students must register by April 28, at 5 p.m., as space
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Friday, June 19, 2020Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida Recognizes the 2020 Okaloosa County Big of The Year
On Thursday, June 11, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida (BBBSNWFL) recognized Big Sister Sally Pink as the 2020 Okaloosa County Big of The Year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and respect to social distancing, this recognition took place virtually over Zoom with her family, friends, her Little Sister, and members of the BBBSNWFL board and staff. The BBBSNWFL staff chose Sally for this honor because she is dedicated and passionate about the importance of mentorship especially for her Little. "I
Friday, May 29, 2020Auditions for NFB Académie Third Grade Students Rescheduled for June 27
The Northwest Florida Ballet (NFB) Académie will hold auditions for third graders entering the 2020-2021 academic year on June 27 from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Auditions are by appointment only must be made by June 24 at 5 p.m. No prior dance training or academic achievement level is required for students seeking admittance to the third grade. Auditions are open to all children in the community, and selection is made solely on the child's ballet potential. Perspective students will audition in 20-minute
Wednesday, April 22, 2020Destin High School Project Will Be Delayed
In April, Destin High School’s (DHS) Governing Board announced that the tuition free public charter high school will defer opening until August of 2021. The COVID19 outbreak has significantly impacted the community as a whole, challenging schools, businesses, and religious organizations alike. All schools are closed through this school year and the Stay-at-Home order issued by Governor DeSantis limits all non-essential interactions. Closing on the purchase of Destin United Methodist Church, the proposed
