More participants
tagged for training
The Arkansas Department of Education, in partnership with Solution Tree, a national professional-development provider, has selected a cohort of 10 schools and one district to be trained in the Professional Learning Communities at Work process.
Nineteen schools and three districts were selected for the training in earlier years.
As with the first two cohorts, each selected school and district will receive up to 50 days of training, coaching and support to build and sustain a strong culture of collaboration that will enhance student learning.
The new members are the Buffalo Island Central School District, Camden Fairview Intermediate in the Camden Fairview School District, Darby Junior High in the Fort Smith School District, Eureka Springs Elementary in the Eureka Springs School District, Harrisburg Middle School in the Harrisburg School District, Lake Hamilton Intermediate in the Lake Hamilton School District, Mabelvale Elementary in the Little Rock School District, Mills High School in the Pulaski County Special School District, Park Avenue Elementary in the Stuttgart School District, Pinewood Elementary in the Jacksonville/North Pulaski School District and the Wonderview Elementary in the Wonderview School District.
The 2019-20 schools and district will be matched with a certified associate from Solution Tree for job-embedded training, observation and coaching. The schools and district will create action plans that focus on increasing student achievement through aligned curriculum, formative assessments and proven instructional strategies.
Act 427 of 2017 provides funding for the project.
Montessori school
in NLR set to close
The North Little Rock Montessori School, which was established in 1969, is closing at the end of the current school year, leaders of the school have announced.
Declining student enrollment caused a drain on revenue, school Administrator Angie Scott and board of directors members Adam Sandlin and Tommy McElroy said in a news release Friday.
The school has served pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at its 900 Mission Road location.
Vietnamese focus
of coming exhibit
"New Home, New Beginning," an exhibit on Vietnamese culture in Fort Smith, will open to the public Tuesday with a ceremony at Bastion Gallery.
The event is from 6-9 p.m. The gallery's operating hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 1-6 p.m. The gallery is at 914 Garrison Ave. in Fort Smith.
The exhibit was organized by students of Future School of Fort Smith, a charter school, in partnership with the Chaffee Historic District, U.S. Marshals Museum, Fort Smith Museum of History, and the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Pebley Center.
Future School's U.S. and world history teacher Taylor Gilbreth created the unit as part of the Arkansas Declaration of Learning program, a national education program that's piloting in Arkansas. He was one of 32 educators accepted to participate in the program during the 2018-19 academic year.
The Arkansas Declaration of Learning program is run by the Arkansas Department of Education and the U.S. State Department's Diplomatic Reception Rooms in partnership with Central Arkansas Library System's Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, the Clinton Foundation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and the Clinton Presidential Library. The program encourages educators to use historic art and objects from state and national museums and libraries to develop innovative lesson plans centered on civic engagement.
AETN announces
contest winners
The Arkansas Educational Television Network has announced winners of the AETN PBS KIDS Writers Contest that drew more than 200 entries from students across the state.
The 12 winning stories can be viewed at aetn.org/writerscontest.
Winners were:
• Kindergarten -- First Place: Gunner Duck of Omaha for "Ninja Puppy." Second place: Barrett Friedman of North Little Rock for "Twister the Tornado." Third place: Allen Dong of Conway for "Cat and Dog's Adventure."
• First grade -- First Place: Natalie Pearson of Paragould for "The Last Carrot." Second place: Gavin Dews of Hot Springs for "The Razorback Game." Third place: Holland Wall of Heber Springs for "The Mystery of the House."
• Second grade -- First Place: Sarah Felio of Conway for "A Queen, A Princess and a Dragon." Second place: Kyle Elkins of Berryville for "Mummy Love." Third place: Ariq Huq of Conway for "The Robot."
• Third grade -- First Place: Nadia Ali of Cabot for "Agent Pig (and Ducky) Save the Day." Second place: Charles Dong of Conway for "Alien Trip." Third place: Hasfah Sulta of Little Rock for "The Bravest Dog in the World."
Entries were judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling, and integration of text and illustrations. Each winner will receive an AETN prize pack. In addition, first-place winners will each win a PBS KIDS Playtime Pad, which comes preloaded with educational games, music and videos.
Jenny Slaton, a Lakeside Primary teacher in Hot Springs, won a visit from Clifford the Big Red Dog for her classroom, and Jennifer McCullough, a Berryville Elementary teacher, won a set of five PBS KIDS Playtime Pads for her classroom.
The contest is designed to promote the advancement of children's literacy skills.
Metro on 05/06/2019