NICEVILLE, Fla. — Mandy Lopez has been named the new principal of Destin Middle School following approval at the January 26, 2026, Okaloosa County School Board meeting, according to the Okaloosa County School District.
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Ms Lopez is an experienced educator who began her career as a fourth-grade teacher in North Carolina after earning her bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University.
She relocated to Florida in 2013 with her military family and joined the Okaloosa County School District, where she taught third- and fourth-grade students at Edge Elementary School while earning her master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of West Florida.
Lopez later moved into instructional leadership roles at Walker Elementary School, serving as English Language Arts instructional coach from 2017 to 2019 and as assistant principal from 2019 to 2023.
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In 2023, she was appointed principal of Walker Elementary School, where she focused on instructional leadership, collaborative school culture, and student achievement.
Ms Lopez was recognized as Elementary Assistant Principal of the Year in 2023 and later earned Elementary Principal of the Year honors in 2025.
She is a mother of two and said she looks forward to continuing her service to students, staff, and families in her new role as principal of Destin Middle School.
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