Walton Counties A+ School System

[WileCoyote]

First we get tagged Nationall as a sytem with a "Drop Out" factory in De Funiak Springs now we have an even lower graduation rate than the National Study revealed.

Think we are getting a good return on our investment.

Okaloosa, Walton see drop in grads
However, rates are still higher than state average
Rachel Kyler
Friday December 7th, 2007
NW Florida Daily News

Florida's high school graduation rates increased in the 2006-07 school
year, while two local school districts saw slight dips. *

Even with slight decreases, local school districts' graduation rates
remain higher than the state average.

Florida's graduation rate was 72.4 percent in 2006-07, up from 71
percent the previous year.

The Okaloosa County School District dropped from 86 percent to 84.7
percent. Walton County dipped from 76.1 percent to 74.2 percent.

Santa Rosa saw a slight increase, from 85.5 percent to 86.8 percent.

Okaloosa Curriculum Specialist Shawnea Tallman said student turnover
makes Okaloosa a little more complicated than most districts.

Graduation rates are calculated by taking the number of freshman
students who enter a high school and then looking at the number of
senior graduates.

A significant number of home schooled students coupled with a large,
mobile military population causes students to drift in and out of the
system, Tallman said.

"If they entered as a ninth grader and they don't go out as a 12-grader
and they're not properly tagged, it affects the graduation rate," she said.

Since Okaloosa County has a relatively small student population, a
handful of students can have a significant effect on the statistics.

But there are still students who decide to drop out, whether it's
because of family problems or a lack of interest in traditional education.

Tallman said the district makes a concerted effort to reach those students.
"It's almost an individual case for each kid as far dropout prevention,"
Tallman said.

Walton County school officials have just begun studying the data, said
Marsha Pugh, the county's supervisor of curriculum and instruction. At
this point, there is not a specific reason for the change.

"Not a single factor that I can say has been a cause for the drop," Pugh
said.

Although Okaloosa is a high-performing district, Tallman said officials
don't take the numbers lightly.

"We know that it comes down to a name on a statistic," she said.

[jdarg]

I would like to see these stats broken down by school if possible.

[WileCoyote]

"No Soup for You"

I don't have anything other than this cut and paste from NW Florida Daily News.

[jdarg]

There has been a lot of rumbling around the SWHS about several issues, and one big concern is students transferring out. I was amazed at the number that have transferred out because of athletics. Parents who are unhappy with the athletic program for whatever reason have transferred their kids to other schools, but have to use the excuse that SWHS academics aren't up to snuff since athletic transfers in high school are not allowed.

There are quite a few kids that have pulled out to attend OWC full time, since a high schooler can register as a home schooler and attend OWC, graduating with an Associates Degree instead of a high school diploma.

I wish we had a way of tracking the students that left- did they just drop out, transfer to another school, home school, go to OWC, move, etc. I bet the actual dropout rate for SWHS would look a lot different.

From everything I have heard about our high school, it has been in somewhat of a stagnant place the last few years. Parents are starting to take notice and be vocal. Incredibly, there is no PTO or general parent support group at SWHS, but all of that is changing soon. If you are a SWHS parent, PM me and I will add you to the e-mail list. It is time to quit complaining and get behind SWHS.

[WileCoyote]

I am not a SWHS parent. My last child graduated many, many years ago. SWHS was not the high school in the Walton County School System that was tagged in a national study as a "drop out" factory.

Parental involvement is key and vital to a quality education.

The issue in my opinion starts with the Supt. of Education - her four years have not produced measurable results in key areas. There is nothing A+ about the Walton County School System - changes at the Supt. level and Board level are required for "parental involvement and support" to flourish and have a true impact on the quality of education in Walton County.

[Romeosmydog]

There has been a lot of rumbling around the SWHS about several issues, and one big concern is students transferring out.
Maybe they will all be coming back now that a certain PE coach isn't there anymore. ;-) I love South Walton, Thing 1 graduated from there and Thing 2 spent 3 years as a Sea Hawk. She, like so many chose to transfer to another district that had more to offer.

[jdarg]

There has been a lot of rumbling around the SWHS about several issues, and one big concern is students transferring out.
Maybe they will all be coming back now that a certain PE coach isn't there anymore. ;-) I love South Walton, Thing 1 graduated from there and Thing 2 spent 3 years as a Sea Hawk. She, like so many chose to transfer to another district that had more to offer.

I am hoping that parents of current and future students use the time and energy that it takes to go elsewhere and build SWHS into the school that it needs to be. I know that some students have specialized interests/talents that take them to other schools, but I am tired of hearing negative things about our school. Community building includes school building. I know I will have to supplement with Darg Vader (w/Fl Virutal School and classes at OWC), but as a family we are comitted to the future of SWHS. People are so focused on the immediate and on their own children, and don't realize that making our high school competitive academically benefits ALL of us.

[Camp Creek Kid]

[quote=jdarg;325791]
I love South Walton, Thing 1 graduated from there and Thing 2 spent 3 years as a Sea Hawk. She, like so many chose to transfer to another district that had more to offer.


Our oldest is in 6th grade so we have a little while before high school. We've lived in SoWal since before SWHS opened and I've heard nothing but negative things about the school. I know some of the issues were resolved with the new principal. What do other districts offer that SWHS lacks?

Jdarg--I'm so glad that you are here to LEAD parents at SWHS!! Let us know what the community members (and future SWHS parents) can do to support your efforts.

[Romeosmydog]

Oh no, I hate that you only hear negative things about SWHS. WE LOVE IT! Thing 1 (The oldest of course), graduated from SW and went on to an honors college. They have the greatest teachers in the district (sorry NoWal). Sandy Graff, Anita Sloan, Pat Murphy and Mr. Piltcher are second to none. Hands Down. The support staff such as Barbara Stratton, Kit Starbuck and Mrs. Rhodes are the sweetest most loyal people on the planet. I worked with all of them when I taught at Bay Middle School. My only complaint was that certain PE teacher and now he is gone!

I was devastated when Thing 2 (now 16) decided to go to school in Leon County. She thought SW was too small and didn't offer the electives and extra curricular activities that she wanted. She is excelling in Tallahassee and is actually graduating a year early~~Due to South Walton's block scheduling she was ahead almost an entire year!

Of course they are going through growing pains, when they first opened the school they were expecting to have about 200 kids; they got close to 600! They haven't stopped growing yet. Then the middle school moved in and out of SWHS. I believe that the middle school being there took a toll on SWHS's autonomy. The principal replacement was GREAT for teacher moral as well. You can go into the school and it just feels different, lighter. Now they are getting it together and by the time your little goes it will be right on track. I have faith, this is OUR school SoWal! We fought to get it built, we fought to get rid of the creepy PE coach and the principal that hired him, now we should fight to make it the best that it can possibly be!!!

[Tootsie]

I wonder if we'll be getting an alternative highschool any time in the near future. would love to see St Rita open one. Middle school too. But, with reasonable tuition fees. guess that's not gonna happen.

[jdarg]

Oh no, I hate that you only hear negative things about SWHS. WE LOVE IT! Thing 1 (The oldest of course), graduated from SW and went on to an honors college. They have the greatest teachers in the district (sorry NoWal). Sandy Graff, Anita Sloan, Pat Murphy and Mr. Piltcher are second to none. Hands Down. The support staff such as Barbara Stratton, Kit Starbuck and Mrs. Rhodes are the sweetest most loyal people on the planet. I worked with all of them when I taught at Bay Middle School. My only complaint was that certain PE teacher and now he is gone!

I was devastated when Thing 2 (now 16) decided to go to school in Leon County. She thought SW was too small and didn't offer the electives and extra curricular activities that she wanted. She is excelling in Tallahassee and is actually graduating a year early~~Due to South Walton's block scheduling she was ahead almost an entire year!

Of course they are going through growing pains, when they first opened the school they were expecting to have about 200 kids; they got close to 600! They haven't stopped growing yet. Then the middle school moved in and out of SWHS. I believe that the middle school being there took a toll on SWHS's autonomy. The principal replacement was GREAT for teacher moral as well. You can go into the school and it just feels different, lighter. Now they are getting it together and by the time your little goes it will be right on track. I have faith, this is OUR school SoWal! We fought to get it built, we fought to get rid of the creepy PE coach and the principal that hired him, now we should fight to make it the best that it can possibly be!!!

There would be no need for an alternative school if we put our efforts into making the existing school a top notch school. :clap: There is plenty of room for parental involvement, no matter what age your children. If your kids are heading into 6th grade- you should be planning ahead, instead of getting to 8th grade and expecting a college prep high school experience. We quickly found this out, but instead of bailing on a school that hasn't even really started, we are going to put our time and effort into it. This school is only 6 years old- for it's age, it is great. But it will be better.