education

Bay District Schools

The dedicated team of professional educators, support staff and administrators at Bay District Schools (BDS) is committed to delivering high-quality educational services to all students in Bay County. With a diverse array of schools and talented educational leaders, students have access to a plethora of rigorous academic opportunities with a deep level of individualized support and differentiation.

Students with special needs are served in the regular academic setting where appropriate. They can also choose to attend many special service schools if parents prefer those educational settings. Elementary schools prioritize character-building and citizenship lessons alongside academics. Students have multiple opportunities throughout the year to volunteer and to “give back” to the community that supports them.

District Facts

43 SCHOOLS

• 3 High Schools

• 4 Middle Schools

• 17 Elementary Schools

• 5 Combined Grade Level Schools (1-K-8th, 1-K-12th, 2-6th-12th)

• 3 Special Purpose Schools

• 1 Adult/Technical School

• 9 Charter Schools

• 1 Virtual School

TOTAL STUDENTS: 27,389 (PRE-K - 12)

Middle school students have the ability to prepare for advanced academic coursework in high school by enrolling in a variety of advanced and pre-AP classes where available. In high school, students can further advance their post-graduation pathways by participating in a wide variety of Dual-Enrolled, Advanced Placement, IB and AICE coursework. Many students graduate from high school with an Associate’s Degree already in hand, thanks to their partnership with Gulf Coast State College. Other students choose to enroll in specific Career and Technical Education courses that lead to valuable industry certifications, college credit, and job opportunities with high-wage positions.

While academics are the primary responsibility, the district places a high priority on safety and security. Working in tandem with area law enforcement officers and District Safety and Security Department, all campuses are protected with their own dedicated law enforcement officers, secure perimeters and controlled access points.

Community involvement is welcome and is always in need of mentors, volunteers, guest speakers and other business leaders who want to work with our students and support our schools.

ETHNICITY

• White .............................................. 61.65% / 13,830

• African American ................................ 15.4% / 3,450

• Hispanic 13.6% / 3,050

• Other 7.4% / 1,660 (i.e., American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander and multi-racial)

OTHER STUDENT STATS

• Student with Exceptionalities (ESE which includes gifted students) 5,905

• Homeless Students 1,285

• English Language Learners (ELL) ...................... 1,338 44 different languages spoken by ELL students from 43 countries

GRADUATING SENIORS

• Students are recognized in the National Merit Scholarship program every year

FEDERAL GRADUATION RATE (STANDARD DIPLOMA)

DISTRICT

• A. Crawford Mosley High School ...................... 94.2%

• Bay High School ............................................. 83.6%

• J.R. Arnold High School ....................................92.2%

• Rutherford High School ................................... 77.3%

• Deane Bozeman High School ........................... 90.9%

Elementary Schools

The Bay School District is one of the top employers in Bay County.

MORE THAN 3,455 (AS OF 2/01/2023) FULL TIME EMPLOYEES

Teachers

BEGINNING SALARY FOR INSTRUCTIONAL AND UP TO 13 YEARS EXPERIENCE FOR NEW PLACEMENTS: = $47,826

Middle Schools

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High Schools

COMBINATION SCHOOLS (K-8 / K-12)

Special Purpose Schools

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Proudly serving Bay, Holmes, Washington, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf & Walton Counties

For more information, contact us at 850.233.4400.

ADULT/CAREER &

Charter Schools

Covenant Christian School

WWW.CCS.PC.NET / 850.769.9354

The right education opens doors, but a classical and Christian education will prepare your child for life and eternity. The heartbeat of Covenant Christian School is rigorous academics, loving personal attention, and a daily Biblical focus in all subjects as seen from a Christian world and life view. Students learn to see the big picture of history and time through the integrated study of Literature, Theology, History, Latin, Logic, Math, Science, Physical Education, Music and Art. CCS students rank among the highest in their peer groups on the nationally standardized IOWA Assessments. CCS, where students learn to love and love to learn to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Holy Nativity Episcopal School

WWW.HOLYNATIVITYSCHOOL.COM / 850.747.0060 is essential in creating children who love God and will excel in the future. St. John Catholic Academy prepares and educates students for academic success and forms Disciples of Christ for life. Our unique classes are sized to allow for highly individualized attention. Students use resources that keep them engaged and learning, helping our students rank among the top private schools nationally, and we expect nothing less.

Serving Bay County for over 6o years, Holy Nativity Episcopal School provides an education for students from Jr. Pre-K through 8th grade. Accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools for 28 years, Holy Nativity has integrated, advanced subject area course work, as well as education in the Arts and personal fitness. Before and afterschool care is available daily. Holy Nativity, like fellow members of the National Association of Episcopal Schools, is an inclusive Christian environment welcoming students of diverse religions, races, and economic backgrounds. Tours of the campus, a historic landmark in Bay County, can be arranged by contacting the Office of Admissions.

Troy University

WWW.TROY.EDU / 850.747.0634

Troy University is a regionally accredited institution with a tradition of teaching excellence dating back to its founding in 1887. Falling under the University’s Global Campus operation, TROY has two Bay County locations to service primarily adult, non-traditional students by offering programs 100% online and fully in-class. Course offerings in-class include the Master of Science in Counseling and Psychology and through the TROY Online division a full array of Associate, Bachelor and Master degrees are available. Conveniently located on Tyndall AFB and on Airport Road in Panama City, the TROY administrative offices provide services to all students pursuing their degrees either in-class or in a distance learning format.

EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY

WORLDWIDE.ERAU.EDU/LOCATIONS/TYNDALL / 850.283.4557

Panama City Trilingual School

WWW.PCTRILINGUAL.ORG / 850.257.5054

The Panama City Trilingual School was founded in 2012 as a private educational co-op after the closure of Renascence International School. Renascence International School was a private trilingual school located in Panama City that provided multilingual studies in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. Kellie Dingus and the founding parents valued the precociousness and mental growth that multilingual studies encouraged in their children. The Panama City Trilingual School incorporated is dedicated to the mission of continuing to expand our students’ access to linguistic, academic and cultural studies that will prepare them for bright futures.

ST. JOHN CATHOLIC SCHOOL

WWW.STJOHNCATHOLICSCHOOL.COM / 850.763.1775

St. John Catholic Academy is a private preschool, elementary, and middle school serving infants through 8th grade for students of all denominations. We are a vibrant community made up of families, teachers, and community members who believe a Catholic education

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is known for more than just world-class aviation and aerospace programs. ERAU offers degree options ranging from Project Management to Engineering. The Embry-Riddle Tyndall/Panama City Campus offers 17 bachelor’s degrees, and 23 master’s degree programs. ERAU, located on Tyndall Air Force Base, has been working with the U.S. Military service members and civilians since 1970. They have more than 130 worldwide locations and more than 90 campuses on military installations around the globe. Embry-Riddle’s flexible degree delivery methods include courses in a classroom, webcam based learning, and online. Terms are offered every month and each term is 9-weeks in length. Give ERAU a call—850-283-2315 or email us at tyndall@erau.edu.