Committed to excellence

The Hot Springs School District is committed to providing educational excellence for all of its students.

Offering a world-class education to approximately 3,600 students in prekindergarten through

12th grade, the Hot Springs School District is the second-largest in Garland County and one of its leading employers. The district has seven schools within its 34.92 square miles and includes the majority of the Hot Springs city limits.

The four elementary magnet schools within the district are Gardner STEM, Langston Environmental Studies, Oaklawn Visual and Performing Arts, and Park International Baccalaureate. All four have won awards as recognized by the Magnet Schools of America Organization and the U.S. Department of Education.

The district also has two charter schools — Hot Springs Junior Academy for students in seventh and eighth grades and Hot Springs World Class High School for students in ninth through

12th grades. Both charters engage students by offering them choices and experiences in post-high school career interests.

Hot Springs School District provides a free breakfast and lunch to all students enrolled in the district regardless of income. Additionally, school supplies and backpacks are also provided for all students free of charge each school year.

Hot Springs School District is involved in both new construction of facilities and renovation of existing facilities. A brand-new, state-of-the-art building is being constructed for both Langston Magnet School and Hot Springs Junior Academy. Funding for both buildings was provided by the voters in the Hot Springs community, as they approved a millage increase two years ago. In addition to the new construction, the district is fortunate to have updates and improvements at all campus locations. For a complete list of construction updates, please go to the website at hssd.net and click on Millage Dollars at Work.

Gardner STEM Magnet School provides a rich learning environment where students experience and communicate literacy, mathematics and sciences as an integral part of everyday life. Gardner continues to be among the few Arkansas elementary schools to offer the EAST initiative to kindergarten through fifth-grade students. Robotics, Algebra Club, Science STEM Club and other science-based initiatives provide additional areas of enrichment.

Langston Environmental Studies Magnet School provides staff and students the opportunity to work closely with the community and focuses on taking action to make our community a better place. Langston students receive daily instruction through educational hardware programs and applications to enhance project-based approaches to learning. The school’s Langston Loves Reading, Watch-Dog, and Mentoring programs have created strong partnerships between the school, parents and community.

Oaklawn Visual and Performing Arts Magnet School is an exciting, multidimensional learning campus that places a premium on the development of students as a whole, integrating the arts into its Common Core Curriculum. Building a foundation for student’s imagination, thinking, feeling and communication skills, Oaklawn offers theater, dance, broadcasting, choral music, art, and a study of strings, including the violin, viola and cello. Oaklawn will host its annual Junior Broadway production in the fall titled, “Mary Poppins,” as well as many other performances in all areas of the arts throughout the year.

Park International Baccalaureate Magnet School, an IB World (PYP) School, consistently ranks in the top elementary schools in Arkansas on the Benchmark Achievement Test and is a two-time recipient of the coveted 2009 and 2014 Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award. Offering a challenging and engaging curriculum, including kindergarten through fifth-grade Spanish and Technology education, Park continues to prepare students to be compassionate, ethical leaders for the international world of the 21st century.

Hot Springs Intermediate School, which opened in January 2009, houses the district’s sixth-graders and is a state-of-the-art facility. HSIS was the first school in Garland County to offer a one-to-one iPad initiative, where all students check out school-owned devices for daily classroom assignments and lessons. Spanish, French, a full Fine Arts program (art, dance, band, orchestra and choral music) are but a few of the many offerings. Students in extracurricular competitions including Junior Engineering, Lego Robotics, and Junior Beta Club.

Hot Springs Junior Academy is currently in the developmental stages of schoolwide implementation of Summit Personalized Learning. This learning platform increases students’ ability to emulate real-world practices leading to improved performance and retention, as well as engagement for all students.

Hot Springs Junior Academy continues to provide seventh- and eighth-grade students the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program study. This program is designed for students to acquire depth of knowledge through studying courses from six subject groups, including at least two different languages for understanding of native and global cultures. From the two foreign languages (Spanish and French) to numerous extracurricular activities and clubs, there are many choices and opportunities for a world-class education. The one-to-one Chromebook initiatives are additional tools HSJA provides for each of its students. The EAST program is also available at HSJA, bridging the kindergarten through sixthgrade opportunities with those of 9-12.

Hot Springs World Class High School opened in August 2016 as a district conversion charter school. HSWCHS offers three career academies in grades 10-12 providing students with the ability to gain a high school diploma and industry certification upon graduation. The three academies, Liberal Studies, Business and Industrial Technology and Health and Education, prepare students for their next steps after high school by increasing the number of graduates receiving industrial certifications, concurrent college credit, or participating in career-related internships. HSWCHS strives to continue its world-class approach to all endeavors offered to students. Ninth and 10thgrade students who desire the advanced courses are included in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program of study, while juniors and seniors may choose to continue the study through the Diploma Program. The Diploma Program is an academically challenging and balanced program requiring community service action, a research-based project and final examinations as it prepares students, ages 16 to 19, for success at any international university and life beyond.