Langston Aerospace & Environmental Studies Magnet School

Langston, a NASA Explorer school provides staff and students the opportunity to work closely with NASA consultants with an annual culminating trip to Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. Langston students receive daily instruction through educational hardware programs and applications to enhance project based approaches to learning. The school’s Langston Loves Reading, Watch- Dog, and Mentoring programs have created strong partnerships between the school, parents and community. Langston houses four pre- k classes for Hot Springs School District.

Oaklawn Visual & Performing Arts Magnet School

Oaklawn is an exciting multi- dimensional learning campus that places a premium on the development of students as a whole, integrating the arts into its Common Core Curriculum. Building a foundation for student’s imagination, thinking, feeling and communication skills, Oaklawn offers theater, dance, broadcasting, choral music, art, and a study of strings, including the violin, viola and cello. Oaklawn’s 2013- 14 theme “Oaklawn, Oh the Places You’ll Go.” was reflected in its major production, “Seussical The Musical”, in the Fall as well as many others throughout the year.

Park International Baccalaureate Magnet School

Park Magnet, An IB World ( PYP) School, consistently ranks in the top elementary schools in Arkansas on the Benchmark Achievement Test and is a recipient of the coveted 2009 Nationally Recognized Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award. Under the new ADE accountability system granted by the ESEA Flexibility, Park was the only school in Garland County to receive a 2012 Exemplary School

Hot Springs Intermediate School

Opened in January 2009, the Intermediate School houses the district’s fifth and sixth grades, and is a state- of- the- art facility. HSIS was the first school in Garland County to offer a One- to- One iPad initiative, where all students check out school- owned devices for the daily classroom assignments and lessons. Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, a full Fine Arts program ( art, dance, band, orchestra and choral music) are but a few of the many offerings. Students in extra- curricular competitions, including Junior Engineering and the Dawson Science Fair, consistently place at a high level. The International Baccalaureate MYP ( Middle Years Program) study, designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well- being of students begins at this level.

Hot Springs Middle School

Hot Springs Middle School continues to provide seventh- and eighth- grade students the International Baccalaureate MYP ( Middle Years Program) study. This program is designed for students to acquire depth of knowledge through studying courses from six subject groups, including at least two different languages for understanding of native and global cultures. From the three foreign languages ( Spanish, French and Mandarin Chinese) to numerous extracurricular activities and clubs, there are many choices and opportunities for a world class education. The installment of a new E. A. S. T. program, the seventhgrade student iPad and eighthgrade Chromebook initiatives are additional tools HSMS is providing.

Hot Springs High School

Hot Springs High School, alma mater of former President Bill Clinton, proudly continues to provide the rigorous and comprehensive curriculum needed to prepare its students for the future. Ninth- and tenth- grade students are included in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program of study, while juniors and seniors may choose to continue the study through the Diploma Program ( DP). DP is an academically challenging and balanced program requiring community service action, a research based project and final examinations as it prepares students, aged 16 to 19, for success at any international university and life beyond. Concurrent college classes, Advanced Placement, Universal Arkansas ACT, Senior Exhibitions, on- site Spanish, French and Mandarin Chinese, Orchestra, and the Naval Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps are but a few of the many offerings at Hot Springs High School.

Alternative Learning Environment ( ALE)

Hot Springs School District operates an Alternative Learning Environment School program serving both regular and special education students for all seven districts within Garland County. Established to meet the needs of children and adolescents who cannot learn effectively in a traditional school environment due to varied reasons, ALE offers more flexibility and elements to improve educational experiences. ALE consists of four divisions ( Summit, Vista, Juvenile Detention Center and Job Corp), each with specific educational criteria. All four divisions use integrated curricula with instructors as facilitators to teach methods and learning modalities.

The Data Team Process

Hot Springs School District’s administrators and teachers continue to work with Dr. Connie Kamm, a Senior Professional Development Associate with The Leadership and Learning Center. Actively involved with schools’ reform for more than 25 years, Dr. Kamm has developed keen insights into the spirit of building positive district and school cultures. She is noted for developing dynamic process for transforming education through the development and implementation of system- wide comprehensive accountability frameworks at state and district levels.

In August 2011, the Hot Springs School District implemented districtwide Data Teams. At this time, Dr. Kamm established the protocol for data teams that drives effective instructional strategies, which leads to student achievement. Staff members have received training and guidelines for implementing instructional strategies and formative assessments. In addition, collaboration and reflection among all of the teachers unified the data team process. The Hot Springs School District continues to create practices of effective teaching and learning that focus on organizational efficacy and strategic communication. Various school data teams have been so impressive, they have been invited to present at a number of conferences, including the state AdvanceEd conference and Superintendent’s Leadership Academy.

‘ Three4Me’ and ‘ Read to a Child Twenty Minutes a Day’ Parental Involvement

The Hot Springs School District encourages and promotes parental involvement through the initiative “Three4me” and “Read to a Child Twenty Minutes a Day.” Research shows that parent involvement in schools improves student achievement. To reach their potential, students need parents to take an active role in their education. The “Three4Me” initiative, adapted from a PTO outreach program and adopted in 2012, asks parents to sign a promise card to do at least three hours of volunteering in their child’s school. Participating parents send a signal of the importance of school to their children and that they too, should care about school. Children see parents make and keep commitments, prompting them to do the same.

The district adopted the “Read to a Child Twenty Minutes a Day” slogan this year. Research indicates reading to a child for twenty minutes each day promotes academic performance. Parents committed to this practice help support schools in their efforts to have students at or above grade level by the third grade. Building literacy skills and improving relationships are the ultimate goals for the initiative.