Education Archive

Dayna Hood, a teacher at Milton High School, was due for professional development training Friday morning, Jan. 16. That plan was delayed when she was called back to Milton High for a big surprise.

Hood was selected as the district teacher of the year for 2027.

Santa Rosa Education Foundation has announced the three finalists selected from five semifinalists for Santa Rosa Teacher of the Year. Congratulations to Audra Hughes, Avalon Middle, Bayleigh Upton, Jay High, Dayna Hood, Milton High.

Santa Rosa Education Foundation has announced the five semifinalists selected from 37 school nominees for Santa Rosa Teacher of the Year.

In theater, people see the culmination of a cast’s hard work — the dance they practiced for hours, the notes they sang until they could hold them for as many counts as possible, the expressions and lines painstakingly practiced. Audience members see the culmination of the hard work, but not the hard work itself.

Daniel Hahn, the former director of school safety for Santa Rosa County District Schools, has pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery charge. He was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Santa Rosa County District Schools Superintendent Dr. Karen Barber was honored with the prestigious North Star Award at the Scouting America Gulf Coast Outstanding Citizens Luncheon Nov. 5.

Deputy Tony Jordan has 31 years of service under his belt, and he’s using his experience to better connect with the children he works with at Thomas L. Sims Middle School as a school resource officer. Jordan recently began his “Lunch with a Deputy” program, where a student is selected to sit, talk and eat lunch with the SRO.

Twenty schools won Florida Power and Light’s $50,000 STEM Classroom Makeover Grant for the 2024-2025 school year, and Avalon Middle School was one of them. As a result, Theresa Yankovoy, who teaches STEM and sixth-grade social studies at Avalon, got a classroom makeover and new gadgets.

Dayna Hood says she gets the question, “Why teaching?” a lot.

Jennifer Schmitt is the new principal of Navarre High School.
The current Navarre High assistant principal will take over as head of the school Jan. 5, 2026, when Kasie Windfelder leaves for the same position at Soundside High School.