School Board Meeting News

The Springdale Public Schools School Board met March 14, 2024.

Regular monthly School Board meetings are held at 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the District Administration Building at 804 W. Johnson Ave.

Meetings are livestreamed HERE monthly.

Each School Board meeting begins by highlighting an exceptional Springdale student, who leads the Pledge of Allegiance and shares their story with the Board.

The Springdale School Board was introduced to senior Andrea Lopez of Don Tyson School of Innovation at the opening of the March School Board meeting.

Andrea is taking Advanced Placement classes that include Spanish Language and Physics and said her favorite class was the Emergency Medical Technician class she took at the beginning of the schoolyear.

"I loved being in the hospital during my clinicals," she said. "It was very exciting to see what doctors, nurses and technicians do together to be able to help the community."

Andrea is studying take her EMT certification test.

"My experience in this class has been very positive and encouraging," she said. "I am very grateful that DTSOI offers this program, because it has helped me learn that I want to continue my education in the medical pathway."

Andrea is the daughter of Leticia Pineda and has also participated in Health Occupations Students of America and the International Science and Engineering fair and is an electrical engineering Intern for Lone Star Communications.

"Outside of school, I worked in hospitals learning how to install safety devices, such as fire alarms and nurse call systems," she said.

Andrea plans on attending college following high school and plans on majoring in biomedical engineering.

The School Board celebrated Jeremy Butler, who was the namesake and first-ever recipient of the Jeremy Butler True GRIT Award.

The Hellstern Middle School special education teacher was surprised with the award Feb. 13 at a presentation in the rotunda of the Arkansas Capitol in Little Rock.

Read the full story HERE.

The School Board also honored Sonora Elementary School counselor Janelle Harp, who received the Arisa Health 2024 Mental Health Champion Award.

"I feel very honored to receive this award," Harp said. "I work among amazing mental health champions and feel humbled to have been selected."

Harp truly stands out as a remarkable individual who's deserving of the award, according to the award nomination.

"Her leadership, advocacy, and collaboration efforts have significantly contributed to the improvement of emotional and behavioral health for both students and adults within the school community," the nomination reads. "One notable aspect of Mrs. Harp's leadership is her commitment to trauma-informed instruction. She has taken the lead in providing training for teachers, ensuring that the entire staff is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to create a safe and supportive learning environment."

The Arkansas School Counselor Association also named Gina Little with Springdale Pre-K as the Northwest Region - Elementary School Counselor of the Year.

"I feel very honored to be recognized. Working with our littlest learners in the district is my passion," Little said. "I have worked hard to build relationships across the district and am blessed to work in Springdale, where I grew up, and give back to the community."

ArSCA Counselor of the Year selection considerations include the implementation of a data-driven, comprehensive school counseling program; innovation in school counseling, leadership and collaboration within the profession; continual professional development; exemplifying the highest standard in professional conduct; and being a model community citizen.

"Knowing the work that we do as counselors everyday is recognized is a wonderful feeling," Little said.

The School Board congratulated 796 distrcit band and choir students for their outstanding performances at the All-Region, All-State and Southwestern American Choral Directors Association qualifiers!

The School Board unanimously approved the 2024-25 Academic Calendar,

which has a school start date of Aug. 12, 2024.

Orlando Graves Bolaños, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art learning initiatives director,

shares information on how the museum has partnered with Springdale Schools

at the March School Board Meeting.

District Communications Director Trent Jones likewise shared information on distrcit marketing campaigns and storytelling, which included a student-created documentary, a distrcit Welcome Magazine, the Springdale Spotlight social media campaign and distrcit email engagement.

Be sure to learn more about the #SpriongdaleFamily by checking out the below links.

District General Counsel Kendra Clay shared some personnel policy proposals with the Board.

The Board unanimously approved the proposals, which will be voted upon at the April School Board meeting.

The School Board voted 7-0 to approve the district's year end Independent Auditor's Report.

A total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada.

Springdale will experience a near total eclipse of about 98%.

Read more about the eclipse HERE.

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Email: communications@sdale.org
Website: https://www.sdale.org/
Location: PO Box 8 Springdale Ar 72764
Phone: 479-750-8800