The Okaloosa County School Board appointed Jason McClelland as the new principal at Pryor Middle School and Lindsey Smith as the new principal at Fort Walton Beach High School.
- Superintendent Marcus Chambers recommended both candidates to the board at its meeting Dec. 11.
McClelland has worked in the Okaloosa County School System since 2005. He was first hired to teach science in grades 6-8 at Bruner Middle School. In 2008, then-Principal John Spolski appointed McClelland as the Dean of Students at Bruner, starting his journey into administration.
He became assistant principal at Destin Middle School in 2011, then moved to Niceville High School as assistant principal in 2013. In 2015, McClellan got his first principal job leading Mary Esther Elementary.
- “For over 18 years, Mr. McClelland has worked with amazing people from the Okaloosa County School District. He has had the privilege of working with some of the best in the county and is honored to have had their support along this journey to where he is today,” Chambers said.
McClelland thanked Chambers, the board and his family for their support over the years.
“I’m excited to begin working with the Pryor Middle School teachers, staff, students, parents and community. I know I have big shoes to fill but I do look forward to that task,” McClelland said. “It has been an amazing seven and a half years at Mary Esther Elementary. I’ve learned so much from each one of them there. So I want to thank my Thunderbird family for allowing me to be part of something special. I’ll never forget the memories we made together.”
He went on to also thank former principals he worked under for influencing him as a leader, along with his wife and daughter for their support.
Current Pryor Principal Brooke Barron has accepted a role at the District level where she will be the Director 1 of Okaloosa County’s schools Kindergarten through 12th Grade Curriculum and Instruction. She begins in January.
New principal at The Fort
In introducing Mrs. Lindsey Smith, Chambers noted the very large turnout of family, friends, and students in attendance for their new principal.
Mr. Smith is a graduate of the Okaloosa County School District. Her family settled in the area in 1995, where she attended Lewis Middle School, Meigs Middle School and graduated Choctawhatchee High School.
- She earned her bachelor’s in secondary English education at Florida State University in 2006 and was hired at Fort Walton Beach High School to teach 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade English at varying levels as well as thinking skills and creative writing.
Smith completed a master’s degree in educational leadership at University of West Florida in 2011. Her first administrative role came as assistant principal at Bruner Middle School.
She returned to Fort Walton Beach High School as an assistant principal in 2017 before becoming principal at Lewis School in January 2021.
- “Mrs. Smith is excited to rejoin the Viking family and is ready to passionately serve the Fort Walton Beach High School community, faculty, students and staff,” Chambers said.
Smith thanked the board and Chambers for their confidence in appointing her.
“I am grateful for the leaders who have helped to shape who I have become as an educator. Many of those people are in this room today, and I am thankful for what they saw in me and for their unwavering encouragement,” she said.
She also thanked the staff at Lewis School, her family, husband Chester Smith and their two children for supporting her along the way.
“I know it isn’t lost on anyone that this is a homecoming. My Viking family and community have been with me from the beginning as a first-year teacher (and) as I navigated into administration and have helped to mold the leader that I am now,” Smith said. “I am thrilled to be returning to The Fort and I’m excited to begin this new chapter. Go Vikings!”
Current FWBHS Principal John Spolski has accepted a new position at the District level where he will be an Assistant Superintendent.
