LRSD Spotlight

Hall High School held a Reality Fair where students were able to visit booths to learn about careers that required only a high school diploma plus little training after high school. Among some of the 34 Colleges & Careers, there were cosmetologists, barbers, nail technicians, sports trainers, fitness trainers, chefs, child day care owners, adult day care owners, barber colleges, and hair schools just to name a few. Students and Parents received hair cuts, manicures, and massages from the Professionals. The Real World Experience didn’t stop there! Students were able to visit the Reality Shop where they were given a career and required to pay bills. Hall High Teachers worked the Bill Booths and interacted well with students to teach them the real value of a dollar. Many of them ran into unexpectancies along the way such as a medical bill or flat tire. Their last stop was Centennial Bank, where financial counselors advised them of where they went “wrong” or “right” in their budgeting. Students admitted they did not realize how fast money left when there are bills to be paid. Hall High Students are on the right track to moving forward.

The Kiwanis Club of Pulaski Heights awarded 3 LRSD Seniors with awards at its 8th Annual Tullio Jacuzzi Outstanding High School Seniors Awards Banquet. Each year the Kiwanis Club holds this event to recognize one senior from each of its traditional "neighborhood" parochial/public high schools. The criteria for this award is maintaining outstanding academic achievement while demonstrating exemplary citizenship and extraordinary commitment to community service. This year's honorees are Samuel Joseph Hoskins of Central High School, Cheyanne Nicole Hampton of Hall High School, and Mary Elizabeth Hoag of Parkview Magnet High School. Congratulations to these honorees.

This week Dr. Joy Lawson-Davis, author of Bright, Talented and Black, is making her sencond visit to the Little Rock School District. She is currently a professor at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette and the director of the university's Center for Gifted Education. Last summer, teachers of Gifted and Talented students attended a professional development session with Dr. Lawson-Davis to discuss her new book. Since then, Dr. Lawson-Davis had joined the district's evalution team to assist with the Gifted and Talented Program Evaluation. This week Dr. Lawson-Davis will conduct evaluation activities such as classroon observations and focus group conversations with principals. She will also introduce elementary school principals to her book during a professional development session.

Michelle McGowan and Kayla Jackson of McClellan High School were offered full band scholarships to Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama. These two gifted students were offered these scholarships on the spot during the college fair at the Honda Battle of the Bands Competition. These students show through hard work and dedication, arts in education pays off in a big way! Congratulations Kayla and Michelle!

Dr. Betsy Kaye (Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, LRSD Elementary Literacy Dept.) has received the distinct honor of being chosen as one of five internationally-recognized educators to review the new edition of An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement (Clay, 2002). This assessment is used around the world by teachers of beginning readers and has recently been recognized as the highest-rated RTI screening tool by the National Center for Response to Intervention.  Upon the death of the author, Marie M. Clay, the Clay Literacy Trust in New Zealand made provisions that any future editions of the assessment would require input from Reading Recovery leaders in the five countries that use the text: United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK.  Dr. Kaye is serving as the United States representative on this international committee. Dr. Kaye was selected for this honor based upon her extensive experience with Reading Recovery teachers, teacher leaders, and trainers in addition to her professional and academic accomplishments in the areas of beginning reading and literacy assessment.