NICEVILLE, Fla. — The Okaloosa County School District has announced that Dr Belinda Small has been appointed Assistant Superintendent of Academic and Student Services, following approval by the Okaloosa County School Board on December 8.
Dr Small’s appointment follows what the OCSD described as decades of service marked by commitment, innovation, and leadership across multiple schools and instructional roles.
According to the district, her career has included positions as a Language Arts teacher, coach, and Assistant Principal at elementary and secondary levels, with service at Richbourg and Davidson Middle Schools, Antioch and Bob Sikes Elementary Schools, and Shoal River and Ruckel Middle Schools.
Dr Small has served as Principal of Destin Middle School since 2020.
The OCSD said her work there included expanding technology access to a one-to-one student-to-device ratio through fundraising and district grants. The district added that she oversaw the design and renovation of the cafeteria and helped establish a new outdoor classroom through a community partnership.
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According to the OCSD, Small began her career in education in 1992 after transitioning from business management. She holds five Florida teaching and leadership certificates. She was named Okaloosa County Beginning Teacher of the Year in 1992 and was selected as Antioch Elementary’s Teacher of the Year and an OCSD Top Three Finalist in 2009.
The district also noted her early contributions to innovation, including helping develop OCSD’s first electronic grade book in 1994 and supporting the establishment of Okaloosa Academy Charter School in 1997.
Her curriculum work, according to the release, includes consulting with textbook publishers and participating in global education initiatives that have reached educators and students in more than 20 countries.
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The OCSD stated that Dr Small played a significant role in securing benefits for the district through a $5 million federal grant tied to the Mental and Behavioral Health Capacity Project. The program provided free on-site mental health services for families at six schools and is now a long-term district model.
The district added that she also helped create OCSD’s first military-dependent student support group, “The Patriotic Pups,” in 2011, which later influenced the district’s Purple Star School designation.
Under her leadership at Destin Middle School, the OCSD reported a 29-point increase in acceleration points last year and a 29% decrease in disciplinary incidents compared to the previous first semester. Small credited the teamwork of staff, parents, and the community for those improvements.
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She earned her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Instructional Technology from the University of West Florida in 2019. The OCSD noted that Dr Small has served as a curriculum adjunct professor at UWF and presented at several national and international conferences.
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According to the district, Dr Small’s leadership philosophy centers on collaboration, listening, and shared ownership. The OCSD stated that she brings a deep understanding of the district’s culture and community as she moves into the assistant superintendent role.
