The Okaloosa County School Board on Monday night unanimously approved the appointment of Destin Elementary Principal Amy Meyer as the next principal of Niceville High School, filling the upcoming vacancy left by Charlie Marello’s move to director of human resources earlier this month.
- Superintendent Marcus Chambers presented Meyer’s appointment during the April 27 board meeting, describing a career rooted in the same school and community she will now lead.
Meyer grew up in a military family and spent most of her life in Niceville, where she attended Okaloosa County schools and graduated from Niceville High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of West Florida.
She began her teaching career at Valparaiso Elementary School, where she taught kindergarten through second grade in self-contained classrooms. She later transferred to Niceville High School, where she worked with students with disabilities before transitioning to teaching algebra, geometry and intensive math.
During her time at Niceville High, Meyer served as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsor, was voted Teacher of the Year and earned national board certification.
- She went on to begin her administrative career as an assistant principal at Destin Elementary School and was later named its principal.
Meyer is married to her husband Grant, who is also a Niceville High School graduate. Their two sons, Hayden and Harley, also attended the school.
Board Member Parker Destin, whose district includes Destin Elementary, praised Meyer before the vote.
“She has been the Destin Elementary School principal the entirety that I’ve been on the board,” Destin said. “I never had to worry about anything at Destin Elementary because Amy was keeping an eye on things.”
Board Member Dr. Lamar White noted he has two grandsons at Destin Elementary and told Meyer he had explained to them that her departure “is a good thing.”
In her remarks to the board, Meyer called the appointment surreal and deeply personal.
- “Standing here tonight, being named the next principal of Niceville High School — the very place where I once walked as a student — is something my teenage self would never, ever have seen coming,” Meyer said.
She described her connection to the school as a family story, not just a professional one.
“My husband is also a proud graduate of Niceville High School. Both of my boys, Hayden and Harley, walked the same halls as Eagles,” Meyer said. “It’s been a part of our family’s life for years and has helped shape the people we are today.”
Meyer acknowledged the difficulty of leaving Destin Elementary, a school she said changed her not just as a leader but as a person.
- “The students, the staff, the families, and the entire community has changed me. I grew tremendously there, not just as a leader, but as a person, and I wouldn’t trade that time for anything,” she said.
She told the Niceville High community she believes in building a culture where every student feels seen, supported and challenged.
“Whether you’ve been there for years or you’re just walking onto campus for the first time, my goal is for everyone to feel a sense of pride, belonging, and connection the moment you step through the doors,” Meyer said.
