I want to officially welcome you back to school from the Christmas and New Year’s Holidays! I hope 2021 is off to a promising start for both you and your family.

In the spirit of transparency, the Walton County School District would like to continue providing our updated COVID-19 data. Even after our holiday break and with 90% of students now enrolled in our brick and mortar settings, we are holding steady with both positive cases and exposures. 

We believe our lower numbers are a result of the strong collaboration among families, students, and staff, and we hope to continue in this same manner. In that regard, we would like to once again remind everyone of our top COVID-19 preventive measures.

1. Please social distance. All schools are announcing this reminder at the beginning of the day and during special events. You may also notice increased signage at schools and at athletic events.
2. Mask are required for the school bus and are strongly encouraged at school, especially when social distancing isn’t feasible.
3. Please wash and sanitize your hands throughout the day. All schools and buses have additional hand sanitizing stations for this purpose.
4. Please stay home when you are sick. Staff will continue mandatory screening each day, and students may be randomly screened throughout the day.

As we begin planning the remainder of the second semester, we appreciate your understanding as we navigate through our many spring events and school traditions.  Please know it is our wish that all events and plans continue as normal. As educators charged with the safety of students, please understand that all future event decisions will be individually weighed based on updated COVID-19 information and data. 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns related to safety or COVID-19, please do not hesitate to ask. Safety is, and will always remain, our number one priority.

Here’s to a great second semester and a healthy 2021!”  

As the new year begins, the WMS PE department continues its "Warrior Way" character education program.  Perhaps now more than ever, the way we treat people matters.  This month, our tribe is focused on COOPERATION.  Please take the time to reinforce this concept at home.  Together, we can inspire our Warriors to be the very best versions of themselves they can be.

Congratulations to Matthew Cotton and Elizabeth Pulley, for being selected as teacher of the year and ESP of the year. Matthew Cotton teaches 6-12 science at the Walton In”10”sity School of Excellence. He began his career in Walton County as a paraprofessional and after earning his degree from the University of West Florida, earned the position of science instructor at the Magnet program. He has been instrumental at developing our school based behavior program via LiveSchool and mentoring teachers with various forms of virtual learning.

Walton High School was “The Place To Be” last night as some of the brightest and well rounded students in the WORLD put to competition their Academic Knowledge displayed and put to test at our Academic Team Meet!  Wow…..Is an understatement of what these students know, have learned, and are able to supply under the pressure of a time clock/limit, in the presence of their peers, teachers and viewed by parents through technology.  EPIC may not give justice to the level of awesomeness these students exemplify in this setting.  Thanks teachers and sponsors for making it happen for these students; times that will forever be treasured even during the challenges of a pandemic!