Commentary: Partnerships Create Excellence In Springdale School

"Schools and business going forward together" is a very powerful concept.

I have seen the power of that slogan over and over again. When teachers and business leaders together plan programs of study, they bring real-world experiences into the classroom.

Those efforts breathe reality into the educational equation of "rigor + relevance + relationships + high expectations = significant increases in student achievement."

Great examples of the power of that partnership are the information technology programs, the architectural and engineering academies, the medical academies and food science programs in our high schools. Those programs are producing students who are both career- and college-ready.

We also have working partnerships among Springdale teachers and the University of Arkansas and the Northwest Technical Institute.

Those mutual efforts are defining the new robotics program at our elementary schools, middle schools, junior highs and high schools. Springdale students are the beneficiaries of those partnership ventures, and the level of sophistication of student projects being developed is earning both statewide and national attention.

The Environmental and Spatial Technology initiative is in place at Sonora Elementary School, Westwood Elementary School, Tyson Middle School, Har-Ber High School and Springdale High School.

In the last five years, Har-Ber High School has twice won the prestigious EAST Founder's Award -- symbolizing the No. 1 EAST program in the nation. This spring the Sonora Elementary School EAST program, under the direction of Josh Worthy, received the Founder's Award -- the first elementary school ever to be so honored.

What an achievement! Congratulations to the students, their parents, and the staff of Sonora Elementary School.

The good news continues: Springdale High School's EAST program was a finalist for the Founder's Award this spring, and the EAST programs at Tyson Middle School and Westwood Elementary School won distinguished statewide recognition.

All concerned would certainly credit the great examples set by the staff and students at Har-Ber High School who were pace-setters in the EAST initiative and were the first Springdale school to demonstrate exemplary performance in EAST competitions.

Debbie Lamb, Har-Ber's EAST teacher, and her students have paved the way for EAST success, and the business community has been right there as full partners with our Springdale schools every step of the way.

Those 21st century learning programs are becoming the norm in the Springdale school system. The district's receipt of a coveted Race to the Top grant from the U.S. Department of Education and the creation of a new School of Innovation ("I--School") will provide tangible evidence that the Springdale school system is on its way to creating a world-class school system in Springdale.

I want to extend a special "thank you" to every mom and dad, every business leader, and every Springdale educator whose partnership is helping to make that type of success a reality.

Your contributions are deeply appreciated. Without question, our best work is in front of us, and I can barely wait to see the next steps our Springdale students take on that pathway to educational excellence.

Thanks, Springdale!

Commentary on 04/24/2014

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