Hot Springs School District

This week’s shout out goes to our Hot Springs School District as a business and community dedicated to our students. As most of you know, the HSSD was nominated for Large Business of the Year. Our leadership staff and other nominees for Woman of the Year (Mrs. Hughley) and Rising Star (Mr. Webb) attended the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet last night on behalf of these nominations. In my heart and mind, we are the winner every year of the most distinguished group that does nothing but give back to this community every single day, and I’m so proud of every one of you. I also want to shout out to our HSSD leadership team. On Monday, principals and administrative staff participated in small groups to develop specific, short vision statements about priorities for the educational experience that we offer students. The work we ask of you in focusing on the planning and implementation of Professional Learning Communities also takes places within your district leadership team.

Launched last year, the HSWCHS FIRST Tech Robotics Club will advance to the State Competition after earning a “Connect” trophy from a recent competition. A “Connect” Trophy was earned by our team of eight because of their outstanding efforts to “connect” with other students. At HSSD Robotics Clubs at our HSJA and Gardner STEM Magnet School, and even at surrounding schools outside the district, club members have collaborated with younger students to engineer their own robots and practice engineering skills. Success and popularity of the program has lead to the development of an academic robotics class at the HSWCHS, to begin in the 2019-2020 school year. Also exciting, thanks to newly established robotics club at the HSWCHS and the HSJA, students at the HSSD can participate in robotics through established clubs in K-12th grade.

A new Integration Station at our HSSD OVPA provides a much needed brain break for students, via a colorful path prompting a series of physical, fine, and gross motor activities. Activities - including a bear and crab crawl, hop scotch, twirling, an ABC hop, climbing a ladder, walking backwards, and more - create intentional sensory stimulation for participants of all ages. Completing any portion of the station helps students to recharge and refocus between classes, between lessons, in preparing for tests, or during student pull-out sessions. By making them use both the left and right side of their brains, and remain active in a series of unique movements, it helps our students to stay calm, and more effectively focus for classroom time.

HSWCHS Senior Jackson Ratcliff was surprised today with a presentation by McLarty Automotive Group of a $2,500 McLarty Drives Education Scholarship. Jackson was nominated for his excellent leadership skills, academic rigor, commitment to citizenship and responsibility, honorary participation in Arkansas Governor’s School and Boy’s State, and his community involvement through organizations including NJROTC, Boy Scouts, local food pantries, and more. “We look for the well rounded student … Jackson excels at everything and is everything you want in a model student and a young person. I could go on forever about the way that he contributes to this school and his community,” said Chris Phares of McLarty Automotive Group of Benton today, as the check was delivered. Congrats to Jackson and family!