Walton County - School District

Today is #TeachAg day! Help us celebrate all of our teachers and students who are learning about agriculture and earning valuable and marketable skills, whether that learning turns into a career or a passion - we're here to develop the whole child!

The Walton Braves Homecoming is tomorrow, Friday the 19th! Wear blue, and come out to support the Braves! Court presentation will begin at 6:30 so get there early to see it all!!

Walton County School District proudly announces that South Walton High School senior Ella Feagans has been named a National Merit Semifinalist in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. As the district’s only National Merit Semifinalist this year, Ella’s achievement embodies what it means to be EPIC. Since the eighth grade, Ella has worked tirelessly to achieve this goal, showcasing her ambition, foresight, and academic dedication. She is among approximately 16,000 Semifinalists selected nationwide from over 1.3 million students who entered the program through the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), placing her in the top 1% of high school seniors in the United States. Ella aspires to become an executive for Porsche North America, a goal born of time spent with her father restoring a 1966 Porsche. When you meet Ella, the ambition, drive, and willingness to work hard is immediately apparent. The National Merit Scholarship Program, administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), recognizes top-performing students based on their PSAT/NMSQT scores. Semifinalists are chosen on a state-representational basis and must submit a detailed application—including academic records, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, an essay, and a school official’s recommendation—to advance to Finalist status. Approximately 15,000 Semifinalists are expected to become Finalists in February 2026, with around 7,500 ultimately receiving Merit Scholarships totaling approximately $28 million. These awards include National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, corporate-sponsored scholarships, and college-sponsored scholarships. Congratulations. Ella! We can’t wait until February! Until then, stay EPIC and KEEP THE CHARGE!

Freeport Elementary School officially opened "Ethan's Playground", an adaptive play space, yesterday in honor of Ethan Wynn. The kids are already enjoying the space!

The District Office is decked out in Orange and Blue to support Freeport's Homecoming! The parade begins at 1:30pm today and the game is at 7pm! The parade starts at Freeport Learning Center and ends at Shipyard Rd. The game is at the FHS football field. Let's go Bulldogs!

At the Walton County School District, we ignite the spark that creates a charge… a charge that develops a passion - and a passion that prepares a child for a life of success. ⚡✨

Students in Art at West DeFuniak Elementary are learning watercolors, and ALL students drew portraits of themselves for a portrait tapestry - Familiar Faces of WDE that is displayed on the hallway walls.

Step aside DaVinci and Picasso - We're KEEPING THE CHARGE!

KEEP THE CHARGE! This week, we are all Bulldogs! Friday is a big day for the Freeport community. Check with your child's school for specific early release times. The parade begins at 1:30pm in front of Freeport Learning Center. Kickoff vs. Cottondale at 7pm! CHARGE!

Whew - the 25/26 school year is well underway! There are a few big dates coming up in the next couple weeks, so make sure you're ready!

Are you ready to KEEP THE CHARGE!? We have an opening at Maude Saunders Elementary for an ESE Self-Contained Teacher. Apply online at www.walton.k12.fl.us/employment

September is Attendance Awareness Month! Studies show students with excellent attendance have higher GPA's, are able to retain more advanced concepts, and are 50% less likely to drop out of school! Let's start strong and KEEP THE CHARGE by getting to school!

Superintendent Hughes delivered an inspiring invocation at the ribbon cutting ceremony for Seacoast Collegiate High School. Seacoast Collegiate High School is a Charter school operating in Walton County. Seacoast has a partnership with Northwest Florida State College. The campus is located just south of South Walton High School. Enrollment is set to be open to WCSD students. Guest Speakers included state and local politicians.

August 29th is an early release day. September 1st is Labor Day and all campuses and offices will be closed.

On Friday, August 29th the Walton County School District, in partnership with the Walton County Sheriff's Office and Emergency Management, will host a full-scale active assailant exercise. You can expect increased traffic and law enforcement presence around Paxton School. This exercise will take place after students leave campus for early release. The safety of our students is our first priority, and while we hope to never need this level of response, we want to ensure all community partners work together and are prepared.

Preparing the Whole Child starts early by instilling a love of music, art, and imagination. Kindergarten students at FES enjoy time at "Specials" while their teachers collaborate as a grade level to develop a consistent plan for success.

Did you know? Florida officially designates August 21 as Fentanyl Awareness & Education Day—a crucial step toward educating our communities about the dangers of fentanyl and its devastating impact. Fentanyl is an unbelievably potent drug making it lethal in the most micro of doses. It’s 50–100 times stronger than other opioids like heroin or morphine. Florida ranked second highest in the nation for fentanyl-related overdose deaths. So, let's KEEP THE CHARGE by educating our children and saying NO to drugs of any kind!

For more information, visit the CDC's Toolkit: https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/php/toolkits/fentanyl-prevention-awareness-day.html

Being EPIC means Preparing the Whole Child for a Life of Success, and that starts early! At Van R. Butler students were building in Ms. Bigler's class while others made beautiful music in Mr. Brown's class. And of course, you have to get the blood flowing on the playground!

Congratulations to these Construction Career Day Scholarship recipients honored at tonight's board meeting. These students, from Paxton School, will be able to use the scholarship for further training via college, vocational school, or an apprenticeship program.

Superintendent Hughes is Keeping the Charge everywhere he goes this year! 25-26 is already proving to be the most EPIC school year yet with incredible accolades for our students.

Walton County School District Leads the Charge in Early Learning Walton County, FL — August 14, 2025 — The Walton County School District is proud to announce that every public Pre-K program in the district has received an “Excellent” designation in Florida’s latest Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Provider Performance Metric – the states highest available evaluation. Walton County is one of only five school districts in the entire state of Florida to earn this distinction across all public Pre-K providers. The Florida Department of Education’s VPK Performance Metrics evaluate providers on measures such as classroom quality, student achievement, and learning gains. Earning “Excellent” at every public school site underscores WCSD’s strong commitment to early learning and to ensuring that every child enters kindergarten with the tools needed for long-term academic success. Research consistently shows that children who attend high-quality Pre-K programs are more likely to meet grade-level standards in reading and math by third grade, graduate from high school, and pursue postsecondary education or career training. “EPIC starts with our youngest learners,” said A. Russell Hughes, Superintendent of Schools for the Walton County School District. “When we invest in world-class early education, we invest in the future of our community. I am incredibly proud of our teachers, staff, school board, and families for Keeping the Charge and creating a Pre-K experience that sets the stage for a lifetime of success.” The Walton County School District is home to five public Pre-K programs: Bay School, Freeport Learning Center, Paxton School, Mossy Head School, and the WISE Center. Each of these schools have a dedicated staff of certified teachers using state-approved curriculum.