Month: March 2020

From the Office of the Superintendent

Dear Buckaroos,

Let me start by saying that in these unique times the Smackover-Norphlet School District staff will be here to help in any way possible. Our teachers, staff, and administrators have been working hard to provide a sense of structure, routine, and normalcy in a very unprecedented time.

  • Instructional plans will be posted on The Buckaroo Blog and the district website on April 1, 2020.
  • Support videos for parents and students will be posted on April 2, 2020.
  • Hard copies of instructional plans may be picked up on Friday, April 3 between 11 am – 12:30 pm at the appropriate campuses.
  • The instructional plans moving forward are for instructional support. No nine weeks grades will be reduced due to a student’s inability to complete an assignment.
  • As a district, we are also aware that families have many concerns during this time, and we do not want our instructional plans to be an added stressor.

As all of us are going through this challenge together, I am encouraged that in times of adversity, people always come together in a way that encourages us all to be better neighbors, family members, friends, and citizens in general.

I hope you and your family are well. I hope you are able to take advantage of the hard work our teachers and administrative teams have put into this plan for our students and hope you find this to provide a sense of structure and support during this time.

Once again, we are in this together, and our hope is that you and your family will approach this in a way that best fits your needs.

  • To our students:  Stay positive, stay strong, be a leader, get outside and enjoy the spring weather, help your folks around the house, help a neighbor, and encourage family and friends to follow guidance from state and federal officials.
  • To our class of 2020:  Our SHS administrative team will be contacting each of you this week to ensure you have everything needed to graduate!

Know that we will be visiting with senior students during this time in regards to senior activities, and we’ll work as a team with our students to make this a great senior year no matter what!

I pray for all of you and your well being!

God Bless and Go Bucks!

Jason Black

Free ACT Prep Resources

Attention High School Students and Parents:

Are you looking for something that will really benefit you during this time of social distancing and school closures?  If so, consider using some of these free ACT prep resources which will help you to boost your ACT scores.

FREE Kaplan Live ACT Test Prep

ACT Bootcamp—Join expert instructors as students learn how to tackle some of the most common question types on the ACT.

  • Wednesday, April 29 | 7 – 8:30 p.m. ET | Register

Studying for the ACT: How to Stay Motivated—Click the livestream at these times:

  • Wednesday, April 1 | 7 – 8:30 p.m. ET | Livestream
  • Saturday, April 4 | 1 – 2:30 p.m. ET | Livestream

ACT Prep Class—Help students succeed on the ACT Reading test.

  • Saturday, April 18 | 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM ET | Register
Free, personalized online learning tool and test practices featuring video lessons, interactive questions, full-length practice tests, educational games, and other materials targeted to students’ academic needs.

 

Attention: Senior Class of 2020

The following items are intended to provide you with updated information related to the completion of the school year.

It is important for you to understand that the district and school administration are in constant contact with the Arkansas Department of Education and other organizations at this time.  We are fully aware of the actions taken by the state and will continue to monitor the situation as we move forward.

  • For the week of March 30 – April 3, complete AMI work for Day 3, Day 4, and Day  5.
  • During the week of March 30 – April 3, each senior will be contacted to discuss your specific needs related to graduation, and college and/ or career readiness.  Please do not visit or enter the school building for any reason during this time. You will be contacted via phone and/or email so stay connected. Please give us a call back if you miss our call.
  • As stated in the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) report, seniors who are on track to graduate and in good standing as of the 3rd nine weeks reporting period will be considered “as meeting the graduation requirements” for the state of Arkansas.  Determination as to whether you are on track to graduate and in good standing will be based on a review of your student data including, but not limited to, your grades and credits earned. We will help you take the necessary actions to complete all graduation requirements and graduate! 
  • If you are enrolled in concurrent credit classes at SouthArk or on our campus, you must complete all assignments to the end of the scheduled semester in order to receive college credit.
  • If you are enrolled in AP classes, the College Board has posted updates concerning exams and testing date options: <https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/coronavirus-updates>

Your AP teachers will continue to provide you with support and information as it becomes available.

  • If you are enrolled in the Secondary Technical Center at SouthArk, college officials are in contact with the district and you will be updated as soon as information becomes available.

As more information becomes available it will be announced by the district and/or school administration. Decisions related to future activities, such as prom and graduation, will be determined based on recommendations of the Arkansas Health Department and with the well-being of all students, faculty and community in mind.

If schools continue to be closed, SHS administration/staff will be reaching out to prom committee members and student council members to begin planning ideas for prom and a graduation ceremony.

We are proud of our Buckaroo Class of 2020 and will do everything possible to make this year a great memory for you!

AMI Updates and WiFi

Below is information which will help to answer some of the most frequently asked questions with regards to school closing.  This information is current as of March 26, 2020.

AMI Work for the Week of March 30 – April 3

Students brought home AMI folders in the fall.  Students should have already completed work from Days 1, 2, and part of day 3 during the week of March 16 – 20.

Please use the following schedule for the week of March 30 – April 3.

  • March 30 – Students will complete the second half of their Day 3 AMI work.
  • March 31 & April 1 – Students will complete Day 4 of their AMI work.
  • April 2 & April 3 – Students will complete Day 5 of their AMI work.

If your child’s AMI folder has been misplaced, you may access the same documents online using the following links:

AMI Work for the Week of April 6 – 10

Below are learning options for students beginning the week of April 6.  More information including web conferencing schedules through Google Hangouts and Google Classroom will be posted by April 2.

Smackover Preschool

  • Smackover Preschool students will be using plans that support Arkansas PBS television programming.
  • Learning plans will be posted weekly on The Buckaroo Blog.
  • Arrangements will be made for parents to pick up printed copies of the learning plans on Friday, April 3. If picking up a packet, you will be asked to sign in so the district can begin possibly mailing packets to you weekly.

Smackover Elementary School and Norphlet Middle School

Parents will be able to choose one of two options:

  • Students will be able to web conference with teachers using Google Hangouts and Google Classroom.  More information including web conferencing schedules through Google Hangouts and Google Classroom will be posted by April 2.
  • Students will be able to use printed plans that support Arkansas PBS television programming. Arrangements will be made for parents to pick up printed copies of the learning plans on Friday, April 3. If picking up a packet, you will be asked to sign in so the district can begin possibly mailing packets to you weekly.

Smackover High School

Parents will be able to choose one of two options:

  • Students will be able to web conference with teachers using Google Hangouts and Google Classroom.  More information including web conferencing schedules through Google Hangouts and Google Classroom will be posted by April 2.
  • Students will be able to use printed plans that support instruction. Arrangements will be made for parents to pick up printed copies of the learning plans on Friday, April 3.  If picking up a packet, you will be asked to sign in so the district can begin possibly mailing packets to you weekly.

SouthARK

Students enrolled in concurrent credit classes through SouthARK will continue doing their classwork online.  Please watch for emails being sent directly from SouthARK to student’s gmail accounts for further information.

Virtual Arkansas

High school students enrolled in courses through Virtual Arkansas will continue to complete their coursework online.  Students without online access will need to complete print copies of work which were distributed the week before spring break.

Communications with Families

  • The Buckaroo Blog and the district website will continue to be updated as we receive information from the state and federal government.
  • Teachers will be monitoring emails and will respond to parent and student questions regarding school work, etc.
  • Parents will be able to pick up hard copies of student assignments on Friday from 11 am to 12:30 pm.  More information about the location of the pickup will be posted by April 2.
  • After the conclusion of spring break, school phones will be monitored remotely and phone messages will be returned.

WiFi

WiFi hotspots will be available in designated Smackover-Norphlet School District parking lots beginning April 6.

Please stay in your vehicle at all times if a hotspot is being used.

Meal Programs

School Meal Service will resume on Monday, March 30.

  • Time – 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
  • Smackover Location – Between cafeteria and pavilion
  • Norphlet Location – Norphlet City Park

Senior Activities

The district is reviewing options and plans for senior activities including prom and graduation.  More information will be given as updated guidance is provided from the Arkansas Department of Health and the Arkansas Department of Education.

Closing Thoughts

We are so grateful to our parents, students, and community members throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.  We know how hard parents and guardians are working right now to provide for the basic needs of their families.

We believe that the three most critical things that students need during this time are food, shelter, and love.  While instruction is important, nothing is greater and more important than your family at this time.  The lessons that our students learn from parents and guardians about character, life skills, and social skills are greater than reading, writing, and math.

With that said, the teachers, staff and administrators of the Smackover-Norphlet School District are here to support families with instruction during this time no matter which instructional plan you choose.  We will be flexible, understanding, and supportive of the decisions you are facing.  Remember:  You are not alone.  We are your partners through this pandemic.

May all of our Buckaroo family and community stay well and safe!

Jostens Distribution Date Changed

To All SHS Seniors and Guardians:

Due to the current circumstances, the distribution date for Jostens Senior orders has been rescheduled for April 15, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.

Specific details concerning the logistics for order pick up and other upcoming scheduled events will be posted soon as we continue to monitor this situation.

Please continue to check your email, the blog and website at least once a day moving forward.

Information for SouthARK Students

From the Office of SouthARK Community College President Dr. Bentley Wallace:

 

Happy Friday, SouthArk Students!

Please read this important update about your Spring 2020 classes!

As part of our strategic response to the COVID-19 / coronavirus public health crisis, beginning March 30th, most in-person SouthArk classes will be moving to online instruction via Blackboard for the remainder of the Spring semester.

There are a few Health Science and Career & Technical labs that will not move to online, but everything else will.

Your instructors will be reaching out to you very soon to provide additional information about accessing online content, how labs may be affected, etc.

We are here to support you and make sure you have every opportunity to be successful.  The Learning Center and select computer labs will be available to you.  Also, Library services will be available throughout the semester, with some changes as to how you access those resources.   More information will be coming out soon on how all of that will work.

Finally, a new email address has been established for you to use if you have questions, concerns, or suggestions during this challenging time.   SouthArkStrong@southark.edu is now available for you to use to reach the support you might need.   Send us an email and we’ll route those to the appropriate person at the college who can help you.

Enjoy your spring break, keep washing your hands, and look for those emails from your instructors with additional information about your classes.

Dr. Wallace