Below is a message from Superintendent Marcus Chambers on Public Schools:

In honor of Public Schools Week and “Give Thanks Thursday,” I would like to take this opportunity to express how grateful I am for public education and its impact on our area.

We are blessed to live in a community known for its beautiful beaches and large woodland areas. We are known for our population growth, thriving tourism economy, and significant military presence. We are known for our diversity and our unique municipalities, each having its own culture and identifying characteristics.

These are the things that make us a destination location.

These are some of the things that make us the perfect “postcard.”

These are some of the things that make us “Okaloosa Proud.”

What I am MOST proud of is our public schools. We, in Okaloosa, are blessed to have the best students and families in the State of Florida. We are blessed to have highly effective educators, staff professionals and administrators across our great county who are committed to making our student experiences exceptional and worthy of the name, “Okaloosa.”

I am always so impressed at the successes of our students and our schools and marvel at the strides they make each and every day. I am impressed at how hard our teachers work. I am impressed by how diligent our students are. I am impressed by the efforts of our support staff that helps to create a safe, healthy, and conducive learning environment. In Okaloosa County, “Everyone is Important!”

Nowhere in the State of Florida is public education more valued and appreciated than here in Okaloosa County. Our children are the future of our community and deserving of the fine schools that complete our area’s “postcard.”

So on “Give Thanks Thursday,” I would like to express the following:

• Thank you to those educators that made a difference in my life.
• Thank you to our students for all of your hard work and success.
• Thank you to all of our families, and in fact, all the residents of Okaloosa County who support our students and their achievements.
• And thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to those professionals in our school district who commit every day to making a difference in the lives of our students.

We are “Okaloosa Proud!”

Warmest regards,

Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools