NLR set to break ground on schools
The North Little Rock School District will conduct not one, not two, but five groundbreaking ceremonies over a two-day period for new schools and a school expansion this month as part of its $265.6 million capital improvement program.
The district also will host a community meeting on the construction that will reduce the 21 campuses to 13, nearly all of which will either be built anew or renovated. That meeting is set for 6 p.m. May 30 at Lakewood Middle School’s mini auditorium.
In the meantime, the ceremonial golden shovels will get a workout at groundbreakings for new schools. The ceremonies are set for 9:30 a.m. May 21 at Meadow Park Elementary School, 11 a.m. May 21 at Lakewood Elementary School and 1 p.m. May 21 at Amboy Elementary School.
The ceremonies continue at 10 a.m. May 22 for a replacement school for Boone Park Elementary School and at 1:30 p.m. May 22 for the expansion of the North Little Rock High School, West Campus.
Winners named in KIDS GO! contest
The Arkansas Educational Television Network has announced 12 winners of the AETN PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest, selected from 150 entries from students across the state. The winners are:
Kindergarten: first place, Riley Sellers of Conway with “The Adventures of Joe”; second place, Preslee Wheeler of Conway with “Chip in the BIG World”; third place, Nevaeh Smith of Springdale with “Rainey Nights.”
First grade: first place, Mabel Wise of Rogers with “The Dancing Zebra”; second place, Zainab Alwbari of Little Rock with “Ruff’s Adventure”; third place, Mallory Price of Rogers with “A Cat Party.”
Second grade: first place, Maya Henry of Little Rock with “Sam Finds His Family”; second place, Ashlynn Avey of Timbo with “Noah and Uncle Moco”; third place, Viviana Preston of Booneville with “Stretchy Elizabeth.”
Third grade: first place, Lila Wilson of Monticello with “Saving Spirit”; second place, Mark Knepp of Conway with “Tales From The Fridge”; third place, Rami Rapp of Little Rock with “High Tide in Hawaii.”
First-place winners are entered in PBS’ national contest. All 12 winning stories can be viewed at http://www.aetn.org/kids/writerscontest.
Schools get funds for health centers
Seven Arkansas school districts will receive more than $1 million to implement a school-based health center in their districts for the 2013-14 school year.
Each district will receive $150,000 during the first year of the five-year grant. The grant award amounts will decrease each year thereafter.
The schools and school districts are: Cedarville Elementary School, Cedarville School District; Washington Middle School, El Dorado School District; Franklin Elementary School, Little Rock School District; Siloam Springs Intermediate School, Siloam Springs School District; Gene George Elementary School, Springdale School District; Waldron Middle School, Waldron School District; and Yellville-Summit Elementary School, Yellville-Summit School District.
The grants, made possible with money from Act 180 of 2009, were awarded by the Arkansas Department of Education’s Office of Coordinated School Health in collaboration with the Arkansas Department of Health and Arkansas Medicaid in the Schools.
With the addition of the seven new sites, Arkansas now has 21 school-based health centers.
Arkansas, Pages 16 on 05/12/2013