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Dads who make a difference. BY KATHERINE WYRICK PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN CHILSON
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n honor of Father’s Day, we’re celebrating three dads who show up for their communities and their families. They’re devoted, engaged and civic-minded. But their greatest superpower? Being awesome parents!
When we talked to Bill Kopsky, he was working from home while his two sons, Izzy (10) and Elliott (8), quietly read a book and worked on a painting in the background. They are currently in virtual school but attend Gibbs Magnet Elementary in normal times. When I remarked upon the wholesomeness of the scene — I often park my son in front of a screen while working — Kopsky said that they limit screen time as best they can, though the pandemic has made that more challenging, especially since he and his wife — Liz Smith, a ceramic artist and professor at UCA — work full time. He then went on to recount a story that parents frustrated with constantly negotiating screen time will appreciate: “When I was a kid, my mom and dad tried to limit our TV time. I had a bunch of siblings. At first they just told us not to do it, and of course we did it. My dad worked during the day, and my mom worked at night so slept a lot during the day. The first time they caught us watching TV, they hid the power cord.” His mother, however, was such a deep sleeper, she divulged where it was hidden. His parents then put the power cord under lock and key. His brother picked the lock. “I was 10. My dad came home, and we were all watching TV. He didn’t say a word; he just picked up the TV, went out the back door and dropped it in the backyard and it broke into pieces.” It was only years later that they got another one. That made an impression. “It was very dramatic.” Kopsky hasn’t taken such extreme measures with his own kids. Granted, there are fewer to wrangle. But, like their dad, they’re growing up with more bike rides and outdoor play and fewer TV shows and video games. Kopsky grew up in Tulsa, one of five siblings, and moved to Little Rock in 1996 to work for the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, where he serves as executive director today. We asked him how he instills a sense of social justice in his own kids and how he talks to them about tough issues. “It’s just part of our reality,” he said. “Both kids have gone up to the legislature or gone to community meetings with me since they were infants. So that’s just a normal part of their lives. Our members have been really gracious about putting up with them being at meetings.” Both kids have taken naturally to activism. On his own accord, Izzy testified before the state House and Senate education committees for the legislation to extend recess. “He did great. I didn’t push him into that at all. He even wrote his (Continued on page 54)
BILL AND HIS BOYS IZZY AND ELLIOTT — IN A RARE MOMENT NOT ON THEIR BIKES
WE ARE MORE “Best Parent Ever ” moments . Jump on a virtual storytime, take home a craft kit, or make learning fun (and easy) again with homework help programs and resources. All free with your library card so you can get back to being the “Best Parent Ever.” Follow us on Facebook or visit www.SalineCountyLibrary.org to view full calendar.
Great Things Happening at LRSD
Building STRONG SCHOOLS and Even STRONGER COMMUNITIES
OPTIONS TO MEET EVERY NEED
Visit: LRSD.org – Student Registration (K-12) or LRSD.org/earlychildhood (Pre-K) Great THINGS are still happening at LRSD! The Little Rock School District is proud of its 3,500 dedicated professionals who remain committed to meeting the needs of each student, even during a pandemic. From rigorous academic engagement for those identified as gifted and talented to support for those facing learning, speech or physical challenges, LRSD — the state’s second largest district — offers unique, comprehensive educational approaches for pre-K to 12thgrade students. LRSD takes pride in its highly qualified teachers — nearly half of all classroom teachers have a masters or doctoral degree and 155 have National Board Certification — among the most in the state. LRSD continues to operate the state’s only K-8 STEM campus, eight magnet schools and a uniquely-focused language and literacy elementary academy, and last year, continued to expand Little Rock West High School of Innovation, adding a 10th grade class. Subsequent grades will be added each year for a 9-12 delivery. Little Rock Hall STEAM Academy was also introduced, enhancing its focus on science and engineering academies under the Academies of Central Arkansas (Ford NGL) umbrella. High school college preparatory programs, including pre-AP, AP, classes with local universities and the District’s
EXCEL program, provide multiple options for families. These programs allow students to align their educational experience with their interests, preparing them for college and career and equipping them to meet the challenges of a global society. LRSD consistently places among the top tier of state schools with National Merit Semifinalists, as well as Commended, National Hispanic and AP Scholars. LRSD is proud of its highly accomplished students and the community partnerships that enhance their educational experiences. Students will continue taking their learning to the next level at the newly constructed careerfocused Little Rock Southwest High School. LRSD is also the state’s largest provider of public preschool programs with certified teachers in every class. The District’s pre-K students continue to outperform students who do not use LRSD’s pre-K program in every skill area. The District maintains its mission to provide students with equitable access to educational opportunities, equipping them with what they need to succeed.
SAVVY kids PUBLISHER BROOKE WALLACE | brooke@arktimes.com EDITOR KATHERINE WYRICK | katherinewyrick@ arktimes.com SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE LESA THOMAS ART DIRECTOR KATIE HASSELL
FIND MORE AT SAVVYKIDSAR.COM
Originally from San Antonio, Gregory Hays landed in Little Rock, family in tow, just over 10 years ago from Washington state. As the housing manager of Our House, he runs the shelter and transitional housing programs. As a single dad, he works tirelessly to provide for his three kids. To that end, in addition to his full-time position at Our House, he also works night shifts at Esporta Fitness. At Our House he has a reputation for being positive and outgoing; his kids have inherited these traits and his strong work ethic. In conversation, it’s clear that Hays is one devoted, supportive dad. His eldest daughter, Gabrielle (26), lives and works in Alabama, but Hays proves that parenting doesn’t end in adulthood or adhere to state lines. He continues to help guide and be there for her from afar as she navigates the working world. Ariel (21) is a senior at UCA with a double major in psychology and art. She’s considering pursuing her Ph.D., but Hays is gently encouraging her to get a masters and then reassess. His youngest, Emmanuel, who soon turns 16, attends the Arkansas School for Math, Sciences and the Arts, a residential high school in Hot Springs for gifted students. When we spoke, Hays had just returned from dropping him off back at school. He applauds his son’s perseverance. “Here he was 15 year old, away from home for the first time, during the pandemic. It wasn’t easy,” Hays said, recalling his son’s first year. But Hays has also instilled in his kids the belief that they can do hard things and succeed. He and Emmanuel are already deep into the college search process. Emmanuel has his sights set on attending an Ivy League college, but regardless, intends to move out of state. “All my kids are smart,” Hays said. “But this kid is SO smart.” Though Hays places a high value on education, he believes that many of life’s most valuable lessons are taught at home. He made it a priority to equip his children with life skills that would hold them in good stead as they transitioned to adulthood — something a lot of kids today don’t have.
“We taught the kids early on, you need to have an account and debit card,” he said. They also came up with creative ways to impart financial lessons that the kids would not soon forget. “We would go out to eat sometimes, and I’d make them pay. It helped them understand money and got them thinking.” They quickly learned to order off the kids’ menu if they were footing the bill. “We never gave them money for grades, but we did give them allowance and work assignments to prepare them for life after school,” Hays said. He taught them about investing, managing money and credit. Hays was also adamant, however, that while they were students, that was to be their primary focus. “We told them, ‘Your job is school. As long as you’re working hard, we’ll support you, but if your demand for things outweighs what I feel is necessary, then you’re going to have to go out and get a job.’ ” In addition to learning to budget and be fiscally responsible, the kids learned early on how to do their own laundry, take care of themselves and cook (with varying degrees of success). Hays was quick to add, “I have to qualify that. Emmanuel is a great microwave cooker.” As for household chores, Hays explained to them, “We can help you, but we’re not your maids.” From refereeing between the girls when they would fight over clothes to teaching teenagers how to drive, Hays has dealt with a wide variety of parenting issues during his time as a dad — and he’s done it with grace and steadfastness. The result is three kids who have seamlessly transitioned, or are in the process of transitioning, into life beyond home. And isn’t that what we all hope for as parents? That we’ll be able to teach them well enough, and raise them right enough, to someday live without us?
GREGORY HAYS — ON THE CAMPUS OF OUR HOUSE
(Continued from page 51)
GUY CHOATE — CHECK OUT CHOATE’S BLOGS AND OTHER WRITINGS AT GUYCHOATE.COM. IT’S WHERE HE DOCUMENTS HIS LIFE AS A DAD AND CITIZEN OF THE WORLD
Guy Choate took a circuitous route to fatherhood — one that landed him back in his home state, not his intended destination but one that ended up being just the right place to start a family. “We love Little Rock and have roots here now,” he said in a recent conversation from his Hillcrest home. Not long after his return, Choate — who has an MFA from the University of New Orleans and is a writer and blogger — noticed that though there was a supportive literary community in Central Arkansas, there wasn’t an easy way to connect writers directly with their readers. He set out to right that. The result was the Argenta Reading Series, which he founded in 2017. Pre-pandemic, it offered free monthly readings at Argenta United Methodist Church. “I’m a big proponent of making the community what you want it to be,” Choate said. In addition to being a writer and director of the Argenta Reading Series, Choate is also an army veteran and communications manager at Garver, an engineering firm. But after many years of adventures and misadventures, he’s discovered his most cherished role to date — that of dad of Gus (and baby on the way) and husband of Liz. Gus just turned 4, and by press time might have been joined by a baby brother. When they first informed him that he was going to be a big brother, Gus was “anti-anything baby, not just the baby brother on the way, but all babies. Thankfully, he’s starting to come around.” Choate grew up in Beebe and, to the surprise of his friends and family, joined the army at 17. In 2003, he was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina
where he served as a NATO peacekeeper. Then in 2005, he set out to walk across the country, from the Pacific to the Atlantic. He ended up hitchhiking much of it and amassing a collection of wild stories that could (and do) fill a book that’s still in revisions. “I got the mid-life crisis out of the way early on,” joked Choate. “People always said parenting was hard, and I never believed them, but, I have to say, parenting knocked me on my ass,” Choate said, laughing. “I was not prepared for just how much it would alter our lives.” But can anything really prepare you for the joys and challenges of parenthood? It’s a seismic shift — and also an experience that causes you to reflect on your relationship with your own parents. Choate lost his dad in 2017 just months before his son was born, “which was really hard.” He found himself in the position of processing his feelings about his own dad while becoming one. “My dad was a politician, and he was a great communicator, but he was not good at intimacy. I never knew where I stood with him. I always wanted his approval, and I never knew if I had it.” Choate has explored some of these issues in his blog, where he writes eloquently about fatherhood among other things. He started his photoa-day blog over 10 years ago, whose significance has become more apparent and poignant after his father’s death and the birth of his son. Right before his death, his dad’s house burned to the ground, taking with it any records that could help Choate gain more insight into his father’s world. “[The blog is] part of my legacy, part of the kind of parent I want to be. I want them to know who I was through and through so they don’t have to question like I question.” It’s what any child wants from a parent — no matter how old they are — to be seen and accepted. Right now, Gus is a guy who loves dinosaurs, animals and insects. A guy who likes to take leisurely strolls with his parents in hopes of spotting these things. He likes sleepovers at his grandparents’ house. He likes to let his imagination run wild. And his dad is there — present — for all of it.
own testimony. ... We don’t push it on them like a doctrine, but they’re both curious kids, well-read kids … and the [Little Rock School District] has been really good about teaching about Black history and social justice, particularly at Gibbs. It’s a consistent part of the curriculum. They’ve picked it up from there. They have a diverse set of friends. It’s just how it is.” Last year, they were talking about the pandemic, and the boys decided they wanted to do something to help. They were, in part, inspired by Captain Tom Moore, or “Captain Tom,” the British Army officer who raised money for charity in the run-up to his 100th birthday by walking around his garden. “So, we talked about it a little and together came up with the idea of doing a bikeathon and donating the money to the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. I was amazed. I didn’t know how it would go, but Izzy ended up riding 67 miles, and Elliot rode 32.7. We practiced for it, and they ended up raising $13,000.” Kopsky, a life-long, seasoned cyclist, takes his boys mountain biking once or twice a week. Their favorite place is Mt. Nebo, followed by Northwoods in Hot Springs, the new trails at Pinnacle Mountain State Park and Rattlesnake Ridge. He taught them on strider bikes at a very young age and advises bypassing training wheels altogether. “I could get most kids riding a bike in 5 minutes,” he said with confidence. They also enjoy camping and hiking and, prepandemic, liked taking art and theater classes at the Arts Center. “Arkansas is such a beautiful place, you gotta take advantage of that stuff.” And they do. The boys have also been contemplating another fundraiser, though it hasn’t taken shape as of yet. With their energy, empathy and passion (for cycling and social issues) — and with the example set by their dad — there’s no limit to how far they’ll go.
STARTING IN THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR, the Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD) is opening a new virtual academy for students interested in continuing their education online. DRIVEN Virtual Academy (DVA) will be a 100% virtual school available for students K-12. DVA will provide flexibility in coursework with selfpaced options, mentoring programs, and curriculum delivery flexibility. Students will be able to work at their own pace to best fit their educational needs in order to
involved in extracurricular activities and desire a more
reach their individualized goals. DVA will also provide a
flexible option through online or accelerated learning.
student mentor program which will pair students with
DVA students may participate in PCSSD extracurricular
a teacher to be a point of contact and help develop
activities upon meeting academic requirements.
and accomplish individual growl plans. The mentors will fill any gaps and maintain parent and community
the virtual academy, provides a school of opportunity.
relationships. Students with the online curriculum will
The school of opportunity provides students with
also have the option of face to face learning/tutoring or
a more blended-learning flex model using a digital
virtual office hours to receive small group or 1:1 support.
curriculum, along with face-to-face interaction
Students in homeschool or who are homebound due to health or social-emotional issues could benefit from an online learning environment. DVA will also serve students whose families must travel often or are
REGISTER NOW
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501.234.2000
DRIVEN is a two-part platform which, in addition to
ABOUT PCSSD
with teachers and mentors to deliver a personalized learning environment for each student. More information about both platforms and applications are available at pcssd.org.
Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 25 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927. PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.