Malvern School District
Rita Pierson said it best, “Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be”. At the Malvern School District ( MSD), it is our goal to be that champion for every child and connect with them as we continue to push them to be the best student/ adult they can be. Passion, pride, and excellence is our motto. We want our students to be passionate about whatever they do. We want them to show pride in themselves and the people around them. And we want them to exhibit excellence in their education as they prepare to be college and career ready.
Although COVID has been a factor for two years, we have survived the unknown. We are working diligently to recover from the learning loss our students experienced during school shutdowns. We have offered before and after school tutoring all year and are now in an ACT Aspire Academy to give students a boost before this year’s exams. Teachers have worked tirelessly on planning and gaining knowledge to educate our students. Curriculum changes have been made to ensure we have the High Quality Instructional materials that were recommended by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Ninety- nine percent of our teachers have completed RISE training, therefore, showing proficiency or awareness in the Science of Reading.
MSD has continued to update the facilities over the years. A new bus shop is our next project. It will be located behind Malvern Elementary School. We hope to have that completed in 2023. Each day we continue to strive for greatness in our students and faculty while maintaining a positive relationship with our parents and stakeholders.
Malvern Elementary School
Malvern Elementary School has many exciting things to celebrate this spring. A team of eight third and fourth graders represented MES at the annual EAST Conference in Hot Springs in March. While there, our team was awarded the Judges’ Choice Award for our booth pitch. There were also some individual awards bestowed, as well. In April, we were thrilled to take a pretty large delegation of third and fourth graders to the state Beta Convention in Hot Springs. Beta Club is still pretty new to us at MES, so we were elated to have so many students place in a variety of competitions. Some even earned spots to compete at the National Beta Convention this summer.
The classrooms at MES just received new Promethean Panels and the teachers and students immediately put them to use. The teachers love using technology resources to support instruction in the classroom, and the students find these supports to be very engaging. Many of the software programs we were already using look so bright and new on the vibrant Promethean Panels.
The teachers and students at Malvern Elementary School are continuing to demonstrate pride, exude passion, and strive for excellence as we finish out the last quarter strong!
Wilson Intermediate School
Wilson Intermediate School students have many opportunities to participate in various extracurricular activities such as: Wilson Page Turners, Wilson Select Choir, Art Club, Special Olympics, Little Rockers, Chess Club, Quiz Bowl, EAST, and Robotics Club. Students also participated in a successful season of football and basketball. Wilson students have had academic successes through their participation in ALEKS Math and Junior Beta Club. Students and parents had an opportunity to participate in Parental Involvement activities which included Wilson Family Game Night and EAST/ GT/ STEM Night.
Wilson Intermediate School staff members have also received recognitions as well. Ms. Angela Greene, Wilson Intermediate School EAST Facilitator, was selected as the VFW Department of Arkansas 2021- 2022 winner of the Smart Maher VFW Citizenship Education Teacher Award. Mrs. Brenda Rush, Malvern School District GT Coordinator, was recently named as the Arkansas selection for the Global Fellows program. Only one teacher is selected per state. She will be involved in a year- long PD about global citizenship.
Malvern Middle School
Malvern Middle School found themselves “Back on the Hunt” for the 20212022 school year. Some COVID policies remained in place, but MMS
reinstituted clubs, live
concerts, and other face to face events throughout the year. Our Christmas talent show and class competition was certainly a highlight of the school year as many students put their amazing talents on display. After a pandemic put nearly all of our clubs and organizations on hiatus, it was a welcome sight to see school clubs such as Beta Club, Student Council, and Manga Club renewed and active one again.
Malvern Middle School students also celebrated a variety of successes, both in and out of the classroom. In addition to several athletic victories for our 7th and 8th athletic teams, Malvern Middle School students participated in Quiz Bowl, EAST Conference, Beta Club Convention, All- Region tryouts for Band and Choir, and the Special Olympics. Several students won individual or team competitions during these events. We also celebrated nearly 200 of our students that scored either “Ready” or “Exceeding” in one or more tested subjects on the ACT Aspire.
Malvern High School
Malvern High School is loving our new building and enjoying having students back on campus. We boast the phrase, “Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday”! We understand the value of family and community involvement. Our classes, clubs, extracurricular groups, and organizations try to step outside of the ‘ four walls’ to make a difference in lives. We also have groups come onto campus to help our students explore options after graduation. Please see some of these events below:
• Marching band received a 1st division at the state marching contest. Color Guard placed 1st in their class during the Winter Guard competition.
• MHS JROTC Senior, Veronika Jergenson earns Full Ride ROTC Scholarship.
• MHS JROTC earns the Distinguished Unit Award for 2022.
• MHS Students have attended college days to explore college settings.
• FAFSA Night in conjunction with our Parent Teacher Conferences
• Beta Club and Honor Society paired together this year and together they have hosted three blood drives and collected 99 units of blood which will yield one student a $ 750.00 scholarship. They have participated in a community clean- up, assisted with the community Thanksgiving, helped decorate the Christmas trees on Moline, volunteered with coaching soccer and working the concession stand, collected money for the Ronald Mcdonald House through the Day of Caring, rung the bell for the Salvation Army, hosted Christmas activities for all of the 1st graders at MES, participated with the downtown Trick or Treat, and participated with the First Baptist Church Operation Christmas Child. During the first semester alone, Beta Club students earned 749.50 community service hours and the Honor Society students earned 169.5 hours. These students continue to earn hours for this semester.
• Family and Consumer Science classes sewed a ‘ monster doll’ for every kindergartner. The kindergarten students designed and colored a monster and the high school students created, sewed and mimicked the doll for them.
The dolls were delivered this semester.
• MHS students are able to select a project and earn a Community Service Learning Credit that will be on their transcript. Many times, higher education institutions and requirements for college scholarships want to see what interests the students have.
• Be Proud, Be Pro Workforce tours and a simulated truck was on campus this past fall. Students were able to talk with individuals in the workforce and learn what jobs were available and certifications were needed upon graduation. In addition, 93 students have earned at least one Industry Certification.
• Students enrolled in Arkansas State University Three Rivers ( ASUTR) some students attend through the DEAL program and receive both high school credit and college credit that can be transferred to a four year college, and others are learning a trade/ skill and earn certificates toward employment as a welder, nurse, construction, automotive, etc
• During the last school year we had 11 students that earned a Seal of Biliteracy. This school year we have had two additional students to earn the seal and three that have applied. This is an amazing amount of work. There are only 403 in the state that have received this seal.
In our Flex program our juniors and seniors continue to receive college credit, serve as mentors, work, and/ or shadow to gain and improve soft skills to be college and career ready upon graduation. It is always a great day to be a Malvern Leopard!