STEMM Academy Open House
Thursday, September 24,2026 | 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
We invite all STEMM Academy families to join us for Open House! The evening will begin with a brief welcome and important information session in the MPR, followed by classroom visits where parents will experience their students’ schedule and meet teachers throughout Periods 1-6.
Open House Schedule:
4:30-4:40 PM-Parent Meeting in the MPR for a brief welcome and opening information
4:40-4:45 PM-Transition to Period 1
4:45-4:53 PM-1st period
4:53-4:58 PM-Transition to Period 2
4:58-5:06 PM- 2nd period
5:06-5:11 PM-Transition to Period 3
5:11-5:19 PM-3rd period
5:19-5:24 PM-Transition to Period 4
5:24-5:32 PM-4th period
5:32-5:37 PM-Transition to Period 5
5:37-5:45 PM-5th period
5:45-5:50 PM-Transition to Period 6
5:50-5:58 PM-6th period
5:58-6:00 PM-Open House Wrap up/Exit

We look forward to sharing the exciting learning experiences taking place at STEMM Academy. See you on September 24!
7 days ago, Kim Nihill-Taylor
𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟭, 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹!

As students, families, and staff return to campus, please remember that school zones will be active and traffic may be heavier than usual. Allow a little extra travel time as speeds are reduced and car rider lines may extend farther than normal while everyone gets back into their school-year routines.

🚸 Watch for school zone signals
🚌 Be alert for students at bus stops, walking to school, and riding bikes/scooters
🚗 Expect delays near school campuses
❤️ Slow down and help keep our students safe

Parents, please be patient with school transportation. Bus routes may experience delays during the first week or two as students, families, and drivers learn new routines and route adjustments.

Thank you for your patience and for helping us make the first day a safe and successful one for all!
about 2 months ago, OCSD Webmaster
School Starts August 11th!
Many of our schools as well as the District Office are experiencing a phone and internet outage. We appreciate your patience as we work with our provider to remedy the issue.
4 months ago, Communications
Subject: Awards Day Celebrations

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to celebrate our students’ hard work and achievements during our upcoming Awards Day ceremonies! Please see the schedule below:

Wednesday, May 27
7:45 AM – 6th Grade Awards
9:00 AM – 7th Grade Awards

Thursday, May 28
8:00 AM – 8th Grade Awards

For grades 6–8, not all students will receive an award; however, all 8th grade students will walk across the stage as we recognize this important milestone. Following the ceremony, we will celebrate our 8th grade students with a special school wide clap out.

Parents and families are invited to attend any or all ceremonies and check their child out after the ceremony.

Your presence helps make these moments even more special for our students!
4 months ago, Kim Nihill-Taylor

We are proud to celebrate our students’ incredible success at this year’s National History Day State Competition in Tallahassee! Two projects earned the National Maritime Award, with Amaya Matthiesen receiving 1st place and Ira Tucker and Italia Gibson earning 2nd place. Seven students were named State Finalists, placing them among the top competitors in Florida, and Ira Tucker and Italia Gibson finished 3rd overall in the state for their documentary, Constantinople’s Fall: The Siege that Revolutionized the World.

Beyond the competition, students explored Mission San Luis, visited the Florida Capitol, and participated in a spirited mock legislative debate where students argued over a fictional bill banning fruit on pizza. Complete with passionate speeches, lively debate, and a razor-thin final vote, the activity gave students a fun, hands-on look at the legislative process. We are incredibly proud of all students who represented STEMM with excellence, creativity, and #StingerSpirit!

5 months ago, Jill Russ
Collage of photos of STEMM students at the National History Day events.

Our teachers felt the force of appreciation last week! A special thank you to MetroPower for generously sponsoring our Teacher Appreciation Week lunch. Your support helped make our staff feel celebrated, valued, and appreciated for all they do each day for our students. We are grateful for your support of our school and teachers! #TeacherAppreciationWeek #StrongerTogether

5 months ago, Jill Russ
Collage of photos of teachers getting lunch during Teacher Appreciation Week.
We rolled out the red carpet for success! ⭐️🎬 Our Stingers kicked off standardized testing in style with a Red Carpet event—complete with treat bags to get them energized and ready to shine. We’re proud of their hard work and can’t wait to see them show what they know!
5 months ago, Jill Russ
Collage of photos of Mrs. Nihill, Mrs. Barrow, and Ms. Bridget handing out the treat bags to students.

Celebrating #StarWarsDay and #TeacherAppreciationWeek in the sweetest way! Delicious cupcakes from Smallcakes FWB.

5 months ago, Jill Russ
Collage of photos of teachers with the Smallcakes cupcakes.
Last week, we hit the brakes and gave a big THANK YOU to STEMM's incredible bus drivers! 🚌 💙 Rain or shine, early mornings and late afternoons—they drive learning every day. We appreciate you more than words can say!
5 months ago, Jill Russ
Collage of a few of STEMM's bus drivers.
Congratulations to Mrs. Cook for being selected as the Air Force Association (AFA) Hurlburt Chapter 398's Overall STEM Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Cook received a cash award as well as a scholarship to attend the US Space and Rocket Center’s Educator Space Camp this summer. She will also advance to compete for honors at the state level.
5 months ago, Jill Russ
Mrs. Cook with the AFA representative and her students.
OCSD schools will dismiss early on the last day of school, Thursday, May 28. STEMM middle school students will dismiss at 12:55.
5 months ago, Jill Russ
A schedule showing the early dismissal times for all schools on the last day of school. Thursday, May 28. . STEMM dismisses at 12:55 on
Introducing STEMM's newest National Junior Honor Society members! These 6th grade students exemplify the pillars of scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship. Congratulations to all of our Stingers on their outstanding achievements!
5 months ago, Jill Russ
Photo of new NJHS inductees standing on the stage holding their certificates.
Mrs. Santana’s 8th Grade ELA and 6th Grade World History students recently brought learning to life through an engaging and active lesson using hacky sacks! Students participated in small-group discussions while practicing key vocabulary in a fun, hands-on way that kept everyone involved. By incorporating movement and collaboration, students strengthened both their communication skills and content knowledge.
5 months ago, Jill Russ
Mrs. Santana’s 8th Grade ELA and 6th Grade World History students recently brought learning to life through an engaging and active lesson using hacky sacks! Students participated in small-group discussions while practicing key vocabulary in a fun, hands-on way that kept everyone involved. By incorporating movement and collaboration, students strengthened both their communication skills and content knowledge.
Collage of photos of various groups of students playing with hacky sacks.
Big congratulations to our STEMM students who rocked the Civics Bee Regional Finals this week! Out of more than 11,000 participants, Leighton, Pearson, and Holly were selected to compete, an incredible accomplishment in itself. They represented Stemm with pride, and Holly even earned a Top 5 finish at the regional level! All three students were recognized for their hard work with certificates of achievement and a brand-new iPad. We are so proud of their dedication, knowledge, and passion for bringing Civics to life!
5 months ago, Jill Russ
Leighton, Pearson, and Holly with their certificates from the Civics Bee.
Reminder: Spring pictures are tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14. Students may enjoy a free dress day and do not need to wear uniforms, as long as attire follows the Okaloosa School District dress code. We can’t wait to see those smiles!
6 months ago, Kim Nihill-Taylor
Our phone service has been restored. Thank you for your patience, and have a wonderful day!
6 months ago, Communications

Good morning! Phones are currently down district-wide. Our provider is working to resolve the issue. We appreciate your patience and will update you when they are back up! Have a great day!

6 months ago, Communications
World History classes put history into motion by designing and building trebuchets! Hands-on learning, teamwork, and a little medieval engineering brought the past to life.
7 months ago, Jill Russ
Trebuchets!
Mrs. Cook's Intro to Tech classes have been working on mechatronic projects, using microbits and block code to create and run programs to enliven a scene they have built. We are so impressed with what they have been able to accomplish with time pressure and limited materials.
7 months ago, Jill Russ
Mecahtronic projects!
Mrs. Santana’s 8th grade ELA students went full Socratic Circle. The inner circle lead the discussion while the outer circle delivered live feedback on the ClearTouch. Thoughtful dialogue, real-time reflection, and serious critical thinking in action.
7 months ago, Jill Russ
Socartic Circles