SPRINGDALE -- The School District has a site for its next elementary school following the board's vote Tuesday.
Board members without opposition approved buying 28 acres at the intersection of Don Tyson Parkway and George Anderson Road in southeast Springdale for the project. The land is mostly undeveloped and cost the district $800,000, which Deputy Superintendent Jared Cleveland said was a relative bargain.
Superintendent Jim Rollins said the school should open in fall 2021 and could host around 700 students, though he emphasized it's too early for firm decisions.
"We're really playing with some different ideas right now," such as making the school the elementary-level equivalent of the Don Tyson School of Innovation, Rollins said after the meeting. The School of Innovation teaches freshmen through seniors and allows students to explore subjects they're interested in at their own paces.
The location is a one-mile drive away from Harp Elementary School. Rollins said the site is still ideal because it's easy to access and connect to utilities and because that part of town should still grow. After construction there, the district would likely build its next elementary school somewhere on the western side of the city, he said.
Board members supported the idea with just a minute or two of discussion.
"It's a great piece of property -- it's well-located, it's going to be easy to build on," said Mike Luttrell.
The rest of Tuesday's meeting covered a blend of other topics. Associate Superintendent Megan Slocum announced the district received almost $900,000 from the Arkansas Department of Education's School Recognition Program, which awards money to schools scoring in the state's top 10 percent in academic performance and academic improvement. Springdale was the top earner in the state, she said.
Another $1.4 million total went to other Northwest Arkansas districts and Haas Hall Academy's two locations, according to online data from the department. Springdale's reward roughly tripled that from last year.
District officials also recognized Vanessa Stewart of Monitor Elementary School as the district teacher of the year. Assistant Superintendent Kathy Morledge praised Stewart for helping nearly all of her students improve significantly through the year and for adapting to changing technology and education techniques.
"Our Springdale teacher of the year demonstrates that she truly does focus on the whole child," Morledge said.
NW News on 05/09/2018