Friday Highlights 12.04.20

        

Friday Highlights 12.04.20

   Important Dates

Nov. 30-Dec. 11 - 2020-2021 Open Enrollment
Nov. 30-Dec. 18 - Pre-K Open Enrollment

Dec. 10-18 - Hanukkah

Dec. 15-18 - Semester Exams

Dec. 21-Jan.4 - Winter Vacation

Dec. 25 - Christmas Day
Dec. 26 - Jan.1 - Kwanzaa

      Highlights/Events 

Welcome A”board”!

Congrats to LRSD's newly elected board members!

Evelyn Hemphill Callaway

Vicki Hatter

Michael Mason

Sandrekkia Morning

Leigh Ann Wilson

Ali Noland

Norma Johnson

Greg Adams

Jeff Wood

The nine become the first elected LRSD School Board in nearly six years.

Open Enrollment for the 2021-2022 School Year!  Open Enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year begins November 30-December 11, 2020. In an effort to enhance customer service district-wide, LRSD composed a fact sheet to help answer all questions parents or staff may have. Open Enrollment benefits P3/P4 students, and any student applying for a magnet/specialty school. If you have a K-12 student currently enrolled in LRSD, you DO NOT have to register, he/she will automatically roll up to his/her attendance zone school for the 2021-2022 school year. How to register if you are new to the District: Complete online registration, at registration.lrsd.org  Provide supporting documents to the Student Registration Office (Supporting Documents:  birth certificate, social security card, two forms of proof of address. Samples of proof of address: current lease agreement, current utility bill, vehicle registration, insurance card, landline phone, cable bill) *Remember:  Students who are currently attending an LRSD school and do not wish to make any changes in their assignments, DO NOT have to complete registration during Open Enrollment.   How to apply for a magnet school: If your student is currently enrolled in an LRSD school: Go to schoolchoice.lrsd.org  Log in using the student's ID# as the username, and the student's date of birth as the password. If your student is not currently enrolled in an LRSD school: Complete online registration for the District at registration.lrsd.org  Provide supporting documents to the Student Registration Office (Supporting Documents:  birth certificate, social security card, two forms of proof of address. Samples of proof of address: current lease agreement, current utility bill, vehicle registration, insurance card, landline phone, cable bill) Once registration is complete, the parent will be contacted with an ID number and will then be able to apply at schoolchoice.lrsd.org  *Students who are currently attending magnet/specialty schools DO NOT need to reapply, unless the student is currently a P3/P4 student. Current K-4th grade students do not need to reapply for their magnet school seats. Current 6-7th grade students do not need to reapply for their magnet school seats. Current 9-11th grade students do not need to reapply for their magnet school seats. P3/P4 P3 students MUST apply for a P4 seat, they will not automatically be assigned during the roll up. P4 students will roll up to kindergarten at their attendance zone. If the student is currently attending a P4 program at a magnet school, a magnet school application must be submitted for a kindergarten seat. P3/P4 registration can be completed online at www.lrsd.org/earlychildhood.  For more assistance call 501-447-7360.”  Change of Address  During the Open Enrollment period, parents are encouraged to complete change of address forms if they have moved. A change of address can be submitted at the current school, or at the Student Registration Office. Students will be allowed to remain in the school of origin after an address change for the remainder of the school year WITHOUT transportation. However, during the roll-up, they will be assigned to a new school based on their physical address of record. The required documents include a completed "Change Form" and two forms of proof of address (current lease agreement, current utility bill, vehicle registration, insurance card, landline phone, cable bill) If you have additional questions that were not answered in these FAQs, please email sro@lrsd.org and a Student Registration staff member will be happy to follow up with you.    Visit: www.LRSD.org/EarlyChildhood For more information call  447-7360 Supt. Mike Poore & Deputy Supt. Dr. Jeremy Owoh Explain New "Full" Virtual Day

Thanks to a partnership between the Local Firefighters Union 34 & Entergy Arkansas, the students at Meadowcliff Elem. & Wakefield Elem. are winter-ready!

Wakefield Elem. students showing thanks through their creative art work.

Supt. Mike Poore in action delivering boxes filled with coats.

Entergy Arkansas Reps & students of Meadowcliff Elem.

Local Union 34 Firefighters unloading their truck filled with coats purchased with a $10,000 grant from Entergy and payroll deductions from Local 34 members.  

Meadowcliff & Wakefield are among several schools in the Little Rock School District that received coats in the past 6 years. The others are Geyer Springs Gifted & Talented Academy, Baseline, Booker Arts Magnet, Stephens Elementary, and Chicot Elementary.

Gingerbread Extravaganza Coloring Contest

Last Day to submit is TODAY!

We are sharing the annual Gingerbread Extravaganza Coloring Contest info with you on behalf of Treatment Homes, Inc. Please feel free to download, color and submit by today, Dec. 4th.

Happy Coloring!

Hall Steam Magnet Soloist 

Donovan Bell c/o 2021 

Spreading a little Christmas Cheer!

Christmas Time Is Here by Vince Guaraldi Soloist Donovan Bell & Accompanist Leslie Harper

LR  Central H.S SECME 

WINNERS of the LR Best Robotics competition!

Image from 2019 Robotics competition. Competition was virtual for the 2020 school year due to COVID restrictions. A majority of last year's student honorees are also in this picture. 

Congratulations to Little Rock Central High SECME Students, 1st place winners of the Little Rock BEST Robotics virtual competition.  Last year, the students came in 2^nd and advanced  for the first time to Dallas for the Texas BEST Robotics.  

We are Proud to Celebrate Our AWESOME Scholars!

Represented in the photo/featured in the High Profile, Sunday, November 22nd: National Merit Semifinalist, Commended Scholars, Principals Scholars, and students with a perfect 36 on the ACT!

Congratulations!!!

CAUGHT DOING GOOD

Jack Garvey (LRSD)

Congratulations to this week's winners, Jack Garvey, Webmaster for the LRSD, and Ashley Gray from Metro who were "Caught Doing Good" for going above and beyond the call of duty to support students and staff.

Congrats Mr. Garvey and Ms. Ashley, we appreciate you!

Ashley Gray from Metro (wearing the yellow vest) Also pictured, left of Supt. Poore, Ms. Brenda Allen, coordinator at Metro; and right of Ms. Gray, Ms. Shameka Montgomery, director for Metro and LRSD's Excel program. 

In the Community...

Ballet Arkansas Announces a Digital Broadcast with SoNA

“Sleighride Together” 

Premieres December 21st

Little Rock — Ballet Arkansas is pleased to announce two world-premiere holiday works

created for digital broadcast in artistic partnership with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas

(SoNA) .

Sleighride Together will feature the dancers of Ballet Arkansas in contemporary solos and

duets alongside the full SoNA orchestra performing under the baton of SoNA Music Director

Paul Haas. The performance will consist of a series of contemporary solos and duets

choreographed by Ballet Arkansas’ Executive and Artistic Director, Michael Fothergill, and

choreographer Madison Hicks set to two musical numbers performed by SoNA: Sleigh Ride , an

upbeat classic by American composer Leroy Anderson, and the harmonious Hallelujah chorus

from Mozart’s arrangement of the Messiah , showcasing both organizations artistic range.

SoNA musicians will perform from their respective homes, while Ballet Arkansas dancers will

perform from the beautiful UA-PTC CHARTS Theater in North Little Rock by Emmy Award

winning videographer Chris Cranford. Dancers who live together will perform together, while the

others will dance solo for safety. Featured dancers include Amanda Sewell, Toby Lewellen,

Leah Elizabeth Morris, Lauren Yordanich and Lauren Bodenheimer Hill ( Sleighride ); Zeek

Wright, Kaley Kirkman, Meredith Short Loy, Deanna Stanton, and Aldrin Vendt ( Hallelujah ).

After an undoubtedly difficult year for all, these pieces help our communities celebrate the hope

and possibility of a new and brighter year and encourage a sense of togetherness and triumph

over struggle. The newfound partnership between the two organizations champions

togetherness at a time when a changing landscape presents unprecedented challenges.

“Collaborations like this one brings together two of the state’s preeminent cultural institutions

while engaging communities in Central and Northwest Arkansas in meaningful shared

experiences at a most important time. We are thrilled to begin a new era of collaboration with

SoNA, and hope Sleighride Together will uplift and inspire Arkansans as they celebrate the

holidays,” said Michael Fothergill, Executive and Artistic Director of Ballet Arkansas. "This

collaboration is a chance to find new ways to be together: We're bringing two art forms together

to deepen the experience of both. We're bringing Central and Northwest Arkansas together in

cultural conversation. We're finding new ways to come together despite all the challenges of

modern times. Paul Haas (SoNA Music Director) and I hope Sleighride Together is the

beginning of a rich organizational partnership for years to come,” said D. Riley Nicholson,

Executive Director of Symphony of Northwest Arkansas.

Ballet Arkansas and SoNa will present Sleighride Together , a virtual broadcast performance

that will be released on Monday, December 21st. Sleighride Together will be accessible at

www.balletarkansas.org and https://www.sonamusic.org , and on Facebook and Youtube . For

more information about Ballet Arkansas and its 2020-21 Reimagined Season, visit

www.balletarkansas.org.

City Year LR is hosting a fun-filled event with a drive-in screening of the holiday classic film "Elf". Money raised at the event, “Candy, Candy Canes & Cars” will directly support the work that City Year AmeriCorps Members provide full-time to thousands of students in Little Rock. This family friendly event will include holiday music, food-trucks with food for purchase, and of course, candy canes!!! 

Gates open: 6pm 

Movie airing: 7pm. 

Tickets should be purchased in advance on website.  

https://www.cityyear.org/little-rock/events/candy-candy-canes-cars/

***First come first served / Spaces are limited ***

***Masks and social distancing will be required when outside of your vehicle.***

The holidays wouldn't be the same without sweets! On Friday, December 4th, join the Sugar Plum Fairy for an evening of holiday baking, chatter, and cheer. You'll bake and decorate Mother Ginger's holiday cookies. 

Friday, December 4th

6:30 pm 

Free to the public. 

RSVP Required, space is limited. 

For more info, go to: https://balletarkansas.salsalabs.org/nutcrackersweetswithsugarplum/index.html

This holiday season, give the gift of helping others at Outlets of Little Rock’s blood drive in partnership with the Arkansas Blood Institute

 Where: Blood Institute 

When: Saturday, December 5

Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Blood mobiles will be located in the parking lot for appointments and walk-ups. 

Appointments can be made by calling 877-340-8777 or visiting ARKBI.org, sponsor code U605. 

Donors will receive a free antibody test and a 2021 long sleeve t-shirt. 

Appointments are preferred to help with social distancing, but walk-ins will be accepted as schedule allows. 

Organizers will ensure all donors are socially distanced, masks are required. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that the coronavirus (COVID-19) does not pose any known risk to blood donors during the donation process or from attending blood drives.

Friday Highlights 11.20.20

       

Friday Highlights 11.20.20

   Important Dates

Nov. 21 - Home, School & Community Connections Virtual Conference 10am - 12pm
Nov. 23-25 - Digital Learning Days - All Virtual Instruction

Nov. 23 - Henderson Community Meeting

Nov. 24 - Dodd Community Meeting
Nov. 25 - Thanksgiving Holiday

Nov. 30 - Romine Community Meeting

       Highlights/Events 

Remembering Dr. Paul R. Fair

July 11, 1925 - Nov. 15, 2020

Dr. Paul R. Fair had a long and illustrious career as  an educational leader.  He served as Jefferson Elementary School Principal, Assistant Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent and Superintendent of Schools in the Little Rock Public Schools.

Dr. Fair was elected to numerous positions of leadership on professional committees and commissions at the local, state and national levels during his career in public education. From 1990 to 2000, he served as Executive Director of the Arkansas Retired Teacher Association. In 1995 he was elected to the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System Board of Trustees and re-elected to serve for a total of fifteen years. From 2000 to 2006 he was a member of the National Retired Teachers eighteen-member Pensions Roundtable Committee. Go to https://www.ruebelfuneralhome.com/obituaries for Dr. Fair's obituary. 

Student Digital Learning Days

Nov. 23-25

There will be no in-person instruction Nov. 23-25. School will be in session virtually ONLY. More info can be found on lrsd.org in the District's Ready for Learning Plan.

Special Celebration at Chicot Elementary for

 New School-Based Health Clinic

Super Star Clinic Manager Jaime Combs helped plan and led the efforts for the awesome ribbon-cutting celebration.  Check out the student-led virtual tour.

New Chick-fil-A Leader Academy Now Underway at

 LR Southwest High School

Chick-fil-A Leader Academy is a national high school leadership program focused on Impact through Action.  It provides students in high schools the opportunity to learn skills monthly through Leader Labs such as vision and values, servant leadership, communication, teamwork, innovation, and impact.  It also provides the students an opportunity to put those skills into practice by completing 3 projects each year.  The first project, The Big Thanks, is carried out during Kickoff where students are asked to write a note of thanks to someone that has made an impact in their lives along with providing them with a free meal card from Chick-fil-A.  The next project, Do Good December, allows the students to either thank a group of people in their school for their services or support a group in their community such as a nursing home, a local hospital, a homeless shelter, or first responders.  Through Do Good December, the students serve others by providing them with a meal and a goody bag and/or gift card to show their appreciation.  The final project, and most important, is the Impact through Action project.  For this project, the students choose a worthy cause and bring together all of the skills they have learned over the year to make it a success.  

Special thanks to Ms. Kamela Rowland, who also organized the District's first such academy at Hall when she taught there last year.  Her co-sponsor at LRSWHS is Coach Zach Nance. Eighteen students at the campus are participating in the Academy.

Our very own Hall H.S teacher Shirley Forehand was captured in the Democrat Gazette for teaching her students a fun way to learn math through Muzology!!

     

Shirley Forehand at Hall High School teaches her students algebra and geometry through music.. Check out the YouTube video explaining the program and awesome article from the Democrat Gazette. Go to: https://t.co/9lcCUxSWjU?amp=1

Congratulations to our LR  West students Legna Nesbitt & Micaela Frierson for competing & placing in the All-Region Choir!

NWEA Nickelodeon Growth Goal Movie Incentive at Booker!

A celebration for the 33 onsite students in grades 3-5 that met their NWEA Growth Goal was presented with a movie and prizes presentation including a special guest  from the Nickelodeon TV Station!  The movie was named "The Astronauts". The students  were one of the first to see the previews of the new movie before the airing of the November 13 new series premiere.

CAUGHT DOING GOOD

Congratulations to this week's winner, Ms. Linda Morris-Parker, Counselor at Stephens Elem., who was "Caught Doing Good" for going above and beyond the call of duty.

Congrats to our phenomenal nurses, we appreciate you!!

ViPS Jane Mendel Reading Day!

Thank you Mr. Poore for sharing such a wonderful and exciting story to the Pre-K through 5th grade students of the LRSD! It was such an enjoyable moment that everyone held dear to their heart. Can't wait for next year!!

Congrats to our final winner!

 OPEN ENROLLMENT BENEFITS

Educational Benefits 

provided $100 gift cards for lucky employees whose names were drawn after enrolling early for their benefits.

 Ms. Evelyn Woods from Metro!

Celebrate! Maya Project honors Arkansas Teacher of the Year

The Celebrate! Maya Project, an Arkansas-based nonprofit honoring the legacy of Maya Angelou, has announced that Stacey McAdoo, 2019 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, is the recipient of its 2020 Spirit of Maya Award. She served as an oral communications instructor at Little Rock Central High School for 18 years and is currently a mentor for novice teachers in the Little Rock School District. McAdoo is not only an educator, she is also a writer and literary advocate who has conducted many writing workshops and poetry readings throughout Arkansas schools and universities. 

McAdoo will serve as the featured speaker for the Celebrate! Maya Project’s 2020 Friend Raiser, which is a program that consist of music, poetry and speakers. Due to COVID-19, this event will take place via  Zoom and Facebook Live November 30th at 6 p.m.

For more information on the Friend Raiser go to: https://www.celebratemayaproject.org/

Home, School & Community Connections 

Virtual Conference

Would you like to be a winner of one of six (6) refurbished laptop computers, gift cards, Comcast Swag Bags, or be the Grand Prize winner of an Amazon Fire Reader? These items and more will be awarded during the LRSD Cluster Team Partnering for Excellence Home-School-Community Virtual Conference!

Via Zoom:

Saturday, November 21, 2020,

10:00 a.m. – Noon.

*** You must pre-register to be eligible to win a laptop computer or the Amazon Fire Reader ***

Pre-registration link is provided:

In your email

Via Schoology

The LRSD website

Or by contacting the Parent Facilitator or Coordinator of your child’s school.

For questions or to register over the telephone, call:

Angelia Johnson 501-447-3345 or

Kaye Rainey, 501-447-3358.

This will be a fun virtual experience for all who participate!!

Your feedback matters! Join one of our community meetings for detailed information and a chance to get your questions answered about the JA Fair K-8 Transition. A meeting for Spanish-speaking families will be held Tuesday, Nov. 1st. 

DECEMBER 1, 2020 GENERAL ELECTION RUNOFF INFORMATION

(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) – Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk Terri Hollingsworth reminds voters the general election runoff is set for December 1 for voters in North Little Rock and Little Rock. There is a total of four runoff races, two in North Little Rock and two in select areas of Little Rock.

There are approximately 53,000 eligible registered voters for this election. Residents who are unsure if they are qualified to vote for the runoff can use the voter information site voterview.org on the Arkansas Secretary of State’s website to check a sample ballot and find their polling place. The last day for new voters to be qualified to vote in this election was November 2. 

RUNOFF RACES

North Little Rock Mayor

North Little Rock Ward 3

Little Rock School District Zone 3

Little Rock School District Zone 6

 

EARLY VOTING

 

Tuesday, November 24

Wednesday, November 25

Monday, November 30

 

There will be no early voting on Saturday nor Sunday. There will also be no early voting November 26 and 27 in observance of Thanksgiving.

 

ELECTION DAY

 

Pulaski County voters have the option to vote at their assigned polling location or the one vote center (early vote site) at William F. Laman Library, 2801 Orange St., North Little Rock.

ABSENTEE VOTING

Absentee voters who were mailed an absentee ballot for the general election will automatically be mailed an absentee ballot. Absentee voters who canceled their absentee status during the general election will not be mailed an absentee ballot for the runoff. Voters who wish to vote by absentee ballot can submit their request in person at the courthouse at 401 West Markham Street, or by email, mail or fax to the voter registration department.

 

ELECTION DAY POLLING LOCATION CHANGES

There are six temporary polling location changes for this election.

PRECINCT	OLD POLLING LOCATION	NEW POLLING LOCATION	ADDRESS	CITY
8	Jess Odom Comm Center	Hampton Inn Maumelle	11920 Maumelle Blvd	Maumelle
11	Graves Memorial Baptist Church	Levy Baptist Church	3501 Pike Ave	North Little Rock
12	Graves Memorial Baptist Church	Levy Baptist Church	3501 Pike Ave	North Little Rock
48	Harris Elementary School	Central Baptist Church	5200 Fairway Ave.	North Little Rock
63	Martindale Baptist Church	Henderson UMC	13000 W. Baseline	Little Rock
85	W.W. Williams Northwest Patrol Div.	Second Baptist Church	1709 Barrow Rd.	Little Rock

 

GENERAL ELECTION RUNOFF DATES TO REMEMBER

November 24, 2020                           Early voting begins 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

            Pulaski County Regional Building, Little Rock

Sidney S. McMath Library, Little Rock

Hillary Clinton Children’s Library, Little Rock

William F. Laman Library, North Little Rock

 

Designated bearers, administrators and authorized agents can pick up a maximum of 2 absentee ballots

 

November 25, 2020                           Early voting 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

 

November 27, 2020                           Deadline for county clerk to receive county to county transfers of registered voters

 

November 30, 2020                           Early voting 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

                                                            5:00 p.m. deadline to submit for an absentee ballot from the voter, designated bearer, or administrator, and deadline for the voter to return absentee ballot in person

 

December 1, 2020                             Election Day – 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

1:30 p.m. deadline for authorized agent to submit for an absentee ballot

7:30 p.m. deadline for county clerk to receive absentee ballots by mail, by designated bearer, administrator or authorized agent

Visit: www.LRSD.org/EarlyChildhood

For more information call  447-7360

Give Thanks on Thanksgiving Day

In the Community...

Write and Chat 

with the  

Sugar Plum Fairy!

During this holiday season you can have your child connect with the Sugar Plum Fairy! They can write her and tell her their story, thoughts, dreams and she will answer each child's message personally. Also, you can chat with her live on Facebook each week leading all the way up to Christmas! 

Go to https://www.balletarkansas.org/holidays for more information.

Ballet Arkansas Holiday Market

Nov. 15-30

Event Information

Ballet Arkansas

Virtual, Little Rock, AR, 72201

Pricing: Product Cost Varies

Phone: 501-223-5150

For more information go to: https://www.balletarkansas.org/holidays

Go!bbler Turkey Trot in The Heights 

On Thanksgiving morning get the whole family moving before you all stuff yourselves with all of the Thanksgiving fixins'  in a 3, 4 or even a 6 mile run. Go! Running is hosting an annual event that benefits the Arkansas Foodbank. The run (not a race) is FREE to participate in and begins at Go! Running at 8 a.m. There’s no entry fee or timing. 

Go to https://gorunning.com/gobbler-turkey-trot/ for more information. 

Sneaker Ball 2020

This philanthropical event is an exploration of sneaker culture that will feature engaging activities, live art, music, a silent auction and the opportunity to network and connect with professionals, influencers and young philanthropist in the city.

For more information go to: 

https://www.heartandsoles.org/