Hot Springs Park MagnetSchool

Mr. Dudley Webb, 6th grade teacher at our HSSD Intermediate School, attended an official bill-signing ceremony at the State Capitol in honor of a new law (HB1145) signed by Governor Hutchinson to raise the base pay for Arkansas teacher salaries. Mr. Webb was invited alongside other members of the Teacher Leader Advisory Group (TLAG) organized by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) because of the role the group played in helping to write the Teacher Pay Increase Plan. Educators from across Arkansas on TLAG joined ADE leadership and state officials including Representative Bruce Cozart of Garland County, who helped to sponsor the legislation as Chairman of the House Education Committee, at the ceremony.

HSSD elementary schools are ready for Read Across America Week! Join in on the fun - Find a full schedule of books and attire for each day of the week, here. The National Education Association’s Read Across America initiative is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading. It is celebrated on March 2nd, which is also the birthday of the famous children’s book author Dr. Suess. Our wonderful school media specialists at each HSSD school organize the week-long celebration ahead of March 2nd to celebrate reading and the many ways we promote and support literacy for our students at the HSSD.

The local Panda Express restaurant worked with the HSSD Gifted and Talented Program to bring the Chinese New Year to life for 3rd-4th grade GT students. Alissa Mayavski, Manager at Panda Express - Hot Springs, provided a guest presentation. She described traditions commonly enjoyed during festivities, including fireworks, family reunions, lion and dragon dances, special crafts, the giving of red envelopes for good luck and items used for festive decorating. Students made crafts and enjoyed a traditional Chinese meal. Thank you to Panda Express-Hot Springs for such a great, informative program!

For the third year, Park Magnet School students participate in World Real Aloud Day through the Park Library. On World Read Aloud Day, people around the globe read aloud and share stories to advocate for literacy. Park Library Media Specialist Mrs. Evans arranged for Skype connections with five different locations for K-5 students to read with, including a public library in Guernsey, England; Hoover Elementary School in Mason City, Iowa; Madison Elementary School in Madison, Alabama; Episcopal School of Baton Rouge in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary in Mechanicsville, Maryland.