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Schools honored for high performance Thursday, May 29, 2008 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - High schools in Fort Smith and Bentonville were among eight schools statewide honored Wednesday for utilizing innovative programs and strong teaching and administration to improve student achievement. Gov. Mike Beebe and state Education Commissioner Ken James recognized Fort Smith Southside, Bentonville High and six other high schools as Best Practice schools selected through an analysis of academic achievement developed by the National Center for Education Achievement. "We're acknowledging and recognizing excellence in education," Beebe said during a ceremony at the Governor's Mansion honoring the high performing schools. Representatives from each of the eight schools were presented with a yellow Best Practice flag. Southside received the award for "an aggressive administrative team and dedicated teachers," James said. "The school teachers consistently go above and beyond their students' needs and ... hold high expectations, encouraging students to reach their potential," he said. Fort Smith Superintendent Benny Gooden and Southside High Principal Wayne Haver accepted the award. "It's just a recognition of the great work that our teachers and our students do," Haver said after the ceremony. Gooden praised Haver for his leadership "in setting high expectations and articulating those expectations to students, their parents and then getting the results from the teachers." Bentonville High received the honor for its "small learning communities" program, James said. Under the program, high school sophomores, juniors and seniors are placed, based on their interests and talents, into one of four small learning communities - business-related fields; community service-related fields; science, technology and engineering; and visual and performing arts. All their classes and their lockers are in their assigned community. Bentonville Superintendent Gary Compton said the award "is a testimony to the students that we have at Bentonville, especially at our high school." The school also offers a freshman learning community for ninth-graders. Bentonville High School Principal Steve Jacoby also attended the ceremony. Also honored were Clarksville, Dardanelle, Flippen, Nashville and Pocahontas high schools, along with Parkers Chapel High School in El Dorado. |
