Vice principal gets
new job with state
Ross White, vice principal at Siloam Springs High School since July 2019, will become director of the state's Division of Career and Technical Education, effective May 1, Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key has announced.
Before serving as vice principal, White was the director of the high school's career and technical education program. And from August 2008 to July 2018, he was a member of the career development and marketing faculty in the Alma School District.
White has a bachelor's degree in business education and a master's degree in educational leadership from Arkansas Tech University at Russellville. He received an education specialist credential in educational leadership from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.
"Having been a CTE teacher and an administrator, Mr. White brings a wealth of CTE experience and knowledge to the division," Key said. "I look forward to the contributions he will make to Arkansas' strong CTE program.
"I also want to thank Dr. Angela Kremers who served in the interim role of CTE director during the government transformation process," Key said. "I am so pleased that she will stay with the division as an associate director. With Dr. Kremers' expertise and Mr. White's exceptional qualifications, Arkansas' CTE program will continue to lead the nation in student-focused CTE education."
State promoting
new-courses raft
In a statewide media campaign, the Arkansas Department of Education is promoting a slate of newly approved career and workforce courses, the rigor of which will enable students to earn weighted grades on a 5.0 scale rather than a 4.0 scale for their completion.
The courses have been approved by an internal team at the department's Division of Elementary and Secondary Education and Division of Career and Technical Education and will be available to students during the 2021-22 school year.
The courses cover a range of topics, including newly adopted computer science and computing courses, such as cybersecurity, game design and computer programming. Other classes include civil engineering, agriculture and aerospace engineering. The courses may replace students' math and science graduation credits.
More information is available at: https://bit.ly/2PHyxH4.
LISA Academy sets
its STEM festival
LISA Academy will host its seventh annual Arkansas STEM Festival from 10 a.m. to noon April 16 at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds for about 10,000 online participants and a smaller number of in-person participants who will follow covid-19 protocols.
The keynote speaker will be U.S Sen. John Boozman R-Ark.
Dr. Jose Romero, Arkansas' secretary of health, will also be featured, along with more than 50 STEM projects and an award ceremony -- all broadcast on the charter school"s YouTube channel.
The theme of the event is "Biomedical Frontier" to celebrate biomedical innovations that are relevant and creative, and presented in fun and interactive ways.