July is:
Earn Awards
LRSD is proud to celebrate our incredible FBLA students who competed at the 2025 National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, CA! J.A. Fair’s Ethan Laryea placed 5th in the nation in Exploring Computer Applications. Pulaski Heights Middle earned two national honors: 2nd place in Interpersonal Communication and 5th place in Annual Chapter Activities. Pinnacle View Middle had several top performers, including Jake Hu – 3rd place in Exploring Computer Science, Lawrence Lei Ramirez – 8th place in Exploring Technology, and the team of Calix Chen, Ethan Tang, and Kenneth Yu – 8th place in Critical Thinking. Special recognition also goes to Anay Pandit, who represented Pinnacle View in Exploring Economics. We are so proud of all our students for their hard work, leadership, and commitment to excellence!
Congratulations to Ms. Elizabeth Morris, art educator at Jefferson Elementary, on being selected for the 2025 Distinguished Service Within the Profession Award by the Arkansas Art Educators Executive Board. This prestigious recognition highlights her dedication and outstanding contributions to the field of art education. Ms. Morris will be honored at the AAE Awards Ceremony this November at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. LRSD is proud to celebrate her well-deserved achievement!
Parkview Magnet High School’s 2025 Patriot Academy has officially wrapped! Over three impactful days, students explored leadership, school spirit, academic planning, and community connection. Day 2 featured team-building activities, graduation audits, mental health check-ins with Blue Cross & Blue Shield, and sweet treats — all leading up to today’s exciting pep rally and field day. It was a powerful start to the school year, proving once again: Parkview is more than a magnet — it’s a movement.
Forest Heights STEM Academy has once again been named an Arkansas STEM Model Program—the first K-8 school to earn this honor! Last week, Mrs. Barbara Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Laura Gowan proudly represented FHSA on a panel at the ADE Summit. STEM Model Schools spark curiosity, creativity, and innovation in students every day. Congratulations, FHSA!
This week, Mabelvale Elementary teachers participated in professional development aimed at strengthening literacy and math instruction. The training centered on research-based strategies to improve student outcomes, deepen content understanding, and build student confidence as readers, writers, and mathematicians.
Into the New School Year
Calling all LRSD dads and father-figures! Help kick off the school year in style by snapping a photo with your student on the first day of school, August 11. Upload your photo to LRSD’s Facebook contest page for a chance to win big! The top 50 entries will enjoy lunch with Superintendent Dr. Jermall Wright at Rock N Roll Sushi, and the top vote-getter will win dinner for six. Voting runs August 13–19. For full details, visit LRSD.org.
Starting this fall, LRSD is introducing the Sealed for Success campaign to support a more focused, distraction-free learning environment. In alignment with the upcoming “Bell to Bell, No Cell Act” going into effect statewide in 2025–2026, students will begin using Yondr pouches to securely store their phones and personal devices during the school day. This initiative helps students stay present, engaged, and ready to learn. Learn more here.
Reading in the Rock made another exciting stop this week at the Back-to-School Resource Day hosted by the Mexican Consulate at its new location in Plaza Frida. LRSD joined community partners to share free books in English and Spanish with families and students. Avanza Arkansas also gave away backpacks, helping kids gear up for a great school year!
Every child deserves access to books that spark imagination and inspire a lifelong love of reading. That’s the focus of the Reading in the Rock initiative, combined with improving literacy rates - in partnership with the City of Little Rock. The goal is to provide elementary students with books over spring break and into the summer, helping to build home libraries and prevent the summer slide. The community is encouraged to help us provide more books by making a financial donation. No amount is too small—every contribution helps put books in the hands of our students. Thank you in advance for your support!
Here is the kickoff news conference:
or Mail a check to:
The Arkansas Community Foundation
5 Allied Drive, Suite 51110, Building 5, 11th Floor
Little Rock, AR 72202
(Memo: "LRSD Promise for the Future Fund")
Dozens of Little Free Library sites across Little Rock are ready for summer readers! Thanks to City Year Little Rock, many libraries have been freshly stocked with new books. Visit the Little Free Library website to find a location near you, pick up a great book, and feel free to leave one for others to enjoy. It’s a simple way to keep reading fun all summer long!
Superintendent Dr. Jermall Wright recently represented the Little Rock School District at the Institute for Education Innovation (IEI) Summer Summit in Stowe, Vermont. Dr. Wright served on a Thought Leader Panel with Apptegy, highlighting LRSD’s rebranding efforts and commitment to student outcomes. He also facilitated small group discussions alongside fellow Arkansas superintendent Dr. Jared Cleveland, participated in IEI’s Success Lab for ed-tech innovation, and connected with national leaders about the role of AI in education. Dr. Wright continues to explore innovative strategies to support LRSD’s growth and success.
The Little Rock School District is inviting families and community members to share feedback on Proposed School Board Zone Map Option 4. This updated map includes a switch between Zones 1 and 7, along with slight adjustments to Zones 4 and 6. These proposed zones are for board elections only and will not affect school attendance zones. Your input is important in shaping the future of LRSD leadership. View and comment on the updated map here: https://lrsd.mydistricting.com/comments/plan/14/31.
The Arkansas Sales Tax Holiday kicks off at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, August 2, 2025, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 3, 2025. During this time, you can purchase school supplies, clothing, instructional materials, and even electronics — tax free! Mark your calendars and stock up!
The Little Rock School District is proud to pursue accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This recognition reflects LRSD’s commitment to high-quality early learning. Research shows that children in NAEYC-accredited programs are nearly twice as likely to be rated “proficient” or “school ready.” To learn more or enroll your child, visit www.LRSD.org/EarlyChildhood.
Great news! LRSD will offer free breakfast to all students and free lunch at nearly every school for the 2025-26 school year through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). No meal application is needed to receive free meals. However, families are encouraged to complete a household meal application at www.myschoolapps.com to qualify for other benefits like ACT/SAT fee waivers, college application discounts, and internet assistance. This important step helps ensure every student has access to nutritious meals and the support they need to succeed.
LRSD Ensures Children Have
The Little Rock School District is committed to making sure no child goes hungry during the summer months. Through the Summer Meal Program, LRSD provides free, nutritious meals to children 18 and under at multiple locations across the district. These meals help support healthy growth and learning, even when school is out. For a full list of sites and times, visit the LRSD website.
If your child attended a Head Start or Early Head Start program during the 2024–2025 school year, they may be eligible for Summer EBT benefits to help cover the cost of food during the summer months. This year, families must submit an application to receive benefits. Apply online at www.ar.gov/summerebt or pick up a paper application at your local DHS office.
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The Little Rock community is stepping up in a big way to support the "Lunch On Us" initiative—a campaign dedicated to eliminating school lunch debt and ensuring every LRSD student has access to healthy, nutritious meals. Thanks to the incredible generosity of individuals, organizations, and city leaders, over $25,000 has already been raised! Contributions include major gifts donated to the City of Little Rock designated for this campaign ($18,000), Central supporters ($4,750), and Clinton School volunteers, who collectively donated over $2,000. Other donors, like Unite to Fight and individual community members, also contributed to the growing total. These funds will go directly toward clearing lunch debt for LRSD students and helping remove barriers to learning caused by food insecurity. Want to join the movement? Donate today and help us ensure no child learns hungry: https://ar.accessgov.com/treasury-management-division/Forms/Page/treasury-management-division/lr-cares-donation/0.
LRSD is committed to providing students with more choices to help them thrive. From innovative career and technical programs to strong academics and arts, LRSD is opening doors to a brighter future. Watch our new video to see how LRSD is preparing students for success—no matter their path!
Show your team spirit with our One Team One Dream short-sleeve shirts! Available in red, green, gray, and pink, these shirts are a great way to represent LRSD. Click the highlighted links to order yours today!
Educators have an exciting opportunity to apply for grants of up to $5,000 to support classroom innovation, equity efforts, and professional development. The NEA Foundation offers Student Success Grants, Envision Equity Grants, and Learning and Leadership Grants. Educators are especially encouraged to apply for the Envision Equity category, which receives fewer applications. The deadline to apply is Monday, September 15, 2025. Visit neafoundation.org to learn more and submit your application.
The Little Rock School District invites non-profits to join as Community Service-Learning partners. With community service hours now a graduation requirement for Arkansas high school students, LRSD aims to connect students with meaningful volunteer opportunities. Non-profit organizations can apply to become approved partners, allowing students to support their events and initiatives. Apply today at lrsd.org/community-service-learning or contact Stefanie Vestal at Stefanie.Vestal@lrsd.org for more information.
If you are a family in transition, whether staying with friends, in a shelter, motel, or other temporary locations, your child may qualify for services under the McKinney-Vento Act. LRSD provides resources like immediate school enrollment, transportation, and educational support to help ensure your child’s uninterrupted learning. For assistance, contact one of our liaisons or complete the Residency Form.
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LRSD high school students can earn college credit through concurrent credit courses offered right on their school campus. With classes available in subjects like Science, English, Math, and History, students have a great opportunity to get ahead academically. Families are encouraged to speak with their school counselor or visit the LRSD Advanced Academics page at lrsd.org to learn more.
LRSD supports gifted and talented students beyond elementary school through advanced class offerings, monthly affective needs meetings, and competitions. For more information, contact your school's Gifted Facilitator or visit the LRSD Advanced Academics webpage.
The Little Rock School District is excited to announce a new partnership with UA Little Rock to streamline the college admissions process for our students. This collaboration offers waived application fees, direct transcript submissions, and automatic financial aid consideration, making it easier than ever for LRSD seniors to pursue higher education and achieve their academic goals. Learn more about this fantastic opportunity here: https://ualr.edu/admissions.
LRSD is excited to partner with UA-Little Rock to provide opportunities for our employees to start or finish an undergraduate degree while continuing their careers. Click on the link below to learn more.
https://ualr.edu/admissions/little-rock-school-district/
The groundbreaking musical Hair premiered on Broadway in 1968, running for over 1,750 performances and redefining musical theater with its rock score and bold, countercultural themes. Its 2009 revival won the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Revival, toured nationally, and earned international acclaim in London’s West End. Now you can check it out at The Rep! Christine O’Grady, director and choreographer of The Rep’s production, brings deep experience to the show—she served as Resident Choreographer for the 2009 revival and Associate Director for its international tour. Her fresh, emotionally driven choreography continues to honor Hair’s spirit while reimagining it for today’s audiences. Purchase your tickets here.
Join the Little Rock Sustainability Office, Keep Little Rock Beautiful, and the Little Rock Zoo for LRecycles Day on Saturday, August 2, from 9 AM to 12 PM in the East Parking Lot (Zoo Drive & Monroe). Bring your clean recyclables—like plastics, cardboard, glass, e-waste (no fridges/ACs), bikes, and documents for shredding. This free event is open to the public—no early drop-offs, please! Let’s work together to keep Little Rock clean and green!
Catch LRSD students during live performances this summer for the Annual A Work of ART Scholarship fundraiser. The week-long live music event also features recording artists, Alex Bugnon, Amanda Cole (formerly with En Vogue) and Will Downing. For tickets and info: www.artporter.org
The Little Rock Farmers Market has opened its doors for another season, welcoming visitors to the River Market with its farm-fresh produce, locally crafted foods, and handmade arts and crafts. As it has since 1996, the market invites SNAP beneficiaries, offering tokens purchasable on-site and participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program. Free parking, including spaces for seniors and handicapped individuals, ensures convenient access for all patrons.
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