The Okaloosa County School District announced that Southside Primary School has earned an “Excellent Performance” designation from the Florida Department of Education for its 2024-2025 Summer Voluntary Prekindergarten Program.

• The designation represents the highest possible rating under Florida’s newly launched VPK accountability system, which measures program quality using performance metrics designed to ensure kindergarten readiness. Of 145 providers evaluated statewide, only 28% received the “Excellent” designation.

Under Principal Amy Bowles’ leadership, the VPK program taught by Ruby Keppel achieved an 88% proficiency rate among its students. Every child in the program was a PreK-D student transitioning to kindergarten, including one student who is deaf and hard of hearing.

Keppel earned a score of 6.72, the highest score achieved statewide. Only one other educator in Florida matched this distinction.

“This outstanding accomplishment is a testament to the dedication of our educators, the strength of our curriculum, and our unwavering commitment to early childhood education,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers. “It also highlights the critical role of our continued partnership with the Early Learning Coalition of the Emerald Coast, whose collaboration ensures that every child, regardless of background or ability, has the support they need to thrive from the very beginning.”

The new VPK accountability system was established under Section 1002.68, Florida Statutes, and Rule 6M-8.622, Florida Administrative Code. The system evaluates providers based on student performance and program quality.

• According to the Florida Department of Education, 76% of providers met or exceeded expectations statewide.

The Okaloosa County School District said it remains committed to expanding access to high-quality early learning experiences and celebrating educators who help lay the foundation for lifelong learning.