Meet the candidates for Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County School Board.
We did not hear back from all of the candidates but will update this story if more candidates respond. Interviews may be condensed and edited.
Okaloosa County
District 2
Dewey Parker Destin
parkerdestin.com
What do you believe contributes to the success of a school district? What would be your role in supporting that success?
Destin: The employees of any school district are its greatest resource for realizing academic success. The role of the school board is to deliver as many resources as possible to those employees, within a balanced budget, so that they have the tools they need to do their job and also the compensation to make a living. Presently, out of 50 states and D.C., only West Virginia pays its teachers worse than Florida. That must change. My role is to work with the NWFL Legislative Delegation to bring back to Okaloosa County as much new funding and resources to the District as possible. Coupling State funding increases with budget line item efficiencies can set the stage for increased salaries for more experienced employees and alleviate salary compression so we can retain the best and most capable teachers/paraprofessionals.
Do you support Florida Amendment 1? Why or why not.
Destin: I DO NOT support Florida Amendment 1. The Florida Constitution presently requires non-partisan elections in school board elections for the historically good public policy reason that it substantially insulates those school elections from the worst forms of hyper-partisan campaigning and political gamesmanship that presently permeate all of our partisan county, state, and federal elections in Florida. The passage of Amendment One all but guarantees that dark money, partisan slander campaigns, partisan gridlock, and closed-primary disenfranchisement of voters will become the norm for all 67 of our State School Board races. We should continue to approach public education from a bipartisan approach, which the present/existing nonpartisan requirement incentivizes, and therefore Vote NO on Amendment One.
How do you think the school district should address book challenges?
Destin: The school district must comply with State Law and provide statutory due process for challenges. Age-appropriate standards must be applied for the review of such titles.
If you could accomplish one “Big Idea” you feel could take our schools to the next level of success and achievement, what would it be?
Destin: The one "Big Idea" I would like to see is the reformulation of how we graduate students and push over half toward four-year degree programs. Our economy desperately needs skilled trade labor (HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, Welding, etc.) and are willing to pay handsomely for those skills. I'd like to see the district commit to creating more defined and streamlined pathways for students identified as early as 9th grade into CTE/vocational training so as to prepare them to earn a living immediately upon graduation without a four-year earning delay and substantial student debt that may no longer result in a degree that delivers a return on investment for the student.
David Schmidt
davidschmidt2024.com
What do you believe contributes to the success of a school district? What would be your role in supporting that success?
Schmidt: Culture. When students, staff, and families are working together to continue to improve the culture of the learning environment each and every day, the quality of life for the students, staff, and families only will improve. To be more specific, the mission if elected is to be the number one school district in the country in career readiness. When the culture of the district and each school is pointing in the same direction to train up our students, alongside with the support of staff and parents, then we will be maintaining a culture of excellence in getting students prepared for higher wages, higher skilled opportunities. In Okaloosa County, 3% of students are graduating and going to a Technical College in the state of Florida. My role in supporting to improve that data point would be to provide even more access for the students for vocational skills so that 100% of students would graduate with a marketable skill set. So that our students, kids, and grandkids will stay local or move back home to have the opportunity to live, work, play, and invest in the community that helped raise them.
Do you support Florida Amendment 1? Why or why not?
Schmidt: No. Unfortunately, our country is already politically divided enough. I support the current procedures where school board candidates can run non-partisan and run a campaign on issues that impact education, students, staff, workforce development, and families. The non-partisan candidate will have to engage with the voters on whatever it is that the school board candidate believes is a priority.
How do you think the school district should address book challenges?
Schmidt: Continue to follow the current law. More specifically, I'd like to see each school board member appoint an ad hoc committee that is made up of a balance between parents of current students in the school system and current educators. This will help support the media specialist and the staff that already has a lot on their plate dealing with the day-to-day tasks in education on top of reviewing any books that are challenged.
If you could accomplish one “Big Idea” you feel could take our schools to the next level of success and achievement, what would it be?
Schmidt: To be the No. 1 school district in the country in career readiness. Okaloosa County and this region has so much talent that consist of the military community, agriculture, hospitality, professional services and many more sectors that make us unique compared to many other counties in the state and even the country. I believe strongly that our industries and homes are craving more skilled talent.
District 4
Timothy Bryant (Incumbent running unopposed)
facebook.com/bryantforeducation
Santa Rosa County
District 2
Candidates:
Mariya Calkins
facebook.com/votecalkins
Elizabeth Hewey
heweyforsrschoolboard.com
Oscar Locklin
locklin4kids.com
Elizabeth Hewey
What do you believe contributes to the success of a school district? What would be your role in supporting that success?
Hewey: Members of the Florida School Boards Association share the following beliefs: our work will be representative, professional, collaborative, innovative, and impactful.
- Representative – we will reinforce local decision-making and reflect diverse points of view.
- Professional – we will model ethical leadership and exemplary stewardship.
- Collaborative – we will act with cohesion, transparency, and intentional engagement.
- Innovative – we will focus on forward-thinking, innovative solutions, opportunities and possibilities.
- Impactful – we will strategically leverage initiatives, alliances and resources to produce measurable results.
Do you support Florida Amendment 1? Why or why not.
Hewey: Traditionally, Santa Rosa County is an at-large county where every registered voter votes on every school board member. I have heard much support and agree with our families backing the at-large, non-partisan concept where all the families get to vote on school board members.
Our families want the school district focused on students and academics. Our families understand that SRC school board member races are usually decided in the primary election, and a significant number of families would not be able to vote in the primary election under the new amendment. As the State Constitution stands today, all registered voters in Santa Rosa County are able to vote on all school board members in all districts.
How do you think the school district should address book challenges?
Hewey: Santa Rosa County families’ first priority is academics. Our families expect the school district to focus on the students and maintain our A school district ranking so students can be competitive and experience many opportunities in life. In District 2, I Volunteer in 5 schools (Berryhill, Central, Chumuckla, Jay, and Wallace Lake K-8) helping students and teachers.
Our families believe in parental rights for all. Families do an excellent job overseeing and participating in their children’s education which is a major reason why student performance is high. In addition, SRC families are very supportive of the teachers, staff, administrators, and the school district. Families appreciate that our policies involve all parents, and we are totally compliant with laws.
If you could accomplish one “Big Idea” you feel could take our schools to the next level of success and achievement, what would it be?
Hewey: My advanced degrees are from UWF College of Business Accounting and Finance where professors encourage over-achievement, so I would like to propose two big ideas that would provide impetus for student growth in Santa Rosa County schools. Santa Rosa County supports Community College and Technical Training as an area where families see the biggest opportunity for growth/improvement in the school district. I have actual experience and a successful track record directing two Community Technical College divisions where I managed large staffs, multi-million-dollar budgets, and supervised two state financial systems: Florida and South Carolina.
As an SRC School Board member, I am a proud supporter of Locklin Technical College that resides in District 2 where I just attended one of my favorite nurse pinning ceremonies. Programs span automotive to nursing to computer systems and cyber-security. There are waiting lists at Locklin Tech. Further, the college is instrumental in our high school broadcast classes providing additional opportunities for SRC high school students.
During 2023-24, I had the privilege of being on the committee reviewing the seven-period day. That effort should be renewed because the additional instructional time enhances our ability to offer more accelerated advanced classes and career technical courses for our high school students.
Adding back the 30 minutes a day instructional time gives our students more opportunities. It helps us provide additional remedial time in elementary and middle schools to improve gains for students in our lower 25%.
In high schools, student safety could be increased by adding one period a day for teacher duty. Teachers would teach five out of seven classes. They would have a planning period and be competitive with our neighboring counties that teach a seven-period schedule. This could be a teacher recruitment and retention benefit.
District 4
Candidates:
Charles “Charlie” Elliot
facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069005026370
Angie Straughn
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550546875303