Education notebook
Uptick in prices of meals sought
The Little Rock School District is asking Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key, who acts as the district’s school board, to approve increases in school meal prices in the coming 2019-20 school year.
The district is seeking a 25-cent increase for school breakfasts, raising the price from $2 to $2.25 for elementary and secondary school students.
The district has proposed a 15-cent increase in elementary school lunch prices, raising the cost from $2.85 to $3. The secondary school lunch proposal is for $3.25, up from $3.
Ed agency to hold 4-day conference
The Arkansas Department of Education will host a fourday conference June 18-21 in Hot Springs to give teachers, administrators and other education representatives the opportunity to network and grow professionally.
The ADE Summit, which will be held at the Hot Springs Convention Center, combines several smaller conferences into one large event.
Combining conferences about computer science, dyslexia, data, school health and other topics into one conference is intended to promote efficiency, Education Department leaders said, while giving all educators and school personnel from around the state the opportunity to learn about numerous areas of interest at one location.
In addition to workshops on academics and school operations, keynote speakers at the event will include Luis Cruz, who presents on methods from Transforming School Culture by Anthony Muhammad; Philip Warrick, an author and consultant for High Reliability Schools; Salome Thomas-EL, a principal and best-selling author from Delaware; and Regina Stephens Owens, an internationally recognized presenter who focuses on building a culture of connectivity and collaboration.
The cost to attend the multiday event is $50 a person. More information about the summit is available at http://www.arkansased.gov/ divisions/communications/ ade-summit-2019.
Dyslexia reports set to continue
Little Rock School District leaders continue to report monthly to the district’s Community Advisory Board on efforts to identify and provide educational services to students who have characteristics of dyslexia.
The monthly reporting comes after the Arkansas Department of Education report earlier this year that found that state-mandated services to the struggling readers were just about nonexistent in the high schools and spotty at best in the elementary and middle schools.
Chief Academic Officer Veronica Perkins led the process of selecting Wilson Language Training System — including Foundations for Kindergarten through third grades and Just Words for grades four through 12 — as the materials to purchase for use with students who have dyslexia markers.
Additionally, Chandle Carpenter, the district’s recently hired dyslexia specialist, sent letters to parents notifying them that all kindergarten-through-fifth-graders have been or will be screened this month to determine if they need additional support in the coming school year.
Multiple resources about dyslexia — including a copy of the state law on required services to students, assorted forms, descriptions of screening methods and a video on dyslexia and its characteristics — are available to the public for viewing under the “Parent” link on the district’s website: LRSD.org.
Whitlow district’s teacher of year
Jeff Whitlow, a teacher at Don Roberts Elementary School, is the Little Rock School District’s newest Teacher of the Year.
He was presented with the honor — the Dr. Marian G. Lacey Award — at the district’s annual Crystal Awards Gala at the Statehouse Convention Center. Whitlow is now eligible to compete for State Teacher of the Year.
Whitlow was among 65 Little Rock district teachers who were recognized at the event. Those honorees included school-level winners Jessica Sanders from Gibbs Elementary Magnet School, Carolyn Johnson-Powell from Horace Mann Magnet Middle School and Stella Cameron from Little Rock Central High.
Campus winners were presented with crystal trophies at the dinner. The top elementary, middle and high school winners — along with Whitlow — received cash prizes and gift bags from Knowledge Tree. Whitlow also received a Dell computer.
Business and organizations that aided in holding the event were First Student, Bank of America, VALIC, Little Rock Education Association, Nabholz, WillSub, Hiland Dairy, Dell, Magna IV and Knowledge Tree.
The Dr. Marian G. Lacey Award is named for a late Little Rock School District associate superintendent.