Education stories of 2023
January 23 — Competition challenges county’s best math students by Matt Hutcheson: 2023 started strong with the 10th annual Martha E. Deichler Union County Math Competition at El Dorado High School. Mathematics-loving students from across the county came to take part in the challenge, which pit students ranging from 6th grade to seniors against one another in various mathematics categories.
Cash prizes and medals were given out to each student who placed at the conclusion of the competition.
February 16 — Academic improvement garners awards for EHS by Caitlan Butler: El Dorado High School celebrated in February after being recognized by the University of Arkansas’s Office for Education Policy for high growth on the ACT Aspire test; by the Arkansas Dept. of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for being in the top 6-10% of growth in graduation rates; and by U.S. News and World Report with “Best High School Ranking.”
Superintendent Jim Tucker said at the time that El Dorado was selected from more than 19,000 schools nationwide for the recognition from U.S. News and World Report.
March 15 — Two EHS students named National Merit finalists by Caitlan Butler: More good news for EHS in March, as two students, Kieran Obiozo and J.R. StippBethune, then both seniors, were selected as National Merit finalists.
The two were recognized during an ESD board meeting.
“Less than 1% and two of them are standing right in front of us – I think that’s impressive. Two very impressive young men,” said El Dorado Schools Superintendent Jim Tucker.
April 15 — Smackover-Norphlet District to use new intervention program by Matt Hutcheson: B.U.C.K.S. Time (Building up Core Knowledge and Skills), created a 30-minute period set aside for students to receive additional instruction from math or English teachers during this school year.
“Teachers [will be] able to assess students’ mastery of skills and concepts if they have not completed work to determine if they need intervention,” Smackover High School principal Bernadette O’Guinn said.
May 3 — EHS seniors celebrated at Promise’s 16th anniversary by Caitlan Butler: Seniors across Union County graduated in May and the News-Times was there to capture each one. In El Dorado, the annual EHS’s Academic Signing Day ceremony was held to celebrate the students taking advantage of the El Dorado Promise.
“This one is. Its sole purpose is to provide to you an unobstructed path to post-secondary education; all you have to do is say ‘Yes’,” said Claiborne Deming, chairman of the Murphy Oil Board of Directors.
June 9 — Teacher Excellence Awards honor outstanding educators by Matt Hutcheson: The 24th Teacher Excellence Awards, presented by the El Dorado Education Foundation and held at the EHS Auditorium, was a mid-summer moment that celebrated teachers this year.
The energy-filled event presented some of the district’s best teachers with awards for jobs well done.
“One pet peeve of mine is people who make excuses for why things can’t be done. I [saw] very little of that this year. It’s been so refreshing to see people tackle things head on and find solutions and not excuses,” Superintendent Jim Tucker said.
July 30 — SNSD board OKs higher property insurance rates during meeting by Matt Hutcheson: School districts across the county and state grappled with drastically raised property insurance rates during the summer. In an Arkansas Governor’s Office press release from that time, the average price increase for districts was described as “nearly 130%.” The state planned to pay for a part of the increase.
The other big education story of the summer — the El Dorado School District’s successful attempt to have voters approve a raised millage to construct a new intermediate school — came to a head just as school started in August.
August 9 — Millage passes by 55 votes by Caitlan Butler: The El Dorado School District succeeded in their campaign in August for a 5 mill increase approved by voters. The tax hike will allow the district to build a new intermediate school that will serve third- through sixth-graders on the old El Dorado High School campus, and Superintendent Jim Tucker estimated at the time that it will cost $58-65 million.
September 27 — High school students receive Academic Letterman Jackets: Academic Letterman Jackets were awarded to students of the El Dorado High School (EHS) Class of 2024 during a ceremony in September.
A total of 30 Academic Letterman Jackets and 2 patches were presented by the El Dorado Education Foundation (EDEF). Students qualified for an academic letter by maintaining a 3.75 GPA throughout their high school tenures.
October 16 — Barton principal highlights student achievement, higher letter grade by Caitlan Butler: Barton Junior High School Principal Michelle Henry attended a school board meeting in October
to tout the school’s student’s academic improvement.
“For our ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) school index, what did that mean? That means we increased a letter grade,” Henry said. “We raised our score quite a bit to move from a D to a C, so we’re excited about that we’re hoping that looks like a B next year when we get to report this.”
November 11 — Local veterans visit Yocum Primary:
Yocum Primary students enjoyed a visit from a group of local veterans the Friday before Veterans Day this year.
Veterans who participated included Daniel Simpson, a U.S. Marines veteran; Chris Thomas, a Coast Guard veteran; Woodie Walthall, an Army National Guard veteran; Sgt. Bradley Cullum, a current U.S. Air Force recruiter; Jeremy Ibert, Navy veteran; and Eddie C. Morgan, an Army veteran.
Each veteran spoke briefly to the gathered students and most brought pictures of their time in the service.
December 14 — Smackover mourns loss of beloved band director and community leader by Jennifer Kimble: Longtime Smackover-Norphlet band director Tracy Walker passed away in December and was mourned by the many students and colleagues he affected.
“To know Tracy was to love him,” his sister Vanita Fountain told the News Times in a phone interview. Later in the month, a balloon release was held at Smackover High School in Walker’s honor during the SNSD band end-of-year concert.