District News

The 6^th Annual Rosemary Beach Foundation - Music in Pictures arts in education initiative and juried art contest celebrates the music of five diverse composers: Leo Delibes, Igor Stravinsky, Astor Piazzolla, Aaron Copland and Phillip Glass. Over 4,000 students from 17 Walton County Schools* listened to and visually interpreted classical music. Their artwork was entered into a juried competition for public exhibition. This year, 403 paintings are on display from March 13 – April 22, 2017 at 3 locations: Amavida Coffee & Tea (Rosemary Beach®), The South Walton County Coastal Branch Library (Santa Rosa Beach) and Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast (Miramar Beach)

Created in collaboration with professional musicians and Florida State University Faculty, Music in Pictures also includes classical performances, classroom presentations, and professional development workshops for teachers.

The Music in Pictures Awards Ceremony will be held Sunday, April 30, 2017, at 2 pm. Festivities will include student artwork slideshow, and awards presentation.

*The exhibition features talented artists from these Walton County Schools:

Bay Elementary School
Emerald Coast Middle School
Freeport Elementary School
Freeport Middle School
Freeport High School
Maude Saunders Elementary School

Mossy Head School
Ohana Institute
Paxton School
Seaside Neighborhood School
Seacoast Collegiate High School
South Walton High School

Tree House Episcopal Montessori School
Van R. Butler Elementary School
Walton Middle School
Walton High School
West DeFuniak Elementary School

*2017 BEST IN SHOW*
GiGi O'Connell	Van R. Butler Elementary School	Elementary		4th
Lily Gravlin	Emerald Coast Middle School	Middle		7th
Carter Hill	Freeport High School	High		9th

*2017 JUDGES' AWARDS*
Jaylen Allen	West DeFuniak Elementary School		Kindergarten
Johanthan Ginez	Maude Saunders Elementary School		1st
Rose Harris	Bay Elementary School		2nd
Addie Beauchamp	Van R. Butler Elementary School		3rd
Bella Fisher	Bay Elementary School		4th
Rinoa Callahan	Mossy Head Elementary School		5th
Reese Carter	Seaside Neighborhood School		6th
Syndi Free	Freeport Middle School		7th
Eva Carroll	Seaside Neighborhood School		8th
Audrey O'Flahery	Seacoast Collegiate High School		9th
Ariel Foster	Freeport High School		10th
Kaylee Regan	South Walton High School		11th
Cannon Mitchell	South Walton High School		12th

*2017 CHAIRMAN'S AWARDS*
Landry Kent	West DeFuniak Elementary School		Kindergarten
Chaz Estes	Tree House Episcopal Montessori School		1st
Kaylie Young	Mossy Head Elementary School		2nd
Jake Mikas	Paxton School		3rd
Lacy Lollie	Freeport Elementary School		4th
Grayson Gibson	Ohana Institute		5th
Lydia Schovan	Walton Middle School		6th
Reagan Wells	Seaside Neighborhood School		7th
Jhonattan Ramirez	Emerald Coast Middle School		8th
Audrey Webb	Seacoast Collegiate High School		9th
Mallory Hataway	Walton High School		10th
Makaydi Araneo	Paxton School		11th
Zoie Geoghagan	Paxton School		12th

2016/2017 Music in Pictures Sponsors: St. Joe Community Foundation, Alys Foundation, Dugas Family Foundation, Daryl and Robert Davis, Winky and Bill Dowdle.

About Rosemary Beach Foundation

Rosemary Beach Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, offers and supports community events, cultural programs, educational projects, and charitable activities. Our annual programs are Girls Getaway, Music in Pictures, Rosemary Beach Unleashed™, Walk Her Way®, 30A Cornhole and Fall Bocce Tournaments. Through these efforts, Rosemary Beach Foundation has donated over $500,000. www.rosemarybeachfoundation.org

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ROSEMARY BEACH® and ROSEMARY BEACH UNLEASHED™ are trademarks owned by Rosemary Beach Holdings, LLC and are used with permission pursuant to a license from Rosemary Beach Holdings, LLC. WALK HER WAY® is a registered trademark owned by Rosemary Beach Foundation, Inc.

Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe.

On Friday, April 7, FMS AVID students created and implemented an event called “Donuts for Donations” to support Child Abuse Prevention Month for the Children’s Advocacy Center. It was held in the FMS parking lot for the community to drop off donations for children in need and receive a donut for their generosity-donated by The Donut Hole and Dunkin Donuts. FMS students received over a truckload of items from the CAC’s wish list including diapers, personal care items, clothing, art supplies, snacks and drinks in addition to cash donations. Brenda Farris, 6^th grade AVID teacher, said,” Seeing my students help their community in such a caring way brought tears to my eyes. I loved how the kids brought so much fun to the event.” “Seeing these young adults work with their community to contribute to such a worthy cause was a heart lifting experience,” said Kendra Peloquin, 7^th and 8^th grade AVID teacher. Submitted by Kendra Peloquin.

FMS Donuts for Donations

The Freeport Bulldogs football team visited the Ronald McDonald House in Pensacola recently. They did chores, fed the staff and guests, and enjoyed some great conversations with guests. It is a top priority of the FHS football team to be involved in community service and directly helps those in need. Anyone who has any community service ideas or needs, please contact Head Football Coach Shaun Arntz at [email protected]

Submitted by Patty Woodard.

FHS Ronald McDonald House

Mrs. Amanda Simmons’ 3^rd Grade Class at West DeFuniak Elementary has been diligently preparing for their upcoming FSA tests. They have been learning about several Olympians and what makes them so special. The class discussed many characters traits that athletes must have to be Olympians. They then learned to be successful on FSA they must be hardworking, perseverant, attentive, confident, and efficient.

Submitted by: Amanda Simmons/Jessica Dawkins

Superintendent Hughes, School board member Marsha Winegarner, and members of the WCSD District Office staff donned their blue attire and ribbons to join students, administrators, faculty and staff in schools all throughout Walton County today in recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month. Mr. Hughes, Mrs. Winegarner, and the staff at the Tivoli complex visited the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center in Defuniak Springs for a Child Abuse Prevention Proclamation ceremony as a demonstration of support and unity in the fight against Child Abuse. They returned to the Tivoli Complex to participate in a meaningful Pinwheel Garden Planting Ceremony with guest Julie Hurst (Chief Executive Officer) and staff members from the ECCAC.

The color blue has served as a reminder to end child abuse since 1989, when one grandmother made a personal commitment to wear a blue ribbon after her own grandson died as a result of abuse. The pinwheel is an uplifting symbol of childhood, and a reflection of hope, health and safety…something we wish for ALL children. Throughout the month of April, students and teachers across the district will be participating in activities that focus on awareness, and administration and staff will be involved in professional development activities that highlight recognition, support and prevention. The goal of the Walton County School District is to help end child abuse through education, enlightenment, awareness, and compassion!

Submitted Keitha Bledsoe.

Child Abuse

Pictured: Bill Fletcher, President of the ECCAC Board of Directors; Julie Hurst, ECCAC Chief Executive Officer; Bob Campbell, Defuniak Springs Mayor; A. Russell Hughes, WCSD Superintendent; Marsha Winegarner, WCSD School Board member at the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center.

The Florida High School Athletic Association recognizes Freeport High School Boys Basketball Team as the 2017 1A Academic State Champions. Submitted by Patty Woodard.

Emerald Coast Middle School Softball Team worked hard all season. On April 8, they earned the title of 2017 Conference Champions!

Congratulations to the team and coaches for representing WCSD and ECMS so well!

We are proud to support such a remarkable group of team players!

Submitted by Angela Vance.

Mrs. Chastity McLaney's 4th graders are going to "Blow" FSA away! Students are ready to show off their learning on the FSA!

Submitted by: Chastity McLaney/Jessica Dawkins

Submitted by Elizabeth Gaither.

In acknowledgement of former Walton County School District Superintendent Carlene H. Anderson's forty-one years of dedicated service to the WCSD, and her achievements and contributions during this time, the School Board of Walton County re-named the Training Center located at the Walton Initiative for Success in Education Center (WISE) in Defuniak Springs, Florida as the Carlene H. Anderson Training Center on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. After a welcome greeting by School Board member, Kim Kirby, the Walton High School Chorus under the direction of Ashley Gay performed "Sing We Joy" by Henry Purcell. During the ceremony, Mr. Mark Gardner, WCSD Director of Facilities, explained the history of the building, and Mrs. Anderson's role in the transforming of the building from a school media center to a professional training facility. Mr. Tom Blackshear, Facilities Planner, read the School Board Resolution naming the training after Mrs. Anderson, and Superintendent Russell Hughes spoke of her dedication and love for children as an educator, and her guidance and leadership as Superintendent of Walton County Schools for eleven years.

Mrs. Anderson thanked the School Board, and Superintendent Hughes for the very special honor, and spoke of her "commitment to train and continuously develop our professionals." She shared, "...the one most impactful element in a student's education is the quality and skills of the person who stands in from of them every day...the teacher. So when you are perfecting a teacher, you're making the greatest impact on the largest number of students for decades to come."

A lovely reception was held following the dedication, coordinated by Laura Smith, School Board secretary, and Joyce Gentry, Facilities Department secretary. The Walton County School District is grateful to Mrs. Carlene Anderson for her contributions to the children and educators of Walton County.

Submitted by Keitha Bledsoe.

Dedication

6th Annual Music in Pictures Student Art Exhibition

April 11, 2017

FMS Donuts for Donations to Support Children's Advocacy Center During Child Abuse Prevention Month

April 11, 2017

FHS Football Helping Out at Ronald McDonald House

April 10, 2017

WDE 3rd Grade FSA Olympians

April 10, 2017

Superintendent Hughes and Tivoli Complex Staff Recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month

April 10, 2017

FHSAA Recognizes FHS Boys Basketball Team

April 10, 2017

ECMS Softball Team...Conference Champs!

April 10, 2017

WDE 4th Graders are Ready to Blow Away the FSA

April 10, 2017

MHS supports National Child Abuse Prevention Month

April 10, 2017

Dedication of the Carlene H. Anderson Training Center

April 10, 2017