Page 2 - 2015 Back To School

2 – Friday, August 14, 2015 – El Dorado NEWS-TIMES
What's new in Union County schools?
El Dorado School District
• The El Dorado School District allows students to bring their own personal electronic computing devices to school to enhance the instructional learning process through the Bring Your Own Technology program.
With this integration, instructors will have the oppor- tunity to use devices in the classroom for academic pur- poses.
Laptops/netbooks, Chromebooks, smartphones, iPads/ iPods, eReaders and electronic tablets may be brought in the classroom for use. ESD notes that devices should have the ability to create word processing documents and presentations. Gaming devices are excluded and smart- phones will not be used for phone calls, except as listed in the district cellphone policy.
Students will be able to access the wireless network provided by the school while on campus only. Personal Internet connectivity devices such as cell phones that have "wi-fi" connections or hotspots are not permitted to be used to access outside internet sources at any time.
Students will be solely responsible for their devices, ESD will not be held liable for any stolen or damaged devices while on campus.
Teachers will not require students to have their own electronic devices. If a student does not have their own, the district will provide a device that will be used only during the school day.
Teachers have the right to incorporate and use the BYOT in their classrooms and they reserve the right to ask students to close applications, internet sessions or to power off devices and put them out of sight at any time.
For those who would like to participate in the BYOT program, an agreement letter will be sent out that parents and students will need to review, sign and return to the school.
According to Jim Tucker, superintendent of ESD, this policy will start and only be implemented at El Dorado
High School at this time.
•• •
Junction City
• For elementary students, a new reading series has been adopted.
• There is a new car rider policy in place—the school has rerouted a new pickup station for safety purposes.
• According to Teresa Matochik, elementary principal, the school has made renovations to the K1 building that included roof repairs.
• There is a new special programs building. Included in this building is a conference room for board meetings, parent conferences, special education meetings and it will also be open for class reuinions. It also will house the office of the special education department supervisor and secretary, room for occupational and physical therapy, a speech pathologist, nurses station, director of special programs office, alternative learning environment (ALE) classroom and restrooms.
• Matochik also explained that the school received a joint user grant and the funds will be used to install a physical obstacle course. Partnering with Union County Judge Mike Loftin and the Junction City Parent Teacher Organization, this equipment will be utilized to help improve the facilities and give something for the commu- nity to use.
"This will give something for the community to have that will inspire people to be more active and come play outside. Both of the schools will use it during the day and the community will be able to use it when the school is not utilizing it," Matochik said.
• She also explained that the school has amped up the website and encourages parents and other people in the community to visit the website. It contains communica-
tion tools for parents, programs, pictures, supply lists, upcoming events and links for their Facebook page. It also contains Blackboard Connect, which contacts parents in case of bad weather or closings, holidays, spring breaks, special events, etc.
• In the high school, Joy Mason, principal of JCHS explained that they have identified the weak areas of the curriculum and have made fundamental literacy and math changes.
"We want to make sure our students are college ready, so we have the iReady program. It identifies the specific items students need to work on," she said.
• Seventh and eighth grade students have a Ramp Up to Reading program which works with the iReady program, which targets open response-questions and helps give a better understanding of what was read.
• While the school constructs a new gymnasium, some grades will have to make temporary changes for their physical education classes and recess. The old gym will be utilized by the high school. Once constructed, the old gym will be used for PE classes and opened up for the community to use.
• New technology has been implemented for the teach- ers to use including Chromebooks, laptops and additional
computer lab equipment.
•• •
Parkers Chapel
So far, there have not been many changes to the Parkers Chapel School District.
According to Seth Williams, principal of Parkers Chapel High School, no changes have been made to the curricu- lum.
• Students will be allowed to use their cell phones during lunch time only, but this is reserved to high school students exclusively.
• Students will now be given three tardy warnings, rath- er than one, before they will be recommended detention. • He also explained that the school will be participating
in ACT Aspire standardized testing, rather than PARCC. •• •
Smackover-Norphlet
In addition to the annexation of the Smackover and Norphlet School Districts, there are many things that are in the works for students. According to Jennifer Lee, Curiculum Director for Smackover-Norphlet, the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs are beginning this year after the district was awarded a $40,000 grant from the Department of Career Education.
• Project Lead the Way — This is a nonprofit organi- zation that designs STEM curriculum for K-12 students. This comprehensive STEM program will start with the middle schools and elementary and will expand to the high school at a later time.
• The grant will cover 85 percent of the minimum equip- ment required for the STEM program.
• The district will have kindergarten through fifth grades at both the Smackover and Norphlet campuses, sixth through eighth grade will be at the old Norphlet High school campus and ninth through twelfth grades will be at the Smackover campus.
• Students in the district will now have the opportunity to receive college credit, enabling them to receive up to 30 hours of credit upon their senior year graduation. The district will be offering Composition I and II and College Algebra, U.S. History and World History online through Virtual Arkansas. By 2016/2017 school year, the district hopes to have all the courses available for face-to-face interaction and implement World Literature I and II.
According to Lee, this is a great opportunity for stu- dents and there will be minimal fees incurred for students and parents. The charges will be $150 for three credit
hours, which the district will pay half of, leaving parents to pay the other half.
Lee explains that this will give seniors an incentive to have a full schedule.
To participate, the student must have taken the ACT or other tests and meet minimum scores to be enrolled in the courses.
Some courses may be taken as early as the ninth grade year, but the student must still take the ACT or other standardized test prior to enrolling.
The district received a small grant from the community to help start these programs for the students.
"We are really excited about the community support and thank the legislators who helped us get the grant," Lee said.
• The district has also received a school-based health center grant.
The center will allow students access to dental, phys- ical and mental health providers. According to Candice Langley, health coordinator for SNSD, Dr. Keith Davis is helping to provide an APN to come to the campus a min- imum of 12 hours per week to treat students.
The center will be in the old economics building, or as locals know it as "the cottage."
Dental services will be provided by Dr. Taylor Everrett, at his office, which is across from the elementary school campus.
"Some kids are not getting regular physicals and we want to get them those check ups. Students that have chronic conditions need regular visits but may not be having regular follow-ups. If they are on campus, the idea is to do the follow ups that may take as little as 15 minutes.
See CHANGES, Page 4
Send kids back to school happy and healthy!
Ark. Department of Health releases immunization requirements for Kindergarten and Grades 1-12
Kindergarten Vaccine Requirements
The vaccines listed below are required for entry into kindergarten. Please review your child's shot records to find out which vaccines your child has already received. You may also call the Union County Health Unit at 870-863-5101 if you have questions or need to make an appointment.
• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis — four doses (one dose must be on or after the fourth birthday). This vaccine may appear as DTP, DT, Td, DTap or Tdap on your child's shot records.
• Polio — three doses with one dose on or after the fourth birthday and at least six months between the sec- ond and third dose or fourth doses with one dose on or after the fourth birthday and at least six months between the third and fourth dose. This vaccine may appear as OPV or IPV on your child's shot records.
• MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) — two doses with the first dose on or after the first birthday and the second dose at least 28 days after the first dose.
• Hep B (hepatitis B) — three doses
• Varicella — two doses with the first dose on or after the first birthday and the second dose at least 28 days after the first dose. Please not that a vaccine is not required if your child's doctor can provide proof of chick- enpox illness.
•Hep A (hepatitis A) — one dose on or after the first
call the Union County Health Unit at 870-863-5101 if you have questions or need to make an appointment.
• Hep A —one dose on or after the first birthday. This requirement is for first grade only.
• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis — four doses (one dose must be on or after the fourth birthday). Also, for ages 11 years as of Sept. 1 and older, one dose of Tdap is also required. For persons seven years of age or older who are not fully vaccinated, only three doses are required. This vaccine may appear as DTP, DT, Td, DTaP or Tdap on your child's shot records.
• Polio —three doses with first dose on or after the fourth birthday and at lease six months between the sec- ond and third dose of fourth dose with one dose on or after the fourth birthday and at least six months between the third and fourth dose. This vaccine may appear as OPV or IPV on your child's shot records.
• MMR — two doses with the first dose on or after the first birthday and the second dose at least 28 days after
Dance2100 N. College • El Dorado CONNECTION
REGISTER BY PHONE
BEGINNING AUG. 3, 2015
REGISTER IN PERSON
AUGUST 17-SEPT. 14 - 2-6 PM
For Registration or Information call (870) 312-5444 or email dance.connection@yahoo.com
birthday.
Grade 1-12 Vaccine Requirements
the first dose.
• Hep B — three doses. Some 11-15 year-olds may be on
a 2-dose schedule.
• Varicella — two doses with the first dose on or
after the first birthday and the second dose at least 28 days after the first dose. Please not that a vaccine is not required if your child's doctor can provide proof of chick- enpox illness.
• Meningococcal — one dose at age 16 if no prior vac- cination. If vaccinated prior to age 16 years, then a second dose is required at 16 years with at least eight weeks between dose one and dose two.
Seventh Grade Additional Vaccine Requirements
In addition to the vaccine requirements listed under 1-12 grades, one dose of Meningococcal vaccine is required to enter seventh grade.
Information courtesy of the Union County Health Unit
Have a great year! Mayor Crotty and staff
143699
Monitor Secure
hands of kids
Dispose
The vaccines listed below are required for attending Grades 1-12. Please note that your child may have received some of these vaccines when they began kindergarten. Please review your child's shot records to find out which vaccines your child has already received. You may also
139250
143536
142478
Our KIDS are going BACK TO SCHOOL!
Keep R X
Drive Carefully!
1106 NW A ve,ElDorado (870)862-0014
Permanent Drop Off Locations:
(for expired/unused/unwanted RX & OTC meds)
El Dorado Police Dept. - JC Pharmacy *new location* Smackover Police Dept. - Union County Sheriff
TOUCHCoalition.org
out of the