Candidate: Mark D. Davis

Personal Background: Born, February 4, 1962 in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Married to Susan J. Davis for 22 years. One son, Jackson Douglass Davis, born January 25, 2007. Parents are Lyndell and Florasteen Davis. One brother, Michael P. Davis and one sister, Terri Zann Jenkins. Education: Walton High School, Diploma, 1980; Okaloosa Walton Junior College, Associates of Arts Degree, 1982; The Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Bachelor of Arts in English, 1984; The Florida State University College of Law, Juris Doctorate, 1988. Professional History: Intern, Florida House of Representatives, Claims and Judiciary Committees; Administrative Assistant, Florida Public Counsel; employed as student assistant in the law firms of Oven, Gwynne and Lewis, Tallahassee, Florida and Ruden, Barnnet, McClusky, Schuster and Russell, Tallahassee, Florida; Attorney, Ramey & Davis; Mark D. Davis, Attorney at Law; Andrews & Davis; Andrews, Davis & Sutton . Currently practicing law in DeFuniak Springs in the firm of Andrews & Davis, Attorneys at Law, L.L.C . Also employed as the first Program Director for the North American Family Institute\'s Juvenile Justice Facility in DeFuniak Springs. Served as an part time teacher at Okaloosa Walton Community College in the paralegal and business departments. Service to the Community: Member and former chairperson of the COPE Center, Inc., Board of Directors, Elder, choir member at the First Presbyterian Church, DeFuniak Springs, Florida; former volunteer basketball coach at Freeport High School and Paxton High School; member and former chairperson of the Florida Bar Grievance Committee, First Circuit of Florida; member of the Bench / Bar Professionalism Committee; member and past President of the DeFuniak Springs Kiwanis Club. School Board Service: Member of the Walton County School Board since 1995. Appointed by Governor Chiles in 1995; re-elected in 1996, 2000 (without opposition) and 2004. Chaired the board several times. I have served on the Board\'s Calendar Committee; served as the School Board\'s representative on the County Value Adjustment Board; have been a part of four training programs for the Walton County School Board to be designated a \" Master Board\" by the Florida School Board Association. Accomplishments as School Board: Since joining the Board in 1995, we have constructed the new South Walton High School; the new Freeport High School; the new Paxton High School addition with a new auditorium; the new Paxton Gym; Butler Elementary School; and we are currently building the new Mossy Head Elementary School and the new Walton Senior High School in DeFuniak Springs. In addition, we have made significant improvements to our other facilities. Our district has been accredited with the Southern Association of School and Colleges; we have been designated by the State of Florida as one of eleven districts in Florida that is \"high performing;\" our most recent FCAT scores and school grade results placed the District as the sixth best district in the State. Our students and staff have performed remarkably on the school accountability program. We Still Have Much Lef t To Do: With all of our accomplishments, we still have much left to accomplish. We must reduce our drop out rate. On e drop out is too many. We must continue to insist on Rigor and Relevance in every classroom. We must increase the number of AP offerings and do so in every high school. We must offer enough advanced classes in every school so that a student does not have to leave their high school campus to be challenged during the school day. We must re-institute the award winning pre-kindergarten program to help students get a head start on the skills needed to succeed in the classroom. TOGETHER, WE CAN BUILD THE BEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY