Page 5 - PROGRESS.3.23

Saturday, March 23, 2019 EL DORADO NEWS-TIMES — 5C
12 Years of the El Dorado
Promise
College Board, the governing body of AP, for the increase in AP enrollment and passing scores by underserved
and minority populations. The studies did a comparison of standardized test scores of like matched students and school districts and found a 6-8 percent increase in test scores and the impact was greater the longer the student was enrolled in El Dorado Schools.
El Dorado teachers and administrators discuss college from the beginning of a student’s education — the discussion is “when” you go to college not “if” you go to college. And when every student in the classroom has the opportunity to go to college, teachers and administrators work to prepare every student!
Programs like Promise Backpack awards to all kindergarten students, Celebrate the Promise week, College T-shirt Wednesdays, Kitten Conferences and CATS conferences for planning junior high and high school schedules, free in-school ACT test for all juniors, AP Saturday Preps, Senior Parent FAFSA and Promise workshops, Pay it Forward and Academic Signing Day are events in the school year that reinforce the idea that college is the next
step after high school for El Dorado students.
El Dorado Public Schools is proud to be the Promising Choice for students. For more information about the El Dorado Promise Scholarship, contact the El Dorado Promise office 870-864- 5128 or Sylvia.Thompson@esd-15.org.
Special to the News-Times
When the gift of the El Dorado Promise was announced by Murphy Oil Corporation in January 2007, no one, not even then-President of Murphy
Oil Claiborne Deming, understood the magnitude of the impact on El Dorado Public Schools.
Since that time, over 2,500 EHS graduates have received the Promise and have taken the scholarship to 140 schools in 31 different states.
The El Dorado Promise is a universal, place-based scholarship. The Promise guarantees that every student who graduates from El Dorado High School, who was enrolled since at least the ninth grade, can receive a college scholarship. There is no high school GPA requirement, income limit or competitive application process.
Students who attended EPS for their entire K-12 experience are eligible
of the full scholarship, which covers tuition and mandatory fees at the accredited two- or four-year post- secondary institution of their choice, in or out of state, public or private, up to the cost of tuition and mandatory fees at the most expensive public university in Arkansas.
Students are able to add other sources of financial aid to their Promise award, up to the full cost of attendance at
the four-year college or university of their choice. To renew the Promise Scholarship, students must earn 24 new
File Photo
Promise: Graduates of the 2018 El Dorado High School class stand on the field of the El Dorado Memorial Stadium. For 12 years, the El Dorado Promise has aided in sending countless EHS students to colleges and universities across the nation.
college hours and maintain a cumulative college GPA of 2.0 each year. Students meeting the renewal requirements can use the Promise Scholarship to obtain
a bachelor’s degree or for up to five consecutive years of college enrollment.
Studies done by the Office of Education Policy at the University of Arkansas in 2018 indicate the Promise has a significant impact on college enrollment and bachelor’s degree attainment by El Dorado students. There has been a 16.5 percent increase in college enrollment and a 10.7 percent overall increase in bachelor’s degree
attainment. The study further showed an even higher (12.7 percent) increase in bachelor’s degree completion if the EHS graduates’ high school GPA was in the top 50 percent of their class.
Additional studies from the same office show EPS has created a “college- going culture” where students are offered up to 20 different Advanced Placement courses at EHS and pre-AP courses are offered beginning in the fifth grade. Over 900 AP exams were given to EHS students in the 2017-18 school year.
The district has been recognized by
Superintendent: Continued from Page 3C
When it comes to Black’s philosophy on education, he said it’s all about the students and encouraging a good work ethic.
“The kids come first," Black said, adding that every decision needs to come back to what is best for the students in the long run and how will it best prepare them to make it through the school system. “I’m big on if you have a really good work ethic and you have a good attitude and you know how to work as a team, there’s no boundaries to what you can obtain.
“I really try not to over complicate things. I want to make it to where our kids understand what our expectations are and that if they will work hard to meet those expectations, we’re going to be there for
them when they get into some adversity and we’re going to be a team to overcome it and get it done.”
Strong-Huttig
Along with the Smackover-Norphlet School District, the Strong-Huttig School District also plans to start the school year with a new superintendent.
Jeff Alphin, who stepped into the position in 2016, announced his retirement at the January school board meeting, saying he felt it was time to focus on other activities.
“I have been employed in education for 25-plus years,” Alphin said. “I am a director and trustee of Philadelphia Cemetery and involved in other church activities.”
The school board is leading the search for his replacement, and Cindy Smith, Strong-Huttig School Board President, said she’s hopeful that the district will be able to make a hire soon.
Alphin’s last day will be June 30.
Smith said the district has already received about 12 applications for the position that the school board and leadership team will be going through to make a hire.
Smith said the district is looking for somebody who is knowledgeable in business and how to improve academics. Also, they’ll be looking at leadership, communication, vision and goal setting for the applicants, with a focus on academics.
“We’re just hoping that we can get a new superintendent who has good business practices for maximizing academics and achievements for our kids,” Smith said.
Michael Shine may be reached at 870-862-6611 or mshine@eldoradonews.com. Follow him on Twitter and like him on Facebook @MichaelAZShine for updates on Union County school news.
Operating Early Head Start, Head Start, and ABC
Now taking applications for Fall 2019
Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten with Us
• Serves children from birth to 5 years • Complete health and social services
for the whole family
• We welcome children with special
needs ... even severe needs.
At NO COST
to eligible families!
Center Based
Pick up applications at any of these centers:
• El Dorado (Fairview, Morning Star and West Woods)
• Junction City
• Strong
• Our Central Office
We also serve children in the following locations: • Calhoun County - (870) 798-3004
• Columbia County - (870) 234-1701
• Dallas County - (870) 352-3333
• Ouachita County - (870) 836-5227
• Hempstead County - (870) 777-8540
• Lafayette County - (870) 921-5401
• Nevada County - (870) 887-0623
Limited bus transportation is available in Blevins, Bradley, Camden, Harmony Grove, & Lafayette. Transportation assistance for children’s health appointment and parent meeting needs will be provided by staff when possible.
& Home Based Programs
Families and Children Together, Inc.
2720 Vine St., El Dorado, AR 71730
For more information, call toll-free: (877) 320-1697
This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
14288