Decatur Middle School receives $20,000 grant
HOT SPRINGS — In becoming a 2017-18 Arkansas School of Innovation, Decatur Middle School pledged to create a culture in which the focus is on individualized learning plans for students.
In their application, school officials wrote: “Through the approval of the School of Innovation status, we will be able to transform from the traditional education model to a flexible model that will serve every student through personalized learning, rigorous curriculum, standards-based grading and authentic learning experiences in order to ensure that all students learn, dream and grow to their full potential, both socially and academically. In 2017/2018, we will implement the School of Innovation plan in levels 5-8, with plans to add an additional grade-level of students each year.”
On Oct. 28, Decatur Middle School received a $20,000 grant from the Arkansas Public School Resource Center to help it realize its goals. School officials received the check at APSRC’s annual fall conference, which is attended by educators from across the state. They also participated in a panel discussion with other Schools of Innovation that received grant funding from APSRC.
Lisa Todd, the director of education for APSRC, commended this year’s schools for seeking creative and innovative methods to better accommodate the needs of their student populations.
Three years ago, John Unger, dean of students, and the teaching staff at Decatur Middle School began working on an idea of an alternative school that offered students more than the traditional subjects, the School of Innovation. Soon, students and parents became involved in the process of growing the program concept.
“It’s a different view of education for our parents and the community,” said Unger. “Our kids seem to enjoy what we did. They bought into it and have a lot of voice in the process. This is year three of the program and the first year of the actual School of Innovation designation.”
The Arkansas Board of Education will watch the Decatur program with great interest and enthusiasm to see what direction it will take in the next few years.
“There are not very many small rural schools that have done a program like this one,” Unger said. “Decatur Middle School will serve as a model for what can be done when schools think outside the box.”