Randy Hutchinson, School Board member, shares with us what he is thankful for during this season. #WeAreThankful
So many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season! Marcia Smith, Associate Superintendent, shares what she is thankful for! #WeAreThankful
OVERTON HESSLER – SRO, SONORA MIDDLE SCHOOL, SONORA AND MONITOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Ever been to Overton, Texas? Probably not. It’s a pretty small dot on the map. Until a few years ago Overton Hessler hadn’t been there either but he made a side trip to see the town his parents named him after.
“It’s a little town, nothing special,” says Hessler, who serves as student resource officer at Sonora Middle School and Sonora and Monitor Elementary Schools. “My parents were traveling and drove through there while my mom was pregnant with me. They had already had two boys and wanted a girl. They had girls’ names lined up when they had me. So, they named me Overton.
“I hated it as a child. I wanted a common name. I have two sisters so they were able to use the girls’ names but I was stuck with Overton. As an adult I don’t mind. It’s a unique name but as a kid I didn’t think so.”
Hessler is unique in the path he has taken to become a police officer. He had been doing part time work for a while and was searching for a career when he heard a radio advertisement that said the Springdale police department was hiring.
“I was living in the Fort Smith area when I heard the ad,” Hessler recalls. “I found out they were hiring five or six officers so I thought my chances were pretty good. The first time I ever set foot in Springdale was when I applied for the job.
“I had applied at the Fort Smith police department and the Ozark and Fort Smith fire departments. Maybe it was because I wasn’t from the area but I wasn’t really welcomed at any of those places. Springdale was a different feel. The training officer was friendly and everyone was so welcoming. That meant something to me. I finally got the call and asked, ‘When do I come and where do I go?’”
Hessler was hired in 2007 and served on patrol, spent year as a detective, and trained officers until three years ago when he became an SRO.
“I had heard about the SRO program but I was happy on patrol,” Hessler says. “I loved the street. There was always something new and different. At the same time, I began sensing the need for a change. So, I became an SRO.
“Everyone at the schools has been great. They are all pleasant. This is still police work but it’s very different. There is a lot more positivity. Enforcement isn’t usually positive when you are on patrol. I am in the middle of my career and this has been a great change for me. It has been rejuvenating.”
While Hessler hopes to remain an SRO for a few years, he knows there are plenty of other opportunities in the Springdale police department.
“Being a police officer isn’t always easy but doing something new every now and then helps,” Hessler says. “It makes you better and more well-rounded. After serving on patrol I spent a year as a detective. I didn’t like it but it but I learned a lot. It made me better. I liked training officers and there are still some on the force that I trained. Training definitely makes you better. You have to understand your job to be able to explain it to others. It’s amazing how quickly time has gone by.”
Time didn’t move so quickly when Hessler was growing up. He lived in Hanover, Kansas, a community of 800 people.
“It was very different,” Hessler explains. “There were few job opportunities. If you didn’t own a farm you could work in a bank or as a mechanic but that was about it. It was a nice place to grow up because we were outdoors a lot. I learned to fish and hunt and still love to do both as an adult.”
Growing up in a small community led to Hessler enrolling in a small, private college. His mother graduated from Bethany College and he had visited the campus, so he went there, too. He had no idea what he wanted to do when he began his freshman year.
“I took a semester of art, then switched to psychology,” Hessler says. “I earned my degree and worked with a health company working with kids. I did that for two years and enjoyed it but it wasn’t a career.
“I changed gears and wanted to become a firefighter. I served as a volunteer in McPherson, Kansas. I did the training and everything you have to do to be a firefighter. I was dating a girl, Jessica, who I later married. She went to Bethany College on a basketball scholarship but wanted to be closer to her family in Arkansas. So, she came back and I followed her.
“Her dad is an ex-marine and I knew he would want to make sure his daughter was taken care of. So, I knew I needed to find a career before we got married. I joined the police force in 2007 and we were married in 2008.”
Hessler and his wife both work with students. Jessica is a teacher at Elkins High School. They also have three children of their own.
“Ours are five, seven and 10,” Hessler says. “They are all at Sonora Elementary. I think it’s fun for them when they see me at work. I can pop in an see them in class. After school they take a bus to Sonora Middle School and they go home with me.
“Since we have three kids, I’ve seen just about everything kids can try to pull on you. Being a parent makes you a better SRO. While all the students are someone else’s kids, when they are at school I think of all of them as mine. I want to make sure I am keeping them safe.”
Keeping students and staff safe is a duty all the Springdale SROs handle superbly. They are a major reason why Springdale Public Schools are #THEChoice.
Attention parents, please see the following links below to purchase tickets for the games listed: All tickets must be purchased online. No tickets will be sold at the gates to either game.
Link to purchase tickets to the Har-Ber Football vs Northside game tomorrow night at Wildcat Stadium - https://gofan.co/app/events/149445
Link to purchase tickets to the Springdale High Football at Conway game tomorrow night - https://gofan.co/app/events/149447?schoolId=AAA
Springdale Har-Ber senior Walker Immel has signed a letter of intent to play baseball while attending the University of Central Arkansas. He is a pitcher who also plays centerfield. #THEChoice
Springdale Har-Ber senior Avery Lanning has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball while attending Missouri Southern State University. #THEChoice
Noel Morris and Delia Farmer visited Turnbow Elementary to share the vision and mission of the Rotary Club with our 3rd graders. The Rotarians gave each student 3 books of their own to add to their home library! They left our kids with the following statement: All leaders are readers!
Thank you Freeyumm for your donation!
Thank you Walmart for your donation!
Thank for your donation Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council!
Springdale School Board | November Meeting
watch live:https://youtu.be/2NcUSu2yDRw
The School Board met with principal Allen Williams and vice principal Mendi Hayter from J.O. Kelly Middle School this morning to take a tour of the classrooms.
DESTINEE HAYWARD – THRIVING REMOTE LEARNING STUDENT
Before COVID, Destinee Hayward would have been a sophomore at Springdale Har-Ber High School. She would have been following in the footsteps of her two older brothers and likely doing well. However, because of the pandemic, Hayward chose the Don Tyson School of Innovation Virtual Academy and remote learning has allowed her to not only thrive academically but also begin to launch her own business.
“I’m doing better academically,” Hayward says. “I’m bashful about asking questions in class. Now if I don’t understand something I can restart the video. Plus, I get help from my teachers by email or Zoom.
“This has allowed me to continue developing my own business of making bath bombs. It’s called “Midnight Bath” because I use darker colors. I wanted to do something different. I’m getting ready to sell them.”
How has she balanced her academic work and starting a business?
“I start my day early,” she responds. “I’m usually on my computer by 7:15 or so. I like to get things done early and in the mornings I can give my entire focus to my classes. In the afternoon I work on the bath bombs. I make them myself. It took me nearly a year to figure out how to make them.
“I got help from a group on Facebook. They are all over the place, including Canada and England. The products make skin softer. My mom and dad are testers. They both like the products and say their skin is softer. Mom posted them on Instagram and has friends wanting to buy them.”
While Hayward plans to sell some of her bath bombs to her mom’s friends as well as family members during Thanksgiving gatherings, she isn’t quite ready to mass market yet.
“I’m still learning how to package and market the bath bombs,” Hayward explains. “The help group is advising me. There will be cost involved so I need to get a job soon to pay for the product and packaging.”
Hayward’s mother, Danette, is thrilled with the academic and ingenuity success her daughter is experiencing. She says, “Remote learning has allowed Destinee to create a good balance. She is staying ahead in her classes and learning to start a business at the same time. It’s amazing.
“Destinee had talked to us about home school for a while. The pandemic gave us the opportunity to utilize the DTSOI’s Virtual Academy. I work for J.B. Hunt and have been working at home. Destinee is always up early starting on her academics when I come down to start work.”
Does Destinee miss her friends or the classrooms?
“Most of my friends are school friends and we stay in contact but this is better for me,” she responds. “This allows me to focus on things on my own schedule. My parents have been very supportive.
“My brothers, on the other hand, didn’t think it was a good idea at first. They both graduated from Har-Ber and are in college now. When I was in grade school at Young Elementary it was a big deal when the Har-Ber football players and cheerleaders would come to our school. They were the coolest. So, I really like what I am doing now but who knows, I may still go to Har-Ber as a senior and graduate from there.”
Graduation is still over two years away. What about after that?
“I want to go to college and get into interior designing,” Hayward says. “I might major in business. I really like art. When I was younger I used to draw pictures of my favorite television shows. I made crafts, too. So, graphic design is another interest of mine.”
Her major interest now, though, is continuing to do well as a remote-learning student and completing the launch of her business. Destinee is an example of why providing a personal learning plan for students and encouraging an entrepreneurial spirit help make Springdale Public Schools #THEChoice.
CHRIS SCHMECKENBECHER – SRO, ARCHER LEARNING CENTER
Chris Schmeckenbecher went to college with the intent of becoming a pilot. He was an aviation major at Henderson State. He was a junior when New York City was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. His world dramatically changed.
“9-11 wrecked my plans,” says Schmechenbecher, who is in his first year as student resource officer at the Archer Learning Center. “I wanted to be a pilot because the airlines couldn’t hire pilots fast enough. A week after 9-11 the airlines were laying pilots off.”
Schmeckenbecher returned home to Little Rock, leaving Henderson State in order to take time to contemplate his future. He was already in the marine reserves but was looking for at least temporary work. His mother had friends at the Pulaski County Sheriff’s office so he applied there.
“I clerked for two months, then became a dispatcher,” Schmeckenbecher recalls. ‘Listening to the calls gave me the itch to see what it was like on the other side of the radio. Before I could find out I was deployed by the marines to Iraq.
“We were the second wave sent to Iraq. I was stationed in Al Kut. We went out on patrol from there looking for weapons caches and insurgents. When you are in the military in a place like Iraq, you are always on hyper vigilance. Your brain gets accustomed to that and it is hard to turn it off when you return home. It took me some time to return to normal when I came home.
“I can see some of the same of that in police work. It is similar to the military in that we often deal with the worst in people. At the same time, we do so much that is good. We can truly make a difference in people’s lives. Many times I’ve been told I made a difference. To know we have helped someone is why we keep going.”
Once he was back from Iraq, Schmeckenbecher pursued an officer’s position in the Pulaski Sheriff’s office and he was rewarded with the job. He joined the law enforcement division in 2004 and served in his home town area until early 2019 when he and his family moved to Northwest Arkansas.
“I loved my job,” he says. “I worked in field training, narcotics and on the gang task force. Working with the FBI and DEA was the highlight of my career in Little Rock. It was challenging. There were so many agencies involved and so much information shared. I had never seen anything like it before. We were able to indict some nasty people.
“It was hard to leave but we needed a change. My wife, Lesley, and I have been married 13 years. We have an eight-year-old daughter and we adopted a son while we were still in Little Rock. He is three. Northwest Arkansas is beautiful and all the school districts are rated among the best in the state. We knew it would be good to move here.”
Before he left his job in Little Rock, Schmeckenbecher applied at the police departments in Springdale and Fayetteville and sent his resume to the Bella Vista police. Springdale offered first and he immediately became a patrol officer.
“I had been here only about a year when I moved from patrol to an SRO position at Springdale High School,” Schmeckenbecher explains. “A week later COVID shut everything down. I had just set up the office with pictures on the wall and had learned the layout of the school but I didn’t really get to experience Springdale High.
“I went back on patrol not initially knowing school would not resume. My pictures stayed there until early summer when they decided to move me to Archer. I love the staff at Archer and I enjoy the students. The staff really cares about the students and getting their grades on track.”
At Archer, Schmeckenbecher and a teacher, Erin Deleeuw, are initiating a STAR program that was designed by the local Army recruiter. STAR stands for Students Taking Active Roles. It involves character, patriotism and community service.
“Students get course credit for the program and some may become interested in a career in the military,” Schmeckenbecher says. “We have 11 students currently involved and we are just launching it. Erin and I are building curriculum along with army guidelines. We will present it to the students.
“It’s important for students to see what is out there. The military trains people for careers. For instance, if a student is interested in becoming a mechanic, the military can train on working with jet engines. That can lead to a very good career. There are a lot of options for students who either don’t want to go or can’t afford college.”
When it comes to options away from his work, Schmeckenbecher admits “I’m a homebody. I like to spend time with my wife and kids. We also spend time with my brother-in-law and his family who live up here. Our kids enjoy getting together.
“With COVID, there’s not as much you can do. When it first happened, I didn’t know where to take my wife on a date. The restaurants were closed. But, we enjoy spending time at home.”
And, he enjoys spending time at Archer. He confesses, “Being an SRO is still fairly new for me. It’s challenging at times but I enjoy the people and I like to know I can make a difference.”
Schmeckenbecher and the entire staff of student resource officers make a major difference throughout the district. They are among the reasons Springdale Public Schools are #THEChoice.
Watch the first Springdale Today of the 2020-2021 school year. Stories include: Don Tyson School of Innovation Industrial Maintenance Rib Cutting Event, Band Car Wash at Speedy Splash, the Har-Ber Aviation Program and much more...all of that and more on this episode of Springdale Today.
https://youtu.be/BCHQzo83__g
Since regionals were cancelled this year, Central Junior High's eighth and ninth grade volleyball teams played a series of matches against Har-Ber High School, Central teachers and even teams with student resource officers. The games were streamed live into all the school's classrooms with ESPN's Jimmy Dykes and his daughter Kennedy handling the commentary. Students were allowed to purchase concessions. Proceeds will go to the Shop With A Cop program. Finding an entertaining way to conclude volleyball season, another reason Springdale Public Schools are #THEChoice.
CODY COMBS – SRO, ELMDALE, SMITH, SHAW, GEORGE, WESTWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
Cody Combs, a student resource officer who serves Elmdale, Westwood, Smith, Shaw and George Elementary Schools as well as the Early Childhood Center, is sore. Not mad. Sore. Why is he sore? Because some staff members at Elmdale talked him into starting Crossfit.
“I’ve been doing it for two weeks and I go to bed sore every night,” Combs says. “I have a love-hate relationship with Crossfit. I know I am bettering myself but the soreness doesn’t go away.”
How long until the soreness is gone?
“I was told two weeks but it has been a little more than two weeks,” Combs responds.
“It took me two months,” says Elmdale social worker Lindsey Odglen, one of those who does Crossfit with Combs. “I’ve been doing it for three years now.”
Combs adds, “The coach, Tony Shipp, is fantastic. He is very knowledgeable and the most patient person I know. Police officers are in good shape but Crossfit is different.”
Soreness has not hampered Combs in his job but it has made it difficult at times to enjoy his eight-month old golden retriever, Piper.
“Piper weighs between 70 and 75 pounds but still thinks she is the size of a puppy,” says Combs. “She’s hyper. When I am sitting on the couch, she will jump on me like she is smaller than she is. I love her, though. She is fantastic. I also have a four-year old mini Australian shepherd, another wonderful dog.”
Did Combs have pets growing up?
“No,” he responds, “I had a rough childhood growing up. That’s a major reason I joined the police force. I enjoy building relationships and letting people know I am here to help them. It’s easy for me to relate to and talk with those who are struggling. I watch the principals, assistant principals, counselors and Ozark guidance staff members go to extreme lengths to be helpful to students and have learned a lot. I like working with kids.”
This is Combs’ first full year as an SRO. He was hired to serve in the schools last year but COVID-19 broke out. He has not served as an SRO without wearing a mask.
“I enjoy the kids, the teachers and the staffs at all the schools where I work,” Combs says. “But, since we have to wear a mask all the time, the kids can’t see when I am smiling at them.”
Other than being sore, Combs has plenty to smile about. He is not only a member of the Springdale Police force but also the Arkansas Army National Guard.
“I joined the National Guard when I was a junior at Alma High School,” Combs explains. “I was 17 at the time. I go to camp for two weeks every summer and one weekend every month. When I was in high school I wanted to be a police officer and be in the military as well. Being a police officer meant more so I worked at Lowe’s until I was 21 before applying to join the police. My sister’s husband worked for the Springdale police at the time and encouraged me to apply. I applied several places and Springdale was the first to call me back.”
Combs served on patrol for over four years before becoming an SRO. Switching assignments was not easy for him.
“It was hard leaving patrol,” Combs says. “The supervisors and officers worked so well together. On patrol we were mostly helping adults. When the SRO position became available I thought to myself, ‘I’ve always helped adults, how can I help kids every single day?’ Now I am doing that.”
Combs is also pursuing a goal that should help him become even more helpful.
“Before the virus I was taking courses at NWACC (Northwest Arkansas Community College),” says Combs. “My goal was a degree in social work but I am also passionate about psychology. I’ve applied to Columbia Southern University because I can take all the classes online. I want to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Not only do I like psychology but a degree would help me advance in rank in the military if I want to be an officer.
“Being a member of the police and the military has made me a better, more mature person. It has opened my eyes, more than I imagined, to the real world.”
His eyes are more than open to the real world of serving as an SRO in Springdale. Combs says, “Arkansas is a great place to be and Springdale, in particular, is a great place to be. The fantastic support we receive is overwhelming. So many people in the community support us. They are thankful for what we do. It works the other way, too. We appreciate every member of our community.”
It’s wonderful to be appreciated and Springdale Schools appreciates its SROs. They are among the reasons that Springdale Public Schools are #THEChoice.
Watch LIVE at 10:30 am
the Central Junior High Volleyball team takes on a very special Championship team. ESPN Sports Announcer Jimmy Dykes along with Kennedy Dykes will host. Benefits Shop With a Cop
https://youtu.be/AxLARNipOLE
Thank a Custodian! Cory Ray is in his 27th year of service to the district. He has worked at Har-Ber High School since it opened in 2006. His favorite part of the job? "I love the kids and helping people."
Watch LIVE at 7:00pm
Central vs Lakeside 8th grade football!
https://youtu.be/s9SX-lx9ZJY