Demolition of some of the old buildings at Wakulla High School got underway last week to make way for new buildings.

The old part of the high school, built in 1967, is being demolished as a new classroom-administration building will be built, flanked by a performing arts center at one end and a new gym at the other. A new layout of the school will have the entrance coming in at the traffic light off U.S. Highway 98. The whole project will not be finished until 2028.

Wakulla County Schools is proud to announce a historic achievement following the release of school grades by the Florida Department of Education. For the first time in district history, every traditional school in Wakulla County Schools earned an “A” rating.

All seven graded schools in Wakulla County Schools received an “A” for the 2025–26 school year, placing Wakulla County Schools 8th among Florida’s 67 school districts. (COAST Charter School, which is a public school but run independently of the district, was graded a C.)
“This monumental achievement is not only a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence but also solidifies the promise we’ve made to our community – that regardless of your address, every child in Wakulla County has access to a world-class education and truly phenomenal experiences at each of our schools,” said Superintendent of Schools Rick Myhre.
Riversprings Middle School, Wakulla Middle School, Medart Elementary School, Crawfordville Elementary School, and Shadeville Elementary School maintained their “A” ratings, while Wakulla High School and Riversink Elementary School returned to an “A” rating.
“While we are proud of this achievement, it will not be our peak,” said Myhre. “Each school has already begun planning an even brighter future for our students. We are instilling a spirit of growth and determination where ‘good enough’ isn’t part of the conversation. Our purpose is to ensure Wakulla County Schools stand as the beacon of American exceptionalism that our forefathers envisioned for our country 250 years ago. The very best of America’s communities are built on the bedrock of successful public schools, and Wakulla is the very epitome of that reality.”
This milestone reflects the district’s continued commitment to academic excellence, student support, and strong school-community partnerships. It also aligns with the Wakulla County Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan, which focuses on increasing student achievement, supporting rigorous and relevant instruction, strengthening culture and climate, and using data to guide continuous improvement.
The district’s Strategic Plan identifies student achievement as a key priority area, with a goal of increasing overall achievement on state standardized assessments so that Wakulla County Schools ranks in the Top 10 of all Florida districts. With this year’s results, Wakulla County Schools has reached that target and continues to demonstrate what is possible when students, families, teachers, staff, administrators, and the community work together with a shared commitment to student success.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

Wakulla Superintendent of Schools warned that he was going to brag on the school system at a Chamber luncheon event last week slugged as the State of Education.
At the Tuesday, July 14 event at the community center attended by about 75 people, Myhre did just that, boasting that Wakulla is the highest performing district in the Big Bend, No. 1 in graduation rate in the state, and No. 1 in middle school acceleration.

Wakulla is ranked in the Top 10 in the state at No. 8 and “within striking district of being No. 5,” Myhre said.
It’s also the first time that every school in the district is an A. (COAST Charter School is a public school but run independently and for the second year in a row had a grade of C.)
While proud of the district grade, “My goal is to be No. 1,” Myhre said. “Being the Top 10 is wonderful, but I want to be No. 1.”
This is the fourth consecutive year of A performance by Wakulla schools.
Myhre noted that growth in the Crawfordville area has led to Crawfordville Elementary reaching its limit on students, leading to rezoning that is directing students to Medart Elementary.
“No matter where you live in Wakulla County, every school is an A,” Myhre said.
He touted the high school’s vocational programs through the War Eagle Academy, a $20 million facility paid for largely by Triumph Gulf Coast money that offers 16 career pathways.
He noted the planned return of art and music instruction to elementary schools this year.
And he promoted the optional 1 mill tax referendum that will appear on the November ballot as an effort to sustain excellence.
He noted that 20 of the 67 school districts in Florida already do the optional 1 mill.
Myhre also said his annual tax bill for schools is less than his phone bill.
“There is no better investment in our community than public education,” Myhre said.

A ballot measure for a 1 mill levy for schools is to be put on the November ballot for voters to approve or deny.

The Wakulla County Commissioners voted at their meeting on July 13 to send the ballot language to the supervisor for elections to be included on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. (County commissioners were only conducting a magisterial vote to put the matter on the ballot; the school board voted unanimously back in June to ask for the 1 mill of additional revenue from local voters.)
Superintendent Rick Myhre told county commissioners at their meeting that the extra revenue would go towards teacher pay, student athletics and activities – and to continue free school meals for all students.
Myhre calculated the cost of meals at $4 per day times 180 school days for a total of $740 per student.

By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor

The Wakulla County School Board and the Charter School for Arts, Science and Technology (COAST) in St. Marks have reached a settlement, it was announced at the school board meeting on June 15.
The school board voted at the meeting to accept COAST’s newly submitted charter application.
On the recommendation of Superintendent of Schools Rick Myhre, the school board voted to reject the application from COAST back in March.

COAST then filed an appeal of the decision to the state Division of Administrative Hearings claiming the district could not wield its renewal power over the charter school this way.
Myhre and district staff had contended COAST’s application for renewal of the charter was outdated, that it basically resubmitted the application from 1999 when the school was founded – though the school’s offerings and services had changed over the past 25 years.
A settlement was reached with the charter school, which included that it would submit a new charter application to be reviewed by the district.
The school also agreed to cover the district’s legal fees.
In a memo to the the COAST board several months ago, Superintendent Myhre recommended terminating the contract and suggested the school look at becoming a private school.
The school would still be able to get state scholarship monies for students, but it would face less onerous requirements than as a public school.

The Wakulla 12U All-Stars appeared at the county commission meeting on Monday, June 1, as district champs and as they prepare for the state championship in Lake City.

Coach Jason Perez said the boys on the team are proud of representing Wakulla and when they won at the district level, they wanted to celebrate by jumping off the high dive at Wakulla Springs in their uniforms. The team is seeking to raise money for travel expenses – donations can be made at the website wakullabaseball.com or through the Facebook page for Wakulla County Youth Baseball.

Principal: Josh Sandgren

Achievements/Reason for Nomination: Makena is an exceptional student who consistently earns top marks in advanced coursework and demonstrates excellence in the school’s band program. In addition to her academic and extracurricular achievements, she has gone above and beyond by dedicating her time to tutoring fellow students in science. Through one-on-one support and encouragement, Makena has worked diligently to help her classmates better understand key scientific concepts in preparation for the 8th grade science assessment. Her leadership, commitment, and willingness to help others make her truly deserving of recognition as Student of the Week.

By WALT JACOBS/Correspondent

On April 28th, Wakulla High School announced Shannon Smith as the new head coach of the wrestling program.

Smith will succeed Nate Litowsky, who led the War Eagles to a 50-7 record in dual meets and qualified 14 wrestlers for the FHSAA State Championship during his two seasons at the helm. Additionally, in his final season, Litowsky led Wakulla to an 8th place finish at the FHSAA State Championship (IBT) and a berth in the state semifinals at the FHSAA State Dual Championship.
Smith is no stranger to Wakulla wrestling. He competed at WHS from 1984-1988. After graduation, Smith joined the U.S. Marine Corps and upon completion of his service, his journey eventually led him back to his hometown.
Since his return, Smith has devoted himself to serving the community where he was raised. In 2002, when he found that there were no opportunities for youth wrestlers in Wakulla County, Smith felt compelled to fill that void by launching the county’s first youth wrestling club, known as Team Wakulla. He began with six wrestlers, and by 2016 the club had grown to 75 members. Team Wakulla, led by Smith and former War Eagle Coach Will Pafford, has been instrumental in the success Wakulla Wrestling has enjoyed for nearly a quarter of a century, including two FHSAA State Dual runner-up finishes: one in 2019 and another in 2020.
Contemporaneously, Smith also taught at Riversprings Middle School and coached wrestling until 2018. While there, Smith laid the foundation for a middle school wrestling powerhouse that has, to date, won 24 consecutive county championships; 14 were during his tenure as head coach.
If you ever meet Smith, you’ll realize very quickly that he enjoys winning and that he is very passionate about Wakulla Wrestling. You will also learn that he genuinely cares for the athletes in his charge.
After an 8-year hiatus, the announcement of Smith’s return to coaching was met with a favorable response from the wrestling community on social media, which is a testament to the lasting impression he has made on each of them.
Smith’s passion for the sport and investing in young people has not waned over the years. In Wakulla County, he plans to continue to grow wrestling, a sport that is currently the fastest-growing high school sport in the U.S. for both boys and girls. While acknowledging Wakulla’s rich wrestling tradition, he aspires to take the program to even higher heights. Smith said, “We have always been competitive and respected in the state. I would like to see us continue to grow and strive to get in the top five consistently at the IBT State Tournament.”
For anyone interested in Wakulla Wrestling contact Coach Smith by email at Shannon.smith@wcsb.us