February School Board Updates

Read the wrap-up of the Feb. 7 School Board meeting

School Board Learns About Parent University

Rodney Ellis, Springdale Public Schools Workforce Training director, shared information on Parent University with the School Board.

The free experiences at Bayyari and Elmdale elementary schools are offered for two hours once a week over the course of three weeks, Ellis said.

Participating students and parents are introduced to equipment, basic principles and the different associated careers connected with the topic they're exploring, he said.

"It's just a way for our kids to understand what the opportunities are," Ellis said.

The goal is to expose students as early as elementary school to technical fields that could lead to future career paths, he said.

The district is working to introduce students to as many future career options as possible before they enter high school, he said. Intentional curriculum and training is implemented to help students gain a genuine understanding of the opportunities that exist for them following graduation and to ensure they're equipped to achieve those goals.

The Parent University includes many hands-on activities and will be used as a model for a camp in the summer, Ellis said. District junior high school educators will teach at the camp to build cohesion throughout the district.

District YouTube Channel Achieves 10 Million Views

Trent Jones, Springdale Public Schools Communications director, announced the Springdale Public Schools YouTube channel reached the milestone of 10 million views.

The achievement is the culmination of Superintendent Dr. Jared Cleveland's guidance, the School Board's leadership, the workforce development provided by district teachers and the hard work of students, he said.

"Students find their voice while learning skills," Jones said.

The Springdale Schools YouTube channel serves as a platform for sharing fine arts performances, graduations, athletic events, professional development training, teaching tools, fun content and more. The channel is populated by educators, staff and students from elementary through high school.

The district channel began in 2012 and is part of a regional communications ecosystem that reaches virtually all Springdale residents and much of Northwest Arkansas, he said.

"It was really fun going back and seeing how far we've come," Jones said.

Watch the Celebratory Commercial!

Education Foundation Scholarship and Grant Update

Chris Stecklein, Springdale Public Schools Education Foundation executive director, provided the School Board with an update on how the foundation is supporting regional educators and students.

"We've added several new scholarship funds," Stecklein said, all of which are workforce related.

Students may apply for scholarships now, he said, noting 81 students have thus far applied.

The application window will remain open until April 1, Stecklein said.

Scholarships will be awarded at school end-of-school year senior assemblies, he said.

The next grant cycle opens March 1 for any district employee to apply for funds to serve students, Stecklein said.

"It's really fascinating to watch what employees ask for," he said.

The grant application window closes May 1, Stecklein said, and grants will be awarded by the end of the schoolyear.

"We have a true blessing in the foundation," said Superintendent Dr. Jared Cleveland. "It's a fantastic group of people who care, care about kids and this district."

Stecklein said the Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative is likewise working to attract philanthropic dollars to benefit the region by awarding 12 $7,000 leadership grants to regional principals and assistant principals.

The grants must address recruitment, retention and growth of high-performing teachers; creating an inclusive school culture for staff and students; promoting social and emotional learning and student well-being; or implementing innovative student-centered approaches to teaching and learning, he said.

The cooperative will release the grant application by the end of the week, Stecklein said.

Stecklein also announced the foundation will feature the sixth annual Duck Race on Sept. 23 at 11 a.m. at Turnbow Park in Downtown Springdale.

Event sponsorships are available now, he said, adding the foundation hopes to sell 5,000 ducks for this year's race.

"That has rapidly become our largest, single fundraising event that generates pure grant money," Stecklein said.