Inside This Issue:Inside This Issue:

March 2021 Volume 1, Issue 3

1 Music in our Schools Month®

2 Early Registration

3 Covid Updates State Testing Update Parent Survey

4 Bus Bulletin In the Classroom5 Half Cent Sales Tax Update

For more than 30 years, March has been officially designated Music In Our Schools Month® (MIOSM®) by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all stu-dents. MIOSM is an opportunity for schools and educators to highlight their music programs and to display the benefits for students of all ages. The Okaloosa County School District provides excellence in music education for students at ele-mentary, middle, and high school levels. Our stu-dents are high performing in state and national com-petitions, and despite the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions, OCSD celebrated the accomplishments of over 60 band and chorus students who were recognized as 2020-2021 All-State winners.

Catch the WAVE

Monthly updates from Superintendent Chambers

Music in our Schools Month®

Our music educators provide well-rounded, standards-based instruction and share their expertise through participation in numer-ous community events. Multidisciplinary collaboration provides stu-dents with meaningful connections to other subject areas enhancing the performing arts as well as academic achievement.Throughout the month of March, schools are invited to celebrate and recognize the importance of music education.

Early Registration

Page 2Catch The Wave

The Okaloosa County School District began early registration for the 2021-22 school year on March 8. This registration is for children new to the school district, including those entering kindergarten. Florida law provides that any child who will be five on or before September 1st is eligible for kindergarten that school year.

Registration may be initiated online at www.okaloosaschools.com/schools/2021/registration-portal or at any time during the regular school day at your child’s zoned school.

To complete the registration process, parents/guardians must have:• Proof of the child’s age (birth certificate)• Florida certificate of immunization• Social Security card• School physical dated no later than 12 months before the

first day of school• Proof of residencyParents/guardians may obtain further information by calling your child’s zoned school or Curriculum and Instruction at 850-833-4208.

Summer VPK Registration for 2021-2022Registration for the Summer VPK Program is also available. Florida law provides that any child who turned five on or before September 1, 2021, and is eligible to attend kindergarten in the 2021-2022 school year and did not attend VPK during the current 2020-2021 school year is eligible to participate in Summer VPK. To register for Sum-mer VPK, a certificate of eligibility must be obtained from the Early Learning Coalition.

For Summer VPK enrollment, parents/guardians must have:• Proof of Florida residency • All registration documents listed above for school registration

New Student Registration for 2021-2022

The Summer VPK site will be Elliott Point Elementary (South area), enrollment permitting. Parents must pro-vide transportation for Summer VPK students. Further information for Summer VPK enrollment may be obtained by calling the Early Learning Coalition Program at 850-833-3627 or Ms. Debbie Haan at 850-689-7211.

Covid-19 Update

Page 3Catch The Wave

State Testing UpdateStudents are about to begin state assessments and end-of-course exams. Due to state requirements, all students, including mySchool Online students, must test at their brick-and-mortar school. Each school has developed an assessment plan to ensure a safe testing environment for their mySchool Online students. Families will be provided information from their school detailing the COVID-19 safety protocols for mySchool On-line students.

Students Attending MySchool Online

Assessment ScheduleState standardized testing begins in April. Each school has created its testing calendar for administering the FSA, Statewide Science Assessment, and End-of-Course Exams for middle and high school students. Look for information from your child’s school re-garding these upcoming assessments.

The COVID-Dashboard has been updated to show student and staff positive cases through March 13th, which is the latest information available from the State Depart-ment of Health. It can be viewed on our website, www.okaloosaschools.com, under the following graphic.

Parent SurveyWe Need Your Input!Please complete a survey for each of your children enrolled in Okaloosa County School District Schools. It is brief and there is no log-in neces-sary! Click the image to get started!

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In the ClassroomBaker Town Hall

Are you Following us?

Bus Bulletin

Students have felt the repercussions of Covid-19 more than most. On Friday, March 12th, Superintendent Chambers and School Board Member Linda Evanchyk hosted a Town Hall style question and answer session with Leadership students at Baker School.

Get Real-Time Updates About Your Student’s Bus!We are excited to announce that on April 5th, the Okaloosa County School District will begin using Bus Bulletin to send notifications to parents if there are unexpected delays or schedule changes involving your student’s bus. We know that families are concerned about the safety of their students, and this notification system will keep you updated if there are delays in getting your student to and from school. If you would like to receive these notifications, please register with Bus Bulletin at the website below. Parents will need to know their student’s school name and bus number.• There is no cost for this service.• Registration is simple and fast.• You can choose to receive text messages, phone calls, and e-mails.• All contact information is stored securely and will not be shared or sold -

your privacy is protected.For more information, or to sign-up and start receiving notifications, please visit:www.BusBulletin.com/parentsGo online and register NOW so you can receive importantbus notifications beginning April 5th!For help with registration, call your Transportation Department: North: 689-7301 Central: 833-4203 South: 833-3555.

Page 5Catch The Wave

Are you Following us?

Half Cent Sales Tax UpdateCitizens’ Oversight CommitteeA Citizens’ Oversight Committee was established by the School Board to review the progress of projects approved under the Half Cent Sales Tax and to ensure funds are expended as outlined in each school’s project list. The next meeting of the group is Tuesday, March 23rd at 4:00 pm in the Niceville Administrative Complex. Significant work is already underway in the area of school safety, roofing, and planning and de-sign for construction projects at existing school sites. For more information about meeting times, contact Jan Crawford at 833-5895 or Steve Horton at 689-7117.

Citizens’ Oversight Committee Membership• Michelle Anchors – Founding Partner, Anchors/Gordon Law Firm• Monica Autrey – Operations Manager, Destin Water Users, Inc.• Jason Belcher – Executive Vice President, FNBT Bank• Mike Carroll - Owner, Hub City Smokehouse and BBQ Grill• Jacob Foreman – Sales Associate, Caldwell Banker Realty• Bernard Johnson – Central District Regional Manager, Gulf Power Company• Vince Mayfield – CEO and co-founder of Bit-Wizards Information Technology

Solutions, Inc.• James Puckett – Retired, (Okaloosa County Facility and Parks Maintenance

Manager)• Marcus Wilson – Lt. Colonel, United States Air Force