December is
National Human Rights Month
National Tie Month
Safe Toys and Gifts Month
Worldwide Food Service Safety Month
December 10 - Open Enrollment K-12 ends
December 13 - Superintendent Citation Program
December 14-17 - Semester Exams
December 14 - LR PTA Council 8am-9am
December 16 - LRSD Board Meeting 5:30pm
December 17 - Open Enrollment for Pre-K ends
December 17 - End of 2nd Quarter
Coach Al Flanigan Court Naming Ceremony
On Tuesday, December 7th, LRSD held a Court Naming Ceremony in honor of Coach Al Flanigan. It was a beautiful ceremony in which we got the opportunity to celebrate the legacy of Coach Al Flanigan. Native of Magnolia, Arkansas Coach Flanigan had a successful collegiate basketball career of his own where he earned the reputation as a standout player. He would then go on to start an equally successful coaching career in which he continued to set records. Head over to our YouTube Channel to view the entire ceremony.
Congrats to GT Nona Whittaker on Retiring After More Than 50 Years of Service!
GT Nona Whittaker retires after more than 50 years with LRSD. Known for generosity is handing out $2 bills to almost everyone she has encountered, Ms. Whittaker will be honored with a scholarship in her name this year. Secretary of Education Johnny Key and LRSD Supt. Mike Poore announced the scholarship while displaying the $2 bills they have received from Ms. Whittaker over the past six years. Watch the video below to see how you can donate to the scholarship fund: https://youtu.be/Fq4ugsooads
LR Central High's Yashwanth Gokarakonda Places 4th in the World Championship International Brain Bee!
We are so proud to congratulate Yashwanth Gokarakonda, the 2021 fourth place winner of the World Championship of the International Brain Bee (IBB)! The IBB gives young minds, ages 13 to 19, the ability learn more about the brain and the field of neuroscience. It seeks to inspire students to aim for careers in the field neuroscience and to apply what they've learned to their daily lives.
Gokarakonda impressively beat chapter winners from 35 other cities in the USA Nationals, earning himself the right to represent the USA. Hospital volunteer, Eagle Scout, and stroke awareness advocate, Yashwanth exemplifies what it means to be a well-rounded student. We are so proud of this LRSD shining star, and we know that he will go on to accomplish amazing things in the field of neuroscience.
LRCH Graduate Conner Malone Included in the 2021 AP Art and Design Exhibit!
Voluntary Femininity
Little Rock Central High Alum Conner Malone was featured in the 2021 AP Art and Design Exhibition for his AP Drawing portfolio completed in the 2020/21 school year. Out of the 58,000 students who completed and summitted a portfolio, Conner was 1 of the 50 students selected for this honor. What also makes this accomplishment so awe-inspiring is the knowledge that he created such a beautiful body of work in the midst of a global pandemic.
Conner explains to his audience with such eloquence and conviction exactly how the pandemic and isolation informed his work. By using art as a form of self expression, Malone shares how he was able to navigate medically transitioning during a period of isolation and how that in turn empowered him to create his own narrative instead of one assigned to him by society. We encourage our LRSD family to check out Conner's exhibit to get a more full understanding of his work and the inspiration behind it.
Join LR Central Art Department this evening at their Holiday Art Sale and Silent Auction
Wakefield Elementary Recognized by Office for Education Policy for Beating the Odds!
We would like to give a very special shout out to Wakefield Elementary for being recognized by the University of Arkansas's Office for Education Policy (OEP) as a school that is Beating the Odds. Students demonstrated the very essence of the word resilience by achieving high growth on the ACT Aspire. In particular, the school experienced high math growth at the elementary level in the Central Region. Congrats again to the Wakefield family for having their hard work recognized in such a tremendous way.
Vote for LRSD School Counselor Melissa to Win Classroom Heroes Award!
Each month Landers Auto Group, KARK 4, and Fox 16 selected a Classroom Hero nominated by a peer, parent or student. They are now choosing one teacher out of three to win their grand prize of $2500 and a trophy. Jefferson school counselor Melissa Brown is in second place and with help from our district, she can win the grand prize for not only her, but her school! Brown has been in education for 29 years and is described as someone who goes above and beyond as a counselor. She commits herself to selfless acts like making backpacks every Friday, and when the children were out of school, she delivered food not just for the kids but siblings as well. We are so grateful for to have Ms. Brown in our district and encourage you all to head over and cast your vote!
LRSD Inaugural Holiday Tournament Honoring Memory of Beloved Coach "Rip" Continues Through Tomorrow
LRSD's Athletic Department is hosting one of the most exciting and competitive basketball events in the city - and perhaps the state, the inaugural “Charles Ripley Holiday Basketball Tournament.” The tournament started yesterday and wraps up tomorrow at Little Rock Southwest High School, 9715 Mabelvale Pike. Other tournament participants include teams from Central, Parkview, Pine Bluff, Bryant, Hot Springs and Mills high schools. Affectionately known as Coach "Rip", Ripley was a beloved mentor and basketball coach, serving nearly three decades as coach at Parkview High School. He led his Patriot teams to five state titles over the course of his tenure. "We are honored to host this event in memory of Charles Ripley and have worked hard to make sure this will be a tournament that Coach Ripley would be proud of. COVID has limited our opportunities over the past nearly two years, and we are ready for an electrifying comeback," said LRSD Athletic Director John Daniels. More information about "Coach Rip" and his legacy will be in the tournament program. "We would like to thank Principal Marvin Burton and his staff for allowing us to host the tournament at the beautiful, new Gryphon Arena, as well as Mr. Rene’ Julian and First Community Bank for graciously serving as our presenting sponsor," said Daniels. Daniels also expressed gratitude to the other sponsors supporting this effort: First Community Bank, Corky’s, Casa Manana, SportStop, and Gadberry Financial. Unless guests have a "AAA" pass, tickets are $10.00 each day and will allow admission for four (4) games per day. All proceeds will benefit the LRSD Athletic Foundation. Among other efforts, the LRSD Athletic Foundation provides athletic opportunities to 6th graders that are not funded by the LRSD. For more information, contact John Daniels, John.Daniels@lrsd.org or call 447-2060.
LRSD's Athletic Department is hosting one of the most exciting and competitive basketball events in the city - and perhaps the state, the inaugural “Charles Ripley Holiday Basketball Tournament.” The tournament started yesterday and wraps up tomorrow at Little Rock Southwest High School, 9715 Mabelvale Pike.
Other tournament participants include teams from Central, Parkview, Pine Bluff, Bryant, Hot Springs and Mills high schools.
Affectionately known as Coach "Rip", Ripley was a beloved mentor and basketball coach, serving nearly three decades as coach at Parkview High School. He led his Patriot teams to five state titles over the course of his tenure.
"We are honored to host this event in memory of Charles Ripley and have worked hard to make sure this will be a tournament that Coach Ripley would be proud of. COVID has limited our opportunities over the past nearly two years, and we are ready for an electrifying comeback," said LRSD Athletic Director John Daniels. More information about "Coach Rip" and his legacy will be in the tournament program.
"We would like to thank Principal Marvin Burton and his staff for allowing us to host the tournament at the beautiful, new Gryphon Arena, as well as Mr. Rene’ Julian and First Community Bank for graciously serving as our presenting sponsor," said Daniels.
Daniels also expressed gratitude to the other sponsors supporting this effort: First Community Bank, Corky’s, Casa Manana, SportStop, and Gadberry Financial.
Unless guests have a "AAA" pass, tickets are $10.00 each day and will allow admission for four (4) games per day. All proceeds will benefit the LRSD Athletic Foundation. Among other efforts, the LRSD Athletic Foundation provides athletic opportunities to 6th graders that are not funded by the LRSD.
For more information, contact John Daniels, John.Daniels@lrsd.org or call 447-2060.
The Legacy of Dunbar Magnet Middle is on
Display at Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
Major shoutout to the Dunbar Bobcats and their legacy of excellence. For those of you who may not know, Dunbar Middle has a legacy as rich as Central High. Originally an all black high school, Dunbar was once known as the premier source of Black education in the entire state of Arkansas. Dunbar opened in 1929 and was named after Paul Laurence Dunbar, a highly renowned African-American Poet.
After the construction of LR Central High in 1927, School Board member G. DeMatt Henderson, Sr., put in the work necessary to secure a grant from Sears, Roebuck & Co. and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald for the construction of a new educational facility for the city's African-American students. Dunbar is special in that it is one of the few, fully functioning facilities out of the nearly 5,000 schools for African-Americans in the South financed by the Julius Rosenwald fund.
Today, Dunbar is a thriving middle school under the leadership of principal Eunice Thrasher. We are so proud of Dunbar's history and legacy and encourage our LRSD community to go out and check out the exhibit.
Major shoutout to the Dunbar Bobcats and their legacy of excellence. For those of you who may not know, Dunbar Middle has a legacy as rich as Central High. Originally an all black high school, Dunbar was once known as the premier source of Black education in the entire state of Arkansas. Dunbar opened in 1929 and was named after Paul Laurence Dunbar, a highly renowned African-American Poet.
After the construction of LR Central High in 1927, School Board member G. DeMatt Henderson, Sr., put in the work necessary to secure a grant from Sears, Roebuck & Co. and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald for the construction of a new educational facility for the city's African-American students. Dunbar is special in that it is one of the few, fully functioning facilities out of the nearly 5,000 schools for African-Americans in the South financed by the Julius Rosenwald fund.
Today, Dunbar is a thriving middle school under the leadership of principal Eunice Thrasher. We are so proud of Dunbar's history and legacy and encourage our LRSD community to go out and check out the exhibit.
Caught Doing Good
This week's #CaughtDoingGood is Mr. Carl Shumate who has been a custodian at Gibbs and in the Little Rock School District since he was 19 years old. Mr. Shumate has dedicated 49 years of service to Gibbs and the District at large. Principal Tina Greenwood characterizes Mr. Shumate as someone whose presence brings an air of calmness and peace into any room he enters. We are so extremely honored to have had the privilege of working along side Mr. Shumate, and we wish him well on his upcoming retirement in January of 2022; it is well deserved. Head over to our Facebook page to watch the full recognition, just be sure to grab a box of Kleenex because this one's a real tear-jerker.
Today is the Deadline to Submit Photos for Treatment Homes Inc.’s Gingerbread House-Decorating Contest!
Don't Forget to be an Early Bird and
Get Yours Today!
HOW TO ORDER: Text DHCLRSD to 41444
See Your Taxpayer Dollars at Work!
Members of the Southwest/McClellan community will be able to see their taxpayer dollars at work soon! The sign above is posted in the community to celebrate this vision's transformation into a reality - a brand new K-8 campus coming soon. If you happen to ride and see the sign, be sure to snap a picture and tag us, as this is the #PowerofUs on full display!
Join the MLK Commission at their 2nd Annual Historic Ninth Street District Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas at The Rep
Virtual ACT Prep
Sharing on behalf of our community partners
Ballet Arkansas Nutcracker Spectacular Now at the Robinson Center!
A holiday tradition for families across Arkansas, "The Nutcracker Spectacular" is the largest and longest-running holiday production in the state - reaching more than 10,000 in a single weekend! Performances include live accompaniment from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and a community cast of more than 250 singers and dancers. Student Matinee performances available for reservation.
Showtimes
December 10th | 7:30 pm
December 11th | 2:30 & 7:30 pm
December 12th | 2:00 pm
Student Matinee Registration Now Open
Performance Details
Run Time: 75 minutes w/ 5 minute intermission. Includes an educational behind the scenes discussion.
Dates: December 9th & 10th @ 10:30 am
Tickets: K-12 Students $8 Educator $10
Venue: Robinson Performance Hall - 426 West Markham Street Little Rock, AR 72201
Eligibility: K-12 Public/Private School & K-12 Homeschool Groups
Reservation Details
Please carefully review the Student Matinee packet prior to making a reservation for your group, as many policies have been updated this season. Due to the reduced capacity and social distancing, Ballet Arkansas cannot guarantee it will be able to accommodate changes to attendance numbers. To request a change to your reservation, please email education@balletarkansas.org prior to November 23rd.
**STUDENT MATINEES ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AND ARE RESERVED FOR K-12 STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND HOMESCHOOL SETTINGS. RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BY AN EDUCATOR OR SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE. REDUCED CAPACITY SEATING, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND MASKS REQUIRED. ALL PUBLIC/PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AT LEAST 1 CHAPERONE PER 50 STUDENTS, AND THERE MAY NOT BE MORE THAN 1 CHAPERONE PER EVERY 5 STUDENTS. HOMESCHOOL GROUPS MAY HAVE A RATIO OF 1 EDUCATOR TO 1 STUDENT.
