Gravette School District: Committed to student success
The Gravette School District is a close knit, family community that is committed to all aspects of student success. They strive to offer all of the programming opportunities of the larger districts in a smaller, more personalized setting. As a result of rigorous and innovative PK-12th grade experiences, graduates are prepared for a successful future.
“We are proud to have National Merit finalists,” Dr. Maribel Childress, Gravette School Superintendent said. “We have students who take advantage of post-secondary education in a range of schools from local community colleges to the Air Force Academy to receiving full scholarships to technical schools like Arkansas Elite Welding. We also have students who are prepared to immediately enter the workforce in a wide variety of career fields. Our student athletes are state champions and many go on to compete at the college level in all sports.”
Childress is beginning her 31st year in education. She has spent the last 24 years as an educational administrator in Northwest Arkansas and this is her second year as Superintendent of the Gravette School District. “Every morning, I wake up excited about going to work and having the opportunity to serve the students, teachers and families in our school district,” she said. “Children deserve to have the very best education possible with the highest quality teachers and I am honored to play a role in providing that for the students in Gravette.”
All of the educators are excited for a school year of in-person learning. Much of last school year was focused on responding to COVID-19 and the gaps in education that resulted from school closure and virtual learning. But Gravette can boast that during the 2020-2021 school year, schools did not close a single day as a result of COVID.
“We had a year to develop best practices when it comes to keeping our students and staff safe and healthy during the pandemic,” Childress noted. “We will continue those successful practices of cleaning, hand washing, improved ventilation and distancing when possible. Mask wearing is optional, but encouraged. We also have individual desk shields available for our elementary students under the age of 12 who are not eligible for vaccines.”
Childress was excited about Gravette’s Spring ACT Aspire test scores this year. And for good reason. Sixth, seventh and tenth graders all scored in the top 10% of the state in both math and science and four grade levels scored in the top quartile in reading. Sixth and eighth grade math and science scores ranked in the top 10 of all schools in the state. Sixth and eighth grade math ranked #1 out of Washington and Benton County schools and #2 in sixth and eighth grade reading and ninth grade math.
Gravette will have its inaugural wrestling season this year. Coach AJ Herrlein has many years of successful wrestling experience as an athlete and also as a coach at the 7A level. “We are excited that he is joining our Gravette Lion family,” Childress said. “We are also completing the final phase of renovations to our Western Benton County Career Center in anticipation of expanding opportunities to students in the fields of health sciences, legal and law enforcement.”
To the parents, Childress has a simple message: “Thank you for sharing your precious children with us and for trusting us with your child’s education. Our goal is to exceed your expectations in everything we do. We want to be partners with you in making your child’s experience and your family’s experience with the Gravette School District the experience of a lifetime.”