Education notebook

Teachers in math, science honored

Two Arkansas teachers have been named state recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National Science Foundation.

Justin Leflar, a science teacher who formerly taught at Holt Middle School in the Fayetteville School District, and Amy Sandy, a math teacher at Sonora Elementary School in the Springdale School District, were selected for their commitment to professional development and innovative teaching techniques and technology use in their classrooms.

Nationally, 140 teachers from around the country were selected to receive the honor.

Leflar and Sandy will each receive a $10,000 award, a presidential citation and a trip to Washington D.C. to attend recognition events, professional development activities and an awards ceremony.

The Arkansas Board of Education and Arkansas Department of Education Commissioner Johnny Key will honor Arkansas’ winners at the State Board of Education’s Aug. 9 meeting.

Saunders takes job in Benton district

Eric Saunders, who held two different assistant commissioner jobs in the Arkansas Department of Education, has left the state agency to become an assistant superintendent in the Benton School District.

Most recently, Saunders was the Education Department’s assistant commissioner for research and technology. Previously, he was assistant commissioner for fiscal and administrative services for the department.

Saunders graduated from Gentry High School. He has a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University and master’s and doctorate degrees from Harding University.

Schools win with computer science

Bentonville High School, Mountain Home Career Academies, Greenwood Freshman Academy and Arkansas High School in Texarkana are winners of the 2017-18 #ARKids CanCode computer science enrollment contest.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key announced the winners at the 2018 Computer Science Educators Conference at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia.

In the category of schools with fewer than 1,000 students, Greenwood Freshman Academy received $15,000 and was recognized for having the highest number and highest percentage of students enrolled in computer science courses.

In the category of schools with more than 1,000 students, Mountain Home Career Academies received $7,500 for having the highest percentage of students enrolled in computer science. Bentonville High received $7,500 for the highest number in computer science classes.

Arkansas High School’s name was selected in a drawing for a computer science grant of $5,000. Schools entered the drawing by submitting information regarding how they encouraged students to enroll in computer science courses.