Education notebook
LRSD giving ACT to juniors Tuesday
The Little Rock School District is giving the ACT college entrance exam to 11th-graders Tuesday at the students’ schools.
On that day, only the 11th-graders at Central, Hall, Southwest and Parkview will report to campus for the free ACT test.
All other students assigned to those high schools will shift to virtual instruction at their homes for that one day.
The West High School of Innovation in the district is the exception. That school will have in-person instruction for all students Tuesday.
The arrangements for giving the ACT to 11th-graders is just the beginning of testing arrangements that will be made for students over the next several weeks and months as the result of the need for physical distancing during the ongoing covid-19 pandemic.
Deputy Superintendent Jeremy Owoh said last week that the district is working to identify testing locations and times for the annual ACT Aspire for third- through 10th-graders.
That is likely to include the use of currently unused space at Hall STEAM Magnet High School and the former Wilson Elementary School, Owoh said.
Another possibility is scheduling students for on-campus tests on Fridays, which are typically virtual instruction days when most students work from their homes.
No LRSD senior banquets, proms
Little Rock School District leaders have put out the word that there will be no high school-sponsored proms or senior banquets for the Class of 2021.
Randy Rutherford, the district’s executive director of high school education, said recently that the events are not allowable under ongoing state Department of Health covid-19 restrictions on large events.
However, Rutherford also said outdoor high school graduations are being planned for this year’s graduating classes for War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. That is a switch in location from the traditional indoor graduation ceremonies at Simmons Arena in North Little Rock.
The graduation dates — not yet announced — will be different from the dates previously scheduled for the Class of 2021.
Collegiate school sets open house
Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock is hosting an open house for families of prospective students Saturday.
Families must sign up for tour time slots by contacting Matt Radtke, the school’s associate head for strategic initiatives at mradtke@episcopalcollegiate.org or by calling (501) 978-4420.
Tours of the Lower School for pre-kindergarten-through-fifth grades, the Middle School for sixththrough-eighth grades and the Upper School for ninththrough-12th grades are available. CDC guidelines for mask wearing and social distancing will be strictly followed. No more than six people per group will be allowed per tour.
‘No Tears Suite” to re-air March 6
The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra is celebrating the second anniversary of the historic premiere of “No Tears Suite” with a rebroadcast of the original performance from 2019.
The program will be rebroadcast at 7 p.m. March 6, on ArkansasSymphony.org.
“No Tears Suite” is inspired by Melba Pattillo Beals’ memoir “Warriors Don’t Cry” about the 1957 Little Rock Central High School desegregation crisis.
“No Tears Suite” was written by jazz pianist Chris Parker and vocalist Kelley Hurt.