Alexa Gallardo, from Sonora Elementary, wrote a story about a snow adventure. Looks like a good time was had by all! Thank you for sharing with us!
On our first ever remote teaching and learning snow day, Assistant Principal at John Tyson Elementary, Ashley Kirby, shares with us this photo of her kids working on their baking assignment today!
The Michaelson brothers made a candle at home!
"Our power went out over night, so we looked up different ways to make candles. We made one out of butter, one with an orange and olive oil, one with a crayon, and one with lard. All of them worked! Who knew? Lard was the winner if you were wondering."
Students from George Elementary are wrote 5 sentence paragraphs about their favorite snow activity or memory. Pictured are third grade students from Mrs. Weatherford’s class, Aracelis Diaz Gandia and Matthew Zamora. Thank you for sharing with us!
Nothing like seeing snow up close. Jax, a first grade student, is looking at snow and ice crystals through the microscope. How fun! Thank you for sharing with us!
Mireya from Sonora Elementary is seen here measuring the snow in three different places to determine an average. Way to go Mireya!
Brooke Holland from Kindergarten Sonora Elementary is seen here completing her assignment today with her furry friend! Reading by Christmas Tree Light with a friend. Thank you for sharing with us!
Seen here is Daniel, third grade student from George Elementary! Daniel participated in activities off of his choice board! And Ryla is writing about her snow sledding adventure this morning. Thank you for sharing with us!
Central States Manufacture partners with Elmdale Elementary to bring food, gifts, and a celebration for all of Elmdale kids. This is the second year of Operation Reindeer. Students got a book, underwear, socks, a toy, coloring book/crayons, a hat, a box of frozen chicken and a box of dry goods. This year the Samaritan Feet also donated shoes and socks for every student in the building. In addition Elmdale had a drive through family celebration where Santa Claus and Ms. Claus, the Grinch, and other Disney characters were dancing and greeting the families as they drove through. A total of 266 families attended the celebration. Operation Reindeer Celebration brought a bit of joy to Elmdale! Big thank you to Central States and Samaritan Feet!
Caroline, a 1st grader from Westwood Elementary, worked on a snowy scene art activity with a little help from her dad and art teacher Mr. Crumby. Thank you for sharing with us!
The Springdale Schools will have remote teaching and learning on Monday, December 14, 2020 . All school buildings will be closed.
Please see the flyers below for important information regarding enrollment at Don Tyson for 2021-2022.
Sign Up at: https://t.ly/XCw2
Elsa and Anna along with other characters made an appearance at Winter Wonderland at Parson Hills Elementary last night. Families drove through a tunnel Christmas lights to receive a food box and toys. All donations were made thanks to Central States Manufacturing.
Calling all future Super Subs! Join the Springdale family today by applying at www.sdale.org! Make a difference in your community! #SuperSubs
"I substitute because I like being on the same schedule as my kids. I particularly like subbing at their school, Westwood." - Rebekah Johnson
"Subbing is good if you want to get into education. It gets your name out and gets you into a good environment." - Brian Handley
DR. ANNETTE THOMPSON NAMED PRINCIPAL OF NEW JIM D. ROLLINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Dr. Annette Thompson, in her 19th year as principal at George Elementary School, has been named the principal of the new elementary school currently under construction in Tontitown.
“We are overjoyed that Dr. Thompson has chosen to lead the new elementary school as she begins this new journey with the community of Tontitown,” said Superintendent Dr. Jared Cleveland.
Dr. Thompson said, “This is an exciting opportunity. I am grateful to Dr. Cleveland and the school board for allowing me to start a new journey in the Springdale District. I’ve been involved in the Northwest Arkansas Innovation Hub for four years and am anxious to take what I’ve learned into a new environment.”
Named Arkansas Elementary Principal of the Year in 2017, Dr. Thompson has been a principal in the district for 21 years. She was principal at Lee Elementary for two years before moving to George. She served as a student teacher at Smith Elementary while she was at the University of Arkansas, then taught three years in Amarillo, Texas before returning to Smith where she taught for nine years. She moved to Lee as assistant principal and was in that position for two years before being elevated to principal.
In partnership with the Walton Foundation and the Arkansas Office of Innovation for Education, Dr. Thompson was selected to study innovative educational practices in New Zealand. She has also visited several schools dedicated to innovative learning practices throughout the United States.
Dr. Thompson will begin her new role July 1, 2021. The Tontitown elementary school is scheduled to open in August, 2021.
STEPHANIE LONG NAMED PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FINALIST
Springdale will have the Presidential Award for Science winner. Turnbow Elementary third grade
teacher Stephanie Long has joined Lisa Taylor of Shaw Elementary as the finalists for the award.
“I’m floored,” says Long. “I’m in shock. This has been a professional goal of mine. To be named a
finalist is a humbling experience. My dad, Steve Long, taught chemistry for 45 years, mostly in Rogers.
When I was growing up he was named a finalist one year, then won the award the next. He is my role
model so this is very exciting.”
Long, though, would have preferred not to know who the other finalist is because, “I didn’t want
to view this as competition. I’ve met Lisa through professional development and I have friends who
teach at Shaw but I don’t know Lisa well. To make it to this point means all the finalists are doing great
work. For Springdale to have both finalists speaks volumes about our district. It’s great that Springdale
will have the winner. And, we have a finalist (Lindsey Hall at Young Elementary) in math, too.”
This is the second time Long has been nominated but the first time she has been qualified.
“I earned national board certification in December of 2017 and was working with Jake Beers,
who is now assistant principal at Jones but was our district math teacher on special assignment then, on
science curriculum for district first and second graders,” Long explains. “He nominated me but at that
time I didn’t meet qualifications because you had to have taught more years than I had in kindergarten
through 12 th grade.
“I’ve been at Turnbow Elementary for my entire 11-year teaching career but the first four years
were teaching pre-k. So, in 2019, Jake nominated me again. I am very thankful.”
What does Long, a University of Central Arkansas graduate with a master’s from the school and
ESL degree from the University of Arkansas, like best about teaching science?
“Science is hands-on and applicable to living in the real world,” she responds. “Before the
pandemic I brought in local scientists and science groups to visit with our students in the classroom. I
like giving our students real life experiences.”
Long has had several teaching experiences, herself, even though all have been at Turnbow. She
has taught first, second and third grade, including some blended classes with students from different
grades. She is in her first year as a third-grade teacher and 15 of her students from last year’s second
grade class are with her again this year.
“Looping with 15 of our students from last year has provided some consistency during a
pandemic,” Long says. “I started this Presidential Award process last year with these students and they
are finishing it with me now.”
Long, Taylor and Hall are perfect examples of the whole district working to benefit the whole
child. They are among hundreds of great teachers who help make Springdale Public Schools #THEChoice.
LISA TAYLOR NAMED PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FINALIST IN SCIENCE
Lisa Taylor has been a teacher at Shaw Elementary since it opened in the fall of 2007. She has
earned several honors for her work in teaching economics but, in the most unusual year of her career,
she was surprised to learn she is one of two finalists in Arkansas for the Presidential Award in Science.
“I turned in the video and did the paperwork but had forgotten about it,” Taylor explains.
“Because of COVID, everything was delayed. It was surreal to be named a finalist when there are so
many other things we have been concentrating on. It is a silver lining to a crazy year.”
Final documents were due in May but the deadline was extended until October because of
COVID. Taylor wasn’t notified until early December. Now she is required to write an addendum to her
original paper.
“I am working on a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on STEM at the
University of Arkansas,” says Taylor. “I’m addicted to learning and want to share my knowledge and
passion for teaching. The paper for the Presidential Award and the completion of the UA semester are
coming at the same time but I will get it all done.”
It’s ironic Taylor is up for the Presidential Award in science since she did not take the subject
until she was completing elementary school.
“As a kid I struggled with reading so I didn’t go to social studies or science,” Taylor recalls. “They
put me in extra reading sessions. My first science class was in the sixth grade. At a convention for
teaching science I attended in 2012 they told us by fourth grade students already have attitudes toward
liking science or not. That puts a lot of weight on the shoulders of elementary teachers.
“I use science to get students interested and teach reading through it. Our job is to create the
wonder of science for our students. We do some different things. We even take apart things like vacuum
cleaners so the students can see what they are made of. They love discovery. They bring items, like
printers and motors, into class and take them apart. I let them explore and they are creative.”
Creative teaching has allowed Taylor to be recognized as a Presidential Award finalist in science.
In her 23 rd year as a teacher, Taylor is among the many instructors that exemplify working together for
the whole child. That’s one of the reasons Springdale Public Schools are #THEChoice.
A great day visiting Archer Learning Center! School Board President Michelle Cook and member Eddie Ramos joined Superintendent Dr. Jared Cleveland and team to learn about the 21 CCLC tutoring program and tour a chemistry classroom
