Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Board Receives Charter School Update
PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove High School is in its second year as a charter conversion school, and Principal Ron Bond gave an update on progress at the School Board’s March meeting.
The high school applied to be named a conversion charter school in 2016 in order to offer career and technical courses that lead to business and industry certification for juniors and seniors.
The strategy is to give students an opportunity to graduate from high school with a diploma that demonstrates they have skills to pursue immediate employment or future education or training.
Prairie Grove High School is offering two initial programs of study through its conversion charter status: medical professions and construction trades or technology.
Bond said 15 students were enrolled in the medical professions pathway the first year. Of that 15, six students began attending pre-nursing programs in college; one entered the military with the intent of being a medic and one student was employed at Prairie Grove Health and Rehab Center.
For the current year 2018-19, the number of students in medical professions study has increased to 28 students: 19 in the fall and nine in the spring. Of these, five students already have jobs with the nursing home in Prairie Grove, Bond said.
The high school has partnerships with many healthcare organizations in Northwest Arkansas for its medical professions program study. These partnerships include Butterfield Trail Village, PG Health and Rehab and Highlands Healthcare.
The school is receiving program support from Washington Regional Medical Center, Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas and Marie Chantale Crosse, registered nurse practitioner with Prairie Grove’s community wellness clinic.
The high school’s construction technology pathway starts with introduction to agriculture the first year. For the second year, students
will take ag mechanics. Year three, students take ag structures/ag electricity, and year four, students will take ag structures/ag electricity and possibly have internships off campus.
Through these classes, students will have the opportunity to be certified in different areas through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Center for Construction Education and Research, Bond said.
Bond acknowledged the growth has been slower in the construction trades pathway.
“It’s harder to get the flywheel rolling on it,” Bond said, adding, “It’s taken a little more to get a grip on the construction piece, but it’s moving.”
Partners in the construction technology program include Black Hills Energy, Pick-It Construction and Polytech Molding. NorthWest Arkansas Community College provides funding for test vouchers, construction materials and retired instructors.
Several companies are employing Prairie Grove students through the construction technology program. These companies include Power House Electric, Hill Electric and Kinco Construction.
Along with these pathways, the high school also has a three-year agriculture program (animal science, plant science, ag mechanical), business technology program, two programs through Family and Consumer Science, pre-engineering with Project Lead the Way, computer science and unmanned aerial systems.
These courses also offer certifications. For example, students can receive a certification for Microsoft Office through the business technology program. Bond said this certification is one of the most sought-after skills by employers.
Future plans, Bond said, are to look at a program for logistics and supply chain management and concurrent credit with the community college to provide an early college experience.
Prairie Grove High School participates in work-based learning off campus and this program has grown from 16 students five years ago to 43 students for the current school year.
For 2019-20, the school plans to add JAG (Jobs for Arkansas Graduates) as another program for students.
Bond said the Prairie Grove School District has set a “high bar” for its high school students.
“Our goal is for them to leave Prairie Grove High School ready to go into the workforce or ready to go to college,” Bond said.