Everything is Rosy ?

I received this email today. Think you will find it interesting.

I am a disgruntled tax payer that found out my children do not have a fulltime art teacher at Walton Middle School because of no funding for a art unit, they chose not to replace the art teacher that retired. Then I found out from a teacher that WMS has the following teachers not teaching a full load of classes, they are given extra planning periods and duites not student contact. The teachers are Mr. Proffit with 3 extra periods off and Mrs. Collins wiith,2 extra periods off these two would fund full teacher unit for the art department. Just when my blood pressure had returned to normal I found that Mr. Bennett 1 extra period off, Mr. Wassman has 1 extra period off as does Mrs. Moseley have 1 extra period off. This is UNACCEPTABLE with the current budget situation. This is 8 periods that should be student contact with an average of 25 students that is 200 learning opportunities missed.

Not all is Rosy in DFS

It would have been much rosier if the person sending you this email had a clue Mr. Hudson. Those teachers don't make their own schedules. They had nothing to do with this and didn't know until the first day of classes what their schedules would be. That was a district decision. As to the art classes, the reason there is currently no art class is because there is no room not to mention there is no teacher as she did in fact retire. WMS is undergoing renovations and during those renovations WMS has been moved to the old WHS. There are plans to bring the art classes back once there are adequate classrooms.

Mrs. Mosley does currently have one period off. During that time she is the parent liaison keeping parents informed as to their childrens progress, grades, disciplinary issues, suspensions, referrals etc, for the 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. Last year Mrs. Mosley did this on her own time for 8th grade students (only) staying after school on her own time in addition to teaching math, PE, or research as well as Video Productions classes.

It would also have been kind of you to discuss with Mrs. Mosley (and the other teachers mentioned) your reasons for putting this here without consulting them first.

You're right about one thing though...things are not rosy in this school district and we have the current Super to thank for that. Once we ELECT a new Superintendent hopefully things will improve for the better

It would have been much rosier if the person sending you this email had a clue Mr. Hudson. Those teachers don't make their own schedules. They had nothing to do with this and didn't know until the first day of classes what their schedules would be. That was a district decision. As to the art classes, the reason there is currently no art class is because there is no room not to mention there is no teacher as she did in fact retire. WMS is undergoing renovations and during those renovations WMS has been moved to the old WHS. There are plans to bring the art classes back once there are adequate classrooms.

Mrs. Mosley does currently have one period off. During that time she is the parent liaison keeping parents informed as to their childrens progress, grades, disciplinary issues, suspensions, referrals etc, for the 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. Last year Mrs. Mosley did this on her own time for 8th grade students (only) staying after school on her own time in addition to teaching math and her Video Productions classes.

It would also have been kind of you to discuss with Mrs. Mosley (and the other teachers mentioned) your reasons for putting this here without consulting them first.

You're right about one thing though...things are not rosy in this school district and we have the current Super to thank for that. Once we ELECT a new Superintendent hopefully things will improve for the better

I dont think the teachers are underfire as much as the Super and Principal for this happening. Teacher retire all the time and get replaced that argument does not hold up nor moving to a new building should hold up. I think this shows a disregard for the arts in the North End of the county as well as a disregard for the children and parents. This seems like Chicago politics if you get my drift.

Contact Jason Campbell if you need to know what teachers are doing in those off periods.

I dont think the teachers are underfire as much as the Super and Principal for this happening. Teacher retire all the time and get replaced that argument does not hold up nor moving to a new building should hold up. I think this shows a disregard for the arts in the North End of the county as well as a disregard for the children and parents. This seems like Chicago politics if you get my drift.

Jason Campbell actually advocated for the arts.

Jason Campbell actually advocated for the arts.

I am assuming Jason Campbell is the Principal from your two previous post. I would think an advocate for the arts would have hire an art teachers as the Parent clearly stated. I'm not sure what is going on up there but they are making a case to appoint the Superintendent.

They do have one period of art at Walton Middle School. Terri Shelley, the art teacher at Freeport High School, teaches 1st period there and then drives to FHS and teaches art and photography there the rest of the day.

Seems with all the over crowding and teacher shortages we could be utilizing those teachers to teach. Does that analysis mean I can run for superintendent in 2016?

Seems with all the over crowding and teacher shortages we could be utilizing those teachers to teach. Does that analysis mean I can run for superintendent in 2016?

You meet the qualifications !

I was only born in Florida, not Walton county.

I was only born in Florida, not Walton county.

If I'm not mistaken, a high school drop out can run for superintendent in Florida.

I wonder if the unspoken issue behind the NO side has been in front of our faces the entire time. Could it be that those funding the effort and playing the puppet master behind the NO effort know that an superintendent could never advocate for more money for our schools regardless what it would be used for? Could it be that they like low graduation rates because that is a source for cheap labor? People, this is not about your right to vote. It is about money and power---business interests keeping it for themselves and fooling you to think they care about your kids. Vote YES

If I'm not mistaken, a high school drop out can run for superintendent in Florida.

Probably so. You don't have to have any credentials to be a politician running for superintendent. But if you are applying to be an appointed superintendent, you have to bring your credentials and your resume and prove to the board you are capable of performing the duties of the job. Seems a no-brainer to vote YES.

Probably so. You don't have to have any credentials to be a politician running for superintendent. But if you are applying to be an appointed superintendent, you have to bring your credentials and your resume and prove to the board you are capable of performing the duties of the job. Seems a no-brainer to vote YES.

The chances of someone with only a high school diploma running for superintendent and winning are remote, but the scenario perfectly illustrates the fact that real qualifications are not used when electing the top administrator of our school system. I have lived here 8 years and have "suffered" through a few local elections, including 2 superintendent races. So I am just going to say it- in both of those elections, I really doubt any of the candidates would have been hired if they had been in a situation where they had to apply for the job based on their education and qualifications for the job (Mrs. Anderson maybe based on her experience and education). I am sure the those running were nice people and all, but they wouldn't qualify for the job anywhere but in a county where the position is elected and politics dominate the discussion of the candidates, not qualifications.

I like to dream BIG for our school system, and hope that there are people that live in Walton County that are qualified for the job and will apply, in addition to looking outside our borders- all that matters is finding the best person for the job, not where they live or if they are entrenched in the pathetic little Walton County political games. A real professional won't have time for that kind of silliness.

I wonder if the unspoken issue behind the NO side has been in front of our faces the entire time. Could it be that those funding the effort and playing the puppet master behind the NO effort know that an superintendent could never advocate for more money for our schools regardless what it would be used for? Could it be that they like low graduation rates because that is a source for cheap labor? People, this is not about your right to vote. It is about money and power---business interests keeping it for themselves and fooling you to think they care about your kids. Vote YES

I think the Board of Education should prove they are capable of dealing with matters such as this. The board needs to be strong if the Super is not. This board scares me with whether they have the ability to appoint a great educational leader for us. This really need to be looked into. 8 periods of teacher pay is worth what 70000-80000 dollars and you have money issues to begin with. The South needs to vote in record numbers for all issues or we are in real trouble.

I think the Board of Education should prove they are capable of dealing with matters such as this. The board needs to be strong if the Super is not. This board scares me with whether they have the ability to appoint a great educational leader for us. This really need to be looked into. 8 periods of teacher pay is worth what 70000-80000 dollars and you have money issues to begin with. The South needs to vote in record numbers for all issues or we are in real trouble.

Does anyone know what it takes to legally form a new county? Or a new school district?

Many executive searches use a headhunter firm to narrow down the qualified candidates.

I think it's so funny that everyone assumes that just the 5 board members would be the only people involved in this process from start to finish. No district does it that way, we don't have to reinvent the wheel.

WaltonParent I am afraid that the best option we have is voting for new folks. What we have is horrible. The choices are not great we need great people that we can count on running for office that have the ability to pick a superintendent. The board we currently have is really scary. They should be all over this issue but will not lift a finger because of homegrown connections. The candidates for all of the races including State House are not great choices. Hold your nose and vote the least of the evils in most of the races.

I am pretty sure the board will make the choice, they might use a search firm to gather resumes but ultimately who they hire is up to them.

Yes- and they will be choosing from candidates who actually meet real qualifications. I'm not sure why this is hard for so many to understand why this is preferable to a political process without qualifications.

Yes- and they will be choosing from candidates who actually meet real qualifications. I'm not sure why this is hard for so many to understand why this is preferable to a political process without qualifications.

Because headhunters are soft on finding candidates with Walton County Value$

Because headhunters are soft on finding candidates with Walton County Value$

Ba-da-bing!

WaltonParent I am afraid that the best option we have is voting for new folks. What we have is horrible. The choices are not great we need great people that we can count on running for office that have the ability to pick a superintendent. The board we currently have is really scary. They should be all over this issue but will not lift a finger because of homegrown connections. The candidates for all of the races including State House are not great choices. Hold your nose and vote the least of the evils in most of the races.

Bravo, I understand your point, but I disagree about your strategy. The best people will not run for office if they think they cannot beat the "homegrown connections". Winning the referendum will show people that the NO group can be defeated on other issues. One good victory will be the launching pad for many more. Even if we lose the vote, I think the NO crowd will know they have been in a fight.

The way the school district functions now, 5 dogs could be in the school board's seats and there would be no difference. The five can say whatever they want and the superintendent can totally ignore what the they say because he/ she is also elected. It is five elected officials against one elected official who conducts the daily operations and can do what he/she damn well pleases if they so desire and the board can do practically nothing about it.

The one percenters (the No crowd) are interested in keeping one of the members of the "machine" in office. If the referendum is not approved I'm looking for Sonya Alford to run for superintendent. Remember the cocaine teacher incident. She's the district's highly paid HR director.

Bravo, I understand your point, but I disagree about your strategy. The best people will not run for office if they think they cannot beat the "homegrown connections". Winning the referendum will show people that the NO group can be defeated on other issues. One good victory will be the launching pad for many more. Even if we lose the vote, I think the NO crowd will know they have been in a fight.

Win or lose, just getting the referendum on the ballot and raising voter awareness and participation, especially in South Walton, will have effects that will last well beyond the election. It will be a slow process, but it is happening.