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North Little Rock School District

You Just Can’t Hide That Charging Wildcat Pride! “You Just Can’t Hide That Charging Wildcat Pride!”

Back-To-School Information Guide 2022-2023 School Year 1

Àtrorth Líttle Rock School ^Dístríet

August 1, 2022

Dear NLRSD Students, Parents, and Caregivers,

z4oo Willorv Street . North l-ittle Rock, Arkansas T z1t4 . (Sot) 77t-8oor:s . wtm'.nlrsd.org It is with so much excitement that I welcome each of you to the 2022-2023 school year! I hope that you had a restful summer and that you are energized for this brand new year. While you were breaking, administrators, teachers, and staff were working – taking part in meaningful August 1,2022 professional development sessions to enhance teaching and learning or finding ways to improve the overall student and staff experience. Dear NLRSD Students, Parents, and Caregivers,

This Back-to School Information Guide serves to provide you with things you need to know to It is with so much excitement that I welcome each of you to the 2022-2023 school year! I hope prepare fora the upcoming It contains school-level and year. district-level for this brand new restful summer andyear. that you are energized While you information, along with that you had staff were someone working - taking meaningful were breaking, administrators, andto points of contact should teachers, you need reach aboutpart aninissue. I recommend you refer to professional development sessions to enhance teaching and learning or finding ways to improve this guide throughout the school year. the overall student and staff experience. you need to provide to know to around school safety. This Back-to Information Guide Much of theSchool discussion over theserves summer – as you youwith canthings imagine – revolved for the upcoming year. It contains school-level and district-level information, along with Iprepare cannot overstate how committed we are to ensuring the safety of all of our students and staff, points of contact should you need to reach someone about an issue. I recommend you refer to and we will spend all of our days working on fine tuning our safety procedures to prevent a this guide throughout the school year. tragedy from happening in this district. I am thankful to our Board of Education and employees you cansafety imagineplan Much of the discussion over the summer - as around safety. - revolved for supporting our comprehensive school that we feelschool is extremely necessary to keep I cannot overstate how committed we are to ensuring the safety of all of our students and staff, everyone safe. A detailed account of our school safety plan can be found in this guide. and we will spend all of our days working on fine tuning our safety procedures to prevent a tragedy from happening in this district. I am thankful to our Board of Education and employees

for supporting ourexpress comprehensive safety weyou feel is extremely to keepLittle Rock School Words cannot how school grateful weplan arethat that are a part necessary of the North everyone safe. A detailed account of our school safety plan can be found in this guide. District. You are what is great about our district. This tight-knit, family-oriented spirit within a school district is extremely extremely blessed to have type of support from you are Words cannot express how gratefulrare. we areWe that are apart of the North Little Rock this School District. You is great aboutwho our district. family-oriented spirit within a parents andare thewhat community, join usThis in tight-knit, going above and beyond for students. school district is extremely rare. We are extremely blessed to have this type of support from parents and the community, who join us in going above and beyond for students.

I wish you a great school year! I wish you

a great school year!

Sincerely, S

J. Pilewski Gregory J. Pilewski Superintendent of Schools Superintendent of Schools

The North Little Rock School District is an F,quaì Opportunity Employer

New Faces Across the District Principals

Cortney Bost Lakewood Elementary

Elise Hampton 7th & 8th Grade Campus

Assistant Principals

Madison Barker Boone Park Elementary

Angela Hazzard Lakewood Elementary

Pecolya McFadden Seventh Street Elementary

Central Office Administration

Jamie Coleman Transportation Director

Amy Jordan Executive Director of Secondary School Performance

Traci Lightfoot Executive Director of Elementary School Performance

Hunter Nannen IT Manager

The Curriculum Innovation and Design Department is a newly-formed department in the North Little Rock School District. These professionals will be responsible for ensuring a high-quality curriculum and aligned instructional materials for all grade levels, content areas, and courses and that they correspond to national, state, industry, and technology content areas. First row (l-r): Carmen Langston, Elementary Literacy Coordinator; Yaa Appiah-McNulty, Accountability, Assessment & Data Management Coordinator; Dr. Sharesa White, Executive Director of Curriculum Innovation and Design; Mary Beth Hatch, School Innovation Coordinator; and Bonnie Curlin, Gifted & Talented/Advanced Placement Coordinator. Second Row: Agnes Cruz, Secondary Literacy Coordinator; Pamela Criss, Early Childhood and School Readiness Coordinator; Debbie Higgins, Secondary Mathematics Coordinator; and Marla Edwards, Elementary Mathematics Coordinator. Third Row: Dr. Brouke Reynolds, Innovative Virtual Learning Programs Coordinator; and Kriss Marshell, ESOL/World Languages Coordinator

4 8

3 1

4 2

= Holiday (district closed) = Inclement Weather Days, if needed

NTO

= District closed-all employees

= End Grading Period

9 IW

[#]

8 10

PD/PC

Br/H = Break/Holiday

= Begin Grading Period

[#]

= First and Last Day of School

[*]

15 13

[#]

8/16, 8/17, 8/18 3.00 10/20 0.50 2/9 0.50 4.00

[*]

2023

= Early Release (students only)

= Work Day (no students)

= Spring Break (no students)

= Professional Development (no students)

*** The district requires 8 days of teacher PD (48 hours) to include 4 days (24 hours) in the school year and 4 days (24 hours) in the summer. PD Contract Days (during the school year) include:

** Spring Break is March 20-24, 2023

year pushing the last day later in June.

2022

= Parent/Teacher Conferences (12 P.M. to 6 P.M.)

[#] PD/PC

= New Teacher Orientation

= No School

NTO NTO

3 ER

[*]

* Last day of school is dependent on AMI Plan and snow days. June 6th - June 12th include five snow days. If no days are taken, June 5th is last day for students. If more than five days are missed, days will be added to the end of school

JUNE

MAY

APRIL

MARCH

FEBRUARY

JANUARY

DECEMBER

NOVEMBER

OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

AUGUST

JULY

MONTH

Board approval: January 21, 2022

NORTH LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL CALENDAR 2022-2023

[#]

178

42 48 43 45 178

Total Days

PD Contract Days** 4 Required Summer PD** 4 Work Days 2 Parent Conference Days 2 Additional Teacher Contract Days 12 Total Teacher Contract Days 190

1st grading period 2nd grading period 3rd grading period 4th grading period Student Instructional Days

TOTAL

23 26 27 28

26 29 30 31

24 27 28 29

24 27 28

27 30 31

23 26 27 28

25 28 29 30

28 31

23 26 27 28

26 29 30 31

22 25 26 27

H/ NS/CL

0.5

186

Tch

245

12-mo

School Calendar

School Times School Times Pre-Kindergarten Level (Amboy, Boone Park, Glenview, Meadow Park, Pike View, Seventh Street) Start time: 7:30 a.m. Pickup: 2:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Elementary School Level 7:50 a.m.-2:35 p.m. Middle School Level 0 a.m.-3:25 p.m. 8:15 High School Level 8:40 a.m.-3:55 p.m.

Early Release Days For the 2022-2023, students will be released early on the following days: Friday, September 30; Friday, March 3; and Friday, April 14. On these days, Pre-K students will dismiss between 12:15 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. Elementary students will dismiss at 12:50 p.m. Middle school students will dismiss at 1:40 p.m. High school students will dismiss at 2:10 p.m.

Attendance Attendance Matters Matters

We know that situations may arise that may cause students to be absent We know that situations may arise that may cause students to be from school. regular tardiness or absenteeism cause students to absent from However, school. However, regular tardiness or absenteeism causes miss important instruction that they needthat to develop basic Students students to miss important instruction they need toskills. develop basic in skills.grades, Students in early miss grades, missreading out on skills, fundamental early especially, out especially, on fundamental which can reading skills, which cantheir have a domino effect on their ability to grasp have a domino effect on ability to grasp concepts in other subjects. concepts in other subjects. Please join us in producing N.E.A.T Please join N.E.A.T us in producing N.E.A.T for students. N.E.A.T is anor acronym students. is an acronym Never Ever Absent Tardy. for Never Ever Absent or Tardy. 5

Safety Procedures The safety of students and staff is our top priority in the North Little Rock School District. In June 2022, the North Little Rock Board of Education passed the Superintendent’s proposal to reorganize the Safety Services Department, an investment to immediately enhance safety at all campuses. The proposal includes the following safety measures: ●

●

● ● ● ● ●

● ●

Eleven (11) armed, commissioned school security officers, located at the nine elementary campuses, Pike View Early Childhood Center, and North Little Rock Academy; Twenty-seven (27) security officers to provide unarmed security, in partnership with armed school resource officers (SROs) from the North Little Rock Police Department, at the Center of Excellence, North Little Rock High School, North Little Rock Middle School – Seventh & Eighth Grade Campus, and North Little Rock Middle School – Sixth Grade Campus; One (1) security captain and two (2) security sergeants to provide supervision and accountability throughout the Safety Services Department; Three (3) technology positions that will oversee digital safety using cameras, alarms, and new innovative automation, along with district and campus-based crisis intervention planning; Upgraded security protocols that align with national safety recommendations for best practices in schools; Threat assessment teams at each campus and Central Office sites; Issue new security uniforms for all Safety Services Department personnel for improved visibility; Enhanced security measures at extracurricular and special events sponsored by the school district; Implementation of STOPit, an online reporting tool designed to stop bullying, cyber abuse, and other inappropriate behaviors, consisting of an app and an incident management system for school administrators; Conduct school climate surveys to determine where safety can be improved and to develop plans of action; Creation of a School Safety Task Force, which will include members of our Safety Services Department, the North Little Rock Police Department, students, families, and other stakeholders to provide recommendations on school safety.

“There is tremendous interest and urgency in improving school safety.

Chief Ha students forward t students

Raptor S

Replacin School S enhance approved offender a match produced destinati school d

Openga

The Ope North Lit detection including threats, s devices. large num while stil STOPit

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“There is tremendous interest and urgency in improving school safety. Approval of this plan shows the Board’s commitment to school safety,” said Chief Hayward Finks, Director of Safety Services. “We want families, students, and staff to know that they are safe while on our campuses. I look forward to working with Dr. Pilewski, administrators, staff, parents, and students to see this plan realized,” he added. Raptor School Safety Technology Replacing paper sign-in for visitors, each campus will be using the Raptor School Safety Technology. Raptor is a visitor management system that enhances school security by reading a visitor's drivers license (or other approved government-issued ID), comparing information against a sex offender database to alert school administrators and district safety leaders if a match is found. Once cleared through the system, a visitor badge is produced that includes a photo, name of the visitor, date, time, and destination. Founded in 2002, this system is used in more than 5,000 K-12 school districts in the United States. Opengate Weapons Detection System The Opengate Weapons Detection System will be located at entrances at North Little Rock High School. Opengate is a groundbreaking weapons detection system designed for the automatic screening of people in transit, including their backpacks and bags, for the detection of mass casualty metal threats, such as high caliber assault weapons and improvised explosive devices. The system is less intrusive than a metal detector, and it allows a large number of students to enter the building in a short amount of time, while still ensuring the detection of a weapon. STOPit The district will be implementing STOPit, an online reporting tool designed to stop bullying, cyber abuse, and other inappropriate behaviors, consisting of an app and an incident management system for school administrators. Users can report incidents anonymously. With STOPit, users can submit anonymous reports containing text, photos, or video. Administrators are then able to manage incidents and have the ability to communicate with the reporter, which provides the ability to address issues instantly. 7

Cell Phone Policy

The Little North Rock Little Rock School Districtrecognizes recognizes that electronic devices, The North School District that electronic devices, including cell/smartphones, integral part everyday world, and and rd including cell/smartphones, areare ananintegral partofofour our everyday world, communication mayadd add to to the being of students. ar Boardthroughthrough instantinstant communication may thewell well being of students. However, the district also recognizes the possibility that these devices may ard However, the district also recognizes the possibility that these devices may distract or disrupt e distract or disrupt an an educational educational environment. environment. Therefore, limited Therefore, limited use of studentuse and Building, of student and employee eting live employee electronic electronic devices may deviceswill willbebe permitted permitted but but mustmust strictly ded in astrictly follow the follow the can prescribed prescribed guidelines.

rces.

guidelines.

Effective this school g district year, elementary Effective this . students areyear, not school elementary students not permitted possess aduring cell phone any day. If permitted to possess a cellare phone for anyto reason the for school reason the school day.school If students bring a phone school to students bringduring a phone for after activities, they for areafter required activities, aretorequired to immediately turn it in their classroom immediately turnthey it in their classroom teacher ortothe office. Please check teacher or the office (check school).Students They may may retrieve their phone with your individual campus onwith theyour process. retrieve their at the end of each day. Any student caught violating this policy will have their phone at the end of each day. Any student caught violating this policy will cell cell phone confiscated. have their phone confiscated. Secondary students only usecell cellphones phones and electronic devices Secondary students cancan only use andother other electronic devices for non-educational purposes themorning morning before thethe tardy bell, bell, hallway for non-educational purposes ininthe before tardy during lunch,lunch, and after school. student No cell student phones orcell hallwaytransitions, transitions, during and afterNo school. air pods orpods blue-tooth headphonesheadphones will be allowedwill to bebe in allowed phonesear orbuds, ear buds, air or blue-tooth in in classrooms duringduring the school for any reason. to be inuse use classrooms the day school day for any reason. the NLRSD Parent-Student Handbook for for more Please Please refer torefer thetoNLRSD Parent-Student Handbook moredetails details on on our revised cell phoneand policy the consequences for violating our revised cell phone policy theand consequences for violating the the policy. policy.

Students bringing cellular telephones or electronic devices do so at their own risk. The North Little Rock SchoolorDistrict willdevices not assume Students bringing cellular telephones electronic do so at any their liability own North Little Rock School Districttelephone will not assume any any liability for any for any risk.The lost, stolen, or damaged cellular and/or other lost,devices stolen,or in damaged telephone and/or any other electronic electronic schoolcellular or in their possession. 8

devices in school or in their possession.

North Little Rock Board of Education The North Little Rock Board of Education meets twice a month. Board Workshops are held on the first Thursday of each month, and Regular Board Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. Special Board Meetings are planned as the need arises, and notification about those meetings will be provided within the time frame as mandated by the Arkansas Open Meetings law. Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. and take place at the Administration Building, located at 2400 Willow Street. Viewers can watch meetings live on YouTube. The YouTube Channel is NLRSD Board Meetings. You may also view past Board Meetings on the YouTube Channel. Following each Board Meeting, highlights from the meeting are recorded in a Board Brief and sent to parents and other stakeholders. Board Briefs can be found on our website on the Board of Education page. We kindly ask that you follow the district's chain of command, allowing district staff members to handle an issue before contacting a board member.

Mrs. Dorothy Williams Vice President Zone 1

Mr. Tracy Steele Legislative Liason Zone 2

Dr. Rochelle Redus President Zone 3

Mrs. Cindy Temple Disbursing Officer Zone 5

Mrs. Valerie McLean Parliamentarian Zone 6

Alternate Disbursing Officer

Ms. Angela Person-West Secretary Zone 4

Mrs. Natalie Wankum Zone 7

Department Tidbits Child Nutrition The North Little Rock School District will continue to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2022-2023 school year. This means that all enrolled students in our district are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge to your household. Your student(s) will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit a meal application. The Child Nutrition Department will be piloting the “Second Chance Breakfast” program for students at North Little Rock High School and the Center of Excellence this school year. Students will have a “second chance” to eat breakfast. This will take place mid-morning. Breakfast provides the fuel to get students prepared for learning. We hope eating breakfast will become a part of the school day just like eating lunch at school.

Communications The Communications Office is committed to providing effective communications to students, staff, families, and the community. This office takes pride in supporting students and staff by highlighting successes from across the district on the district website – nlrsd.org – and on its social media channels -- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Vimeo. Each school has a Facebook page. Give them a follow as well! We use Thrillshare, a system through our website provider, Apptegy, to reach families by email, calls, and text. Aside from school announcements, these messages will also include the Superintendent's Weekly Update, Board Briefs, notifications about school closings or delays, or emergency notifications. In order to receive communication from our schools and the district, all families are encouraged to maintain accurate contact information. Please contact your child's school office to make sure the information is correct. Remember, if your information changes, we will not know unless you make us aware.

Nursing The North Little Rock School District is mindful of the evolving need for measures to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic or other health concerns. At this time, masks are optional. Please check the school district website and other communication outlets for the latest information.

Parent & Family Engagement Parent and family engagement is crucial in our collective effort to ensure that every student has the resources they need to reach their full potential. When parents, families, and schools work together, students thrive. When this happens, our communities benefit. 10

Do you have a burning desire to be a part of our schools? Do you want to work with school and district staff to put on programs for students? Do you want to help with lunch duty? Do you want to mentor some students and encourage them to make the right choices? You're in luck! We have a place for you! For more information, please visit the Office of Parent & Family Engagement on our website, nlrsd.org, or call (501) 771-8013 for more information.

Transportation The Transportation Department strives to provide the safest, most efficient transportation experience for all students and staff. It is the responsibility of the entire community and requires the cooperation of all students, parents, school staff, and citizens to make this possible. Secondary students are required to have their IDs on in order to get onto the bus. Please visit the Transportation Department on our website, nlrsd.org, to see bus routes for the 2022-2023 school year.

Mental Health Mental health can affect a student’s energy level, concentration level, and self-esteem. These issues, if not addressed early, can have long-term consequences, including their career potential and overall health. Our district has partnered with local mental health agencies to provide on-site therapy and intervention at our campuses. Please visit nlrsd.org to see our Approved Mental Health Providers. The Suicide and Crisis Hotline is available 24/7 and is for anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The number to call is 988.

School Uniforms Elementary and middle school students will not be required to wear uniforms for the 2022-2023 school year. However, all students are required to follow a dress code. Please see page 78 of the NLRSD Parent-Student Handbook. Students may use only clear or mesh book bags to transport books and supplies.

School Supplies Elementary and middle schools have compiled a list of supplies that students will need for the school year. These supplies are available on our website, nlrsd.org.

Water Bottle Filling Stations In the essence of health and safety, all water fountains have been turned off. However, all schools have water bottle filling stations. Students and staff are encouraged to bring water bottles, and they can be refilled throughout the day. 11

In Their Own Words We asked these students to give their peers some advice to ensure a great school year.

Kylen Newburn 2nd Grade, Amboy Elementary

“Be helpful and kind to others because you may need help later on.” Sarah Gonzalez 3rd Grade, Boone Park Elementary

“Be kind and helpful. Get ready to learn.” Wells Pounds 2nd Grade, Crestwood Elementary “Listen and follow instructions and you will learn a lot of great things. Be kind and helpful and you will have a great year.”

Everett McAuliffe 3rd Grade, Indian Hills Elementary

“A new school year means new adventures, friends, and new beginnings for everyone.” Ezra Stalcup 3rd Grade, Lakewood Elementary “Don’t worry. You will make friends fast. Try your hardest. Don’t give up. Don’t be scared to ask for help.” 12

In Their Own Words A’dyn Purnell 5th Grade, Meadow Park Elementary

“Be able to cooperate with others and work hard.” Leona Anderson Junior, NLR Academy “Stay focused, choose the right crowd to hang around, and have a happy school year!

Mikiya Smith Senior, NLR Center of Excellence

“I would tell students to get involved and try new things that are outside of their comfort zone.”

Cannon Hay Senior, NLRHS

“Don’t stress out about coming back to school. Come back and enjoy it.” Anelisse Morales-Zambrano 6th Grade, NLRMS

“I would tell them to be yourself and put effort in your work.”

In Their Own Words Timothy Park 8th Grade, NLRMS

“We should all try to do our best for this school year and show our best!”

Ezra Bailey Pre-K, Pike View ECC

“Have fun, stay safe, stay all day, and give your Momma a hug.” Emmanuel de los Santos 3rd Grade, Ridge Road Elementary “Label your school supplies, make friends with your desk neighbor. Don’t be scared to talk to your teacher.”

Lynn’zee Cain 2nd Grade, Seventh Street Elementary

“Always be yourself and do your best.” 14

NLRSD Points of Contact NLRSD Points of Contact Department/Office

Contact Person

Contact Information

Athletics

Gary Davis

(501) 771-8154

Business & Finance

Brian Brown

(501) 771-8015

Child Nutrition

Mary Lee Dennis

(501) 771-8061

Communications

Dustin Barnes

(501) 771-8048

COVID-19

Tonya Green

(501) 240-1753

Custodial Services

Kim Martin

(501) 771-8078

Curriculum Innovation & Design

Dr. Sharesa White

(501) 771-8045

Deputy Superintendent

Dr. Torrye Hooper

(501) 771-8017

Elementary School Performance

Traci Lightfoot

(501) 771-8022

English Speakers of Other Languages/ World Languages

Kriss Marshell

(501) 252-1017 Extension 1918

Federal Programs & Professional Development

Kristie Ratliff

(501) 771-8025

Gifted and Talented/Advanced Placement

Bonnie Curlin

(501) 779-6437

Human Resources/ Title IX

Jacob Smith

(501) 771-8009

Maintenance

Harrel Hatch

(501) 771-8075

Parent & Family Engagement/Mentoring

Crystal Barker

(501) 771-8013

Safety Services/Nursing

Hayward Finks

(501) 771-8288

Secondary School Performance

Amy Jordan

(501) 771-8022

Special Services

Dr. LeAnn Stoll

(501) 771-8255

Student Information Specialist

Kathy Hale

(501) 771-8027

Student-Centered Services

Currently vacant

(501) 771-8050

Superintendent

Dr. Gregory J. Pilewski

(501) 771-8006

Technology

Hunter Nannen

(501) 771-8070

Transportation

Jamie Coleman

(501) 340-5150

Virtual Learning Programs

Dr. Brouke Reynolds

(501) 906-3839

North Little Rock School District 2400 Willow Street North Little Rock, AR 72114 (501) 771-8000 Dr. Gregory J. Pilewski, Superintendent Amboy Elementary School 101 Auburn Drive North Little Rock, AR 72118 (501) 771-8185 Allen Pennington, Principal

Boone Park Elementary School 1401 Crutcher Street North Little Rock, AR 72114 (501) 340-5160 Steve Orobona, Principal

Crestwood Elementary School 1900 Crestwood Drive North Little Rock, AR 72116 (501) 771-8190 Connie Bamburg, Principal

Glenview Elementary School 901 E. 19th Street North Little Rock, AR 72117 (501) 955-3630 Tiffany Randall, Principal

Indian Hills Elementary School 6800 Indian Hills Drive North Little Rock, AR 72116 (501) 835-5622 Dr. Shanda Coleman, Principal

Lakewood Elementary School 1800 Fairway Avenue North Little Rock, AR 72116 (501) 771-8270 Cortney Bost, Principal

Meadow Park Elementary School 801 E. Bethany Road North Little Rock, AR 72117 (501) 955-3620 April McKinley, Principal

North Little Rock Academy 5500 Lynch Drive North Little Rock, AR 72117 (501) 955-3600 (501)955-3600 Sandy Williams, Director

North Little Rock Center of Excellence 201 W. 22nd Street North Little Rock, AR 72114 (501) 975-3895 Karla Whisnant, Principal

North Little Rock High School 201 W. 22nd Street North Little Rock, AR 72114 (501) 771-8100 Dr. Nadia Saint-Louis, Principal

North Little Rock Middle School Seventh & Eighth Grade Campus 2400 Lakewood Road North Little Rock, AR 72116 (501) 771-8200 Elise Hampton, Principal

North Little Rock Middle School Sixth Grade Campus 2300 Lakewood Road North Little Rock, AR 72116 (501) 771-8250 Michael Clark, Principal

Pike View Early Childhood Center 441 McCain Boulevard North Little Rock, AR 72116 (501) 771-8170 Maribel Siems, Pre-K Coordinator

Ridge Road Elementary School 4601 Ridge Road North Little Rock, AR 72116 (501) 771-8155 Matthew How, Principal

Seventh Street Elementary School 1200 Bishop Lindsey Street North Little Rock, AR 72114 (501) 340-5170 Marques Collins, Principal