School chief's video addresses violence
Little Rock Superintendent Mike Poore on Friday released a 20-minute video in which he describes the district's ongoing efforts to ensure student and staff safety in the aftermath of school violence in Florida and threats of violence elsewhere.
"There is not one thing that can be done that will stop school violence," Poore says in the video. "What can stop school violence is an entire community working together to make sure these events don't happen."
He called for increased adult visibility in schools through the use of volunteers, mentors, and PTA memberships. He also encouraged reporting of concerns. "If you see something, say something," he said, noting that acts of school violence are very typically preceded with warning signs that were ignored.
Poore urged public advocacy for mental health services at a time he said there is decreased availability of services and medications. He also asked the public to support a state funding source for the Rave Panic Button app, a mobile phone-based danger alert system, that is used in schools.
The video is available at https://vimeo.com/257180327
Filing cutoff looms for school election
Filing deadline is noon Thursday for candidates whose school boards will participate in the May 22 election.
In Pulaski County, the Jacksonville/North Pulaski School District has decided to hold its annual school board elections in May. Other districts in the county have selected November as the time for school board elections.
There are three positions open on the seven-member Jacksonville/North Pulaski board. By Friday afternoon, Daniel Gray, the district's current school board president, was the only candidate to file. He is seeking re-election to the At-Large Position 1 seat.
Also open for election are the district's Zone 2 and Zone 5 seats. Ava Coleman, who was appointed to the Zone 2 seat last year, and Dena Toney, the Zone 5 board member, have said they intend to run for election.
Terms on the board are for four years and are unpaid.
State students take 48,425 AP exams
Arkansas students took 48,425 Advanced Placement exams in the 2017, according to an annual report by the College Board, the maker of the more than 30 high school courses for which students can earn college credit.
The Arkansas students received the highest score of 5 on 2,257 of the exams. They earned scores of 4 on 4,947 exams and 3s on 9,641 exams. Typically students can receive college credit hours or accelerated course placement in college for scores of 3 and higher. A score of 2 was earned on 14,445 exams and a score of 1 was earned on 17,135 exams.
In the Little Rock School District, the state's largest district, the number of qualifying scores of 3 or better increased between 2016 and 2017, from 1,474 to 1,525, according to district leaders.
Texarkana school selects principal
Michael Odom is to replace Eva Nadeau as the new principal of Arkansas High School in Texarkana.
Nadeau announced her resignation in January.
Odom received a bachelor's degree from Southern Arkansas University and earned a master's degree in music from the University of Louisiana and a master's degree in education from SAU.
Odom also holds a superintendent's certification. Odom's administrative career started as an elementary principal in Stephens and he currently serves as K-12 principal in Nevada School District based in Rosston. He is the lead principal for the Arkansas Department of Education's Leadership Quest Initiative for Southwest Arkansas.
Metro on 02/25/2018