Lakeside Primary School was recognized Tuesday by the Arkansas Public School Resource Center and presented with a $10,000 grant for its implementation of its proposal to the state's Schools of Innovation Program.
The APSRC held its 2017 Fall Conference Tuesday at the Hot Springs Convention Center and recognized this year's Schools of Innovation. Lakeside School District saw an application approved for the second consecutive year and the primary school is part of the largest contingent since the program began.
The Arkansas Department of Education allows school district leaders to submit Schools of Innovation plans for new and creative alternatives to existing instructional administrative practices to improve academic performance and learning for all students. Final approval is granted by ADE Commissioner Johnny Key for a four-year period.
Lakeside Primary School introduced a flex classroom option for kindergarten and first-grade students this fall to mix the most favorable aspects of brick-and-mortar schools, the virtual setting and home-school setting for a blended learning option. Whitney Ritter blends instruction for the class on campus, online and on various field trips.
Principal Julie Burroughs said the flex class is meant to offer students and their families a more personalized learning approach. She said the district could extend the option one more grade each school year to allow students to graduate through the flex program.
"I am very proud of our primary school for being so innovative and meeting the needs of our parents and students," Lakeside Superintendent Shawn Cook said. "The future in public education will include more and more choices for students and their families.
"Most of us love options and it is our responsibility to provide the best academic opportunities and options available to students and, at the same time, work hard to make sure they have the rigor we expect for a quality education."
Tuesday's conference focused on elements of policy, administration, instruction, technology and finance. Speakers included Diane Tavenner, founder and CEO of Summit Public Schools, and Kim Bearden, co-founder and director of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta.
"Several members of our team attended the APSRC Conference to accept our grant funds and received a banner for our school," Burroughs said. "During the conference session, members of our team participated in a panel discussion sharing our School of Innovation ideas."
Bearden and Clark met when they were both recognized by Disney in 2000 and later founded the nonprofit middle school. Clark spoke to educators at the Hot Springs Convention Center in June for the Arkansas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development 2017 annual Curriculum and Assessment Conference, which was co-sponsored by the AASCD, ADE and the Arkansas Department of Career Education.
The first round of Schools of Innovation in 2014-15 included 11 schools, but the Springdale School District accounted for eight of the approved programs. Only four schools from four districts were approved for 2015-16.
The state program grew a year ago as a dozen schools from 11 different districts were approved. Lake Hamilton High School and the district's New Horizons alternative learning environment school introduced credit recovery and alternative learning options. Lakeside Middle School increased its offerings of Project Lead the Way courses and started an Environmental and Spatial Technology program.
The primary school is among 18 schools from 14 districts to receive approval. Among them is Malvern High School, which sought waivers for flexible scheduling.
Local on 10/23/2017