School Board Member Recognition Month

Governor Mike Beebe has declared the month of January, 2014, as Arkansas School Board Member Recognition Month in the state of Arkansas.  In a proclamation from the Governor’s Office, Beebe said:

“Arkansas school-board members contribute countless hours to fulfilling their roles and responsibilities in setting the mission for their districts; establishing and enforcing policies; overseeing school district finance to ensure alignment with academic and facility needs and goals; hiring and evaluating superintendents; and approving the selection of curricula to make certain that students are offered and taught required courses of study.”

The Smackover School District would like to thank the current school board members who have volunteered their time:

Zone 1 – Don Thomas

Zone 2 – Joe Bates, President

Zone 3- Lynn Birchfield, Secretary

Zone 4 – Jerry Hegwood

Zone 5 – Chris Long

Zone 6 – Heather Preston

Zone 7 – Jeremy Ward

January School Board Meeting

The Smackover School District Board of Directors met in regular session on Monday, January 27, 2014.  Highlights from the meeting include:

• Recognized Bailey Snider and Emily Buggs as the January students of the month.
• Updated the board about a potential annexation with the Norphlet School District.  A survey had been sent out to all employees with 78 for and 4 against for a total of 82 forms currently turned in.
• Approved Paula Robertson as the surrogate parent for the Smackover School District.
• Updated policy 4.45, repealed policy 4.45.1, and approved an addendum to the elementary handbook.
• Extended the contract of Superintendent Dave Wilcox by one year, making it a three year contract.
• Accepted the resignation of one employee.

Jana Reynolds, Technology Administrator, provided an update to the board on the District’s Comprehensive Integrated Technology Plan.  As of January, 2014, the following had occurred:

• Ordered 175 Chromebooks for 3rd through 6th grade students.
• Scheduled a certified Google trainer to provide professional development for elementary and high school teachers this summer.
• Ordered 20 iPad minis for K-2 classrooms.
• Scheduled iPad training for K-2 teachers and special education teachers for the upcoming summer.
• Planning for Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) implementation at the high school.
• Ordered laptops for core teachers at the high school with plans to order laptops for remaining high school teachers this summer.

The Smackover School District Board of Directors meets in regular session on the third Monday of every month* in the Board Room of the Central Office at 5:30 pm.  The public is invited to attend.

*Due to President’s Day, the February board meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, February 24, 2014.

SHS Students Recognized at January Board Meeting

Smackover High School students Bailey Snider and Emily Buggs were recognized at the January school board meeting as the students of the month.  Principal Jan Henderson recognized these students for their hard work and good spirits.

Congratulations to these students!

February Smack Talk

The Smackover Chamber of Commerce has published the February, 2014 edition of Smack Talk.  Several articles in this month’s edition are related to the great work going on in the Smackover School District by our students and teachers.

Click on the link below to access the February edition.

Smack Talk February 2014

BYOD Handbook Draft

The Smackover School District is in the process of creating a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Policy for Smackover High School students for the 2014-2015 school year.

The District’s Curriculum Leadership Team has developed a draft of a BYOD Handbook.

WE WANT YOUR INPUT!

First read the draft of the BYOD Handbook:

SSD_BYOD_Handbook_DRAFT

Then complete the following survey:

Once the draft has been finalized, the BYOD Handbook and related policies will be presented to the Smackover School District Board of Directors for approval.

SHS Football Players Named to All-Area Team

Five Smackover High School football players were named to the All-Area Football Team by the El Dorado News Times.  Congratulations to the following students:

Offensive Team

• Fabian Sims – Senior Running Back
• Ty Mullens – Senior Offensive Line

Defensive Team

• Logan Clark – Junior Linebacker
• Kevante Lower – Senior Linebacker
• Elmo Hempstead – Junior Defensive Back

SHS Student Named to All State Cheer Team

Smackover High School cheerleader Lindsay Burson was named to the All State Cheer Team during the cheer competition held in December.

The high school cheer team was named runner-up in the 3A state cheer competition that same day.

Congratulations to Lindsay and the high school cheer team!

Cheerleading Tryouts

Tryouts for the junior high cheerleaders and senior high cheerleaders will be held March 18, 19, and 21st after school.

Anyone wanting to tryout must have a current physical (within a calendar year) and have at least a 2.0 grade point average.

For more information, please contact cheer coaches Clarice Long or Kerri Briggs.

 

SHS Softball Schedule

Click on the link below to access the Smackover High School softball schedule for spring, 2014.

 

Softball Schedule

SHS Band Members Selected for All-Region Band

Congratulations to the following Sr. High Band members who recently made the All-Region Band at tryouts:

• Haley Clayton- Bass Clarinet
• Sierra Harper- Trumpet
• Krisanna Reynolds – Percussion
• Alex Golden – Alto Saxophone
• John Schaeffer – French Horn
• Auistin Sant – Trumpet

These students  will participate in rehearsals and clinic on Friday, January 24 and Saturday morning, January 25. They will present a concert for the public on Saturday afternoon, January 25.  All of these event will take place at Drew Central High School in Monticello.