EDUCATION PROFILES - JANUARY 2022

2022 EDUCATION PROFILES SPECIAL FEATURE PRESENTED BY

WORDS Dwain Hebda and Catherine Frederick some interviews have been edited for length and clarity

Do South® is proud to recognize the talents and contributions of select educators, educational organizations, and school systems in our community. They set the bar for excellence and are committed to providing the very best opportunities for students. Join us as we salute the passion they share for education.

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Looking for a Christ-centered,

education to assist students with learning needs. Students use as

family-focused, and student-

many hands-on opportunities as possible, following best-practice

driven school for your child?

educational research.

1st Lutheran is now enrolling

students from ages eighteen

Students are grounded daily in a Christ-centered worldview that

months through seventh grade

includes worship, Gospel teachings, daily prayer, and selfless acts

for 2022-2023, with open enrollment beginning in February.

of caring. Through this, students develop the moral character to guide them through any challenge in life, as well as the compassion

Founded in 1853, the school enjoys a long history of instilling students

and love to serve others in the classrooms, their families and

with the academic and spiritual tools needed to “go and disciple

throughout the greater community.

all nations.” 1st Lutheran believes in educating the whole child and driving instructional decisions based on the needs of

“A family atmosphere that supports high academic standards

students. The focus is to prepare students for the next step of their

and Gospel-centered student formation combine to make a

educational journey, wherever that may lead.

1st Lutheran education truly special,” says Samuel Fishburn, principal. “ We invite every family to come tour and experience

Teachers and staff maintain high expectations while supporting

firsthand how 1st Lutheran School continues to shine the light

and embracing all learners. 1st Lutheran is equipped with a

of faith, hope and love in the life of each individual student

resource room program staffed by a teacher certified in special

and family.”

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Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Since its conception in 2014, ACHE has been an agent of change in the state of Arkansas. Situated on over 600 acres, ACHE is committed to creating stateof-the-art, graduate-level educational facilities and preparing compassionate healthcare professionals to be outstanding in their fields of practice. ACHE is the first and only private institution in Arkansas that is dedicated solely to healthcare and wellness.

“When you look at Arkansas right now, the current ratio is six thousand citizens for every one primary care physician in the state. And when you look at primary care physicians in Arkansas, a third are over the age of sixty,” says Kyle Parker, CEO. “It’s predicted in the next five years that number is going to grow to ten thousand residents per one physician in the state of Arkansas. It is a major, major problem and that’s what we’re hoping to help address.”

“Almost eighty percent of medical students end up within sixty to ninety minutes of where they went through residency. We’re setting up right now to keep every one of those students in this region and with an eighty percent stick rate, I think we’ve got a pretty good chance at keeping them here.”

In five short years the ACHE campus has seen the development of four programs including the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM), School of Physical Therapy (ACHE PT), School of Occupational Therapy (ACHE OT), and Master of Science in Biomedicine (MSB). The ACHE community is comprised of a robust student body focused on service to the underserved. Students receive instruction from renowned faculty and participate in hands-on learning in specialized labs.

Renovations are currently underway at the Research Institute Health and Wellness Center, a 317,000-square-foot facility that will provide a unique opportunity for students to engage in interprofessional education, integrating the arts and clinical intervention with research to transform health and wellness throughout the community. This space will include a 90,000-square-foot biomedical research lab fully equipped with the latest technologies.

Kyle said for all of the cutting-edge technology available, the difference in ACHE’s training is the human touch.

“There’s something special about human touch,” he says. “Not only the ability to diagnose things, but when a doctor puts their hands on your shoulder and tells you that they understand what you’re going through, it’s very different than looking at you on a TV screen.”

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Fort Smith Catholic Schools Developing the entire child – mind, body and spirit – has been the goal of Fort Smith’s Catholic schools spanning multiple generations. Combined, Immaculate Conception School, Christ the King School and Trinity Catholic School represent nearly 200 years of educational excellence, offering unparalleled academic rigor and a robust slate of extracurricular activities to nurture each student’s personal growth in caring, faith-forward environments.

Opened in 1930, Immaculate Conception School is the oldest of the three institutions and is the first elementary school in Fort Smith, public or private, to be named a National Blue Ribbon School. Serving children in grades preschool through fifth grade, IC stands proudly in the heart of Fort Smith where it serves a student body of roughly 350 students both in the classroom and through a range of extracurricular activities.

“Our academic programs are top-notch, thanks to highly-qualified, accredited teachers who deliver challenging and engaging curriculum for our students,” said Principal Sharon Blentlinger. “In addition to a strong core of religion, language arts, math, science and social studies, our school is a 1:1 Chromebook school with enhanced education in foreign language, fine arts and extracurricular activities. IC is also a Leader in Me school where the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are learned and lived.”

Christ the King Catholic School is committed to supporting the development of the whole child while providing the highest-quality Christ-centered education. The school offers small class sizes in core subjects as well as Spanish, music, P.E., art and technology for all students eighteen months through fifth grade. The school was the first private school in the state designated a Purple Star School in support of military families.

“The motto for our school is ‘Discover the Difference at CTK’ where we value diversity, equity and inclusion,” says Myndi Keyton, principal. “Our academic programs are integrated with religious values taught by an accredited faculty with more than 130 years of cumulative experience and who are trained in Apple Connection OG in 3D for dyslexia.”

Established by the Sisters of Mercy and Benedictine Sisters in Fort Smith, Trinity Catholic Junior High School opened with a vision of providing academic, spiritual and character development in an atmosphere promoting greatness. Open to students in sixth through eighth grades, Trinity provides a challenging academic curriculum as well as a wide variety of enrichment activities and extracurriculars.

“Our Catholic faith teaches us each individual is unique and wonderful in the eyes of God,” says Dr. Karen Hollenbeck, principal. “We approach every single student with that principle in mind. We strive to develop the individual to use their gifts to be productive members of their communities through their careers, their communities and their individual families, for His glory. Our students’ success is our greatest legacy.”

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river valley virtual academy In keeping with its philosophy of meeting each student’s individual learning strengths, River Valley Virtual Academy (RVVA) provides a quality alternative to in-person classroom learning through its all-online curriculum.

Virtual learning has gained popularity because of COVID, but RVVA was the first of its kind in the state. When the Van Buren School District launched RVVA in 2017, the charter school was the first K-12 fully-virtual option for Arkansas students.

Offered free of charge, RVVA combines the best of all worlds. Students take courses online in a customized manner, providing for greater levels of flexibility than available in the traditional classroom setting. Participants complete their courses independently, at a pace best-suited to their learning style or ability. Exceptional online curriculum is taught by passionate, experienced, certified teachers. What’s more, students are held to the same academic rigor as those attending live classroom instruction, complete with 24/7 support.

“RVVA provides flexible and portable education options for students, but is unique in that students can visit our campus for additional support and participate in extracurricular activities through the school district,” says Dr. Jennifer Feeny, RVVA Coordinator.

RVVA’s physical campus includes classrooms, conference areas and a secure reception and check-in area. Students from all grade levels can come in as often as they like to work in the academy classroom and receive help from teachers.

Parents also play a very active role in their children’s education at RVVA. “The parent is a partner in this,” Jennifer says. “They serve as the learning coach at home. Parents are very involved for the younger students and as students get into the higher grades, they become more independent.”

RVVA leaders work closely with parents to help ensure that students complete their work in an appropriate amount of time. RVVA offers progress reports that make it easy to track improvement and upon graduation, students receive the same diploma as their VBSD peers.

Academy participants are counted as students in the Van Buren School District, qualifying them to participate in sports, band, choir, clubs and other programs. The unique setting of RVVA also allows for peer engagement through educational field trips and community service opportunities. “Our virtual academy is a tremendous asset to our region, in that it provides another valuable educational option to meet the diverse needs of families,” Jennifer says.

RVVA is open to students throughout the state. Students outside the Van Buren School District are eligible to enroll but must submit a School Choice application by May 1, 2022.

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Union Christian Academy In an era when societal pressures, economic uncertainties and frightening current events are daily headline fodder, Union Christian Academy has stepped to the forefront to bring a top-quality education within reach of more families seeking academic excellence in a safe, Christ-centered environment.

“The mission of Union Christian Academy is to provide an outstanding Christian education centered on a Biblical worldview that encourages all our students to reach their highest God-given potential,” says Ricky Massengale, superintendent. “The vision of Union Christian Academy is to be a nationally-recognized, pace-setting leader in Christian education that honors the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Union Christian Academy is the only fully-accredited (ACSI, ANSAA, AdvancED, NFNSSA) pre-K through 12th grade private Christian school in the River Valley. Union Christian enjoys a 100 percent graduation rate and has also been voted Best of the Best by Southwest Times for four years running and this year was also named Best Private School in the River Valley by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

“Our family- and Christ-centered education model unites students, parents and teachers to help ensure academic success and personal enrichment,” says Superintendent Massengale.

“In addition to academic progress, Union Christian’s forty-five-year legacy and tradition in Christian education offers outstanding leadership opportunities for children and young adults by which they grow in mind, body and spirit.”

“But none of this means much if families cannot afford to send their children here. That’s why we are excited about our income-based tuition model, because [it] allows us to make Christian education more affordable to more families in the River Valley.”

Union Christian's tuition formula provides discounts between twenty and sixty-five percent, based on household income and eligibility. Superintendent Massengale said the tiered tuition model provides a system of equal sacrifice, not equal cost. Parents have been willing to make that sacrifice, given the unparalleled quality of instruction to be gained through Union Christian Academy. At every level – from preschool through 12th grade – students are enriched by a challenging curriculum, delivered by caring, well-qualified instructors. Union Christian Academy maintains a low student-to-teacher ratio, providing an optimal learning environment.

The school offers college concurrent classes, Advanced Placement classes, as well as rigorous academic and service projects to prepare students for success in college and beyond.

“At Union Christian Academy, our students are taught a Christian worldview where they are encouraged to examine world events through a Biblical lens,” Superintendent Massengale says. “Each day begins with Scripture and prayer, Bible classes are taught daily and formal service projects are held annually. We strive to make faith alive and relevant in the everyday lives of our students as they become ambassadors for Christ to everyone around them.”

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van buren school district Combining the best of the classroom, stage, and field of athletic competition, the Van Buren School District offers opportunities for learning for every student. The eleven schools that make up the Van Buren School District share a commitment to excellence, creating a continuum of academic achievement, leadership development and personal growth from the earliest grades through high school graduation. The mission of the Van Buren School District is to serve the community by providing a learning environment that enables students to attain their full potential and that promotes lifelong learning. VBSD is comprised of six elementary schools (grades K-5), two middle schools (grades 6-8), a freshman academy (grade 9), and one high school (grades 10-12). The District also offers preschool, Gifted and Talented Education (GATE), special education, and an alternative education program. Additionally, VBSD operates the River Valley Virtual Academy.

Van Buren provides students with diverse course options, including STEM education at all grade levels. Teachers integrate hands-on learning through gardening, technology, entrepreneurship and other unique opportunities. Multiple campuses have thriving gardens, including several elementary schools which take part in FoodCorps, a national initiative aimed at connecting kids to healthy food and practices in school. As they progress into upper grades, students have additional opportunities to expand their skills with various extracurricular activities, including athletics, student government, the arts and community service. At the Van Buren Freshman Academy, staff members prepare students for the transition to high school and beyond through mock interviews and other career-readiness programs.

VBSD also offers a wealth of Advanced Placement and concurrent credit classes. “ Through strategic partnerships with regional universities, VBSD enables secondary students to earn college hours, complete technical certifications, and earn associate degrees before graduating high school,” said Superintendent Dr. Harold Jeffcoat. These are provided at little or no cost, saving students time and tuition dollars. “Being able to complete a significant amount of college coursework while in high school gives our students an advantage over many high school graduates throughout the state,” he says.

The commitment to excellence also extends to VBSD’s extracurricular programs. The Pointer Marching Band has won state the last four out of five years. In 2021, VBHS’ baseball, boys’ soccer and wrestling teams also captured state titles. Recent years have also included state champion cheer and bowling wins and countless honors among other arts, academics, and athletic offerings.

VBSD is committed to helping students succeed and serving the community which offers its schools tremendous support year-round. “We are fortunate to be part of an amazing community that values education and understands the importance of investing in our schools,” says Superintendent Jeffcoat. “It is because of our local leaders, partners and families that we are able to provide a premier educational experience to our students at every level.”

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Cutting-edge classroom technology,

their learning style. Classroom learning is supplemented by

innovative teaching and outstanding

various enrichment programs, including band, choir, art, drama,

resources are often only found in

quiz bowl and a full suite of athletic programs.

larger communities. Not so with Greenwood Public Schools, recently

The Greenwood School District was recently named the first

named the #3 Best School District in

Purple Star Public School District in the River Valley/NWA Region

the State and #1 Best Place to Teach

for its outstanding commitment to the unique educational and

by Niche, which combines the best

social-emotional needs of military-connected children. And, four

of instruction within a small-school environment.

of the schools in the district recently earned prestigious academic achievement awards, totaling over $350,000.

“The Greenwood School District has long been recognized as one of the premier school districts in Arkansas,” says John Ciesla,

“ The Greenwood School District has the long-standing vision of,

superintendent. “Our faculty and staff are committed to providing

‘Providing Excellence in Education,’” Superintendent Ciesla says.

our students with state-of-the-art facilities, a wide variety of

“ This tradition stems from a community that values education

educational programs and the resources necessary to recruit and

and has high expectations for all academic and extracurricular

retain one of the finest faculties in the state.”

programs. The strong relationship between community, parents and schools allows our students to graduate with the skills

With an average teacher/student ratio of 1:15, Greenwood Public

necessary to be college- and career-ready and be productive

Schools ensures all students receive sufficient attention to assist

members of society.”