Okaloosa Superintendent of Schools Marcus Chambers is on a mission to connect with high school students and answer their pressing questions.
- Chambers recently kicked-off the “Fireside Chat Tour” that has him meeting with students from each high school in the district.
His first stop was Fort Walton Beach High School, and this past week he spoke with students from Choctawhatchee High School. Each meeting is attended by the school’s School Board Member who joins Mr. Chambers to field questions from the students.
The conversations have touched on various topics such as school safety, mental health, facilities, fundraising, CTE, course offerings, and more. According to Superintendent Chambers, these conversations are a two-way street. He gains insight into what is important to students, while the students get answers to their questions directly from their School Board Members and Superintendent.
“The students at Choctawhatchee High School and Principal Michelle Sullivan Heck met with School Board Member Dr. Lamar White and me at our Fireside Chat on Wednesday morning,” he said. “The students asked questions and discussed topics such as bookkeeping, honor clubs, school start times, FAST (Florida Assessment of Student Thinking), sports programs, school security, and more!”
The importance of these chats cannot be overstated, as they allow the Superintendent and School Board Members to make informed decisions that affect the students in the district.
- The Fireside Chat Tour will also make stops at Niceville High School, Crestview High School with Laurel Hill School, and Baker School before graduation.
“These conversations are as important for me, learning what our students are concerned about and focused on, as they are for them to hear the answers to their questions directly from their School Board Members and Superintendent, who make the decisions that affect them,” added Chambers.
