Two parent-choice schools announced
BENTONVILLE — Amid confetti and cheers, Superintendent Debbie Jones said two of the Bentonville School District’s elementary schools will become parent-choice schools starting next fall.
Jones announced the changes Friday morning to a crowd of about 60 at Mary Mae Jones Elementary, one of the schools chosen for the initiative.
Jones Elementary will become The International School at Mary Mae Jones and offer an International Baccalaureate program when it’s certified, according to a news release from the district. The curriculum encourages students to use a global perspective in education through respect, inquiry, growth and service, according to the district. Jones will be the lone elementary school in the state to feature that course of study, the superintendent said.
Apple Glen Elementary, the only visible learning school in Arkansas, will also become a parent-choice school. Visible learning helps students guide their own progress through perseverance, problem solving, curiosity and collaboration, according to the release.
Students already zoned for those two schools will keep their seats, but additional families will have the opportunity to enroll their children in January, according to the district. Both schools serve students in kindergarten through fourth grade.
“It is a big step,” Jones said. “It’s evolution for education in Bentonville schools. And it is a big change in the fact that we’re offering parents a choice in education for our downtown schools. It’s a new approach at trying to solve a problem.”
The problem is student growth is expanding outside the district’s downtown area, creating enrollment challenges there. The district is forced to bring students in from miles away because of the limited population within the heart of the city, Jones said.
“Rather than force zoning, we hope that this is a solution that invites volunteer parents and families to find unique settings for their children,” Jones said.
Aside from Jones and Apple Glen, other elementary schools in or around downtown are Baker, Sugar Creek and Jefferson.
Surveys and focus groups drove the district’s direction, Jones said, with a parent input survey drawing more than 1,500 respondents. She said the school models were chosen because they best meet what parents said they wanted while maintaining high academic standards for their children.
“I didn’t choose the path,” Jones said. “Parent voice. They want high achievement, but it’s really important for their children to have experiences.”
Training for teachers and staff members at the schools starts in the spring, Jones said.
“So much work is yet to be done,” she added. “But the biggest step is deciding the model.”
Jones Elementary Principal Jeff Wasem estimated 150 spots will be open there for those who apply in January.
“Our teachers are excited,” Wasem said. “Our students are excited. Our parents and our community have been engaged in the process. I’m just a humbled leader right now.”
Students verbalizing their learning goals and having a clear picture of what success looks like form the foundation for visible learning schools, Apple Glen Principal Tracey Wood said. Apple Glen is in its fifth year of visible learning, Jones said.
“A fundamental part of our culture is providing students with engaging and challenging learning experiences,” Wood said.
To guide the overall project, the school district teamed with the Region 14 Comprehensive Center in May. The federally funded center is one of 19 Regional Technical Assistance Centers in the country and provides customized and adaptable support for school districts at no cost, according to the Region 14 website.
Kristin Nafziger, director of the Region 14 center, said it’s funded by the U.S. Department of Education to help states and local agencies advance federal priorities. Region 14 serves school districts in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, Nafziger said.