The Dolphin Report
Destin Elementary School
To access staff contacts, handbooks and more, visit our website at https://www2.okaloosaschools.com/o/destines
Mrs. Meyer, Principal / Mrs. Brown, Assistant Principal
Hello Dolphin Families! We hope everyone had a fun and restful spring break! We are thrilled to be starting the last quarter of the school year! This doesn't mean that things are slowing down at all though! Teachers and students remain busy in the classrooms with interactive and engaging learning activities. There are several field trips planned for the end of the year as well as student art work that will be displayed in a school art show and winners in the county art fair! 2nd grade is putting on a musical performance, our annual talent show auditions are coming up, we are hosting our first Spring Dance this month and spring pictures are happening!
Destin Middle School is coming to talk to our 4th graders about registering for 5th grade and state testing prep is in full swing!
We want to thank our PTO volunteers and PE coaches for hosting a very well organized field day for each grade level. Kudos to the kids for showing such good sportsmanship!
Our media specialist, Mrs. Fette, held an incredible book fair for our students! We were excited to see so many books going home with our kids and were happy to welcome many families as they joined their kids to find new books! The proceeds of the book fair will allow us to expand the opportunities and choices of reading material for our school!
With spring here, our butterfuly garden is looking beautiful! It's a great time of year to come eat lunch with your student at the picnic tables among the flowers! Thank you to those that continue to donate to this incredible space in our school. If anyone has whimsical garden art to add to our green spaces, we'd love to keep improving our outdoor spaces!
We truly have such a strong network of teachers, staff, students, volunteers, parents and community members at Destin Elementary School. Thank you to Village Baptist Church for sponsoring a paper drive for us! Chic fil A, Crumbl Cookie and are amazing partners for sponsoring spirit nights for us!
Continue to show your love and appreciation to our teachers and school staff as well. We love your kids with all of our hearts and our teachers pour so much of themselves into them every day. We are blessed!
4th Grade FAST Writing Test
Our 4th grade students will be taking their FAST Writing Test on April 3rd! Please make sure to have them at school on time that day! They should do their best to get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy breakfast. They have really worked hard on their writing skills this year and have turned into some excellent writers!
April is the Month of the Military Child!
Wear PURPLE on April 15th to show our love and support for our military kiddos! We will be highlighting these families all month!
DES and County Art Show in April
Pre-K Visits
We welcome our upcoming Kindergarten students onto campus for a mini orientation on April 11th. Any parents of kids who do not attend a preschool with a planned visit, may bring their child at 11:30 that day. The visits should take about 30 minutes each. Parents should stay with their children and all visitors must sign in through the front office. We will meet in the media center for a brief presentation followed by a tour around school to include seeing a kindergarten classroom. This is a voluntary opportunity to introduce students to Destin Elementary School. There will be a "Meet the Teacher" day prior to school starting as well as an orientation with your child's teacher when school starts in August.
Kindergarten Parent Information Night!
Parents of upcoming Kindergarten students, we will host informational nights on Monday, May 6th at 5:30 and Tuesday, May a 7th at 5:30 in our multipurpose room. This will be a presentation of what you can expect when your child starts school at Destin Elementary School. There will be opportunities for questions as well. These meetings are designed to reduce some of the anxiety that comes with getting your baby ready to go to "big school". The meetings are optional and you may attend either night. Both nights are the same presentation. We will also be hosting another opportunity to get this information later in the summer :)
Change For Children Drive Benefitting Children in Crisis
Classes will be collecting Change the week of April 1-5 to benefit the Children in Crisis! We have been the top Elementary School in the county the last couple of years- let's keep that going! Each class has a jug for students to put their change in. The class that collects the most by the end of the week will be recognized with a Pizza Party! Thank you for helping us support this incredible organization that serves so many kids in our area!
Spring Pictures
Spring Dance
Come join us for our first ever Spring Dance! Order forms for tickets will be sent home on Friday, April 5th. You will be able to purchase your tickets the week of April 8-12. NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AFTER this date. NO TICKET SALES AT THE DOOR. Please make sure you pre-order so we can plan for the appropriate number of attendees! Parents must attend the dance with their children :)
Chic Fil A and East Pass Coffee
Thank you for helping DES! Chic Fil A spirit night on April 10th (must order online with the app) and East Pass Coffee spirit morning on April 25th! Please visit these businesses and tell them you are from DES to support our school!
Thank you Henderson Beach Resort for your Book Donation!
How Are We Doing? We would love your feedback! :)
End of Year Testing Schedule!
Families,
Please help your students by making sure they are present and on time for their state FAST/Star testing dates. Getting a good nights sleep, eating a healthy breakfast and encouraging a positive attitude will help your student be able to perform the best they can! Thank you!
*Individual classes may have changes to the schedule. Please confirm your testing dates with your child's teacher.
Healthy Schools Newsletter for April
Annual Talent Show
Attendance H.E.R.O (Here Everyday Ready On-time)
We understand that there are circumstances that require late arrivals, early checkouts and absences from time to time, however, we ask that you make every effort to try to have students to school on time and avoid early check outs whenever possible.
To encourage full day attendance, we will be having weekly drawings to reward those that are here all day, every day of the week! We will draw 2 names each week from the students with perfect attendance that week to come to the office for a certificate for a free treat from a local business!
Thank you for helping us promote good attendance so we can continue to see our students be as successful as possible!
Ms. Lisa Brown was named HCA Florida Healthcare's teacher of the month!
THANK A TEACHER!
Have you ever wanted to thank a special teacher for the impact they've made on your life? Here's your chance!
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital and the Okaloosa County School District have partnered to celebrate the Okaloosa County School District's dedicated educators! Students, Families, and staff members are encouraged to share their stories about a particular teacher's inspiring actions, supportive words, creative lessons, or just their overall positive impact. Each month of the 2023-2024 school year, one nominated teacher will win $250 from HCA Florida Healthcare and be highlighted on social media.
Nominate the teacher who impacted you by clicking the link below or visit OkaloosaSchools.com, click on "Parents/Students" and select "Thank a Teacher."
https://forms.gle/vp84LbWTaPp4jjin6
@hcafloridahealthcare HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital
PTO Sponsorships for DES
THANK YOU TO OUR CURRENT SPONSORS!
Platinum Sponsors:
The Spa at Emerald Grande
Timberview Helicopter
Emerald Bay Plumbing
GOLD SPONSORS
Scenic Real Estate
Coastal Pediatric Group
Austin Music Lesson Academy
SILVER SPONSORS
Please make sure to put your child's name on all jackets and water bottles! Lost and Found is already filling up! Unclaimed items will be donated.
Things You Need To Know
Students may purchase breakfast in the cafeteria before class if they choose.
School starts at 8:25. All students should be in their classroom no later than this or they will be marked tardy.
Please make every effort to be on time. Instruction starts at 8:25 and it is uncomfortable for students to enter late and try to catch up on what they missed :)
No visitors will be allowed on campus unless they sign in through the front office.
Drop off- Students may ride the bus, come by car or walk/ride bikes to school. Walkers and bike riders have 3 gates they may enter. One is on Beach Drive at the back of the school (we call this yellow gate), one to the left of the front office (we call this the kindergarten gate) and one to the right of the front of the school by the kindergarten playground ( we call this the black gate).
Car riders will come through the car line on Kelly St. Please have your students ready to exit the car when you pull up to the drop off point so we can keep things flowing smoothly!
DO NOT drop off students across the street and have them cross traffic or walk in front of the car line to come to school. I understand the car line can get long, however, this causes a very dangerous situation and we want our kids to be safe- thank you.
You may park at the Catholic Church on Beach Drive and walk your student to the yellow gate if you don't want to wait in the car line. Please do not park in the yards/driveways of people who live around the school. We want to be respectful of their property.
Breakfast and lunch are able to be purchased each day. The menu can be viewed by clicking the following link. Keep in mind that there are times the menu changes without notice.
https://okaloosaschools.nutrislice.com/menus-eula
You may access the application for free and reduced lunches with the link below. We encourage everyone to fill out the form whether you think you will qualify or not. :)
https://www2.myschoolapps.com/
Breakfast and Lunch Prices are listed below.
You can add money to your child's account online by creating an account at https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home
We welcome parents to come eat lunch with your kids any day of the week! Due to limited seating in the cafeteria, we ask that you eat outdoors only at any of our picnic tables or benches around campus. You may bring lunch in to eat with your child or buy lunch in the cafeteria. We do not accept deliveries for lunch such as fast food drop offs or Door Dash orders. Calling classrooms for students to pick up their lunch disrupts instruction and causes much confusion and traffic in the front office. When you come to eat with your child, you may only take your child with you. Please do not invite friends to join you. This is for everyone's safety. Sign in through the front office when visiting, please :)
*Side note about lunch- Students are allowed to purchase ice cream, chips and other treats at lunch as long as there is money in their account, unless you contact the cafeteria and tell them otherwise. When students buy these extra treats, most of the time that is all they eat. The rest of the lunch goes in the trash. We want parents to be aware. If you would like to limit what your child buys, please write a note to the cafeteria or call to talk to them. :)
Early Checkouts: If you need to check your child out early for any reason, please come to the front office to sign them out. We ask that you come no later than 2:15 for early checkouts. Dismissal time gets very hectic in the front office we need that time to handle transportation changes and make sure kids get to their correct locations to get home.
If your child is needing to change the way they go home, you MUST write a note that includes your child's full name, teachers name, the date and the way you want them to go home. Please sign the note and send it to school with your child. Their teacher will get it to the office for you.
Dismissal - Please be patient for the first couple of weeks of school! Dismissal begins at 2:55 and students are released in waves.
ALL students will be given a tag that is placed on their backpacks. They will be assigned a tag number.
Any parents picking up in car line MUST have a matching car tag to their students backpack tag. You will be sent to the front office to get your child if you do not have your car tag at pickup.
Kindergartener walkers will be picked up at the kindergarten gate to the left of the front office. Parents of kindergarten walkers only will be required to show their matching tag. Older students may go home as walkers/bike riders without a parent meeting them.
Kindergarteners are walked to their appropriate places for dismissal.
***If you plan to volunteer at school this year, including attending field trips with your student, you must have a current volunteer application on file. You can access this application at the following link:
To Access Bus Routes, click on the link
Clubs and Activities
Club registrations with information about age requirements, cost and dates/times will be sent home a few weeks after school begins!
Drone Club
Lego Club
Coding Club
Drama Kids - After school on Thursdays
Violin - After school on Wed and Fri
Music Club
Good News Club (all grades)
Library Club (4th grade)
Gardening Club
HOPE Squad (4th grade only)
Safety Patrol (4th grade only)
Junior Deputy (4th grade only)
Destin Ambassadors (all grades, students chosen by admin)
Upcoming Events:
April
2- Lockdown/Fire Drill
3 - all of 2nd grade - field trip to Crestview Zoo
3- 4th Writing FAST Test 8:30-10:30
8-12 Destin Elementary Art Show
10- Spring Pictures
11- PTO @7:45 in the media center
11- Pre-K visits
15- DMS coming to talk to 4th grade classes during specials about registration (11:45)
15- Purple Up! Wear purple for military kids!
17- 3rd Pirate Ship Field Trip (Schmidt, Wall, Donatelli, Taylor)
18- 3rd Grade Pirate Ship Field Trip (Bitler, Davis, Williams)
19- 3rd Grade Pirate Ship Field Trip (Henry, Litka, Vasquez)
19- Spring Dance at Destin United Methodist Church Gym 6:00-8:00
24-“Paint the Music" Art/Music Field Trip for 4th grade.
25- 2nd grade Musical Performance 1:30
26-KG Fairy Tale Ball’s in classrooms (Burns, Huffman, Nelson, Turner)
29- Talent show Auditions afterschool
30- Talent Show Auditions afterschool
May
1- KG Math Star Testing
3- KG Reading Star Testing
7- Lockdown/Fire Drill
9-PTO @7:45 in the media center
9- KG field trip to Gulfarium (Huffman, Howell, Schillinger, Nelson, Burns)
10-KG field trip to Gulfarium (Deslauries, Pisarchuk, Luallen, Turner)
13- 3rd Field trip to skating rink (Schmidt, Wall, Donatelli, Taylor, Bitler)
14- Dewey Destin Snow Cone Truck here to celebrate successful completion of testing!
14- Dress Rehearsal Afterschool for Talent Show
15- 3rd Field trip to the skating rink (Henry, Litka, Vasquez, Williams, Davis)
15- Dress Rehearsal Afterschool for Talent Show
16- Talent show at 6 pm
17- Burns EOY Party-Classroom- 8:45-10:20
17- 4th Grade Wax Museum - 9:00-11:00am
21- Pre-KD- graduation in library 9:30-11:00 am
22- 4th Grade End of Year Party to Wild Willie’s (8:30-1:30)
24- 4th Graduation
24- Last Day for Students
Pop Top Collection to Support the Ronald McDonald House!
Please collect these tops throughout the year and send them into school with your child or bring them to the lobby of the front office and place them in the container.
Thank you for helping us support a very special organization that helps families every day!
Are you interested in getting paid to tutor students?
New Addition Coming to DES!
We are excited to report that we are finishing up the design phase of a new 32 classroom addition to house our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students on the Destin Elementary School campus. Phase I got approval at the April 24, 2023 School Board Meeting. The new build will include a new front office, additional bathrooms and a new multipurpose building. We will also have plenty of additional parking!!!
All portable buildings will be removed once the building is complete!
The design process is a continual, collaborative process that takes time. Our process will focus on the school’s academic needs, technology, safety and security.
The new construction is tentatively scheduled for completion in August 2026.