For some, it was the excitement of being picked up by the bus for their first day of school. For others, it was their last, first day, as seniors reported to local high schools.
This year also marks the beginning of a new term for Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Marcus Chambers, who sat down with the Northwest Florida Daily News to talk about issues surrounding the Okaloosa County school system.
Reflections on his first term
After the qualifying period for candidates to enter the political arena ended on June 14, Chambers stood unopposed for a second term as superintendent of Okaloosa Schools. When asked to reflect on his first term in office, Chambers touted many improvements, thanks to the half-cent sales tax.
"What I remind folks of is, over the last 15, 16, 17 years, we didn't have much construction happening at all in Okaloosa County [schools]," Chambers said. "And now we have classroom additions, cafeterias, multi-purpose buildings. We're replacing air conditioning, we're replacing roofs. We weren't able to do all of that, so the sheer volume of what has occurred over the course of the last four years, [I am] very proud.
"You look at what we've done for mental health. We've added mental health counselors in our schools, and almost every school now has a mental health counselor," Chambers said. "We've added a Hope Squad, which is a suicide prevention and awareness program. So, just so much has occurred over the last four years. I tell people all the time, we're not perfect by any means, but we're definitely striving to do what's right for kids."
When asked what he fell short on during his first term, he noted that he wished more improvement projects occurred during that first four-year span. However, Chambers said there is always room for progress on the academic side. He said a focus had been placed on third-grade English language arts and math and high school algebra and geometry.
Looking back on 2023/24
As another school year ended, the Okaloosa County School District celebrated another milestone: It retained its A rating for the ninth straight year, with 31 district schools achieving a B or higher.
"That means our students are doing a great job," Chambers said. "Our teachers, staff and administrators are really working hard for our students and their families.
"I like to say we're an A-plus school district because we want to be strong academically, athletically and with the arts. So it's about providing our students opportunities to be successful in different pathways."
Student performance at Okaloosa Technical College also contributed to the district's success.
In April, the district announced that OTC had a 100% pass rate within its practical nursing program, an achievement that was also earned six months prior. Chambers credits OTC director Jon Williams for its continued success.
"I think he's a visionary," Chambers said. "Mr. Williams works closely with folks in the building trades area, those in the automotive area, those in the nursing area. So he's meeting with the professionals and making sure that the programs that he has truly make sure that they can translate to the workforce."
New schools are coming to Crestview
In February, the Okaloosa School Board approved a $3.9 million land purchase for 7.66 acres in the Okaloosa Industrial Air Park for a north campus of Okaloosa Technical College. The campus will provide education in various fields, including advanced manufacturing and production technology, welding, electronic technology, automotive service, plumbing and advanced cybersecurity programs.
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