𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
Next Thursday, March 13, is the last day of the 3rd 9-week grading period. Spring Break begins on Friday, March 14, and continues through Friday, March 21. Monday, March 24, is a Teacher Workday. Students return for the 4th and final 9-week grading period of the 2024-2025 school year on Tuesday, March 25. We hope everyone has a safe and restful week off!
𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸!
This week, we celebrate and honor our incredible school counselors who play a vital role in supporting our students' academic, social, and emotional well-being. From guiding students through their educational journeys to providing a listening ear and valuable advice, our counselors are always there to help. Thank you to all our dedicated school counselors for your unwavering commitment and the positive impact you make every day. Your hard work and compassion truly make a difference in the lives of our students.
This week, the Okaloosa County School District and the State of Florida are celebrating the joy of reading and the power of literacy! We are highlighting the importance of literacy in our schools and communities. From engaging classroom activities to exciting reading challenges, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Thank you to all our dedicated teachers, librarians, and staff for fostering a love of reading in our students!
Welcome Back, Students and Families! We hope you had a wonderful and relaxing winter break! As we begin the new year, we are excited to welcome everyone back to school and get started with a fresh semester of learning. Prior to winter break our K-2 students took the 2nddiagnostic of iReady and 3-5 students took the F.A.S.TPM2. In the coming days, all 3- 5 students will be taking the iReady Diagnostic and our K-2 students will be taking the F.A.S.T. PM2. These tests help us understand where each student is in their learning and guide us in supporting their growth. The results are an important part of making sure we can meet the needs of every child and provide the right tools for their success. With these results, we can create a personalized learning plan for each student to help them reach their full potential. We encourage students to do their best, stay focused, and take their time. Together, we’ll ensure a successful start to our second semester!---Ms. Johnson
VPK Registration opened January 1st! Okaloosa County VPK schools include: Southside Primary School, Mary Esther Elementary School, Walker Elementary School, Northwood Elementary School, Riverside Elementary School, Edwins Elementary School, Bob Sikes Elementary School, Okaloosa STEMM Academy, and Longwood Elementary School. Before registering at one of the school sites listed above, you must obtain your child's VPK Certificate of Eligibility. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, and spots at each site are limited.
Registration information can be found at: https://familyservices.floridaearlylearning.com/
We hope you all enjoyed a relaxing Winter Break! We can't wait to welcome our students back to campus on Wednesday, January 8th to start the second semester strong! Please be alert as School Zones will be active!
A line of storms is expected to move into our area overnight and continue through tomorrow evening. We anticipate heavy rainfall, which may lead to brief flash flood conditions and pooling on roadways.
At this time, we do not expect any changes to school start times or dismissal. However, we encourage everyone to exercise caution during your commute. If your child is late or misses school due to weather in your area, please provide a note when they return.
We will keep you updated if any changes arise. Thank you, and have a great evening!
Every school day counts in a child's academic life....A missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. Students who attend school regularly have been shown to achieve at higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance. The effects of lost school days build up one absence at a time on individual students. Our attendance goal for daily attendance is that 98% of our students will be present each day.
Free Meals for Kindergarten Students!
October 23, 24, and 25
English Language Learners and Parents Night - Thursday, October 17th from 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM.
We will have interpreters to help our families:
- Complete Free and Reduced Lunch Forms
- Explain Why Attendance Matters
- Show parents how to access their child's grades online
- Provide reading support from New World Reading Initiative
- Explain Connect to Literacy, a new program to help our children learn English
Phones at all schools have been restored!
Good morning! Phones are down at some of our schools. We appreciate your patience as we work to fix the issue.
Shout out to the following for being a Mary Esther Elementary Adopt-A-Classroom Sponsor:
Sara Marks, Jerry Parker, Elevate Exclusively Beauty Studio, LLC, Alisha Greenlaw and Alina Griffith with Satori Counseling. If you are interested in being an Adopt-A-Classroom
sponsor please call the front office at 850-833-3371.
We would like to thank the following sponsors and community businesses for their continued support of our Thunderbirds: Advance America, Buff City Soaps, Culvers, Lenny’s
Neighborhood Cafe, Piggly Wiggly, and Sign Source
We invite ALL families to apply for Free or Reduced School Meals by visiting www.myschoolapps.com. Even if your family was approved for Free or Reduced meals last year, you must reapply for the 2024-25 school year. A 30-day grace period will be in effect, but
it's crucial to complete your application as soon as possible. For more information, please contact the front office or visit the provided link.
The FOCUS Parent Portal provides parents and guardians access to their child’s attendance, grades, and direct communication between teachers, school, and families. We invite and encourage parents to register for a FOCUS Parent Portal account.
To set up an account you will need to use your child’s legal name and have a valid email address.
Click on https://www2.okaloosaschools.com/page/focus-parents and follow the steps to
create an account. There are also instructions on how to add a student to a current account.
Contact your child’s teacher if you have questions.
Thank you to First Baptist Church of Mary Esther for our back to school breakfast!
Morning Student Drop-Off Procedures - For student safety and to help us meet district guidelines for student entry to the school, please DO NOT drop any students off in the front parking lot. All students arriving by vehicle between 8:00 AM and 8:30 AM are asked to use the car rider ramp. Vehicles will be unloaded by staff members as quickly as possible. To help make the process more efficient, please have students ready to exit on the passenger side of the vehicle. If your child is arriving to school late (after 8:30 AM), please park in the front parking lot and bring your child into the front office and follow the check-in process.
We hope our students and staff have a restful summer break! We look forward to seeing our OCSD Family again on the first day of school, August 12, 2024. The 2024-2025 School Calendar can be found on our website: https://www.okaloosaschools.com/page/calendars
OCSD is working with County Emergency Management Officials who are monitoring a storm system moving into our area Wednesday afternoon.
Following weather updates from County Emergency Management Officials, the District will communicate any potential adjustments to Wednesday's school day or after school activities.
No adjustments to Wednesday's schedule have been made at this time. Thank you.
