Okaloosa County Schools


About the District

Stretching from the Alabama border in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south, the Okaloosa County School District serves approximately 30,000 students and operates thirty-three neighborhood public schools, which includes:
· Two K-12 schools
· One K-8 school
· A school with two locations for severely cognitively disabled students
· A performing arts academy in cooperation with the Northwest Florida Ballet
· A Department of Juvenile Justice system with five facilities
· An alternative education high school
· A Pre-K center
· Two charter schools, one of which is a dual enrollment collegiate school in conjunction with Northwest Florida State College
 
The student population of the Okaloosa County School District is a diverse group representing many different ethnic and cultural groups, socio-economic levels, and stages of academic achievement.
District focus on building literacy for all students, increasing enrollment in accelerated courses, improving transition support from one school level to the next, and providing innovative academic options such as the CHOICE Institutes has increased the rigor and relevance of the secondary curriculum.

Dr. Alexis Tibbets was elected Superintendent on November 7, 2006. Since that time, she and her administration have focused on goals that resulted in Okaloosa County Schools being rated best in Florida!  Information about the Okaloosa County Schools can be found online on the district's website.

Closing the Gap

The Okaloosa County School District is committed to maximizing the academic potential of every child. The Closing the Gap Program team (Elaine Anderson, NCLB Specialist, South Zone and Dr. Cheryl Seals, NCLB Specialist, North Zone) work closely with school and district personnel to develop innovative ways of reaching minority students to help them raise their expectations and achieve their dreams.  The team has implemented a plan to create Minority Councils at middle and high schools across the county. Ms. Hixson-Wells, Assistant Principal, Bruner Middle Schools is advisor for the Bruner Middle School Minority Council.

In the News:
'Mysteries in the Middle' Keeps Families Guessing
 Teachers Hear Minority Perspective on School
 Three New Councils Join the Family and Have a Ball
 Summer Bridge Program Launches Second Group of Graduates
Minority Councils Have a Ball
DJ Brings Out Fun for Hispanic Heritage Month
Young Men of Tomorrow Are Closing the Gap
Fulfilling the Dream through Action
Junior Minority Council a Success
My Team - Together We Can Make A Difference

Equity Policies and Procedures

Information regarding Equity Policies and Procedures is provided by Arden Farley, Program Director, Equity and his staff.

Local School Information

In the Okaloosa County Public Schools, it all happens at the local school level. 

Each local school is unique, with its own special mixture of personalities and traditions – and each puts student learning first. The Okaloosa schools are getting better and better and most of the local schools are A+ award schools.

The School Board unanimously approved the selection of Marcus Chambers as the Principal of Niceville High School during the January 24 Board meeting. Since Chambers was selected to be Principal of Pryor Middle School in June 2008, the school has achieved adequate yearly progress (AYP) in math for the first time. FCAT scores have increased annually as well as the total points for their school grade of A.

Mr. Ernest Green, Assistant Principal at Ft Walton Beach High Schools is a very effective minority leader at the local school level. He was selected    Z-96 TEACHER OF THE WEEK 11/30/10. While he may not teach a subject, the students look to him as a role model and see him as one of the “good” things in this world. From school issues to home issues, Mr. Green is there to guide, support, and protect.
 

Four minority students from Okaloosa schools have been honored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their achievement on the PSAT and overall academic standing. Rhamah Norris, Jared Wilson and Kia Fuller were all named National Merit Achievement Finalists, while Alyssa Kittell was named a National Hispanic Scholar.

Tom Edward Hammonds JR, son of Tom Edward Hammonds SR (Carver-Hill High School Class of 1963) and a former NBA basketball player  spoke to the students of Shoal River Middle School at an assembly in their gym, exhorting them to put their education before everything, even sports. His son Tom Edward Hammonds III is following the footsteps of his father and grand father as basketball players at Okaloosa County Schools.  He is now active in auto racing and has been inducted into the All Sports Association Hall of Fame of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.!

Okaloosa Online

OkaloosaOnline.com offers options for seamless education for students who need the option.


College Preparation Checklist

In a speech to Congress on Feb. 24, 2009, President Obama  encouraged every American to complete at least one year of education beyond high school, whether at a community college, or an apprenticeship.

Visit www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/early to find out why you should consider college now and how to pay for it. The website also is available in the form of a workbook called "My Future, My Way: How to Go, How to Pay". A PDF is at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/pubs . You can learn about a wide variety of careers at www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/career/index.html .

Parents should use the FAFSA4caster at www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov to find out how much federal student aid their child might receive. This information will help parents and students plan ahead.  Also, Parents can get tips from the following documents at www.ed.gov/parents (Click on "Helping Your Child) for suggestions on assisting your child with successfully completing assignments and helping your child through adolescence.


Copyright 2011- Carver-Hill Memorial and Historical Society, Inc