LITTLE ROCK — 12 teachers given economics awards

Twelve Arkansas educators were recently presented Bessie B. Moore Awards for outstanding economics teaching by Economics Arkansas at a gala at the Clinton Presidential Center.

Recipients were: Deborah Shearer, Baker Elementary School and Lisa S. Twyford, Robinson Middle School in the Pulaski County Special School District; Rebekah Bilderback, Greenbrier Junior High; Heather Grosze, Rogers Heritage High; Valarie Harp, Hartford Elementary; Jennifer Howald, Woods Elementary in the Fort SmithSchool District; Sarah Jerry, Greenbrier Eastside Elementary School; Peggy Johnson, Harmony Grove Elementary in Camden; Natosha Jones, College Hill Elementary in the Texarkana School District; Tamra Lambert, Bryant Middle School; Lynn Massey, Harp and Lee elementary schools in the Springdale School District; and Shelina Warren, Jack Robey Junior High in the Pine Bluff School District.

Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Ray Simon of Conway was the keynote speaker.

Economics Arkansas is a nonprofit organization that says it trains educators “to teach economics without the eeek.” LR volunteers read to 600 classrooms

Parents and other community volunteers read to pupils in more than 600 Little RockSchool District elementary school classrooms on Tuesday.

The annual event was the Volunteers In Public Schools’ Jane Mendel Reading Day.

One of the hits of the day was Little Rock City Manager Bruce Moore, who took along a penguin and an owl from the Little Rock Zoo to his reading assignment at Jefferson Elementary.

Former principal to fill athletic post

Danny Ebbs, the former Sylvan Hills High School principal, has returned from retirement to become interim athletic director in the Pulaski County Special School District.

In addition to being a principal for 21 years and a high school athletic director, Ebbs was the head basketball coach at Arkansas Tech University from 1980-1985 and at Henderson State University from 1990-1994.

Ebbs is replacing Kevin Downing, who has taken a job in the Rogers School District.

Jacksonville band going to Louisiana

The Jacksonville High School Juke Box Band is planning to march in the Bayou Classic Thanksgiving Day Parade in New Orleans, Pulaski County Special School District leaders said.

The band recently received a Grand Champion Band trophy at the Carroll High School Battle of the Bands in Monroe, La.

Information on the band’s efforts to attend the New Orleans parade is on the school district’s website: pcssd.org.

Arkansas, Pages 16 on 11/18/2012