🌱 How one Fort Walton Beach teacher keeps campus energy sky-high daily

Hey hey Fort Walton Beach! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How one Fort Walton Beach teacher keeps campus energy sky-high daily
• How could these school closures reshape Fort Walton Beach classrooms?
• Why Fort Walton Beach High’s principal just earned statewide recognition

Also on today's calendar: Fort Walton Beach Community Chorus Winter Concert — First Christian Church - Fort Walton Beach and 5 more events.

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 58 and low of 44 degrees.
• Friday: Mostly sunny and pleasant, temps: high: 72, low: 54.
• Saturday: Clouds giving way to sun, with a high of 72 and low of 55 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. HOW I WORK: An inside look at how FWBHS's Courtney Barnes brings creativity, connection, and energy to every part of her day (getthecoast.com) — Fort Walton Beach residents can get to know Courtney Barnes, the high-energy leadership teacher and cheer and step coach who helps shape daily life at Fort Walton Beach High School. A lifelong local, she juggles mentoring students, planning campus events, and a fashion-forward side job while emphasizing connection, positivity, and heart-first leadership in everything she does.
   

2. Superintendent to recommend closing Mary Esther, Longwood Elementary Schools amid declining enrollment (getthecoast.com) — Families in the Fort Walton Beach area face major school changes as the superintendent plans to recommend closing Mary Esther and Longwood Elementary at the end of 2025-26, rezoning students to other south-county schools. Driven by sharp enrollment declines and budget pressures, the proposal follows years of cost-cutting and data showing Fort Walton Beach area elementary enrollment dropping by hundreds of students.
   

3. Fort Walton Beach High School administrator receives prestigious award (wkrg.com) — Fort Walton Beach High School Principal Lindsay Smith has been honored as the 2026 Bill Montford Administrator of the Year, spotlighting her leadership and commitment to STEM education. The award brings state-level recognition to Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa County schools, and includes an interactive STEM experience at Tallahassee’s Challenger Learning Center.
   

4. Fort Walton Beach man pleads guilty to meth distribution (niceville.com) — A Fort Walton Beach man faces at least 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to meth distribution following an August traffic stop and home search that uncovered large quantities of drugs. Okaloosa County deputies and federal agents worked the case, which prosecutors say is part of a broader push to keep local communities safer.
   

5. South Walton moves up, Destin finds home in FHSAA reclassification (nwfdailynews.com) — Fort Walton Beach High’s football team will stay district rivals with Choctaw, but in a larger District 1-4A that now includes Escambia, Gulf Breeze, Milton and Washington, locking in half their schedule. Area programs like Destin, South Walton, Crestview and Niceville also see major shifts as the FHSAA releases tentative football classifications for the 2026-28 seasons.
   

📸 Around Fort Walton Beach

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Fort Walton Beach

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday December 12

• Winter Wonderland Christmas village (Day 1)
  Destin - Fort Walton Fairgrounds, ssi office, Fort Walton Beach
  6:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Thursday December 11

• Thursday Night Karaoke
  Soundside Waterfront Bar , 189 Brooks Street , Fort Walton Beach
  7:00 pm

Friday December 12

• The Fort Walton Woman's Club presents the 2nd Annual Festival of Trees ~ Holiday Tree Trek 2025
  Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce All round the towns of Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther and Shalimar!
• MidSouth Bank Taco Fiesta
  Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce , 768 Beal Pkwy NW , Fort Walton Beach
  11:00 am
• Fort Walton Beach Community Chorus Winter Concert — First Christian Church - Fort Walton Beach
  Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium , 107 US-98 , Fort Walton Beach
  7:00 pm
• Keep on Following the Star
  Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium , 107 US-98 , Fort Walton Beach
  7:00 pm
• The Decades by Request - A DJ Hosted Events
  The Gulf Club Restaurant and Sports Pub , 960 Highway 98 , Destin
  8:00 pm

Saturday December 13

• The Fort Walton Woman's Club presents the 2nd Annual Festival of Trees ~ Holiday Tree Trek 2025
  Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce All round the towns of Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther and Shalimar!

📣 Fort Walton Beach Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 11

• Healthcare Committee Meeting
  Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce 34 Miracle Strip Pkwy, SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
  7:45 am
• 3 - 6 yrs old Story Time
  Mary Esther Public Library , 100 Hollywood Blvd W , Mary Esther
  10:30 am
• Storytime For Ages 3-5
  Mary Esther, FL Calendar , 100 Hollywood Blvd , Mary Esther
  10:30 am
• Nothing But Networking at AJ's on the Bayou
  AJ's on the Bayou , 200 Eglin Parkway NE , Fort Walton Beach
  11:30 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• The eastbound lane at Racetrack and Eglin is now open.
  6:45PM on Dec 9: Traffic crash blocks eastbound lane at Racetrack and Eglin. (Nextdoor )
• They shot off fireworks from Okaloosa County pier tonight around 8pm.
  They only went about 2 minutes but they did have a grand finale. Anyone know what that was about? (Nextdoor Surf Dweller)

• Sodexo, Inc. posted a job opening for Utility Worker in Fort Walton Beach. Apply here.
• Whataburger posted a job opening for Restaurant Team Member, Weekend Shift - Unit 493 in Fort Walton Beach. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Fort Walton Beach here.

Ok Fort Walton Beach! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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