Moving to South Walton, tell me about the schools

Like any school system there's always room for improvement. I don't have kids so I'll let others that have actually worked with the schools speak.

We are purchasing a home along 30a, primary residence, and we have a child who will be attending ecms. I've heard the schools here are good, but after reading some posts on this forum, I have concerns. What's the deal?

Can you link to post that says something negative about our schools?

Can you link to post that says something negative about our schools?

Mine in the All About SoWal forum.

Grades for South Walton High: http://www.usnews.com/education/bes...school-district/south-walton-high-school-5657

Mine in the All About SoWal forum.

Grades for South Walton High: http://www.usnews.com/education/bes...school-district/south-walton-high-school-5657

Thanks for the link, those numbers are a bit disturbing, much lower than our current HS. Are there alternatives? Better school in the county, private schools, etc?

I've heard from educators with high school aged kids that Freeport is decent. I also know people who avoid Walton County schools completely. Many people settle in Bluewater Bay just for the schools.

Don't misconstrue my thoughts. There are excellent teachers in Walton County. The biggest problem is administration. And it's a very big problem. Hopefully as the population in the county increases, this will no longer be tolerated. Read some of the other threads in this sub-forum. Way too much good-ole-boy around these parts. And I grew up in the South.

To be honest, we didn't move down here permanently until our youngest was finished high school. I was lucky that I could keep my kids in an excellent school system after I retired from the Army.

I know a kid that lives in Point Washington that attends school in Niceville. If you can find a good private school in the area and can afford it send your child there. Did you see the post where the school district hired a young woman to teach at South Walton who had a felony conviction for DUI and cocaine possession? I'm also told that the teachers in Walton Schools are the least experienced in our area.

We might add that the school system is broke. Like a lot of other Anderson staff members, it seems that the financial officer was unqualified for the position.

Yep, school system is flat broke, probably won't be able to pay the lights or the mortgage. I hear tell of a yard sale.

So dramatic people!! What ever happened to being positive? Last I heard, the largest population of our schools are the parents of the children that we send there. If all the parents would volunteer and be present it would drastically change our classrooms. Let's see all of you sign up!

Secondly-what schools are we comparing ourselves to? All I know is I moved here to get away from the schools my kids were supposed to attend in Ga. We pat ourselves on the back daily for making that decision for our kids. I feel so lucky to live in this beautiful small town. I would have been miserable raising my kids in a huge town with murders, car jackings and $30,000 a year private schools.

With that being said. My oldest son is about to graduate from college and my daughter is thriving at Seaside. We were lucky enough to get into seaside... (although there are days when I think ECMS would have been better)....but bottom line, I know my kids friends parents, I know where they live, I know they can't get into to much trouble because I know all 20 people that live here...

Welcome to sowal!!!! I hope you take in a Friday night football game in this fall. So fun. Great BBQ. Great neighbors. And please, feel free to dedicate some free time at school.

A few of us have axes to grind and we seem to do it regularly. You should be able to see who we are so realize there are 2 sides to every story. We have issues but I am not sure that we are any different than most other school districts, there will always be some detractors. Also there will also be those who lead the charge to fix or correct things. Jdarg would be one of those who I believe falls into that category and in my opinion is doing more than just complaining. She has come up with a well reasoned solution to at least some of the issue we face. So when looking at the negative also look at what some are doing who are pishing for a positive impact. These are just my opinions. Welcome to SoWal

Good points by SRBGirl and Bob.

Everything is relative to what you came from. We came from excellence. But, as SRBGirl states, parents are everything.

Bob, I do have some emotional involvement with the issue so I only try to post data points. jdarg is doing something exceptional, in my opinion.

School grades should be out soon. Bay county's schools took a dive into the crapper and the district there is a "C" average.

I have to admit, I'm even more concerned after reading these comments.... I have read about seaside, but I also have concerns over such a small school, and of course, the slim chances of actually getting in. Are there any good private schools in the area?

SRBGirl: Did your children ever attend ecms or s walton HS? Our schools here are good, and getting better every year, so I'm very concerned

Parents I know with kids at ECMS have no real
complaints about the academics, safety, etc. The biggest issue for those on the west end is feeling as though we do not have a neighborhood school for middle school. I would prefer that 5th graders stay in elementary, but overcrowding made that impossible for now. As for SWHS, it has not had a great reputation. The good news is that a new principal is in place and as I understand it, both student and teacher discipline and expectations have been raised substantially, though you can't turn a battleship on a dime. For high school, the collegiate high next to South Walton is a good option,

South Walton Montessori Academy offers middle school.
http://southwaltonmontessori.com/content/general-info
850-231-5955

It is summer break, so you may have to leave a voicemail, but it is being monitored, and someone will call you back.

The most important thing you need to know about Walton County is that it is 2 counties in one, with the power and leadership of both the county and the school system concentrated on the north end of the county. Also, the school system is entrenched in politics and a pretty significant good old boy system, so things aren't perfect here. Hopefully the superintendent referendum to change to a hired superintendent will pass and will start the process of a more cohesive, forward-looking district. Yes, we have good test scores, but what does that really mean?

However, I can say with a lot of confidence that your child will have a good experience at any school in South Walton, if you are an involved parent. This holds true for any school system, not just here. (I am not familiar with the North Walton schools, so I can't comment) There are some exceptions and families who have had bad experiences, but again, that happens in every school system. There are also choices here for high school which is nice- AP and dual enrollment at South Walton, dual enrollment (Collegiate High School) at Seacoast, Florida Virtual School, Niceville (Okaloosa County), Arnold (Bay County). It all depends on what you want for your kid- college prep, AA degree in high school, good sports programs, lots of extracurriculars, etc. Bottom line- get involved in the school AND the community.

Regarding ECMS- it is a great middle school with dedicated and hard working teachers, all the sports, and all the extra curriculars. My daughter will be a 7th grader there in the fall. My son graduated from SWHS in 2011, but I have friends who have kids there who are thriving and excelling, busy with academics, sports, and clubs. They are also reporting that Dr. Tibbetts seems to have the correct vision for this school- that there is no reason why it can't be one of the top schools in the panhandle.

I would add only this to what Jdarg has so artfully said. Bear in mind that this comes from an old (I won't use the word) who no longer has children in the school system but has a strong opinion on our educational process. Now, to the point I'd like to make. While the education system is highly important, don't let it be your only determining factor in where you and your family settle. Other factors are extremely important. The general ambiance of the area, the economy of the area, the recreational acuities such as here with the beach and all its various activities. You get my general swing by now. We hope your move will meet all your desires and that you and yours will be as happy with SoWal as I have been for the last 23 years.

We have kids at Butler, ECMS and one starting SWHS this year. We have had great experiences at Butler and ECMS. The schools are not perfect, but the staff is available to any parent that makes an effort to be involved.

One of our daughters started 5th grade at ECMS the first year that 5th grade moved to middle school. There was an uproar from parents and it was all for nothing. I don't think she heard or learned anything from the 8th graders that she shouldn't have.

We looked at every option regarding high schools for the one starting high school this year. After attending the high school night for upcoming freshman, we were very happy with SWHS. There are a lot of great parents who are stepping up to be active in the high school. The data posted in the thread above is from 2011-12, so I know after looking at the current statistics that those are not a good representation of the current administration. My personal thought is South Walton is still a small high school, so it is pretty easy to hear what is going on in the school - if you stay involved. I would rather know what issues my kids are facing in school, even if I am hearing it through the grapevine so we can address it, rather than be in the dark.

Hey ECMS is a great school. My son went there, and loved it. He went to ECMS in the 8th grade after moving from KY to FL. He adopted very well, and was received by all the faculty at the school. Then he attended Seacoast for 9th grade. This high school managed by Seaside charter is a very good school with talented students! Seacoast is very focused, and in most cased your student will receive a 2 yr degree once complete. The problems came when I let my son go to SWHS in January of last year. SWHS just like so many has problems write me and I will share some issues.

Hey ECMS is a great school. My son went there, and loved it. He went to ECMS in the 8th grade after moving from KY to FL. He adopted very well, and was received by all the faculty at the school. Then he attended Seacoast for 9th grade. This high school managed by Seaside charter is a very good school with talented students! Seacoast is very focused, and in most cased your student will receive a 2 yr degree once complete. The problems came when I let my son go to SWHS in January of last year. SWHS just like so many has problems write me and I will share some issues.

We are also looking to move to sowal. We have a son going into 9th grade and would very much like feedback on Swhs. It would be good to hear from other parents that have a child at Swhs or recently attended.

If you can afford the Private or Charter route, take it.

If not, find an honest and open parent that is in tune with the school you are looking at and seek info.

Our schools are not "bad", but they do have challenges.

The beach and vacation culture here leads to a high level of drug use, much never discussed outside of school walls and its admin.

The SW H.S. has also had significant Bullying issues that most never make it to public consumption.

If the school you're looking at has a SRO (sheriff's officer), assigned, ask to speak with them, one on one, outside of prying ears and eyes of school staff.

Thanks For the feedback John. It's amazing how difficult it can be to get feedback on something so important as your child's potential new school. Honestly, we love the area and what it has to offer us but the school options may have us postpone our move until our son is done with high school.

You are welcome. Walton County is a very interesting place.

I hope you'll continue to browse this site and read some of the interesting topics under the local government forum.

This area is an enigma at times and recently, more and more new residents are taking interest in the many challenges we as residents face.

We do have wonderful beaches, no doubt there. We spend millions to tell be what to me is obvious.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for bringing a poorly managed, most times laughable, County government into the modern area where Accountability takes precedence over Good Ole Boy (and Girl) political agendas.

I hope your quest for School info ends well and that you'll share your story on this post.

Our school superintendent is an elected official, so you can also feel free to reach out to her for info, as she is a wealth of it...(Scarcasm Intended).

Thanks For the feedback John. It's amazing how difficult it can be to get feedback on something so important as your child's potential new school. Honestly, we love the area and what it has to offer us but the school options may have us postpone our move until our son is done with high school.

There are other options, and as I have had 3 graduate from schools in the area, the Charter High Schools through Northwest State College is an awesome opportunity for students. Politics aside I would suggest going to the schools and sit down with some of the teachers and administrator and discuss your expectations. As for my personal opinion, since the state has beenso adamant about standardized testing it is one of the reasons for the difficulties our educators face in educating their students. Cookie cutter mentality brings cookie cutter results.