OCSD CTE

10/07/2026

🚨📞 Real-world careers came to life for students today! 📞🚨

Mr. Hook’s Dispatch students at Choctawhatchee High School welcomed Jennifer Lee and Casey Bilbrey from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office for an inside look at what it’s really like to work in emergency dispatch.

They shared everything from starting salary, health insurance and benefits to schedules and the volume of calls dispatchers handle — an average of 800 calls a day! Students also learned about innovative ways location apps and AI are being used in dispatch centers and had plenty of questions about the types of calls they would receive and what a typical day looks like.

With the impending storm, this presentation was especially timely, giving students a behind-the-scenes look at the emergency operations getting underway now right here in Okaloosa County.

Connecting students to real people, real careers, and real opportunities so they can see a future for themselves — this is how CTE makes a real difference!

A huge thank you to Casey and Jennifer for taking the time to visit our students and give them a firsthand look at the opportunities available in emergency dispatch! 🚀💙

Choctawhatchee High School
Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools
Okaloosa County School District
Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office

10/07/2026

🩺✨ Follow our Health Academy page to stay connected with this exciting program that prepares juniors and seniors for careers in healthcare!

See our students in action as they build skills, explore career opportunities, and take steps toward their futures! 📚💚

10/06/2026

👩‍🍳⚖️ Great teachers. Real-world skills. Big impact! 💙

The CTE Office welcomed our Criminal Justice and Culinary Arts instructors today for a productive day of professional learning! 📚✨

From curriculum and collaboration to certification testing procedures, our educators spent the day sharing ideas, strengthening instruction, and preparing students for success.

It’s always awesome to see these dedicated educators who make a real difference for students every day! 👏💙

Baker School Baker Criminal Justice Team Crestview High School Choctawhatchee High School Niceville High School Eagles Okaloosa County School District Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools

10/05/2026

🔬🕵️ Wrapping Up Forensic Science Week! 🧬🔎

Students in Mrs. McClendon’s classes put their investigative skills to work by researching real-life cases, creating detailed forensic case boards, and presenting their findings to the class! 👏📋

📞 Dispatch students explored the important role dispatchers played in their selected cases, while ⚖️ Criminal Justice students researched either juvenile or adult cases.

🌟 A special congratulations to these students for earning the top scores on their projects and presentations! Outstanding work, future investigators! 👏🎉

Baker School
Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools

10/05/2026

🎉 Guess what?! The Health Academy of NW Florida is now on Facebook! 🩺💙

Parents, current students, and future juniors and seniors interested in healthcare careers — we would love for you to follow our page and stay connected! 📲✨

Let’s introduce ourselves!

The Health Academy of NW Florida is an innovative partnership between HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and Okaloosa County School District. Through the academy, students interested in healthcare careers can gain valuable hands-on experience, earn industry-recognized certifications, and develop skills that prepare them for the workforce or continued education after high school. 🩺📚

Eligible students from Choctawhatchee High School, Fort Walton Beach High School, and Niceville High School Eagles can enroll in the program through the Career and Technical Education Department of OCSD, thereby fostering a pathway to a fulfilling and impactful career in healthcare.💙

🌐 Learn more about the program: https://www.okaloosaschools.com/o/mycteworks/page/health-academy-in-fwb

Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools

10/02/2026

🌉🏆 Building Bridges—and Bringing Home a Win!

Mr. Rynearson and Mrs. Belk participated in the Building Bridges Initiative teacher training in Tallahassee to prepare for the student competition on January 23. Their bridge held an impressive 32.6 pounds, earning them the win in the teacher competition! 👏🎉

We can’t wait to see our students put their engineering skills, creativity, and teamwork to the test! 🛠️💡

Niceville High School Eagles

10/01/2026

🩸🔬 Biomedical Science in Action at Fort Walton Beach High School! 🧬🕵️

Freshmen in Mrs. Beatty-Paizes’ BioMed program recently became forensic investigators while completing a hands-on blood-spatter analysis activity! 🧪📏

Students examined blood-spatter patterns, collected evidence, and applied scientific reasoning to determine what the patterns could reveal. This engaging activity allowed them to strengthen their observation, measurement, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills! 🧠🔍✨

What an exciting way to bring science to life in the classroom! Great work, Vikings! 👏💙

Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools

09/30/2026

🐾🔨 Panther Pride in Action! 🔨🐾

A huge thank-you to Mr. Huffstutler and his talented students at Davidson Middle School for building two amazing picnic tables for the Central Office in Niceville! 🪚🧰✨

These beautiful tables will give our staff a wonderful place to enjoy lunch and spend time outdoors. ☀️🥪🌳

Assistant Superintendents Mr. Meyer and Mrs. Maxey were there to see the Panthers’ awesome work firsthand! 👏🎉 We are so proud of these students for using their skills to create something that will be enjoyed by others for years to come.

Way to go, Panthers! 💙🐾💪

Marcus Chambers, Superintendent of Okaloosa County Schools

09/28/2026

09/28/2026