A new school year has begun for some Northwest Arkansas students, while other students and teachers prepare to return to work within the next two weeks.
Local public schools that follow a nontraditional calendar either already have started their 2015-16 school year or are starting this week. Most of the area's other public schools open Aug. 17.
First days of school
July 30: Eastside Elementary (Rogers)
Today: Elm Tree and R.E. Baker elementary schools (Bentonville)
Tuesday: Owl Creek School, Asbell and Happy Hollow elementary schools (Fayetteville)
Aug. 17: Springdale, Rogers, Fayetteville school districts
Aug. 18: Bentonville School District
Source: Staff report
Most high school bands and football teams begin practicing this week.
Eastside Elementary in Rogers began school on Thursday. Eastside is the only Rogers school that operates on the nontraditional calendar. Nontraditional schools begin the school year earlier and end later but have more breaks in between.
Bentonville's R.E. Baker and Elm Tree elementary schools also follow a nontraditional calendar, as do Fayetteville's Owl Creek School and Asbell and Happy Hollow elementary schools.
Elm Tree Elementary School opens today. First-year Principal Amy Simpson said the school filled its last staff opening, a special-education position, an hour before the school's open house on Wednesday.
"She got to meet all the parents and everything," Simpson said. "That was a little nerve-wracking, but we found her and she's great."
The students' safety is always the school's chief concern, Simpson said.
"We're hoping drivers are aware there will be extra traffic. It's going to be a little slow around the school areas, and we hope drivers are just cautious. We'll have all hands on deck to make sure kids are arriving and leaving school safely," Simpson said.
The rest of Bentonville's teachers report to work next Monday; a back-to-school meeting will be held that day for all teachers at the Arend Arts Center. Seventy-two new teachers are invited to a welcome meeting the district is holding for them today, said Paul Stolt, district director of communications.
Downtown Bentonville's First Friday celebration this Friday is focused on a back-to-school theme. The event will feature activities, music and entertainment geared toward families with children 13 and younger, according to the Downtown Bentonville Inc. website.
Fayetteville High School's band started practicing last week, said Alan Wilbourn, district communications director. The football team starts practice today. Teachers on the traditional calendar report back to work next Monday.
The start of a new school year warrants a reminder to the public to be extra careful when driving, Wilbourn said.
"We'll stress it through social media there will be kids out, and much more traffic around the schools," Wilbourn said. "We'll have teen drivers back on the road, too. All throughout the year we have kids turning 16 who are newly eligible to drive. Watch out for the new and inexperienced driver."
Springdale's high school bands begin practice today. Springdale High's football team begins practice today and Har-Ber High School's team begins Thursday, according to Rick Schaeffer, district spokesman. The high schools have a few other things going on this week, including a dance camp at Har-Ber and Unity Choir tryouts at Springdale High, Schaeffer said.
Arkansas Arts Academy, a charter school in Rogers, had about 60 of its staff members in for professional development each day last week, according to Mary Ley, chief executive officer. The training was with Arkansas A+ Schools, an organization that emphasizes creative presentation of the curriculum, particularly through the arts.
Arkansas Arts Academy teachers have this week off before reporting back to work next week. School starts Aug. 13.
"I've never been so excited about a school year," Ley said. "We're just in a great place right now."
NW News on 08/03/2015