FALL 2016
FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT Dear Parents and Community, The first nine weeks of the 2016-17 school year is in the books, and our schools and district are making great strides by working together. We appreciate our parents for attending parent-teacher conferences and all your efforts to support our schools and students. These conferences allow our teachers and parents to strengthen the hometo-school partnership, and allow for better communication, planning and reflection. The research is clear when it comes to parent involvement – our students achieve at higher levels when their parents are involved and supportive of the educational process. Thank you, parents and teachers! We would also like to recognize our own team members on their recent awards at the state level. Congratulations to Mr. Chris Babb (4A Athletic Director of the Year), Mr. Jimmy King (Safe Schools Leadership Award) and Ms. Lisa Stanley (named Teacher of the Year by the Arkansas Association of Teachers of Family and Consumer Sciences). We are proud of your hard work and recognition! Finally, we hope you’ve had a chance to visit our campuses and attend some of the first rate activities and events that showcase our talented students. From our elementary musicals to our many extracurricular and athletic events at Goza and AHS – our students are the pride of Arkadelphia! Come out and support them in their quest for quality and excellence. You’ll be glad you did! Go Badgers! Yours truly,
Donnie Whitten, Ed.D. Superintendent
2016 Classified Employees of the Year APS Superintendent Dr. Donnie Whitten APS Communications Dept. Hanna Dean, Director Arkadelphia Public Schools Voice is a publication of the Arkadelphia Public Schools Communications Department. Questions regarding this publication may be directed to: E-mail - hanna.dean@ arkadelphiaschools.org Phone - (870) 246-5564 x1214 Mail - Arkadelphia Public Schools attn: Dept. of Comm. 235 N. 11th St. Arkadelphia, AR 71923
Mr. Wayne Hasley - District Transportation Director JoAnna Spradlin - District Food Service Director Aundra Leeper - District Custodial Supervisor Glenda Williams - District Personnel Assistant Phyllis DeLoach - Special Education Paraprofessional
School Board Election Results During this year’s Annual School Board Election, Ms. Mona Vance was elected to fill the Zone 3 vacancy, previously held by Mr. Billy Groom. Vance is originally from Paris, Texas. She relocated to Arkadelphia during her senior year of high school and graduated from Arkadelphia High School. Vance is a payroll clerk for the Clark County Clerk’s Office, where she also serves as the Chief Deputy Clerk. Vance and her husband, Travis, have two children currently enrolled at Arkadelphia Public Schools and one enrolled at Allen High School. Their eldest son graduated from Arkadelphia High School in 2014. Dr. Casey Motl, who has served on the Board of Education since 2013, reclaimed the Zone 1 position. Dr. Kenneth Harris, Jr., vice president of the Board of Education and member since 1983, reclaimed the Zone 2 position.
Arkadelphia Public Schools Board of Education Randy Turner, President Dr. Kenneth G. Harris, Jr., Vice President Karrie Goodman, Secretary Dr. Casey Motl Jeff Root Mona Vance Gina White
Badger Spirit
Tennis The Arkadelphia tennis teams featured a large but young group on the 2016 Badger and Lady Badger tennis team that provided a year of experience that could lead to future success. In a year that saw weather interrupt the early portion of the schedule, the Badgers and Lady Badgers overcame a late start to develop their skills on the court in preparation for the 4A-7 conference tournament.
2016 Tennis Team Members:
GIRLS: BOYS: Olivia Dixon Tyler Allen Aisha Faiq Jack Bennington Olivia Harford Michael Evans Colleen Lloyd Nick LeVar Kylee Overturf Aiden McMurry Of the 15 team members, only four were returning team memShelly Smith Tyler Sells bers and several were first-year tennis players. At the 4A-7 Rebekah Warner Harrison Shuffield District tournament at OBU and HSU, sophomore Colleen Drew Webb
Lloyd reached the quarterfinals before being ousted. On the boys’ side, sophomore Tyler Sells just missed qualifying for the 4A State Tournament as he lost in the consolation match, finishing fourth place in the boys’ singles draw.
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Golf The Badger and Lady Badger golf team wrapped up the 2016 season with both members of the Lady Badger team qualifying 2016 Golf Team Members: for the state tournament and the Badgers having two players GIRLS: BOYS: miss the qualifying mark by one stroke. Macey Green Caleb Cornelius Faith Ochello Parker Davis Just as was the case with tennis, weather altered the schedules Will Durrett early in the season for the Badgers and Lady Badgers, but AHS did get off to a fast start. The Badgers won their first two match- Payton Edington Tucker Freeman es of the season, winning matches at DeGray and Silver Springs Matt Green in Bauxite. Will Herron Henry Hunley At the 4A-7 district tournament at DeGray, hosted by Arkadel- Nick LeVar phia, senior Macey Green and sophomore Faith Ochello both Dusty McMillan qualified for the 4A State tournament as individuals on the Brantley Neel
girls’ side. On the boys’ side of the tournament, sophomores Tucker Freeman and Will Herron missed qualifying for state by one stroke.
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Teachers of the Year Misha Parker District Teacher of the Year Perritt Primary
Ms. Parker teaches music at Perritt Primary. She earned her bachelor’s degree in music education from Ouachita Baptist University. Ms. Parker began teaching at Arkadelphia Public Schools four years ago.
Crystal Parillon Central Primary School Ms. Parillon is a third grade teacher at Central Primary. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Henderson State University and is currently working towards her master’s degree. Ms. Parillon has taught at Arkadelphia Public Schools for nine years.
Jenny Coon Goza Middle School
Ms. Wright is a fourth grade math and science teacher at Peake Elementary. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Henderson State University and recently earned her master’s degree in educational leadership. Ms. Wright has taught at Arkadelphia Public Schools for four years.
Rebecca Alexander Arkadelphia High School Ms. Coon teaches physical education at Goza Middle School and is the head volleyball coach for the district. She earned her undergraduate degree from Ouachita Baptist University and her master’s degree from Henderson State University. Ms. Coon has 27 years of teaching experience.
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Jessica Wright Peake Elementary School
Ms. Alexander is a science teacher at Arkadelphia High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of the Ozarks and her Master of Arts in Teaching at Monticello. She is currently working towards her second master’s degree. Ms. Alexander has been teaching at Arkadelphia Public Schools for six years.
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New Faculty Terri Frost
Hometown: Glenwood, AR Position: AHS Instructional Facilitator Education: Dierks High School, HSU and ATU Experience: Started out coaching in Spring, TX. Taught 24.5 years in various school is Arkansas. Also spent 5.5 years as science specialist for DMEC and ATU STEM Institute Family: married 20 years to Loyd Frost; two sons, Zane, 19, and a freshman at Bacone College in Muskogee, OK, living his dream of playing college football. Dakota, 22, played football at ATU, works as a Juvenile Detention officer with Yell County. A wonderful daughter to be, Taylor. One grandson, Collin, who is 15 months old and is my weekend entertainer. Hobbies: Cooking, reading, anything outdoors, watching sports, love to fish. Favorite aspect of teaching: watching my students become successful people, in their chosen work and life. Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: The friendliness and welcome I have felt from all.
Sara L. Hart
Hometown: Arkadelphia Position: Special Education Self Contained (Functional English, Math, Science, and Social Studies) and Resource Learning Skills. Education: BS in Psychology from HSU. Currently enrolled in MAT for Special Education. Experience: First year teaching Family: Son- Brody A. Hart, Significant other- Chad A. W. Runyan. Hobbies: outdoors activities, art, taking pictures. Favorite aspect of teaching: making connections, progress, and friends. Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: I love the hometown feel to this town.
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Yumika Kingdon
Hometown: Arkadelphia, Arkansas Position: 4th grade at Peake Elementary Education: BSE in Middle Level Education emphasis in Mathematics/ Science with K-8 certification Experience: First year teaching Family: Married to John Kingdon and we have 3 beautiful children, Jaylan, Lorenzo, and Jax Hobbies: I am a True Sports Mom! I love watching and supporting my children in everything they do. Their activities are my life! Favorite aspect of teaching: My favorite aspect of teaching is seeing students have the “lightbulb” moment. Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: I love the small-town atmosphere.
Gwendolyn Litzsey
Hometown: Little Rock Position: AHS Assistant Principal Education: UALR: BBA, University of Phoenix: MBA, UALR: M.Ed, ASU: Ed.S Experience: Pulaski County Special School District: Adult Education, North Little Rock High/Academy: CTE, Social Studies, and JAG, Dollarway High School: Assistant Principal.
7 Years in Education Family: Husband: Lee, 4 Children: Ja’Kayla, Demetric(DJ), Peyton, Amari Hobbies: Foodie, avid crafter and traveler Favorite aspect of teaching: Making a permanent impact in a child’s and parents life. Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: Focus on college and career readiness.
LaKesha Roshun Perry
Hometown: Prescott, Arkansas Position: School Nurse for Central and Perritt Education: Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Henderson State University, Graduate of Prescott High School Experience: Nurse since 2003, worked at Baptist Health Arkadelphia Labor and Delivery Family: Married to Issac III for 13 years we have two beautiful children Mikayla, 11 and Issac IV, 4 Hobbies: singing in church choir, reading, and spending time with family Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: close knit community
Jordan Phillips
Hometown: Arkadelphia Position: AHS-APES and Pre-AP Chemistry Education: HSU-Bachelors, Currently enrolled in the HSU MAT program to get my Masters degree in secondary science Experience: First year teaching, I worked for 2 years as a special ed paraprofessional at Central primary Family: Husband-Clay Phillips, he’s the manager at US Bank downtown. We have 2 daughters, Maggie Grace is 8 and in 3rd grade at Central primary, and Rylee is 5 and goes to 2nd Baptist preschool. Hobbies: Spending time with my husband and daughters. We love camping, our favorite places are lake Degray and Davidson Campmeeting. For fun we enjoy going to museums, bowling, and to the movies. We love going to see friends and ride 4-wheelers and go fishing, but most of all, we love working on our little farm in the country. Favorite aspect of teaching: seeing that “Aha!” look in the kids eyes when they grasp a concept.
Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: It truly is a “Great place to call home”. I have been here for 30 years, and love raising my family in the small town I grew up in. We love the Badgers and the Reddies!!!
Griffin Pritchard
Hometown: Siloam Springs, AR Position: 8th Grade Pre-AP Literacy Education: BA in Middle School Education from Ouachita Baptist University Experience: I taught for one year at Yantai American School in Yantai, China Family: Dawson Pritchard, husband Hobbies: reading, cooking with my husband, traveling Favorite aspect of teaching: Getting to know and love my students! Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: It feels like one big family!
Terah Rash
Hometown: Rockport, AR (I have lived in Rockport and Malvern for the past 25 years; before that I lived in many states because my father was in
the Navy) Position: Physical Science and Physics at Arkadelphia High School Education: I graduated from Beebe High School. I graduated with an Associate of Arts Degree from Ouachita Tech. College. I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Middle School Education with an emphasis in math and science from Henderson. I graduated with a Master’s Degree in education with an emphasis in science and a certificate in National Board Leadership from National University Experience: I previously taught at White Hall School District, for the past seven years, where I taught all grades and subjects from 5th to 8th Family: My husband of the past 25 years, Kevin Rash, and I have three wonderful children and five grandchildren: Justin Rash finishing his Master’s at UALR is a Production Analyst at Falcon Jet and has two adorable sons Josiah and Jacob… Brittney Jobe who recently graduated from Henderson with a Bachelor’s in Middle School Education is employed at Malvern Elementary and is married to Daniel Jobe; they have three beau-
adelphia has. The community is really involved in supporting their schools and businesses. It’s one of the main reasons I decided to stay in Arkadelphia after graduation.
Martin Valdivia
tiful girls Lilly, Kinley, and Kaleigh Grace… Kyle Rash, my youngest recently graduated from Malvern High School and is currently working at Cracker Barrel, Rocky’s Corner, and Bath and Body works. Hobbies: I love hiking, camping, video games, swimming, crocheting, community volunteering, and, my favorite, gardening. Favorite aspect of teaching: Seeing a student reach the moment when he/ she understands a difficult concept Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: I love the community involvement here. I was amazed to hear about all the different groups that help out people in the community; this leaks over into the high school where students are taking on the role as volunteers as well.
Debbie Rook
Hometown: Friendship, Ark. Position: Central Primary, 3rd Grade. Education: B.S.E. and M.S.E. from Henderson State University
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Experience: 27 years of teaching. Foreman, Norphlet, Arkadelphia. Favorite aspect of teaching: Watching students finally understand what they’ve been working on. Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: It is home.
Hometown: Hot Springs Position: AHS, Spanish Instructor Experience: ASMSA, Texarkana NHJH Family: (wife)Patrycja, (dauthers) Teresa, Krystyna, and Anna Hobbies: Play soccer, tennis, playing WII with the family Favorite aspect of teaching: See the students excited about learning a second language Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: The hospitality of the people
Jillian Williams
Hometown: Bismarck, Arkansas Position: Arkadelphia High School, Math grades 9-12 Education: BSE in Middle School Morgan Smith Education, Technology Endorsement, Hometown: Imboden, Arkansas and currently working on a Masters’ Position: Central Primary, 2nd Grade. degree in Special Education Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Early Family: David Williams (husband), Childhood Education from HenderBraley Frazier (daughter), and Braden son State University Frazier (son) Experience: First Year Teacher Favorite Aspect of Teaching: THAT Hobbies: Running, Reading, working moment when a student has a breakwith the church youth group, and through and understands something spending time with family, friends for the first time, makes it all worthand my fiancé. while! I love that feeling of a learning Favorite aspect of teaching: Seeing community, where we all learn and the unique ways that children think grow with each other. about subjects. Seeing them truly understand a concept and then use their creativity to help other students get the concept. Favorite aspect of Arkadelphia: I love the family atmosphere that Ark-
Storm Drain Awareness Week The City of Arkadelphia selected eight Arkadelphia High School students to paint storm drains downtown on October 4. The storm drain paintings stemmed from a $10,000 grant that was awarded to the City of Arkadelphia from the Alcoa Foundation in September of 2015. “The Alcoa Foundation gave me an opportunity to take something I was passionate about and put it into an actual project,” former City Manager Jimmy Bolt said. “I had gone to Fayetteville and noticed the storm drain art on a walking tour and how it would actually work. It caught my attention on how what you throw out of the window of your car or what you place on the ground affects your world. So I thought what a great thing to bring to our community.” The main component of the grant is education. Bolt and Nancy Anderson, director of grants and research, met with Amy Hornsby, the art teacher at Arkadelphia High School, Clair Mays, the AHS EAST instructor, and Becky Morgan, former science instructor at AHS, to discuss integrating the project into the
curriculum. Bolt and Anderson held an art contest to select who would paint the storm drains. The contest was open to the community, but according to Bolt, 95 percent of the submissions were from student artists. “I am excited that my students get to be a part of the community in such a permanent way,” Hornsby said. “I appreciate the city, especially Nancy Anderson, for reaching out to the students of AHS and allowing us to participate.” In addition to the storm drain paintings, the City of Arkadelphia partnered with The Diamond Agency to design and print coloring books for every Arkadelphia Public School student in grades 1-4. The AHS Student Advisory Council, sponsored by Rebecca Alexander and Sean Queen, prepared a play to perform for Central Primary’s second and third grade students. The play consists of five main characters: the Narrator, Clark, Rita Raindrop, Wally Walleye and Harriet Heron. It tells a story of Clark’s adventure through the storm drain to the Caddo and Ouachita Rivers in search of his toy sailboat. The goal of the coloring books and performance is to educate our children about pollution in our water systems and make them aware that when trash and toxic chemicals are disposed in the storm drains, it goes directly into the river. For more information on the Storm Drain Art project, visit http://arkadelphiastormdrainart.weebly.com/.
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Badgerfest 2016
Badgerfest 2016, sponsored by Southern Bancorp, was held on September 2 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the AHS parking lot. The event featured several local businesses and school groups with a variety of games and giveaways, as well as items for sale as fundraisers. Bounce houses were available for all children to play on at no cost, and the AHS cheerleaders hosted a dunking booth. To add to the fun this year, fans bought tickets in hopes of winning $10,000 in the Southern Bancorp $10,000 Toss. Three fans had the opportunity to win by throwing a football through a designated stationary target.
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Grandparents Day 2016 E
ach year, Arkadelphia Public Schools celebrate our students’ grandparents and their impact on our students’ lives during the week of National Grandparents’ Day. This year, Peake Rosenwald, Perritt Primary, Central Primary and Peake Elementary honored our grandparents by inviting them to spend part of the day with our students. Peake Rosenwald celebrated National Grandparents’ Day on September 8 with “Donuts for Grandparents”. Students arrived to school with their grandparents and enjoyed donuts, juice and coffee together. On September 9, Peake Elementary kicked off the day with “Goodies with Grandparents” at 7:30 a.m. Grandparents came and enjoyed donuts and coffee with their grandchildren, then participated in a pep rally led by the AHS cheerleaders in the auditorium. Central Primary continued the celebration by inviting the students’ grandparents for lunch. Colored pictures and letters of admiration for the students’ grandparents covered Central’s cafeteria walls. Perritt Primary wrapped up the day with “Goodies for GrandPERRITTS”. Grandparents enjoyed cookies, milk and coffee with their grandchildren, while reading and coloring together.
Parents as Teachers The Arkadelphia Public School District offers several programs designed to optimize child development from cradle to college and career. Hosted by Schools of the 21st Century, Parents as Teachers offers child development information and parenting support to families. The target age of the Parents as Teachers program is prenatal to age 3. As a recruitment tool, Parents as Teachers hosts a Baby Safety Shower for pregnant mothers in the Arkadelphia area on the first Thursday of every month from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The Baby Safety Shower, sponsored by the OLDS Foundation and the University of Arkansas Children’s Hospital, is an injury prevention program that teaches expecting mothers about childhood safety. Each participant receives a complimentary car seat, along with electrical outlet covers, medicine cases, a thermostat for bath water, a fire alarm and several other safety items. Once a family enrolls in the Parents as Teachers program, they are able to participate in one-on-one home visits with a Parent Educator. “We go into the homes, and we partner with the parents, because they are their child’s first teacher” Parents as Teachers Educator Erica Bailey said. “We try to help them make sure
their child is developmentally ready for school. The learning starts at home.” Prior to the home visits, each family is given an assessment called the “Family Map”. This assessment helps the Parent Educator and family establish goals by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the child, what areas the child needs improvement in, and what areas the child is performing well in. The goals of home visits are to “assess child and family needs”, “teach and guide the family”, “help families find support” and “refer families to resources”. Parents as Teachers also hosts Group Connection on the third Thursday of every month from 12 to 1 p.m. This meeting gives all the Parents as Teachers’ families an opportunity to come together, increase their knowledge on child development, share experiences and create a support system. Parents as Teachers Educators start each session with a lesson on a specific topic and provide a forum for families to openly ask questions and encourage one another. Our Parent Educators provide lunch for the families and encourage parent-child interaction through various activities. The Parents as Teachers Ed-
ucators serve as a resource network for the families. Parent Educators monitor the child’s developmental screenings to ensure that their needs are being met. “We try to get a well child check up form that shows if their vision is in tact and if their hearing is in tact,” Parent Educator JoAnne Buckley said. “We are looking to see if there is a need, and if there is, we are trying to get that need met prior to the child going to school, so they could be successful.” Parent Educators also refer families to other miscellaneous services such as job opportunities, food pantries and tutoring for parents who are college students or pursuing their GED. “We love kids, and we love families,” Buckley said. “To have in Arkadelphia, families that can put their child in Parents as Teachers, then from Parents as Teachers to a HIPPY program, then from a HIPPY program to Peake Rosenwald or somewhere like that, and just connect the dots all up to the child’s 18th year to college, it’s amazing. And those are the services that Arkadelphia has available for families.” For more information regarding Parents as Teachers, contact Erica Bailey at Erica.Bailey@ arkadelphiaschools.org, or Jo Anne Thomas-Buckley at JoAnne.Buckley@ arkadelphiaschools.org.
Goza “Project Spotlight”
Goza Middle School’s students are getting creative this semester! As part of a project-based learning project, Goza’s english classes, taught by Phyllis Watts and Griffin Pritchard, are producing a short film reflecting the book, “The Most Dangerous Game”, by Richard Connell. After reading the book, each class split up into different roles based on the students’ interests. The roles include directors, script writers, story boarders, set designers, costume designers, cameramen and film editors. In hopes to create a bridge between Arkadelphia High School and Goza, Watts contacted Clair Mays, the AHS EAST facilitator, to see if any high school students would be interested in helping with the project. Ryan Motl, an junior at AHS, volunteered his time to help the students with script writing, storyboarding and filming. Goza had a “watch party” on October 14 for all students to see the finished product.
We are BUCKET FILLERS! You may have heard the following pledge when you attended an assembly at Perritt Primary: “I promise to do my best every day to be a bucket filler, not to dip, and to use my lid for myself and others at home, at school, and everywhere I go.” Or maybe you have seen the crafty bulletin boards at Central Primary and Peake Elementary encouraging students to be “Bucket Fillers”. What is a bucket filler? Are you a bucket filler? Central Primary was the first school in the Arkadelphia Public School District to recognize “bucket filling”. After receiving a grant to purchase classroom books, Charlotte DeWitt, the school counselor at Central Primary, ordered the book, “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” The book explains that each person has an invisible bucket over his or her head that represents our mental and emotional self. When the bucket is full, we feel happy and confident. When the bucket is empty, we experience negative feelings. There are two types of people that contribute to empty and full buckets, bucket fillers and bucket dippers. Bucket fillers use actions and words to build others up, which results in a full bucket for both the giver and receiver. Bucket dippers use their words and actions to disrespect and tear others down, which dips into the bucket of the giver and receiver and takes away positive feelings. “The book teaches children that true happiness comes from what we do for others,” DeWitt said. “When we do and say kind things to others, that not only makes them feel good, but it makes us feel good as well. That’s where bucket filling comes along.” Students at Central Primary are rewarded when they are seen
using bucket filling behavior. Teachers fill out a form explaining the child’s positive words or actions. The following morning, the forms are read aloud to all teachers and students during the Central Morning Show to spotlight all of the bucket fillers. The bucket filler forms are then placed on a bulletin board outside of the cafeteria for everyone to see. Central also encourages the students to spread bucket filling behavior into the community. Each week, one student from each class takes the “Bucket Filling Bag” home. The bag consists of a notebook and “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” Parents are encouraged to read the book to their children, write down ways their family could fill buckets in their neighborhood or community, actually perform one of the ideas and write about their experience. Students bring the bag back the following week and share their experience with their class. “I really try to stress to them this doesn’t have to cost any money,” DeWitt said. “It may be picking up paper in the neighborhood, or it may be raking leaves for the neighbor that can’t do it or even a neighbor that can. Just any kind thing they can do.” Over time, Perritt Primary and Peake Elementary also implemented bucket filling to reinforce positive behavior. Perritt Primary focuses on filling three different buckets: the student bucket, the classroom bucket and the school bucket. Each student is given an individual bucket to represent his or her mental and emotional self. Students fill their individual buckets with “warm and fuzzies” (assorted pom poms) by exhibiting positive behavior or saying kind things to others. Once a student fills his or her own bucket,
he or she receives a personal reward from the teacher and pours the “warm and fuzzies” into the classroom bucket. Once the classroom bucket is full from the students’ individual buckets, the class as a whole receives a reward, and the classroom bucket is poured into the school bucket. The school as a whole receives a reward when the school-wide bucket is full from all of the classroom buckets. “What we are really hoping is students realize that when they do and say kind things, it does benefit them, but it also benefits the whole class,” Elizabeth Morris, the school counselor at Perritt Primary, said. “I really do think they are understanding that doing and saying kind things, it does make them feel good, but it also makes the other person feel good too.” By the time they reach Peake Elementary, students have had five years to learn what it means to be a bucket-filler and practice bucket filling behavior. “It’s just a lot more positive,” Peake Elementary’s School Counselor Paula Keeling said. “The kids have something to look forward to. A lot of kids want the bucket fillers. They want that recognition, so they keep doing the good stuff, and it kind of builds from there. The other kids see it and want to do it too.” Bucket Fillers, Inc. has been operating since 2006. According to their website, the goals of Bucket Fillers, Inc. are “to create more rewarding lives and a positive culture as you increase kindness, respect and courtesy”, “to decrease mean-spiritedness and negativity” and “to learn how to keep your bucket filled by understanding and rising above occasional bucket-dipping situations.”
AHS Engineering
AHS Principles of Engineering students received several opportunities to speak with local experts regarding electricity and how it is used this semester. South Central Arkansas Electric Cooperative sent two representatives to speak with the students about electrical safety on September 21. Students gathered in the AHS parking lot to watch T.J. Curtis demonstrate
proper safety procedures when dealing with high voltage electricity. On September 28, Bud McMillion, AHS pre-engineering instructor, took the Principles of Engineering students to tour the power generation facilities at the DeGray Lake Dam. David Tate, Israel Mills and Joey Miller led the students through each level of the facility and spoke to them about the electrical and mechanical aspects of hydroelectricity. “I pointed out to the kids that every other word that these guys said was ‘I work with this team” or ‘I work on that team’,” McMillion said. “Engineers work in project-based environments, and professional engineers usually work as part of a team. Our project-based learning environment fits really well with that.” The students also had the opportunity to visit Southern Arkansas University’s College of Science and Engineering on September 29. Dr. Abdel Bachri, chair of the Department of Engineering and Engineering Physics, led the students through the physics and engineering buildings.
He performed several demonstrations and allowed the students to experiment with the robotic equipment. SAU provided lunch for the students, where they were able to mingle with AHS alumni that are current students on SAU’s campus. Arkadelphia High School was the second school in the state of Arkansas, following Bryant High School, to offer an engineering program. According to McMillion, each year, nearly 120 high school students enroll in the engineering courses. “Our end product is either get kids interested in technology and solving technology problems in a general sense or moving them on to actually become engineers,” McMillion said. The engineering courses are a part of Project Lead the Way. According to its website, www.pltw.org, “Project Lead The Way is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for K-12 students and teachers across the U.S.”
Coffee Bar Coming to APS There is a exciting new feature coming to Goza Middle School this month! Candace Davis and her classroom will be opening a Coffee Bar. The students will make coffee, cappuccino and baked goods and sell them to teachers and staff. “The Coffee Bar will teach them money skills,” Davis said. “It will also teach them social skills and how to interact with people. We have some kids that don’t talk very much, and we need to work on that. We have kids that don’t interact with each other, and it will help them to interact. It will give them the skills that they need for when they go out there and get a job.” To start the project, the students sat down and brainstormed supplies and equipment they would need. They also compiled a list of baked goods that they would like to make and sell to the teachers. Davis sent out a newsletter to the teachers and staff and asked for requests on types of coffee and baked goods. She purchased a Keurig for basic coffees and a more advanced machine for cappuccinos. Each Friday, the class chooses a recipe and goes over it in class. The students take turns putting in and mixing the ingredients, stirring, monitoring the oven and washing dishes. “It will teach them how to work and why it’s important,” Davis said. “It will teach them about budgeting. You have to live within your means. We have got so many things we can apply to their life and the real world. It will also improve where they’re at with their reading and their math.”
Peake Celebrates “National Walk to School Day�
96 Peake Elementary students gathered at the Goza Annex at 7:05 a.m. on October 5 and walked to Peake in celebration of National Walk to School Day.
Barnhill Zoo Visits Perritt
The Barnhill Preserve visited Perritt Primary students on September 7. The preserve brought several baby animals for the students to see and get their picture made with!