Hot Springs Park MagnetSchool

Last week, the HSSD hosted three spelling bees across the district for 1st - 8th grade students. HSSD Gifted and Talented Coordinator Mrs. Laura West coordinated the spelling bees, which are exciting competitions for students to improve their general spelling, vocabulary and language skills in a fun competition with their peers. Congrats to our Park Magnet winners: 1st place - Collin Mason; 2nd place - Tripp Weatherford; 3rd place - Nico Aurioles. HSSD Spelling Bees are held in coordination with official rules and scripts from the Scripps National Spelling Bee so that they are uniform with those hosted across the U.S. Thank you to all competitors and judges!

The HSSD is a diverse community of student groups, talents, and organizations. We look forward to each holiday performance and event throughout December. Don’t miss a thing, with an all-inclusive HSSD Holiday lineup, below. All events hosted at HSSD schools, as well as the Holiday Extravaganza on 12/6, are free to the public and open to all.

Park Magnet School Principal, Dr. Sarah Oatsvall, and Kindergarten Teacher and IB Coordinator, Kristal Brandon, are presenters this week at the 19th Annual Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence National Conference. Schools represented at this annual event include those having received recognition through the National Blue Ribbon Program of the U.S. Department of Education. Their session highlights the unique way that inquiry-based learning and growth mindset are guiding principles for staff development and collaboration at Park Magnet.

Dia de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” is a multi-day celebratory holiday in Mexico. Festivities involve happy gatherings of family and friends to honor loved ones who have passed. Park Magnet Spanish Teacher Ms. Lorraine Valladares leads students in the completion of projects by grade level to observe the holiday, and works to communicate that Dia de los Muertos isn’t truly about mourning death at all, but about celebrating life and honoring death as a part of the journey of life. Learn more about the making of “Calacas,” “Ofrendas” and more.