Hi, I’m Mark McQueen, Superintendent of Bay District Schools.

As a retired military officer, and someone who grew up in a military family myself, I know the incredible sacrifices our service members and their families make every single day. My wife and I both come from military-connected families, so this message is especially close to my heart.

Each year, we ask our families to complete something called the Federal Impact Aid card. It may not sound like much—but filling out that simple form could help bring much needed federal dollars directly into our schools and in turn into our communities.

We are deeply grateful for the service and sacrifice of our military families, and we’re proud to partner with the bases that make such a positive impact on our schools and our community, but because federal properties like Tyndall Air Force Base and Naval Support Activity Panama City aren’t required to pay local property taxes, the Federal Impact Aid program helps fill that funding gap. These crucial dollars allow us to maintain safe, modern classrooms; support strong academic and extracurricular programs; and ensure we’re meeting the unique needs of our military-connected students. 

The good news is—filling out these forms is quick and easy. You can complete your Impact Aid card right in your student’s FOCUS account and it takes just a few minutes.

And if you’d rather have a paper version of the impact card, just reach out to your school’s administration, and they’ll get one to you right away.

Every single card makes a difference. So please, take a few minutes today to complete your Federal Impact Aid form. It’s one small step that helps us do BIG things for our students and our schools.

Thank you for being an important part of the Bay District Schools family—and for helping us continue to serve those who serve our nation. And even more…thank you for working with us to put the “A” back in Bay!