Education Archive

The Okaloosa County School District has partnered with the United Way Emerald Coast on a new mentorship program to improve literacy in young readers.

ReadingPals is a statewide early literacy initiative that provides volunteer mentors for local students from voluntary prekindergarten to third grade who may need extra help. Once a mentor passes their background screening, they undergo training before getting placed in a classroom where they work at a 1:2 ratio.

To help address hunger in the community, and in celebration of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day on April 2, North Okaloosa Medical Center has donated 759 jars of peanut butter (and other nut butters) to Feeding The Gulf Coast.

More than 20 businesses and agencies from around Okaloosa County were at Laurel Hill School on March 10 for a job fair co-sponsored by the school and Mission of Hope. “We partnered with Mission of Hope,” LHS assistant principal Ashley Miller said. “They work with vocational rehab and their goal is to try and help every member of society find something that they can do that‘s fulfilling.

The Okaloosa County School District has scheduled a free job fair to help fill its staff for the 2023-2024 school year.

If you have a passion for helping students achieve their full potential, the Okaloosa County School District could use your help. Take Stock in Children is a program that pairs students with a mentor who provides weekly support and guidance to help them stay on the right track toward higher education.

February is Career and Technical Education Month in schools across Florida. Okaloosa County hopes to highlight the impact CTE courses are making in county classrooms.

According to a press release from the Okaloosa County School District, they strive to lead the way for Career and Technical Education in Florida.

Local high school students spoke up about the dangers of vaping and smoking along with their opinions on a proposed ordinance that would have banned smoking and vaping from public parks in the city.

Crestview Councilman Ryan Bullard brought the ordinance to the attention of the council and worked with Crestview High School’s S.W.A.T. (Students Working Against Tobacco) members. He helped the club gain a spot at the City Council meeting to make a presentation on the issue.

The high school population in Crestview continues to grow, and the campus is growing with it with several projects underway.

The top developments at Crestview High School are the classroom additions, the multipurpose building, and the dining expansion.

With the 2023 legislative session a few weeks away, the Okaloosa County School District has laid out their priorities. The School District’s 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.

Troy Young, a Crestview High School Senior, received the Robert and Amy Harper Scholarship at the International Builders Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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, Young 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 designer of the Capstone class project.