By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Jacksonville Red Devils put themselves in the driver’s seat for second place in the 5A-Central soccer standings with three games left after beating North Pulaski 2-1 Thursday at Jan Crow Stadium. The Red Devils got two first-half goals from Gerald Walton and held on after the Falcons cut the margin to 2-1 with six minutes remaining in the game.
The winner of the game was all but assured a two seed in the state tournament, and a Jacksonville win kept the Red Devils, at least mathematically, in the race for a conference title.
“When we beat PA we were outstanding and we really haven’t felt like we’ve seen that again since then,” said Jacksonville coach Adam Thrash. “Tonight was pretty close, though. We passed tonight and that’s something we’ve been working hard on and trying to get them to do more. We did it tonight and it was beautiful.”
Strangely, both of Jacksonville’s goals came in the first half when North Pulaski played with five defenders in order to try and counter the Red Devils’ speed advantage. After falling behind, the Falcons had to go with more offensive players, and stopped Jacksonville from scoring.
Jacksonville did not try to protect its lead by going defensive in the second half, but still held the Falcons scoreless until the waning moments.
“We didn’t feel like we needed to change anything because things were going so well,” Thrash said. “I still thought we played pretty well in the second half. We created several opportunities and had a lot of shots; we just weren’t able to finish.
“We did a good job of keeping someone between the goal and their scorer the whole game. We made one mistake and let him get behind us and he beat us. But we didn’t let that happen again.”
With six minutes remaining, Illajah Carter took a through ball behind the Jacksonville defense and he scored an easy one-on-one goal to pull the Falcons to within one goal. But Jacksonville held NP to just one more shot on the goal the rest of the game, while getting three themselves.
“We never did go all out just defending,” Thrash said. “We play better when we attack.”
The Red Devils scored shortly after the start of the game on a play that quickly established that it was a rivalry match with a lot on the line.
Jacksonville’s leading scorer, Cortez Jordan, was tackled hard as he worked himself into position for a shot. He passed to Walton as he went down, and Walton finished the play to put the Red Devils in the lead just five minutes into the game.
Twenty-three minutes later, with 12 minutes left in the first half, Jordan took a pass on the right side near the Falcon goal. He attracted three NP defenders and made a nice pass to the middle of the field where Walton was cutting for a wide-open goal and a 2-0 Jacksonville lead.
“He (Walton) has had an ankle injury and hasn’t been able to go full speed for a while,” Thrash said. “He’s finally 100 percent and you could tell he was ready to go tonight. He was all over the place and he played some outstanding soccer.”
Jacksonville is now 8-3 in conference play with three games to get in next week, the final of the regular season.
Friday, May 01, 2015
SPORTS STORY >> Pitch Panthers get exact score in wins
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
The Cabot boys’ and girls’ soccer teams each won their 7A-East Conference games against West Memphis on Tuesday at Panther Stadium, and both teams won by the final score of 6-0.
Though both Cabot coaches were pleased with the end result, neither was entirely pleased with how their teams played from start to finish.
“I didn’t think that we played with the kind of quality that we could,” said Cabot girls’ coach Kerry Castillo. “We had moments where we did.
“We were lackadaisical out of the gate, and rather than looking to possess the ball like we can, we were trying to play too direct. We were trying to put it (the ball) in behind them and be faster than them because we knew we were. Considering the quality of opponent, it made playing like that too easy.
“I can’t say that I’m not pleased. I mean, six to zero, how could you not be pleased? But, there are still some things to work on.”
Cabot boys’ coach Steve Porter echoed similar feelings about his team’s performance in the nightcap.
“Finishing and our intensity wasn’t where you’d like it to be, necessarily,” said Porter. “But having said that, if you’re going to have a night to have a bit of a letdown in performance level, then a 6-0 letdown isn’t so horrible, I guess, at the end of the day.”
It took the Panthers more than 11 minutes to score their first goal Tuesday, while the Lady Panthers scored their first goal just over three minutes into the game.
At the 36:54 mark of the first half, Maddie Rice scored the Lady Panthers’ first goal with a kick that landed in the lower left corner of the goal. At the 29:20 mark, Tristyn Edgar gave the Lady Panthers a 2-0 advantage with a goal from 13 yards away. Braxton Reed earned the assist on the play.
The same combination of Reed to Edgar, this one from 10 yards out, gave the Cabot girls a 3-0 lead with 26:41 left in the first half, and just over two minutes later, Reed scored Cabot’s fourth goal from five yards away. That time, Edgar got the assist.
By halftime, the Lady Panthers led 5-0. Leelee Denton scored the final goal of the half with 13:06 remaining, from about seven yards out.
In the second half, the sportsmanship rule was invoked less than three minutes in, at the 37:17 mark, the result of another Edgar to Reed scoring combination.
Reed’s second goal scored set the final margin of the girls’ game, and cut the clock time in half, from 37:17 to 18:38, and the bulk of Cabot’s starters sat the remainder of the game.
In the boys’ game, Cabot took a 1-0 lead at the 28:38 mark of the opening half on a goal by Luis Nascimento from about 12 yards out. The Panthers’ next goal came less than four minutes later on a 15-yard kick from Dylan Wagnon. Jesse Hidalgo picked up the assist on that scoring play, which gave Cabot a 2-0 lead in the 15th minute.
The Panthers scored two more goals before halftime to push their lead to 4-0 at the break. Abi Brown scored the first of those two, and Wagnon scored the second with 1:01 remaining. Like the CHS girls did, the CHS boys scored their first goal of the second half with 37:17 remaining.
Brown scored the goal from two yards away, with Kilian Oelrich getting the assist.
Brown’s second goal gave the Panthers a 5-0 lead. Porter sat a good portion of his starters after that, and the Panthers scored their final goal with 5:23 remaining, on a 12-yard boot from Somma Rodas in the middle of the field.
Though neither Cabot coach was entirely pleased with their team’s performance Tuesday, there were some positives each could take away.
“I was able to play a number of players,” Porter said. “I think four freshmen got on the field tonight, and a couple of them surprised me. They did pretty well. So that could be a positive. We were able to play a lot of players and give them some varsity game experience for next year.”
“The things that I was pleased with,” Castillo said, “there was a 10-minute span in the first half, between the 10th minute and the 20th minute, where we scored three goals and they were off really quick combinations.
“They were really fast passes – just one-, two-touch passes inside the 18 (yard line). That was the bright spot for me. We scored three like that, and actually had really good movement off the ball and executed on some combinations we had worked on this week in practice, and had some good finishes.”
The Cabot girls, who are now 7-5-2 overall, are currently second in the 7A-East behind Little Rock Central. The Central girls are unbeaten against 7A-East teams thus far with a 3-0 record, while the Lady Panthers are 2-1 in 7A-East play.
The Lady Blue Devils’ record dropped to 4-5-1 overall and 0-3 in 7A-East play with Tuesday’s loss.
The Cabot boys are currently sitting atop the conference standings. Their overall record improved to 11-1-2 with Tuesday’s win. The Panthers are 3-0 against 7A-East teams, and they’re the only team in the 7A/6A-East Conference without a league loss with a 5-0-2 record. The Blue Devils are still winless this season.
Leader sportswriter
The Cabot boys’ and girls’ soccer teams each won their 7A-East Conference games against West Memphis on Tuesday at Panther Stadium, and both teams won by the final score of 6-0.
Though both Cabot coaches were pleased with the end result, neither was entirely pleased with how their teams played from start to finish.
“I didn’t think that we played with the kind of quality that we could,” said Cabot girls’ coach Kerry Castillo. “We had moments where we did.
“We were lackadaisical out of the gate, and rather than looking to possess the ball like we can, we were trying to play too direct. We were trying to put it (the ball) in behind them and be faster than them because we knew we were. Considering the quality of opponent, it made playing like that too easy.
“I can’t say that I’m not pleased. I mean, six to zero, how could you not be pleased? But, there are still some things to work on.”
Cabot boys’ coach Steve Porter echoed similar feelings about his team’s performance in the nightcap.
“Finishing and our intensity wasn’t where you’d like it to be, necessarily,” said Porter. “But having said that, if you’re going to have a night to have a bit of a letdown in performance level, then a 6-0 letdown isn’t so horrible, I guess, at the end of the day.”
It took the Panthers more than 11 minutes to score their first goal Tuesday, while the Lady Panthers scored their first goal just over three minutes into the game.
At the 36:54 mark of the first half, Maddie Rice scored the Lady Panthers’ first goal with a kick that landed in the lower left corner of the goal. At the 29:20 mark, Tristyn Edgar gave the Lady Panthers a 2-0 advantage with a goal from 13 yards away. Braxton Reed earned the assist on the play.
The same combination of Reed to Edgar, this one from 10 yards out, gave the Cabot girls a 3-0 lead with 26:41 left in the first half, and just over two minutes later, Reed scored Cabot’s fourth goal from five yards away. That time, Edgar got the assist.
By halftime, the Lady Panthers led 5-0. Leelee Denton scored the final goal of the half with 13:06 remaining, from about seven yards out.
In the second half, the sportsmanship rule was invoked less than three minutes in, at the 37:17 mark, the result of another Edgar to Reed scoring combination.
Reed’s second goal scored set the final margin of the girls’ game, and cut the clock time in half, from 37:17 to 18:38, and the bulk of Cabot’s starters sat the remainder of the game.
In the boys’ game, Cabot took a 1-0 lead at the 28:38 mark of the opening half on a goal by Luis Nascimento from about 12 yards out. The Panthers’ next goal came less than four minutes later on a 15-yard kick from Dylan Wagnon. Jesse Hidalgo picked up the assist on that scoring play, which gave Cabot a 2-0 lead in the 15th minute.
The Panthers scored two more goals before halftime to push their lead to 4-0 at the break. Abi Brown scored the first of those two, and Wagnon scored the second with 1:01 remaining. Like the CHS girls did, the CHS boys scored their first goal of the second half with 37:17 remaining.
Brown scored the goal from two yards away, with Kilian Oelrich getting the assist.
Brown’s second goal gave the Panthers a 5-0 lead. Porter sat a good portion of his starters after that, and the Panthers scored their final goal with 5:23 remaining, on a 12-yard boot from Somma Rodas in the middle of the field.
Though neither Cabot coach was entirely pleased with their team’s performance Tuesday, there were some positives each could take away.
“I was able to play a number of players,” Porter said. “I think four freshmen got on the field tonight, and a couple of them surprised me. They did pretty well. So that could be a positive. We were able to play a lot of players and give them some varsity game experience for next year.”
“The things that I was pleased with,” Castillo said, “there was a 10-minute span in the first half, between the 10th minute and the 20th minute, where we scored three goals and they were off really quick combinations.
“They were really fast passes – just one-, two-touch passes inside the 18 (yard line). That was the bright spot for me. We scored three like that, and actually had really good movement off the ball and executed on some combinations we had worked on this week in practice, and had some good finishes.”
The Cabot girls, who are now 7-5-2 overall, are currently second in the 7A-East behind Little Rock Central. The Central girls are unbeaten against 7A-East teams thus far with a 3-0 record, while the Lady Panthers are 2-1 in 7A-East play.
The Lady Blue Devils’ record dropped to 4-5-1 overall and 0-3 in 7A-East play with Tuesday’s loss.
The Cabot boys are currently sitting atop the conference standings. Their overall record improved to 11-1-2 with Tuesday’s win. The Panthers are 3-0 against 7A-East teams, and they’re the only team in the 7A/6A-East Conference without a league loss with a 5-0-2 record. The Blue Devils are still winless this season.
SPORTS STORY >> JHS counts all of NPHS for newest AAA cycle
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Arkansas High School Activities Association released the classification numbers for the 2016-18 cycle after business hours on Thursday, and Jacksonville High School’s attributed numbers will not reflect the actual number of students that will be attending JHS once it becomes its own district. Every member of the board of directors was out for the entire day on Friday, unable to comment on Jacksonville’s larger than expected jump in enrollment numbers.
Jacksonville expects to increase in enrollment because of the students it will receive from North Pulaski once the new Jacksonville-North Pulaski district opens in 2016.
It doesn’t expect that enrollment to nearly double, as the new classification numbers indicate, because a little more than half of North Pulaski’s current student population lives in Sylvan Hills’ zone and will likely attend SHHS.
Jacksonville had 680 students as of the 2014-16 cycle and played in the 5A classification, but jumped to 1,184 for the 2016-18 cycle. That makes JHS the second largest 6A school by AHSAA enrollment numbers.
Jacksonville was attributed 100 percent of North Pulaski’s high school enrollment because JHS and NPHS are technically considered to be consolidating, thereby making NP athletes immediately eligible to play for Jacksonville, regardless of which zone they live in.
North Pulaski’s doors will remain open for the 2015-16 school year, but NPHS athletes will be allowed to play football for Jacksonville because NP has canceled its football program due to lack of participation.
Furthermore, because Jacksonville and North Pulaski are considered to be consolidating, current NP students can still enroll at Jacksonville for 2016, regardless of where they live, and be immediately eligible to participate in sports.
Sylvan Hills athletic director Denny Tipton believes the ruling and enrollment numbers are fair, even if they’re not technically accurate.
“Right now, because NP is considered to be consolidating with Jacksonville only, we can’t even talk to the kids that live in our zone and are supposed to come here, while Jacksonville can,” Tipton said. It’s really one school consolidating with two, but it’s technically recognized as just NP and Jacksonville.”
Even though Jacksonville nearly doubled, it expected to move up to 6A anyway, although it didn’t expect to nearly be 7A.
There’s a sliver lining for Sylvan Hills as well. SHHS jumped from 639 last cycle to 712 for the next one, just based on growth within its own zone. But that did not move the school up to 6A. Because many NP students will go to SHHS, Sylvan Hills will almost certainly compete in 5A for two years with 6A enrollment numbers.
“In a way, that is a break for us,” Tipton said. “But I would take the numbers right now if they would let us have contact with our kids.”
Leader sports editor
The Arkansas High School Activities Association released the classification numbers for the 2016-18 cycle after business hours on Thursday, and Jacksonville High School’s attributed numbers will not reflect the actual number of students that will be attending JHS once it becomes its own district. Every member of the board of directors was out for the entire day on Friday, unable to comment on Jacksonville’s larger than expected jump in enrollment numbers.
Jacksonville expects to increase in enrollment because of the students it will receive from North Pulaski once the new Jacksonville-North Pulaski district opens in 2016.
It doesn’t expect that enrollment to nearly double, as the new classification numbers indicate, because a little more than half of North Pulaski’s current student population lives in Sylvan Hills’ zone and will likely attend SHHS.
Jacksonville had 680 students as of the 2014-16 cycle and played in the 5A classification, but jumped to 1,184 for the 2016-18 cycle. That makes JHS the second largest 6A school by AHSAA enrollment numbers.
Jacksonville was attributed 100 percent of North Pulaski’s high school enrollment because JHS and NPHS are technically considered to be consolidating, thereby making NP athletes immediately eligible to play for Jacksonville, regardless of which zone they live in.
North Pulaski’s doors will remain open for the 2015-16 school year, but NPHS athletes will be allowed to play football for Jacksonville because NP has canceled its football program due to lack of participation.
Furthermore, because Jacksonville and North Pulaski are considered to be consolidating, current NP students can still enroll at Jacksonville for 2016, regardless of where they live, and be immediately eligible to participate in sports.
Sylvan Hills athletic director Denny Tipton believes the ruling and enrollment numbers are fair, even if they’re not technically accurate.
“Right now, because NP is considered to be consolidating with Jacksonville only, we can’t even talk to the kids that live in our zone and are supposed to come here, while Jacksonville can,” Tipton said. It’s really one school consolidating with two, but it’s technically recognized as just NP and Jacksonville.”
Even though Jacksonville nearly doubled, it expected to move up to 6A anyway, although it didn’t expect to nearly be 7A.
There’s a sliver lining for Sylvan Hills as well. SHHS jumped from 639 last cycle to 712 for the next one, just based on growth within its own zone. But that did not move the school up to 6A. Because many NP students will go to SHHS, Sylvan Hills will almost certainly compete in 5A for two years with 6A enrollment numbers.
“In a way, that is a break for us,” Tipton said. “But I would take the numbers right now if they would let us have contact with our kids.”
SPORTS STORY >> Panthers shut out 7A Tigers
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Cabot Panthers got a gem on the mound from senior Gavin Tillery and picked up a big 7A/6A-East Conference win, beating Little Rock Central 6-0 Wednesday at Brian Wade Conrade Field.
Tillery gave up just three hits in the complete-game shutout, striking out three and walking two.
Cabot’s five, six and seven hitters LandonJames, Easton Seidl and Evan Hooper each went 2 for 3, picking up six of Cabot’s 11 base hits.
Cabot got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Catcher Denver Mullins hit a one-out single to center field and was replaced by courtesy runner Brandon Jarnigan. Two batters later, James tripled to the wall in center to score Jarnigan.
The Panthers scored another run in the second inning on a triple by Hooper and a sacrifice grounder by Jake Slunder.
In the third inning, Cabot recorded two quick outs before putting together a two-run rally. It started with back-to-back doubles by Tristan Bulice and James, with James driving in Bulice. Seidl then singled to score James and put Cabot up 4-0.
The Panthers made it four innings in a row with a run scored in the fourth. It started with an infield single by Hooper, followed by an error at second base off the bat of Slunder. Hooper advanced to third on the miscue and scored on a sac fly by Ethan Smith.
Central finally got out of an inning without allowing a run in the fifth, and Cabot set the final margin in the sixth. Seidl led off the inning with a single to center field. Slunder walked and Lee Sullivan hit a two-out, RBI single to drive in the run.
The win lifts Cabot to 13-7 overall and 8-3 in conference play, but more importantly, it makes the Panthers 3-0 against 7A teams in the conference, which are the only games that matter under this year’s rules.
The Panthers traveled to Central last night after Leader deadlines. They will play a nonconference game against Catholic on Monday, then host West Memphis on Tuesday in another crucial clash of 7A conference teams.
Leader sports editor
The Cabot Panthers got a gem on the mound from senior Gavin Tillery and picked up a big 7A/6A-East Conference win, beating Little Rock Central 6-0 Wednesday at Brian Wade Conrade Field.
Tillery gave up just three hits in the complete-game shutout, striking out three and walking two.
Cabot’s five, six and seven hitters LandonJames, Easton Seidl and Evan Hooper each went 2 for 3, picking up six of Cabot’s 11 base hits.
Cabot got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Catcher Denver Mullins hit a one-out single to center field and was replaced by courtesy runner Brandon Jarnigan. Two batters later, James tripled to the wall in center to score Jarnigan.
The Panthers scored another run in the second inning on a triple by Hooper and a sacrifice grounder by Jake Slunder.
In the third inning, Cabot recorded two quick outs before putting together a two-run rally. It started with back-to-back doubles by Tristan Bulice and James, with James driving in Bulice. Seidl then singled to score James and put Cabot up 4-0.
The Panthers made it four innings in a row with a run scored in the fourth. It started with an infield single by Hooper, followed by an error at second base off the bat of Slunder. Hooper advanced to third on the miscue and scored on a sac fly by Ethan Smith.
Central finally got out of an inning without allowing a run in the fifth, and Cabot set the final margin in the sixth. Seidl led off the inning with a single to center field. Slunder walked and Lee Sullivan hit a two-out, RBI single to drive in the run.
The win lifts Cabot to 13-7 overall and 8-3 in conference play, but more importantly, it makes the Panthers 3-0 against 7A teams in the conference, which are the only games that matter under this year’s rules.
The Panthers traveled to Central last night after Leader deadlines. They will play a nonconference game against Catholic on Monday, then host West Memphis on Tuesday in another crucial clash of 7A conference teams.
SPORTS STORY >> Badgers sweep for Central title
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
The Beebe softball team put itself in the driver’s seat for the 5A-Central Conference championship by getting a doubleheader sweep over Sylvan Hills on Thursday at Beebe High School.
Beebe mercy-ruled the Lady Bears in game one of the twin bill – winning 10-0 in six innings. Sylvan Hills gave the Lady Badgers a much tougher game in the nightcap, but Beebe scored three runs in the sixth inning of game two to win 3-0.
Both teams entered Thursday’s 5A-Central doubleheader unbeaten in conference play, and with only two conference games left this season, both of which are winnable games for each team, the Lady Badgers likely sealed the conference championship in their first year in the Central.
“We’ve got to win two over at North Pulaski and I think they (Sylvan Hills) beat North Pulaski pretty good,” said Beebe coach Eric Chambers. “It is what it is, our conference. They put us in there, so I said let’s just go 14-0 and win the darn thing.
“In the first game, that’s kind of what I expected. We had trouble hitting the ball in the second game. The strike zone got a little big on us. It was big on both sides, and we didn’t hit it solid until that one inning.
“We’ve lost games like that, because we didn’t have enough offense. We’d lose 1-0 or 2-1 when we’d make mistakes. But we didn’t really make a lot of mistakes in the second game.”
Beebe had just one error in game two, while Sylvan Hills had three. The second game was scoreless through the first five innings of play. Beebe, though, ended that scoreless streak by scoring all three of its runs in the top of the sixth.
Nikita Howell walked to lead off the sixth inning, and she advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt laid down by catcher Haley Dinapoli. Sydney Smith then came to the plate, and drove Howell in with a RBI single to right field.
Smith went all the way to third base on the hit, because of a throwing error. She scored Beebe’s second run of the game the next at-bat on a 4-3 groundout by Baylee Halford.
Calah Hill followed Halford’s at-bat with a two-out single up the middle. Hill scored the next at-bat on a Courtney Shepard double to left field. Shepard’s RBI double set the final score of game two.
Beebe outhit Sylvan Hills 7-5 in game two. Aleighu Porterfield led the Lady Badgers with two hits in that game, while teammates Hill, Shepard, Megan Davlin, Howell and Smith had one hit apiece.
Callie Cavender led the Lady Bears at the plate in game two, going 2 for 3, and teammates Cara Pozza, Maddison Shelton and Taylor Yeoman each had one hit.
Ellie Reaves earned the win in the circle in both games. She recorded eight strikeouts in game two and six strikeouts in game one.
In game one, Beebe scored three of its 10 runs scored in the second inning to take an early 3-0 lead. The Lady Badgers added four more to their side of the board in the fourth inning, two more in the fifth and one more in the sixth to set the final score. That game ended after six innings because of the sportsmanship rule.
Howell led all batters in game one with three hits – a home run and two doubles.
Despite coming out on the losing end in both games, Sylvan Hills coach Mark Anderson was pleased to see his team respond with a more competitive effort in game two after being mercy-ruled in game one.
“In the first game, we made way too many errors, way too many mistakes,” said Anderson. “Against a good team like that, you just can’t make many mistakes and stay in it, especially with the pitcher they have.
“In that second game, it made me feel better, because it showed me we’re going to keep fighting. If you get run-ruled you can always turn around and get run-ruled again, and that didn’t happen. I feel pretty good about us. We just have to come out and make the routine plays and not make a bunch of mistakes.”
Both teams end their conference schedule Tuesday. Beebe (20-3, 12-0) will play at North Pulaski and Sylvan Hills (14-11, 10-2) will play Pulaski Academy at home on senior night. Both games will be doubleheaders and the first pitch of those doubleheaders is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.
Leader sportswriter
The Beebe softball team put itself in the driver’s seat for the 5A-Central Conference championship by getting a doubleheader sweep over Sylvan Hills on Thursday at Beebe High School.
Beebe mercy-ruled the Lady Bears in game one of the twin bill – winning 10-0 in six innings. Sylvan Hills gave the Lady Badgers a much tougher game in the nightcap, but Beebe scored three runs in the sixth inning of game two to win 3-0.
Both teams entered Thursday’s 5A-Central doubleheader unbeaten in conference play, and with only two conference games left this season, both of which are winnable games for each team, the Lady Badgers likely sealed the conference championship in their first year in the Central.
“We’ve got to win two over at North Pulaski and I think they (Sylvan Hills) beat North Pulaski pretty good,” said Beebe coach Eric Chambers. “It is what it is, our conference. They put us in there, so I said let’s just go 14-0 and win the darn thing.
“In the first game, that’s kind of what I expected. We had trouble hitting the ball in the second game. The strike zone got a little big on us. It was big on both sides, and we didn’t hit it solid until that one inning.
“We’ve lost games like that, because we didn’t have enough offense. We’d lose 1-0 or 2-1 when we’d make mistakes. But we didn’t really make a lot of mistakes in the second game.”
Beebe had just one error in game two, while Sylvan Hills had three. The second game was scoreless through the first five innings of play. Beebe, though, ended that scoreless streak by scoring all three of its runs in the top of the sixth.
Nikita Howell walked to lead off the sixth inning, and she advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt laid down by catcher Haley Dinapoli. Sydney Smith then came to the plate, and drove Howell in with a RBI single to right field.
Smith went all the way to third base on the hit, because of a throwing error. She scored Beebe’s second run of the game the next at-bat on a 4-3 groundout by Baylee Halford.
Calah Hill followed Halford’s at-bat with a two-out single up the middle. Hill scored the next at-bat on a Courtney Shepard double to left field. Shepard’s RBI double set the final score of game two.
Beebe outhit Sylvan Hills 7-5 in game two. Aleighu Porterfield led the Lady Badgers with two hits in that game, while teammates Hill, Shepard, Megan Davlin, Howell and Smith had one hit apiece.
Callie Cavender led the Lady Bears at the plate in game two, going 2 for 3, and teammates Cara Pozza, Maddison Shelton and Taylor Yeoman each had one hit.
Ellie Reaves earned the win in the circle in both games. She recorded eight strikeouts in game two and six strikeouts in game one.
In game one, Beebe scored three of its 10 runs scored in the second inning to take an early 3-0 lead. The Lady Badgers added four more to their side of the board in the fourth inning, two more in the fifth and one more in the sixth to set the final score. That game ended after six innings because of the sportsmanship rule.
Howell led all batters in game one with three hits – a home run and two doubles.
Despite coming out on the losing end in both games, Sylvan Hills coach Mark Anderson was pleased to see his team respond with a more competitive effort in game two after being mercy-ruled in game one.
“In the first game, we made way too many errors, way too many mistakes,” said Anderson. “Against a good team like that, you just can’t make many mistakes and stay in it, especially with the pitcher they have.
“In that second game, it made me feel better, because it showed me we’re going to keep fighting. If you get run-ruled you can always turn around and get run-ruled again, and that didn’t happen. I feel pretty good about us. We just have to come out and make the routine plays and not make a bunch of mistakes.”
Both teams end their conference schedule Tuesday. Beebe (20-3, 12-0) will play at North Pulaski and Sylvan Hills (14-11, 10-2) will play Pulaski Academy at home on senior night. Both games will be doubleheaders and the first pitch of those doubleheaders is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.
EDITORIAL >> State flunks report cards
Schools give students report cards, so the idea of the state giving schools a report card makes sense.
But, in many cases, what the state came up with deserves an “F.”
The report the students receive is usually one or two pages with the grades or mastery level clearly visible and teacher’s comments explaining why the grades are good or not. About the only one happy with the schools’ grades are Lighthouse Academy charter campuses in Jacksonville.
The state designed report cards that run 14 to 21 pages long. They’re full of data that only a CPA would enjoy reading, bury the grade in one of the middle pages and leave parents, administrators, students and others with no explanation as to why the school got the grade it did.
Many area schools received a “C” on the state report card this year — the first time letter grades were used. But all the schools in Cabot and many in Beebe and elsewhere were rated as “schools of excellence” by the state three years ago.
Searcy’s superintendent, Diane Barrett, was kind in saying, “Basing a judgment of a school’s quality on just the assigned report grade may be misleading.”
But Belinda Shook, the head of Beebe’s schools, made it very clear: “There are so many flaws to it all, and it is not an accurate assessment and very frustrating grading system. Using the scores from the Benchmark is like giving a third grader a report card from second grade.”
Tony Thurman, Cabot’s superintendent, was more succinct, “It’s confusing, misleading and very frustrating.”
Jacksonville’s Arnold Drive Elementary, a Blue Ribbon school and consistently among top schools in the area, received a “B.” Many Jacksonville schools just missed a “C,” but all parents, prospective businesses and political leaders will see is a “D.”
Beebe High School, honored for its Advanced Placement scores, received a “C.”
How can schools go from the top to average that quickly? For the most part, they can’t, and that’s what has superintendents upset.
In fact, the state gave out more “C’s” than any other grade. That means our new state motto is “Arkansas –where we make kids average.” Yep, “C’s” are great for business development. And, again, superintendents don’t want to be labeled with average and below-average schools when they and everyone connected with those schools know better.
Sure, some of the schools just missed getting a “B” by a few points, but close only counts in…well you know the old saying.
So who is to blame for this apparent decline in education? The state.
Three years ago, when Cabot and others were smiling because their schools were rated excellent or exceeding standards, the state was testing and comparing oranges to oranges. This last year it was oranges to sauerkraut — yes, that far off base.
Three years ago, schools were teaching what was called Arkansas standards, and the annual Benchmark (a major factor in the report card grade) tested those standards.
Last year, most schools were teaching Common Core, but the Benchmark was still testing Arkansas standards – and the two did not line up well. In fact, many schools tried to cram all of the Common Core information in the third quarters of school to have time to touch on the missing information that they knew the state was testing on.
Teaching 101 says to see how well students are doing and test them on what you taught them.
This coming year will only be worse. Schools are still teaching Common Core. The good news is the state-required exam tests Common Core curriculum. The bad news is it was all done on computer and many districts did not, because of technology or financial restraints, teach sufficient keyboarding skills to know for sure if the test score is a reflection of knowledge or lack of computer agility.
Perhaps the schools need to grade the state.
But, in many cases, what the state came up with deserves an “F.”
The report the students receive is usually one or two pages with the grades or mastery level clearly visible and teacher’s comments explaining why the grades are good or not. About the only one happy with the schools’ grades are Lighthouse Academy charter campuses in Jacksonville.
The state designed report cards that run 14 to 21 pages long. They’re full of data that only a CPA would enjoy reading, bury the grade in one of the middle pages and leave parents, administrators, students and others with no explanation as to why the school got the grade it did.
Many area schools received a “C” on the state report card this year — the first time letter grades were used. But all the schools in Cabot and many in Beebe and elsewhere were rated as “schools of excellence” by the state three years ago.
Searcy’s superintendent, Diane Barrett, was kind in saying, “Basing a judgment of a school’s quality on just the assigned report grade may be misleading.”
But Belinda Shook, the head of Beebe’s schools, made it very clear: “There are so many flaws to it all, and it is not an accurate assessment and very frustrating grading system. Using the scores from the Benchmark is like giving a third grader a report card from second grade.”
Tony Thurman, Cabot’s superintendent, was more succinct, “It’s confusing, misleading and very frustrating.”
Jacksonville’s Arnold Drive Elementary, a Blue Ribbon school and consistently among top schools in the area, received a “B.” Many Jacksonville schools just missed a “C,” but all parents, prospective businesses and political leaders will see is a “D.”
Beebe High School, honored for its Advanced Placement scores, received a “C.”
How can schools go from the top to average that quickly? For the most part, they can’t, and that’s what has superintendents upset.
In fact, the state gave out more “C’s” than any other grade. That means our new state motto is “Arkansas –where we make kids average.” Yep, “C’s” are great for business development. And, again, superintendents don’t want to be labeled with average and below-average schools when they and everyone connected with those schools know better.
Sure, some of the schools just missed getting a “B” by a few points, but close only counts in…well you know the old saying.
So who is to blame for this apparent decline in education? The state.
Three years ago, when Cabot and others were smiling because their schools were rated excellent or exceeding standards, the state was testing and comparing oranges to oranges. This last year it was oranges to sauerkraut — yes, that far off base.
Three years ago, schools were teaching what was called Arkansas standards, and the annual Benchmark (a major factor in the report card grade) tested those standards.
Last year, most schools were teaching Common Core, but the Benchmark was still testing Arkansas standards – and the two did not line up well. In fact, many schools tried to cram all of the Common Core information in the third quarters of school to have time to touch on the missing information that they knew the state was testing on.
Teaching 101 says to see how well students are doing and test them on what you taught them.
This coming year will only be worse. Schools are still teaching Common Core. The good news is the state-required exam tests Common Core curriculum. The bad news is it was all done on computer and many districts did not, because of technology or financial restraints, teach sufficient keyboarding skills to know for sure if the test score is a reflection of knowledge or lack of computer agility.
Perhaps the schools need to grade the state.
TOP STORY >> Grading upsets Beebe schools
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles examining the state-issued report cards on area schools.
All state schools were recently graded (A-F) by the state, and many superintendents, like Beebe’s Belinda Shook, felt the grades were bias and, negative and unfair.
“In my opinion, there are so many flaws to it all, it is not an accurate assessment and very frustrating,” she said. “We are really comparing apples to oranges as far as each school having their own goals and organizational makeup, but then using the same grading system.”
The school report cards are part of a 2013 law requiring an easy-to-comprehend system that parents and others could understand.
What the state produced was report cards for each school averaging 18 pages each full of information, often conflicting, and no clear summary or explanation of the grade, which is not featured on the front page of the report cards, but instead in the middle of the report as a line item.
“Parents and patrons may understand letter grades, such as those in the A-F system, but they do not understand the very complex formula used by the state to determine the school letter grade. The Beebe School District provides quality education to thousands of students. This is evidenced by the millions of dollars of scholarship money, reward money for high achievement, recognition in various contests and, most noticeably, in the number of students who graduate career and college ready,” Shook said.
Out of 1,052 schools across the state, 162 received A’s, 322 garnered B’s, 365 got C’s, 160 earned D’s and 43 were labeled with an F.
Beebe received one B, four C’s and one D.
The superintendent said, “Looking at the same report card, from 2012, Beebe had three ‘schools of excellence,’ two ‘schools exceeding standards,’ and one ‘school meeting standards.’”
Shook added, “Schools are always in a continuous cycle of improvement, so school districts are not opposed to looking at data, but the letter grades are an inaccurate reflection of what happens in Arkansas’ school districts.”
Taking an in-depth look at the state-issued report cards on Beebe and its schools, the data shows that the district spends about $1,000 less to educate a student than the state average. Beebe spends $8,236 per student and the state average is $9,379.
Teacher salaries are about $3,000 above state average: $51,566 compared to $48,060.
The total budget for the school district in the 2013-14 school year was $30.17 million, according to the state report. That broke down to $16.2 million for instruction expenses, $2.5 million for administrative costs, $1 million for extracurricular activities, $1.8 million for capital expenditures and debt service of $1.1 million.
The report also shows that 80 percent of Beebe’s students are eligible for free or reduced meals, about 15 points above the state average.
BADGER ELEMENTARY
According to the state report card, the school received 219 points and an overall grade of C, just nine points from a D and is listed as a needs improvement school. Three years ago, using a different rating system, the state said Badger Elementary was a “school of excellence.”
The school, last year, had 360 students, an average class size of 24 students and teachers had an average of 10 years experience. The student population was 89 percent white, 4 percent black, 4 percent Hispanic, 1 percent Native American and 1 percent Asian. The rest of the student body identified other races.
Badger Elementary’s accreditation status was at the highest level. The report said that 100 percent of the teachers were completely certified (better than the state average) and that 31 percent had master’s degrees. In 2013-14, the school retained two students.
On the literacy portion of the annual Benchmark, the school’s third graders were 78.8 percent proficient or better, about three points better than the previous year, but still 10 points shy of the state-mandated goal of 88.64 percent.
In math, third graders were 83.09 percent proficient or better, a slight increase from the previous year, but shy of the 93.18 percent required by the state.
Fourth graders were 80.66 percent proficient or better in literacy, six points lower than the previous year and missing the state-required by six points. In math, the students suffered a big drop, going from 90.72 percent in 2013 to 70 percent last year, far short of the state bar of 93.1 percent.
The third graders beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compared students nationally. The school’s second and fourth graders did not beat the state numbers.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
This Beebe school with 560 students, an average class size of 20 students and teachers averaging 10 years of experience, garnered 234 points from the state for a C grade, just six points short of a B. Like the rest of Beebe’s schools, it was listed as a needs improvement facility.
The student population was 88 percent white, 7 percent black and 5 percent Hispanic.
Beebe Early Childhood’s accreditation status was at the highest level. The report said that 100 percent of the teachers were completely certified (better than the state average) and that 30 percent had master’s degrees.
In 2013-14, the school retained 13 first graders, about even with the state average.
The student population was too young to participate in the annual Benchmark exam, but did take a norm-referenced test. The school’s first graders finished below the state average on both the literacy and math portions of the test.
BEEBE ELEMENTARY
This school with 419 students, an average class size of 23 and teachers with an average of 11 years of experience, garnered 234 points for a C, six points short of a B. The school was listed as needing improvement, but three years ago the state called it a “school of excellence.”
The student population is 90 percent white, 6 percent Hispanic, 3 percent black and 1 percent Asian.
The school was fully accredited with 100 percent of its teachers fully licensed and 31 percent having master’s degrees. The school retained two students during the 2013-14 school year.
On the literacy portion of the state Benchmark, the third graders were 77.9 percent proficient or better, a four-point drop from the previous year and a little more than 12 points below the state-required goal of 90.02 percent.
In math, the students also dropped in proficiency and missed the state goals. Students were 83.8 percent proficient or advanced, five points under the previous year and about nine points short of the mandated 93.15 percent.
The fourth grade test performance was also down. In literacy, students were 88.5 percent proficient or better, down six points from the previous year and missing the state goal of 90.02 percent.
In math, the students were 79.1 percent proficient or better compared to 93.44 percent the previous year, missing the state mark by 14 points.
The school’s third graders were the only grade to beat the state average in literacy and math on the norm-referenced test, which is used to compare students nationally.
BEEBE MIDDLE
This school was listed by the state three years ago as a “school of excellence” but on the recent report card received 208 points for a D, two points under a C. It was also listed as a needs improvement school.
The school has 476 students, an average class size of 22 and teachers have an average of 11 years of experience. The student population is 91 percent white, 4 percent Hispanic, 3 percent black, 1 percent Asian and 1 percent Native American.
The school was cited for accreditation issues and only 90.9 percent of its teachers were completely certified. Almost half the teachers had master’s degrees.
The school’s fifth graders were 83.3 percent proficient or better on the literacy portion of the annual Benchmark exam, down six points from the previous year and less than two points from the state mandate of 84.97 percent proficient or better.
In math, the students improved, but not enough. The students were 67.4 percent proficient or advanced, up seven points from the previous year, but still about 20 points under the state bar of 87.03 percent.
Sixth graders were 74.1 percent proficient or better on the literacy exam, down seven points from the previous year and almost 11 points shy of the 84.97 percent required by the state.
In math, the sixth graders were 72.7 percent proficient or better, up three points from the previous year, and about 15 points under the state requirement.
BEEBE JR HIGH
The district’s junior high went from a “school exceeding standards” three years ago to a low C on the state’s report card.
The school with 467 students, an average class size of 19 and teachers averaging 11 years of experience, garnered 218 points from the state for a C, but just eight points from a D.
The school has a student population of 87 percent white, 6 percent Hispanic, 4 percent black and 1 percent Asian. The rest of the student body identified as other races.
The school was properly accredited, but only 93.2 percent of its teachers were completely certified. Nearly half the school’s teachers have master’s degrees.
The seventh graders bested the state requirement on the literacy portion of the test with 85 percent scoring proficient or advanced, up about eight points from the previous year and moving past the state bar of 84.51 percent proficient or better.
In math, 75.5 percent of the students made the grade, up 10 points from the previous year, but short of the 82.25 percent proficient or better required by the state.
In eighth grade, students were 82.2 percent proficient or better in literacy, up two points from the previous year, but two points short of the state goal. In math, the eighth graders were 68.9 percent proficient or advanced, a drop of three points from the previous year and about 13 points under the state mandate of 82.25 percent.
The seventh graders did top the state average in literacy and math on the norm-referenced test, which is used to compare students nationally.
BEEBE HIGH
The high school, with 921 students, average classes of 15 students and teachers with an average of 13 years of experience, garnered 242 points from the state for a B, but just two points away from a C. Three years ago, the state categorized the high school as a “school exceeding standards.”
The school’s population is 89 percent white, 4 percent Hispanic, 3 percent black and 1 percent Asian. The rest of the student body identified as other races.
It is fully accredited with 94.9 percent of the teachers completely certified and 60 percent holding master’s degrees. During the 2013-14 school year, two students were expelled and there were two weapons incidents.
The school had a graduation rate of 86.6 percent, down slightly from the state average; a grade inflation rate of 3.4 percent, half of the state’s average; a college-going rate of 55.5 percent, four points better than the state average; and a college remediation rate of 38.9 percent, six points better than the state.
Beebe high school students outperformed the state average on all portions of the ACT and SAT.
Of those students taking the algebra I end-of-course exam, 76.7 percent scored proficient or better, down about four points from the previous year and four points shy of the state mark of 80.98 percent proficient or advanced.
In geometry, 76.9 percent of the students made the grade on the end-of-course exam, down about two points from the previous year and missing the state requirement by four points.
Students also take an end-of-course test in biology but the state doesn’t use it to calculate a school’s ranking or overall performance. In Beebe, 58.55 percent of the students were proficient or advanced in biology, about the same as the previous year.
On the grade 11 literacy exam, which measures whether a student can read and write on grade level, 73.9 percent were proficient or better, up slightly from the previous year, but not up to the state-required 79 percent proficient or advanced.
Shook said, “The results of the ‘grading’ system are insulting to the district as a whole. It is also an unfair assessment of the work put forth by administrators, teachers, but first and foremost, our students.”
Leader staff writer
Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles examining the state-issued report cards on area schools.
All state schools were recently graded (A-F) by the state, and many superintendents, like Beebe’s Belinda Shook, felt the grades were bias and, negative and unfair.
“In my opinion, there are so many flaws to it all, it is not an accurate assessment and very frustrating,” she said. “We are really comparing apples to oranges as far as each school having their own goals and organizational makeup, but then using the same grading system.”
The school report cards are part of a 2013 law requiring an easy-to-comprehend system that parents and others could understand.
What the state produced was report cards for each school averaging 18 pages each full of information, often conflicting, and no clear summary or explanation of the grade, which is not featured on the front page of the report cards, but instead in the middle of the report as a line item.
“Parents and patrons may understand letter grades, such as those in the A-F system, but they do not understand the very complex formula used by the state to determine the school letter grade. The Beebe School District provides quality education to thousands of students. This is evidenced by the millions of dollars of scholarship money, reward money for high achievement, recognition in various contests and, most noticeably, in the number of students who graduate career and college ready,” Shook said.
Out of 1,052 schools across the state, 162 received A’s, 322 garnered B’s, 365 got C’s, 160 earned D’s and 43 were labeled with an F.
Beebe received one B, four C’s and one D.
The superintendent said, “Looking at the same report card, from 2012, Beebe had three ‘schools of excellence,’ two ‘schools exceeding standards,’ and one ‘school meeting standards.’”
Shook added, “Schools are always in a continuous cycle of improvement, so school districts are not opposed to looking at data, but the letter grades are an inaccurate reflection of what happens in Arkansas’ school districts.”
Taking an in-depth look at the state-issued report cards on Beebe and its schools, the data shows that the district spends about $1,000 less to educate a student than the state average. Beebe spends $8,236 per student and the state average is $9,379.
Teacher salaries are about $3,000 above state average: $51,566 compared to $48,060.
The total budget for the school district in the 2013-14 school year was $30.17 million, according to the state report. That broke down to $16.2 million for instruction expenses, $2.5 million for administrative costs, $1 million for extracurricular activities, $1.8 million for capital expenditures and debt service of $1.1 million.
The report also shows that 80 percent of Beebe’s students are eligible for free or reduced meals, about 15 points above the state average.
BADGER ELEMENTARY
According to the state report card, the school received 219 points and an overall grade of C, just nine points from a D and is listed as a needs improvement school. Three years ago, using a different rating system, the state said Badger Elementary was a “school of excellence.”
The school, last year, had 360 students, an average class size of 24 students and teachers had an average of 10 years experience. The student population was 89 percent white, 4 percent black, 4 percent Hispanic, 1 percent Native American and 1 percent Asian. The rest of the student body identified other races.
Badger Elementary’s accreditation status was at the highest level. The report said that 100 percent of the teachers were completely certified (better than the state average) and that 31 percent had master’s degrees. In 2013-14, the school retained two students.
On the literacy portion of the annual Benchmark, the school’s third graders were 78.8 percent proficient or better, about three points better than the previous year, but still 10 points shy of the state-mandated goal of 88.64 percent.
In math, third graders were 83.09 percent proficient or better, a slight increase from the previous year, but shy of the 93.18 percent required by the state.
Fourth graders were 80.66 percent proficient or better in literacy, six points lower than the previous year and missing the state-required by six points. In math, the students suffered a big drop, going from 90.72 percent in 2013 to 70 percent last year, far short of the state bar of 93.1 percent.
The third graders beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compared students nationally. The school’s second and fourth graders did not beat the state numbers.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
This Beebe school with 560 students, an average class size of 20 students and teachers averaging 10 years of experience, garnered 234 points from the state for a C grade, just six points short of a B. Like the rest of Beebe’s schools, it was listed as a needs improvement facility.
The student population was 88 percent white, 7 percent black and 5 percent Hispanic.
Beebe Early Childhood’s accreditation status was at the highest level. The report said that 100 percent of the teachers were completely certified (better than the state average) and that 30 percent had master’s degrees.
In 2013-14, the school retained 13 first graders, about even with the state average.
The student population was too young to participate in the annual Benchmark exam, but did take a norm-referenced test. The school’s first graders finished below the state average on both the literacy and math portions of the test.
BEEBE ELEMENTARY
This school with 419 students, an average class size of 23 and teachers with an average of 11 years of experience, garnered 234 points for a C, six points short of a B. The school was listed as needing improvement, but three years ago the state called it a “school of excellence.”
The student population is 90 percent white, 6 percent Hispanic, 3 percent black and 1 percent Asian.
The school was fully accredited with 100 percent of its teachers fully licensed and 31 percent having master’s degrees. The school retained two students during the 2013-14 school year.
On the literacy portion of the state Benchmark, the third graders were 77.9 percent proficient or better, a four-point drop from the previous year and a little more than 12 points below the state-required goal of 90.02 percent.
In math, the students also dropped in proficiency and missed the state goals. Students were 83.8 percent proficient or advanced, five points under the previous year and about nine points short of the mandated 93.15 percent.
The fourth grade test performance was also down. In literacy, students were 88.5 percent proficient or better, down six points from the previous year and missing the state goal of 90.02 percent.
In math, the students were 79.1 percent proficient or better compared to 93.44 percent the previous year, missing the state mark by 14 points.
The school’s third graders were the only grade to beat the state average in literacy and math on the norm-referenced test, which is used to compare students nationally.
BEEBE MIDDLE
This school was listed by the state three years ago as a “school of excellence” but on the recent report card received 208 points for a D, two points under a C. It was also listed as a needs improvement school.
The school has 476 students, an average class size of 22 and teachers have an average of 11 years of experience. The student population is 91 percent white, 4 percent Hispanic, 3 percent black, 1 percent Asian and 1 percent Native American.
The school was cited for accreditation issues and only 90.9 percent of its teachers were completely certified. Almost half the teachers had master’s degrees.
The school’s fifth graders were 83.3 percent proficient or better on the literacy portion of the annual Benchmark exam, down six points from the previous year and less than two points from the state mandate of 84.97 percent proficient or better.
In math, the students improved, but not enough. The students were 67.4 percent proficient or advanced, up seven points from the previous year, but still about 20 points under the state bar of 87.03 percent.
Sixth graders were 74.1 percent proficient or better on the literacy exam, down seven points from the previous year and almost 11 points shy of the 84.97 percent required by the state.
In math, the sixth graders were 72.7 percent proficient or better, up three points from the previous year, and about 15 points under the state requirement.
BEEBE JR HIGH
The district’s junior high went from a “school exceeding standards” three years ago to a low C on the state’s report card.
The school with 467 students, an average class size of 19 and teachers averaging 11 years of experience, garnered 218 points from the state for a C, but just eight points from a D.
The school has a student population of 87 percent white, 6 percent Hispanic, 4 percent black and 1 percent Asian. The rest of the student body identified as other races.
The school was properly accredited, but only 93.2 percent of its teachers were completely certified. Nearly half the school’s teachers have master’s degrees.
The seventh graders bested the state requirement on the literacy portion of the test with 85 percent scoring proficient or advanced, up about eight points from the previous year and moving past the state bar of 84.51 percent proficient or better.
In math, 75.5 percent of the students made the grade, up 10 points from the previous year, but short of the 82.25 percent proficient or better required by the state.
In eighth grade, students were 82.2 percent proficient or better in literacy, up two points from the previous year, but two points short of the state goal. In math, the eighth graders were 68.9 percent proficient or advanced, a drop of three points from the previous year and about 13 points under the state mandate of 82.25 percent.
The seventh graders did top the state average in literacy and math on the norm-referenced test, which is used to compare students nationally.
BEEBE HIGH
The high school, with 921 students, average classes of 15 students and teachers with an average of 13 years of experience, garnered 242 points from the state for a B, but just two points away from a C. Three years ago, the state categorized the high school as a “school exceeding standards.”
The school’s population is 89 percent white, 4 percent Hispanic, 3 percent black and 1 percent Asian. The rest of the student body identified as other races.
It is fully accredited with 94.9 percent of the teachers completely certified and 60 percent holding master’s degrees. During the 2013-14 school year, two students were expelled and there were two weapons incidents.
The school had a graduation rate of 86.6 percent, down slightly from the state average; a grade inflation rate of 3.4 percent, half of the state’s average; a college-going rate of 55.5 percent, four points better than the state average; and a college remediation rate of 38.9 percent, six points better than the state.
Beebe high school students outperformed the state average on all portions of the ACT and SAT.
Of those students taking the algebra I end-of-course exam, 76.7 percent scored proficient or better, down about four points from the previous year and four points shy of the state mark of 80.98 percent proficient or advanced.
In geometry, 76.9 percent of the students made the grade on the end-of-course exam, down about two points from the previous year and missing the state requirement by four points.
Students also take an end-of-course test in biology but the state doesn’t use it to calculate a school’s ranking or overall performance. In Beebe, 58.55 percent of the students were proficient or advanced in biology, about the same as the previous year.
On the grade 11 literacy exam, which measures whether a student can read and write on grade level, 73.9 percent were proficient or better, up slightly from the previous year, but not up to the state-required 79 percent proficient or advanced.
Shook said, “The results of the ‘grading’ system are insulting to the district as a whole. It is also an unfair assessment of the work put forth by administrators, teachers, but first and foremost, our students.”
TOP STORY >> Schools still fuming over report cards
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of articles examining the state-issued report cards on area schools.
Nearly 29 percent of Cabot’s schools have an “A,” according to recently released state report cards, but Superintendent Tony Thurman is still not happy with the grading system. (Related story, p. 9A.)
In a letter to Chamber of Commerce members last week, Thurman wrote, “We have some of the best performing schools in the state, top notch educators leading our children, yet a school rating system that doesn’t make sense at all can take those achievements away unless you truly understand there is much more to the story.”
One issue Thurman has is that, out of those four “A” schools – Eastside, Southside, Stagecoach and Mountain Springs Academy – three are also listed as needs improvement by the state on its other rating scale.
He called the new A to F report card grading system “confusing, misleading and very frustrating.”
According to the rankings, used for the first time this year, besides the four “A” schools, Cabot has three “B” schools and seven “C” schools.
“It is extremely difficult to understand how a school can receive more funds than any other school in the state from the Arkansas Rewards and Recognition Program and be rated a ‘C’ school. That’s exactly what happened at Cabot Junior High North.”
Thurman went on in his letter to the business community, “CJHN was recently awarded $111,833.61 for its performance on the 2014 Benchmark and end-of-course exams.”
The superintendent said nearly every one of the “C” schools in Cabot “far exceeded the state average in math and literacy.”
Besides the letter to the business leaders, Thurman also posted his concerns about the grading system on his Superintendent’s Blog, and he’s not alone in his negative feelings toward the letter grades.
Lonoke Superintendent Suzanne Bailey and Belinda Shook, the head of Beebe schools, have also fired off letters to parents and others clarifying that their schools are much better than the letter grades given to them.
The state produced a report card on each school. The reports run 16 to 20 pages and include a wealth of data, but no summary as to why a school received a certain grade, and the letter grade itself is found not on the first page of the report cards, but somewhere in the middle of all the report’s pages.
Taking an in-depth look at the state-issued report cards on Cabot and its schools, the data shows that the district spends $7,975 per student (or $8,080 as two different figures are listed) to educate them, $1,400 less than the state average. The average teacher salary at $51,013 is about $4,000 higher than the state.
In the 2013-14 school year, Cabot operated on a budget of $97.5 million. Of that, $48.3 million went toward instructional expenses, $5.2 million toward administrative costs, $5 million to extracurricular expenditures, $12.3 million for capital improvements and $4 million to debt service.
None of the report card test data shows what the state average is to see if a school may have missed its test proficiency goal, but might still be above the state average.
Here is a closer look at the report card information for each school.
CENTRAL
This elementary school with 333 students, an average class size of 18 and teachers averaging 13 years of experience, garnered 232 points on the state report card for a “C,” just eight points short of a “B.” It was also listed as a needs improvement school but under another ranking in 2011-12 was considered by the state as a “school of excellence.”
In third grade, 81 percent of the students scored proficient or advanced on the state-required literacy exam, down slightly from the previous year and 10 points below the state requirement of 91.28 percent.
In math, the students moved from 84.27 percent proficient or better to 87.3 percent, but still five points short of the state bar of 92.44 percent proficient or better.
At 86.6 percent proficient or better, fourth graders were about even on the literacy test from the year before, but close to five points shy of the state requirement of being 91.28 percent proficient or better.
In math, fourth graders fell and missed the state goal by about 15 points. In the 2013-14 school year, 77.6 percent were proficient or better compared to 85.96 percent the year before and not near the state goal of 92.44 percent.
However, the third and fourth graders did beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
One weapons incident was reported in the 2013-14 school year and nine students were retained. All the teachers were listed as properly licensed, and 33 percent had master’s degrees.
EASTSIDE
This elementary school with 433 students, an average class size of 20 students and teachers averaging 13 years of experience, scored 283 points out of a possible 300 for an “A,” but was still listed as a needs improvement school even though three years ago it was rated a “school of excellence” by the state.
In third grade, the state said 92.94 percent of the students had to be proficient or advanced in literacy, but only 89.6 percent made that grade, down about three points from the previous year.
In math, 90.7 percent of the third graders were proficient or better in math, down four points from the previous year and about five points shy of the state goal of 95.15 percent.
In fourth grade, 93.5 percent scored proficient or better in literacy and, even though that was down about a point from the previous year, it was good enough to beat the state requirement of 92.94 percent proficient or better.
In math, the fourth graders didn’t fare as well as 85.6 percent made the grade, down two points from the previous year and slightly more than nine points short of the state-required goal.
The school’s second, third and fourth graders beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
The school reported one staff assault, according to the report card, in the 2013-14 school year and retained seven students.
All of the school’s teachers were properly licensed and 50 percent had master’s degrees, nine points higher than the state average.
MAGNESS CREEK
This elementary school, with 378 students, an average class size of 21 students and average teacher experience at 10 years, scored 250 points for a solid “B.” It is listed as a needs improvement school, but three years ago was a “school of excellence,” according to the state.
More than 88 percent of the third graders scored proficient or better on the literacy portion of the state exam, down almost five points from the year and shy of the state-required 92.4 percent proficient or better.
In math, third graders were 95.5 percent proficient or advanced, but that still wasn’t good enough as the state wanted 96.21 percent to make the cut.
On the literacy portion of the Benchmark exam last year, 89.3 percent of the fourth-grade students were proficient or better, down about two points from the previous year and three points shy of the state bar of 92.4 percent.
In math, 88 percent of the fourth graders made the grade, down two points from the previous year and shy of the 96.21 percent required by the state.
All grade levels at the school beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
In the 2013-14 school year, the school reported two weapons incidents, two staff assaults and two student assaults.
The school retained three students.
All of the school’s teachers are properly certified and 29 percent have master’s degrees, below the state average of 41 percent.
MOUNTAIN SPRINGS
This elementary school, with 456 students, an average class size of 21 and teachers averaging 10 years of experience, garnered 300 points, the maximum possible for a letter grade of “A,” but it was listed as a needs improvement school. Three years ago, it was also a “school of excellence,” according to the state’s ranking system used then.
On the third-grade literacy exam, 84.2 percent of the students scored proficient or better, down 11 points from the previous year and seven points shy of the state-required goal.
In math, the third graders were 92.1 percent proficient or better, but still did not meet the state-required goal of 97.13 percent for that school.
Fourth graders were 89.7 percent proficient or advanced in literacy last year, five points down from the previous year and two points off the state mark.
In math, the state-required goal was set at 97.13 proficient or better, and the fourth graders came in at 84.1 percent, down 13 points from the previous year.
On the norm-referenced test, which helps compare students nationally, all grade levels beat the state average.
The state report card listed four student assaults during the year and that four students were retained. The teachers at Mountain Springs were 100 percent certified and 26 percent had master’s degrees.
NORTHSIDE
This elementary school, with 360 students, an average class size of 20 students and teachers averaging 12 years of experience, received a score of 231 points for a “C,” nine points short of a “B.” The school was also listed as a needs improvement school. But, according to a previous scoring system used in 2011-12, the school was named as one of the “schools of excellence.”
On the third-grade Bench-mark literacy exam, 71.7 percent of third graders scored proficient or better in 2013-14, down 14 percentage points from the previous year and below the 92.6 percent expectation of the state.
In math, 86.6 percent of the students were proficient or advanced, a slight rise from the previous year, but short the 95.13 percent required by the state.
In fourth grade, more than 90 percent of the students scored proficient or better on the literacy portion of the Benchmark, but that wasn’t good enough as the state bar was set at 92.68 percent.
In math, the fourth graders fell last year to 84.6 percent proficient or better compared to the previous year’s score of 90.41 percent. The state goal was 95.13 percent.
However, the third and fourth graders did beat the state average on the norm-referenced portion of the test, which is used to compare students nationally.
It had one expulsion, and six students were retained last year. All of its teachers were 100 percent licensed, and 33 percent of the teachers had master’s degrees.
SOUTHSIDE
This elementary school with 455 students, an average class size of 22 and teachers averaging 12 years of experience garnered a perfect 300 out of 300 points from the state for an “A.” It was also listed as an achieving school and previously was a “school of excellence.”
The perfect score came even though the school didn’t reach its required goal in third-grade literacy as 90.4 percent of the students scored proficient or better, but the state goal was 90.43 percent.
In math, the third graders blew past the state requirement by three points. The third graders were 94.7 percent proficient or better, while the state requirement was at 91.59 percent.
Fourth graders eased past the state goal in literacy as 91.2 percent of them were proficient or advanced, down five points from the previous year, but above the state’s 90.43 percent threshold.
In math, 88 percent of the fourth graders were proficient or better, down five points from the previous year and missing the state mark by a little more than three points.
Every grade in the school tested better than the state average on the norm-referenced exam, which is used to compare students nationally.
In the 2013-14 school year, Southside had two weapons incidents and retained eight students.
All of the teachers were 100 percent completely certified with 22 percent holding master’s degrees.
STAGECOACH
This elementary school with 470 students, an average class size of 20 students and teachers averaging 10 years of experience received 277 points from the state for an “A,” but it was still listed as a needs improvement school, even though — like Cabot’s other elementary schools — it was a “school of excellence” three years ago.
The third graders just missed the state goal in literacy as 92.6 percent of them were proficient or better, but the state bar was set at 92.79 percent.
Third graders couldn’t get any better in math with 100 percent scoring proficient or better, besting the state goal by four points.
In fourth grade, 89.5 percent of the students were proficient or better on the literacy portion of the Benchmark exam, but the state goal was 92.79 percent.
In math, the students were 86.1 percent proficient or better, a drop of 10 points from the previous year and also 10 points below the state line of 96.03 percent.
All grades outperformed the state on the norm-referenced portion of the test, which is used to compare students nationally.
The school reported one weapons incident and one student assault and retained nine students in 2013-14. The teachers were 100 percent certified and 47 percent had master’s degrees.
WARD CENTRAL
This elementary school with 563 students, class size averaging 19 students and teachers averaging eight years experience garnered 260 points for a solid “B.” The school needed 270 points for an “A.”
Like most other Cabot schools it was listed as a needs improvement school by the state, yet three years ago the state called it a “school of excellence.”
In third grade, the students were 85.2 percent proficient or better on the literary portion of the Benchmark, two points shy of the state requirement.
In math, the third graders were 88.6 percent proficient of better, down three points from the previous year and short of the state goal of 91.18 percent.
Fourth graders were 82.7 percent proficient in literacy, up three points from the previous year, but still short of the state goal of 84.19 percent. In math, the students fell to 78.5 percent proficient or better, down from 85.42 percent the previous year and almost 13 points under the state-required goal.
Only the fourth graders bested the state in reading and math on the norm-referenced test used to make national comparisons.
The school retained 10 students in 2013-14.
The school’s teachers were 100 percent completely certified and 31 percent had master’s degrees.
WESTSIDE
This elementary school with 399 students, an average class size of 20 and teachers averaging 12 years of experience received 231 points for a “C,” nine points short of a “B” grade. It was also listed as a needs improvement school by the state but three years ago was a “school of excellence.”
In third grade, the students were 76.4 percent proficient or advanced in literacy, almost 10 points under the state bar of 86.28 percent.
In math, the third graders had 82 percent make the cut, about a point lower than the previous year and almost four points under the state requirement of 85.79 percent.
In literacy, the fourth graders were 83.1 percent proficient or better, down about seven points from the previous year and three points below the state requirement of 86.28 percent.
Fourth graders, in math, were 78.5 percent proficient or advanced, down four points from the previous year and seven points shy of the state goal.
The school’s third and fourth graders did beat the state average on the norm-referenced portion of the exam, which is used to compare students nationally.
The school reported two weapons incidents last year, along with two student assaults. Eleven students were retained.
All of the teachers were completely certified, and 35 percent have master’s degrees.
CMSS
Cabot Middle School South with 765 students, an average class size of 23 and teachers averaging 12 years of experience scored 237 points for a state grade of “C,” just three points short of a “B.” It was also listed as a needs improvement school even though it was judged as a “school of excellence” by the state three years ago.
The fifth graders blew past the state-required goals in the literacy portion of the annual Benchmark exam. In literacy, 92.9 percent of the students scored proficient or advanced, better than the 89.18 percent the state wanted.
In math, students were 88.6 percent proficient or better, up two points from the previous year, but still below the state goal of 90.5 percent.
At the sixth-grade level, 82.3 percent of the students were proficient or better, down nearly four points from the previous year and about seven points short of the state requirement.
In math, 88 percent of the sixth graders made the grade, up from the previous year, but still 2.5 points under the state requirement of 90. 5 percent.
Still, all of the grades beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally. Three students were retained last year.
The school was cited for accreditation problems in 2013-14, but the report gives no details.
It didn’t have 100 percent of its teachers properly or completely certified. It had 98.2 percent of its teachers completely certified and 38 percent had master’s degrees. But, looking at the data, 2 percent did not even have bachelor’s degrees.
CMSN
Cabot Middle School North with 856 students, an average class size of 24 students and teachers averaging 11 years experience garnered 235 points for a “C,” just five points short of a “B” from the state. Like CMSS, North is also listed as a needs improvement school even though the state called it a “school of excellence” before.
In literacy, the school’s fifth graders fell from 90.77 proficient or better two years ago to 87.9 percent making the cut, falling two-tenths of a point under the state goal of 88.11 percent.
In math, the students were 84.5 percent proficient or better, down two points from the previous year, and six points shy of meeting the state standards.
Sixth graders were 84.9 percent proficient or advanced in literacy, up a point from the previous year, but still missing the state goal by slightly more than three points.
In math, the sixth graders beat the state goal of 90.92 percent as 91.2 percent scored proficient or better, up four points from the previous year.
Fifth and sixth graders beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
The middle school had two expulsions and one weapons incident and retained one student.
The school’s accreditation was cited for problems during the year, but no details are in the report card. According to the report card, 5.3 percent of the teachers were not completely certified or licensed. The state data showed that 54 percent of the teachers had bachelor’s degrees, 41 percent had master’s degrees and 5 percent apparently had no four-year degree at all.
CJHS
This junior high, with 1,160 students, class sizes of 18 and teachers averaging 13 years of experience, scored 218 for a “C,” eight points above a “D.” It is also a needs improvement school after being named a “school of excellence” three years ago by the state.
The school’s seventh graders missed the state-required goal in literacy of 85.09 percent proficient or better, scoring 83.6 percent, virtually the same as the previous year.
In math, the seventh graders were substantially off the mark with 70.9 percent of the students making the grade compared to the state goal of 88.29 percent.
In eighth grade, students were 82 percent proficient or better, three points below the previous year’s mark and three points below the state requirement of 85.09 percent.
Even though seventh graders made a three-point improvement in math with 75.6 percent scoring proficient or better, but that was still about 13 points below the state-required 88.29 percent.
On the state’s end-of-course Algebra I test, 85.1 percent of the students scored proficient or better, down five points from the previous year and three points shy of the state goal.
The school’s seventh, eighth and ninth graders bested the state average on the norm-referenced test, which is used to compare students across the nation.
The school had a grade inflation rate of 7.4 percent, much higher than the district’s average of 1.7 percent and just over the state average of 7 percent.
For 2013-14 year, the school listed one weapons incident, one staff assault and two students assaults.
The school’s teachers were 98.9 percent completed certified, 1.1 percent were teaching with emergency or provisional credentials and 47 percent of the teachers had master’s degrees.
CJHN
Cabot Junior High North with 1,255 students, class size averaging 19 students and teachers averaging 12 years of experience received 223 points for a “C,” seven points from a “B.”
The school was also listed by the state as a needs improvement school even though it had been listed in the 2011-12 year as a “school of excellence.”
On the literacy portion of the annual Benchmark exam, seventh-grade students were 81.8 percent proficient or better, down a point from the previous year, and five points under the state-required goal.
In math, the students moved up six points to 78.8 percent proficient or better, but were still eight points below the state goal of 86.6 percent proficient or advanced.
In eighth grade, students were 85.3 percent proficient or better in literacy, down a point from the previous year and slightly more than a point off the state goal of 86.71 percent.
In math, students were 78.6 percent proficient or better, missing the state requirement of 86.60 by 10 points.
On the state-required end-of-course Algebra I exam, 85.3 percent made the grade, down three points from the previous year and a point and a half under the state bar.
Students did beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
The school had no grade inflation rate for the year, but did have four expulsions, one student assault and one student was retained.
Nearly all of the teachers (99 percent) were completed certified, and 46 percent had master’s degrees.
CABOT HIGH
The high school with 2,084 students, average class size of 17 students and teachers averaging 12 years experience, garnered 264 points from the state for a “B” grade, just six points shy of an “A.” It was listed as a needs improvement school for the past two years, but before that it was, according to the state, a “school exceeding standards.”
The school did not have enough students taking the end-of-course Algebra I test to receive any scores as most Cabot students take the test in junior high.
Of the students taking the end-of-course geometry test, 82.3 percent scored proficient or advanced, less than a point off the state goal of 83.14 percent.
The state has no required goal to meet on the end-of-course biology test, but the school saw a slight improvement — going from 63.46 percent proficient or better two years ago to 64 percent making the cut last year.
On the grade 11 literacy exams, given to see if students can read and write on grade level, 81.6 percent of the students were proficient or better, but the state goal was set at 85.32 percent.
The school’s ACT scores in reading, English, math, science and the overall composite grade all solidly beat the state average. But, on the SAT, the school scores lagged behind the state average.
The report card stated that 50.4 percent of Cabot High School students were going to college, about a point below the state average.
The school’s accreditation was cited in 2013-14 for issues which were not listed on the report card.
The school had a graduation rate of 91.9 percent, four points above the state average. The school had a grade inflation rate of less than 1 percent compared to the state’s 7 percent, and it had a college remediation rate of 36.6 percent, nine points lower than the state average, which is good.
The school reported two expulsions, two weapons incidents and seven student assaults.
About 98 percent of the teachers were completely certified, 2 percent were working with emergency or provisional credentials and 47 percent had master’s degrees.
Leader staff writer
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of articles examining the state-issued report cards on area schools.
Nearly 29 percent of Cabot’s schools have an “A,” according to recently released state report cards, but Superintendent Tony Thurman is still not happy with the grading system. (Related story, p. 9A.)
In a letter to Chamber of Commerce members last week, Thurman wrote, “We have some of the best performing schools in the state, top notch educators leading our children, yet a school rating system that doesn’t make sense at all can take those achievements away unless you truly understand there is much more to the story.”
One issue Thurman has is that, out of those four “A” schools – Eastside, Southside, Stagecoach and Mountain Springs Academy – three are also listed as needs improvement by the state on its other rating scale.
He called the new A to F report card grading system “confusing, misleading and very frustrating.”
According to the rankings, used for the first time this year, besides the four “A” schools, Cabot has three “B” schools and seven “C” schools.
“It is extremely difficult to understand how a school can receive more funds than any other school in the state from the Arkansas Rewards and Recognition Program and be rated a ‘C’ school. That’s exactly what happened at Cabot Junior High North.”
Thurman went on in his letter to the business community, “CJHN was recently awarded $111,833.61 for its performance on the 2014 Benchmark and end-of-course exams.”
The superintendent said nearly every one of the “C” schools in Cabot “far exceeded the state average in math and literacy.”
Besides the letter to the business leaders, Thurman also posted his concerns about the grading system on his Superintendent’s Blog, and he’s not alone in his negative feelings toward the letter grades.
Lonoke Superintendent Suzanne Bailey and Belinda Shook, the head of Beebe schools, have also fired off letters to parents and others clarifying that their schools are much better than the letter grades given to them.
The state produced a report card on each school. The reports run 16 to 20 pages and include a wealth of data, but no summary as to why a school received a certain grade, and the letter grade itself is found not on the first page of the report cards, but somewhere in the middle of all the report’s pages.
Taking an in-depth look at the state-issued report cards on Cabot and its schools, the data shows that the district spends $7,975 per student (or $8,080 as two different figures are listed) to educate them, $1,400 less than the state average. The average teacher salary at $51,013 is about $4,000 higher than the state.
In the 2013-14 school year, Cabot operated on a budget of $97.5 million. Of that, $48.3 million went toward instructional expenses, $5.2 million toward administrative costs, $5 million to extracurricular expenditures, $12.3 million for capital improvements and $4 million to debt service.
None of the report card test data shows what the state average is to see if a school may have missed its test proficiency goal, but might still be above the state average.
Here is a closer look at the report card information for each school.
CENTRAL
This elementary school with 333 students, an average class size of 18 and teachers averaging 13 years of experience, garnered 232 points on the state report card for a “C,” just eight points short of a “B.” It was also listed as a needs improvement school but under another ranking in 2011-12 was considered by the state as a “school of excellence.”
In third grade, 81 percent of the students scored proficient or advanced on the state-required literacy exam, down slightly from the previous year and 10 points below the state requirement of 91.28 percent.
In math, the students moved from 84.27 percent proficient or better to 87.3 percent, but still five points short of the state bar of 92.44 percent proficient or better.
At 86.6 percent proficient or better, fourth graders were about even on the literacy test from the year before, but close to five points shy of the state requirement of being 91.28 percent proficient or better.
In math, fourth graders fell and missed the state goal by about 15 points. In the 2013-14 school year, 77.6 percent were proficient or better compared to 85.96 percent the year before and not near the state goal of 92.44 percent.
However, the third and fourth graders did beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
One weapons incident was reported in the 2013-14 school year and nine students were retained. All the teachers were listed as properly licensed, and 33 percent had master’s degrees.
EASTSIDE
This elementary school with 433 students, an average class size of 20 students and teachers averaging 13 years of experience, scored 283 points out of a possible 300 for an “A,” but was still listed as a needs improvement school even though three years ago it was rated a “school of excellence” by the state.
In third grade, the state said 92.94 percent of the students had to be proficient or advanced in literacy, but only 89.6 percent made that grade, down about three points from the previous year.
In math, 90.7 percent of the third graders were proficient or better in math, down four points from the previous year and about five points shy of the state goal of 95.15 percent.
In fourth grade, 93.5 percent scored proficient or better in literacy and, even though that was down about a point from the previous year, it was good enough to beat the state requirement of 92.94 percent proficient or better.
In math, the fourth graders didn’t fare as well as 85.6 percent made the grade, down two points from the previous year and slightly more than nine points short of the state-required goal.
The school’s second, third and fourth graders beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
The school reported one staff assault, according to the report card, in the 2013-14 school year and retained seven students.
All of the school’s teachers were properly licensed and 50 percent had master’s degrees, nine points higher than the state average.
MAGNESS CREEK
This elementary school, with 378 students, an average class size of 21 students and average teacher experience at 10 years, scored 250 points for a solid “B.” It is listed as a needs improvement school, but three years ago was a “school of excellence,” according to the state.
More than 88 percent of the third graders scored proficient or better on the literacy portion of the state exam, down almost five points from the year and shy of the state-required 92.4 percent proficient or better.
In math, third graders were 95.5 percent proficient or advanced, but that still wasn’t good enough as the state wanted 96.21 percent to make the cut.
On the literacy portion of the Benchmark exam last year, 89.3 percent of the fourth-grade students were proficient or better, down about two points from the previous year and three points shy of the state bar of 92.4 percent.
In math, 88 percent of the fourth graders made the grade, down two points from the previous year and shy of the 96.21 percent required by the state.
All grade levels at the school beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
In the 2013-14 school year, the school reported two weapons incidents, two staff assaults and two student assaults.
The school retained three students.
All of the school’s teachers are properly certified and 29 percent have master’s degrees, below the state average of 41 percent.
MOUNTAIN SPRINGS
This elementary school, with 456 students, an average class size of 21 and teachers averaging 10 years of experience, garnered 300 points, the maximum possible for a letter grade of “A,” but it was listed as a needs improvement school. Three years ago, it was also a “school of excellence,” according to the state’s ranking system used then.
On the third-grade literacy exam, 84.2 percent of the students scored proficient or better, down 11 points from the previous year and seven points shy of the state-required goal.
In math, the third graders were 92.1 percent proficient or better, but still did not meet the state-required goal of 97.13 percent for that school.
Fourth graders were 89.7 percent proficient or advanced in literacy last year, five points down from the previous year and two points off the state mark.
In math, the state-required goal was set at 97.13 proficient or better, and the fourth graders came in at 84.1 percent, down 13 points from the previous year.
On the norm-referenced test, which helps compare students nationally, all grade levels beat the state average.
The state report card listed four student assaults during the year and that four students were retained. The teachers at Mountain Springs were 100 percent certified and 26 percent had master’s degrees.
NORTHSIDE
This elementary school, with 360 students, an average class size of 20 students and teachers averaging 12 years of experience, received a score of 231 points for a “C,” nine points short of a “B.” The school was also listed as a needs improvement school. But, according to a previous scoring system used in 2011-12, the school was named as one of the “schools of excellence.”
On the third-grade Bench-mark literacy exam, 71.7 percent of third graders scored proficient or better in 2013-14, down 14 percentage points from the previous year and below the 92.6 percent expectation of the state.
In math, 86.6 percent of the students were proficient or advanced, a slight rise from the previous year, but short the 95.13 percent required by the state.
In fourth grade, more than 90 percent of the students scored proficient or better on the literacy portion of the Benchmark, but that wasn’t good enough as the state bar was set at 92.68 percent.
In math, the fourth graders fell last year to 84.6 percent proficient or better compared to the previous year’s score of 90.41 percent. The state goal was 95.13 percent.
However, the third and fourth graders did beat the state average on the norm-referenced portion of the test, which is used to compare students nationally.
It had one expulsion, and six students were retained last year. All of its teachers were 100 percent licensed, and 33 percent of the teachers had master’s degrees.
SOUTHSIDE
This elementary school with 455 students, an average class size of 22 and teachers averaging 12 years of experience garnered a perfect 300 out of 300 points from the state for an “A.” It was also listed as an achieving school and previously was a “school of excellence.”
The perfect score came even though the school didn’t reach its required goal in third-grade literacy as 90.4 percent of the students scored proficient or better, but the state goal was 90.43 percent.
In math, the third graders blew past the state requirement by three points. The third graders were 94.7 percent proficient or better, while the state requirement was at 91.59 percent.
Fourth graders eased past the state goal in literacy as 91.2 percent of them were proficient or advanced, down five points from the previous year, but above the state’s 90.43 percent threshold.
In math, 88 percent of the fourth graders were proficient or better, down five points from the previous year and missing the state mark by a little more than three points.
Every grade in the school tested better than the state average on the norm-referenced exam, which is used to compare students nationally.
In the 2013-14 school year, Southside had two weapons incidents and retained eight students.
All of the teachers were 100 percent completely certified with 22 percent holding master’s degrees.
STAGECOACH
This elementary school with 470 students, an average class size of 20 students and teachers averaging 10 years of experience received 277 points from the state for an “A,” but it was still listed as a needs improvement school, even though — like Cabot’s other elementary schools — it was a “school of excellence” three years ago.
The third graders just missed the state goal in literacy as 92.6 percent of them were proficient or better, but the state bar was set at 92.79 percent.
Third graders couldn’t get any better in math with 100 percent scoring proficient or better, besting the state goal by four points.
In fourth grade, 89.5 percent of the students were proficient or better on the literacy portion of the Benchmark exam, but the state goal was 92.79 percent.
In math, the students were 86.1 percent proficient or better, a drop of 10 points from the previous year and also 10 points below the state line of 96.03 percent.
All grades outperformed the state on the norm-referenced portion of the test, which is used to compare students nationally.
The school reported one weapons incident and one student assault and retained nine students in 2013-14. The teachers were 100 percent certified and 47 percent had master’s degrees.
WARD CENTRAL
This elementary school with 563 students, class size averaging 19 students and teachers averaging eight years experience garnered 260 points for a solid “B.” The school needed 270 points for an “A.”
Like most other Cabot schools it was listed as a needs improvement school by the state, yet three years ago the state called it a “school of excellence.”
In third grade, the students were 85.2 percent proficient or better on the literary portion of the Benchmark, two points shy of the state requirement.
In math, the third graders were 88.6 percent proficient of better, down three points from the previous year and short of the state goal of 91.18 percent.
Fourth graders were 82.7 percent proficient in literacy, up three points from the previous year, but still short of the state goal of 84.19 percent. In math, the students fell to 78.5 percent proficient or better, down from 85.42 percent the previous year and almost 13 points under the state-required goal.
Only the fourth graders bested the state in reading and math on the norm-referenced test used to make national comparisons.
The school retained 10 students in 2013-14.
The school’s teachers were 100 percent completely certified and 31 percent had master’s degrees.
WESTSIDE
This elementary school with 399 students, an average class size of 20 and teachers averaging 12 years of experience received 231 points for a “C,” nine points short of a “B” grade. It was also listed as a needs improvement school by the state but three years ago was a “school of excellence.”
In third grade, the students were 76.4 percent proficient or advanced in literacy, almost 10 points under the state bar of 86.28 percent.
In math, the third graders had 82 percent make the cut, about a point lower than the previous year and almost four points under the state requirement of 85.79 percent.
In literacy, the fourth graders were 83.1 percent proficient or better, down about seven points from the previous year and three points below the state requirement of 86.28 percent.
Fourth graders, in math, were 78.5 percent proficient or advanced, down four points from the previous year and seven points shy of the state goal.
The school’s third and fourth graders did beat the state average on the norm-referenced portion of the exam, which is used to compare students nationally.
The school reported two weapons incidents last year, along with two student assaults. Eleven students were retained.
All of the teachers were completely certified, and 35 percent have master’s degrees.
CMSS
Cabot Middle School South with 765 students, an average class size of 23 and teachers averaging 12 years of experience scored 237 points for a state grade of “C,” just three points short of a “B.” It was also listed as a needs improvement school even though it was judged as a “school of excellence” by the state three years ago.
The fifth graders blew past the state-required goals in the literacy portion of the annual Benchmark exam. In literacy, 92.9 percent of the students scored proficient or advanced, better than the 89.18 percent the state wanted.
In math, students were 88.6 percent proficient or better, up two points from the previous year, but still below the state goal of 90.5 percent.
At the sixth-grade level, 82.3 percent of the students were proficient or better, down nearly four points from the previous year and about seven points short of the state requirement.
In math, 88 percent of the sixth graders made the grade, up from the previous year, but still 2.5 points under the state requirement of 90. 5 percent.
Still, all of the grades beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally. Three students were retained last year.
The school was cited for accreditation problems in 2013-14, but the report gives no details.
It didn’t have 100 percent of its teachers properly or completely certified. It had 98.2 percent of its teachers completely certified and 38 percent had master’s degrees. But, looking at the data, 2 percent did not even have bachelor’s degrees.
CMSN
Cabot Middle School North with 856 students, an average class size of 24 students and teachers averaging 11 years experience garnered 235 points for a “C,” just five points short of a “B” from the state. Like CMSS, North is also listed as a needs improvement school even though the state called it a “school of excellence” before.
In literacy, the school’s fifth graders fell from 90.77 proficient or better two years ago to 87.9 percent making the cut, falling two-tenths of a point under the state goal of 88.11 percent.
In math, the students were 84.5 percent proficient or better, down two points from the previous year, and six points shy of meeting the state standards.
Sixth graders were 84.9 percent proficient or advanced in literacy, up a point from the previous year, but still missing the state goal by slightly more than three points.
In math, the sixth graders beat the state goal of 90.92 percent as 91.2 percent scored proficient or better, up four points from the previous year.
Fifth and sixth graders beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
The middle school had two expulsions and one weapons incident and retained one student.
The school’s accreditation was cited for problems during the year, but no details are in the report card. According to the report card, 5.3 percent of the teachers were not completely certified or licensed. The state data showed that 54 percent of the teachers had bachelor’s degrees, 41 percent had master’s degrees and 5 percent apparently had no four-year degree at all.
CJHS
This junior high, with 1,160 students, class sizes of 18 and teachers averaging 13 years of experience, scored 218 for a “C,” eight points above a “D.” It is also a needs improvement school after being named a “school of excellence” three years ago by the state.
The school’s seventh graders missed the state-required goal in literacy of 85.09 percent proficient or better, scoring 83.6 percent, virtually the same as the previous year.
In math, the seventh graders were substantially off the mark with 70.9 percent of the students making the grade compared to the state goal of 88.29 percent.
In eighth grade, students were 82 percent proficient or better, three points below the previous year’s mark and three points below the state requirement of 85.09 percent.
Even though seventh graders made a three-point improvement in math with 75.6 percent scoring proficient or better, but that was still about 13 points below the state-required 88.29 percent.
On the state’s end-of-course Algebra I test, 85.1 percent of the students scored proficient or better, down five points from the previous year and three points shy of the state goal.
The school’s seventh, eighth and ninth graders bested the state average on the norm-referenced test, which is used to compare students across the nation.
The school had a grade inflation rate of 7.4 percent, much higher than the district’s average of 1.7 percent and just over the state average of 7 percent.
For 2013-14 year, the school listed one weapons incident, one staff assault and two students assaults.
The school’s teachers were 98.9 percent completed certified, 1.1 percent were teaching with emergency or provisional credentials and 47 percent of the teachers had master’s degrees.
CJHN
Cabot Junior High North with 1,255 students, class size averaging 19 students and teachers averaging 12 years of experience received 223 points for a “C,” seven points from a “B.”
The school was also listed by the state as a needs improvement school even though it had been listed in the 2011-12 year as a “school of excellence.”
On the literacy portion of the annual Benchmark exam, seventh-grade students were 81.8 percent proficient or better, down a point from the previous year, and five points under the state-required goal.
In math, the students moved up six points to 78.8 percent proficient or better, but were still eight points below the state goal of 86.6 percent proficient or advanced.
In eighth grade, students were 85.3 percent proficient or better in literacy, down a point from the previous year and slightly more than a point off the state goal of 86.71 percent.
In math, students were 78.6 percent proficient or better, missing the state requirement of 86.60 by 10 points.
On the state-required end-of-course Algebra I exam, 85.3 percent made the grade, down three points from the previous year and a point and a half under the state bar.
Students did beat the state average on the norm-referenced test used to compare students nationally.
The school had no grade inflation rate for the year, but did have four expulsions, one student assault and one student was retained.
Nearly all of the teachers (99 percent) were completed certified, and 46 percent had master’s degrees.
CABOT HIGH
The high school with 2,084 students, average class size of 17 students and teachers averaging 12 years experience, garnered 264 points from the state for a “B” grade, just six points shy of an “A.” It was listed as a needs improvement school for the past two years, but before that it was, according to the state, a “school exceeding standards.”
The school did not have enough students taking the end-of-course Algebra I test to receive any scores as most Cabot students take the test in junior high.
Of the students taking the end-of-course geometry test, 82.3 percent scored proficient or advanced, less than a point off the state goal of 83.14 percent.
The state has no required goal to meet on the end-of-course biology test, but the school saw a slight improvement — going from 63.46 percent proficient or better two years ago to 64 percent making the cut last year.
On the grade 11 literacy exams, given to see if students can read and write on grade level, 81.6 percent of the students were proficient or better, but the state goal was set at 85.32 percent.
The school’s ACT scores in reading, English, math, science and the overall composite grade all solidly beat the state average. But, on the SAT, the school scores lagged behind the state average.
The report card stated that 50.4 percent of Cabot High School students were going to college, about a point below the state average.
The school’s accreditation was cited in 2013-14 for issues which were not listed on the report card.
The school had a graduation rate of 91.9 percent, four points above the state average. The school had a grade inflation rate of less than 1 percent compared to the state’s 7 percent, and it had a college remediation rate of 36.6 percent, nine points lower than the state average, which is good.
The school reported two expulsions, two weapons incidents and seven student assaults.
About 98 percent of the teachers were completely certified, 2 percent were working with emergency or provisional credentials and 47 percent had master’s degrees.
TOP STORY >> More to state data than grades
By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles examining the state-issued report cards on area schools.
The state issued report cards recently, grading all public and charter schools from A to F.
Seven schools in the area received A’s: Cabot’s Eastside, Southside, Stagecoach and Mountain Springs elementary schools, Jacksonville Lighthouse Upper Academy and its Lighthouse Flightline Academy and Lisa Academy North High School.
Flightline Academy on Little Rock Air Force Base, with 194 students and an average class size of 20 students, received an A from the state with a score of 281. It was also listed as an achieving school, the second highest ranking in that category and one of just 67 schools statewide to be so honored. Exemplary is the best, and only one school in Arkansas last year reached that title.
In Lonoke, the grades given by the state were three D’s and a B.
Lonoke School Superintendent Suzanne Bailey immediately fired off a letter to district parents telling them that their schools were better than the state.
“This has come as a shock to schools and districts across Arkansas due to the perception that it has cast on many districts. Many schools that were noted as high achieving schools and even received thousands of dollars in reward money for these same scores now find themselves as an average or below average school,” she said.
“This point system is not truly reflecting the learning and achievement that is taking place for our students,” Bailey said.
She added that, “We are more than a test. We know that one test cannot assess everything we are doing for our students. Our teachers are working hard to implement Common Core, and hold students to a higher level of understanding, as we continue to raise expectations for our students.”
Even though Bailey, along with Cabot’s school chief, Tony Thurman, and Beebe’s leader, Belinda Shook, feel the grades are misleading, the 16- to 21-page report card on each school does provide a mountain of valuable information about the districts and the schools.
Taking an in-depth look at the state-issued report cards on Lonoke and its schools, the data shows that the district spends about $1,000 less to educate a student than the state average. Lonoke spends $8,301 per student and the state average is $9,457.
Teacher salaries are about $3,000 below the state average: $45,300 compared to $48,060.
The total budget for the school district in the 2013-14 school year was $20.4 million, according to the state reports. That broke down to $8.87 million for instructional expenses, $1.15 million for administrative costs, $2.16 million on extracurricular activities, $2.78 million for capital expenditures and debt service of $1.81 million.
The report also shows that 65.6 percent of Lonoke students are eligible for free or reduced meals, about five percentage points above the state average.
LONOKE PRIMARY
According to the state report card, the primary school received an overall grade of D and is listed as a needs improvement school.
The school earned 203 points out of a possible 300 on the state’s scoring criteria, just seven points away from a C.
“Our primary school does not give any of the graded assessments, but is a feeder school for the elementary school. Because the primary school is a feeder school to the elementary school, it was given the same grade as the elementary school,” Bailey said.
According to the report, the school’s first graders were below the state average in reading comprehension and math problems. Second graders were also under in reading comprehension, but above in math problems.
The school, last year, had 390 students, a class size of 19 students, and teachers had an average of 10 years experience. The student population was 65.4 percent white, 24.4 percent black and 8.2 percent Hispanic. According to the report card, 66 percent of the students were classified as low income, 7 percent had limited English proficiency and 9 percent were eligible to receive special education.
Lonoke Primary’s accreditation status was at the highest level. The report said that 97.3 percent of the teachers were completely certified (better than the state average) and that 44 percent had master’s degrees, three percentage points above the state.
The student attendance rate was at 96.8 percent, more than two percentage points better than the state.
The report said that, in 2013-14, the school had one expulsion, one weapons incident, one assault on a staff member and five student assaults.
Also, three first graders were retained and one second grader was held back. Both are below the state average.
LONOKE ELEMENTARY
The elementary school also received a D from the state, scoring 203 out of 300 points, seven short of a C. It was also listed as a needs improvement school.
“Based on the state’s system, the amount of growth was not sufficient enough to earn the amount of points to be ranked a higher grade,” the superintendent explained.
The school, with 391 students, an average class size of 17 students and teachers with an average of 12 years experience was 69.6 percent white, 22 percent black and 6.9 percent Hispanic during the 2013-14 school year.
The report card shows that 76.9 percent of the school’s third graders were proficient or advanced on the state literacy exams, but the state had set a goal of 80.6 percent. In math, the state goal was 87.9 percent and the third graders only hit 72.6 percent.
Each grade was supposed to hit those targets of 80.6 percent proficient or better in literacy and 87.9 percent in math. Fourth graders were at 69.6 percent proficient or better in math, down about 10 points from the previous year and 11 points shy of the state goal. In math, fourth graders dropped to 57.4 percent proficient or advanced from the previous year at 73.7 percent. The state goal was 87.9 percent proficient or better.
The fifth graders beat the state goal in literacy of 80.6 percent proficient or better as 83.1 percent made the grade. But the fifth graders were 26 points below the math goal with a proficiency rate of 57.6 percent.
The report said just 35.9 percent of the students met the required growth in math, while 74.6 met growth requirements in literacy. Hispanics were best in math at 40 percent, while Caucasians were tops in literacy at 78.8 percent.
The school, based on the report card, was properly accredited, and 100 percent of the teachers were completely certified, better than the state average, and 53 percent of the teachers had master’s degrees, 12 percentage points better than the state.
It had a 96.6 percent attendance record for the students, above the state average, and no students were retained. The school listed one weapons incident and 17 student assaults for the 2013-14 school year.
LONOKE MIDDLE
The middle school also received a D from the state with a score of 198. The cut-off for a C was 201 and for an F it was 180.
The school, in 2013-14, had 406 students, a class size average of 16 students and teachers had an average of 11 years of experience. The student population was 67.7 percent white, 21.7 percent black and 7.1 percent Hispanic.
The state set goals of 84.9 percent of the students proficient or better in literacy and 85.4 percent proficient or advanced in math. Neither the sixth nor seventh graders met the goals.
In literacy, sixth graders were 67.2 percent proficient or better, a 10-point drop from the previous year and 17 points shy of the state goal. In literacy, sixth graders also fell from 83.8 percent proficient in 2012-13 to 70.2 percent making the grade in 2013-14, a full 15 points below the state goal.
Seventh graders were 78.4 percent proficient or better in literacy, but needed to hit 84.9 percent. In math, seventh graders at 67.2 percent proficient or better were two points below the previous year and 18 points below the required goal.
Overall, 63.4 percent of students met their growth goals in math and 72.5 percent did likewise in literacy.
The school, according to the report card, was properly accredited and 97.7 percent of the teachers were completely certified, two points better than the state average. The number of teachers with master’s degrees was below the state average: 32 percent for the school and 41 percent for the state.
The student attendance rate was 97.2 percent, almost three points better than the state average, and the school reported one weapons incident in 2013-14.
LONOKE HIGH
The high school was the bright spot for the district, earning 254 points and a B grade, but was still listed as a needs improvement school.
According to the state report card, the school had 608 students in the 2013-14 school year with an average class size of 16 students, and the teachers had an average of 10 years experience. The student population was 69.4 percent white, 21.2 percent black and 5.4 percent Hispanic.
Students beat the state-required goals for the 11th grade literacy exam and end-of-course algebra exam, but finished short of the goals for the end-of-course geometry exam.
On the literacy exam, 81.4 percent were proficient or better, one point better than the state requirement.
In algebra, 92.5 percent of the students were proficient or advanced, 17 points above the state requirement. In geometry, 73.1 percent made the cut, but the state required 75.4 percent to be proficient or better.
Students are also required to take an end-of-course biology exam, but the state placed no required goals on the test. About 43 percent of Lonoke high school students scored proficient or better on the test.
The school was very close to the state on the ACT scores. Lonoke students averaged 22.41 on the ACT reading and the state was at 22.46.
On the ACT English exam, Lonoke students were at 21.39 and the state was at 21.38. In math, Lonoke students scored 21.16 to the state’s 21.02. In science, Lonoke was at 21.53 and the state average was 21.9.
On the overall composite ACT score, Lonoke averaged 20.91 and the state was at 21.24.
For the second year in a row, the school was cited for accreditation issues. Based on the report card, 94.3 percent of its teachers were completely certified, 3.8 percent had emergency or provisional credentials and 57 percent had master’s degrees, well above the state average of 41 percent.
The student attendance rate was the lowest in the district at 94.8 percent but still ahead of the state average of 94.4 percent. The dropout rate was 3.8 percent compared to the state rate of 2.1 percent.
Lonoke’s graduation rate was 90.3 percent, more than three points better than the state average. The score also had a grade inflation rate of 2.9 percent and a college remediation rate of 43 percent, both better than the state averages.
The school reported four weapons incidents.
“We will continue to roll up our sleeves and work hard to move students forward academically to make Lonoke an achieving district,” Bailey said.
Leader staff writer
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles examining the state-issued report cards on area schools.
The state issued report cards recently, grading all public and charter schools from A to F.
Seven schools in the area received A’s: Cabot’s Eastside, Southside, Stagecoach and Mountain Springs elementary schools, Jacksonville Lighthouse Upper Academy and its Lighthouse Flightline Academy and Lisa Academy North High School.
Flightline Academy on Little Rock Air Force Base, with 194 students and an average class size of 20 students, received an A from the state with a score of 281. It was also listed as an achieving school, the second highest ranking in that category and one of just 67 schools statewide to be so honored. Exemplary is the best, and only one school in Arkansas last year reached that title.
In Lonoke, the grades given by the state were three D’s and a B.
Lonoke School Superintendent Suzanne Bailey immediately fired off a letter to district parents telling them that their schools were better than the state.
“This has come as a shock to schools and districts across Arkansas due to the perception that it has cast on many districts. Many schools that were noted as high achieving schools and even received thousands of dollars in reward money for these same scores now find themselves as an average or below average school,” she said.
“This point system is not truly reflecting the learning and achievement that is taking place for our students,” Bailey said.
She added that, “We are more than a test. We know that one test cannot assess everything we are doing for our students. Our teachers are working hard to implement Common Core, and hold students to a higher level of understanding, as we continue to raise expectations for our students.”
Even though Bailey, along with Cabot’s school chief, Tony Thurman, and Beebe’s leader, Belinda Shook, feel the grades are misleading, the 16- to 21-page report card on each school does provide a mountain of valuable information about the districts and the schools.
Taking an in-depth look at the state-issued report cards on Lonoke and its schools, the data shows that the district spends about $1,000 less to educate a student than the state average. Lonoke spends $8,301 per student and the state average is $9,457.
Teacher salaries are about $3,000 below the state average: $45,300 compared to $48,060.
The total budget for the school district in the 2013-14 school year was $20.4 million, according to the state reports. That broke down to $8.87 million for instructional expenses, $1.15 million for administrative costs, $2.16 million on extracurricular activities, $2.78 million for capital expenditures and debt service of $1.81 million.
The report also shows that 65.6 percent of Lonoke students are eligible for free or reduced meals, about five percentage points above the state average.
LONOKE PRIMARY
According to the state report card, the primary school received an overall grade of D and is listed as a needs improvement school.
The school earned 203 points out of a possible 300 on the state’s scoring criteria, just seven points away from a C.
“Our primary school does not give any of the graded assessments, but is a feeder school for the elementary school. Because the primary school is a feeder school to the elementary school, it was given the same grade as the elementary school,” Bailey said.
According to the report, the school’s first graders were below the state average in reading comprehension and math problems. Second graders were also under in reading comprehension, but above in math problems.
The school, last year, had 390 students, a class size of 19 students, and teachers had an average of 10 years experience. The student population was 65.4 percent white, 24.4 percent black and 8.2 percent Hispanic. According to the report card, 66 percent of the students were classified as low income, 7 percent had limited English proficiency and 9 percent were eligible to receive special education.
Lonoke Primary’s accreditation status was at the highest level. The report said that 97.3 percent of the teachers were completely certified (better than the state average) and that 44 percent had master’s degrees, three percentage points above the state.
The student attendance rate was at 96.8 percent, more than two percentage points better than the state.
The report said that, in 2013-14, the school had one expulsion, one weapons incident, one assault on a staff member and five student assaults.
Also, three first graders were retained and one second grader was held back. Both are below the state average.
LONOKE ELEMENTARY
The elementary school also received a D from the state, scoring 203 out of 300 points, seven short of a C. It was also listed as a needs improvement school.
“Based on the state’s system, the amount of growth was not sufficient enough to earn the amount of points to be ranked a higher grade,” the superintendent explained.
The school, with 391 students, an average class size of 17 students and teachers with an average of 12 years experience was 69.6 percent white, 22 percent black and 6.9 percent Hispanic during the 2013-14 school year.
The report card shows that 76.9 percent of the school’s third graders were proficient or advanced on the state literacy exams, but the state had set a goal of 80.6 percent. In math, the state goal was 87.9 percent and the third graders only hit 72.6 percent.
Each grade was supposed to hit those targets of 80.6 percent proficient or better in literacy and 87.9 percent in math. Fourth graders were at 69.6 percent proficient or better in math, down about 10 points from the previous year and 11 points shy of the state goal. In math, fourth graders dropped to 57.4 percent proficient or advanced from the previous year at 73.7 percent. The state goal was 87.9 percent proficient or better.
The fifth graders beat the state goal in literacy of 80.6 percent proficient or better as 83.1 percent made the grade. But the fifth graders were 26 points below the math goal with a proficiency rate of 57.6 percent.
The report said just 35.9 percent of the students met the required growth in math, while 74.6 met growth requirements in literacy. Hispanics were best in math at 40 percent, while Caucasians were tops in literacy at 78.8 percent.
The school, based on the report card, was properly accredited, and 100 percent of the teachers were completely certified, better than the state average, and 53 percent of the teachers had master’s degrees, 12 percentage points better than the state.
It had a 96.6 percent attendance record for the students, above the state average, and no students were retained. The school listed one weapons incident and 17 student assaults for the 2013-14 school year.
LONOKE MIDDLE
The middle school also received a D from the state with a score of 198. The cut-off for a C was 201 and for an F it was 180.
The school, in 2013-14, had 406 students, a class size average of 16 students and teachers had an average of 11 years of experience. The student population was 67.7 percent white, 21.7 percent black and 7.1 percent Hispanic.
The state set goals of 84.9 percent of the students proficient or better in literacy and 85.4 percent proficient or advanced in math. Neither the sixth nor seventh graders met the goals.
In literacy, sixth graders were 67.2 percent proficient or better, a 10-point drop from the previous year and 17 points shy of the state goal. In literacy, sixth graders also fell from 83.8 percent proficient in 2012-13 to 70.2 percent making the grade in 2013-14, a full 15 points below the state goal.
Seventh graders were 78.4 percent proficient or better in literacy, but needed to hit 84.9 percent. In math, seventh graders at 67.2 percent proficient or better were two points below the previous year and 18 points below the required goal.
Overall, 63.4 percent of students met their growth goals in math and 72.5 percent did likewise in literacy.
The school, according to the report card, was properly accredited and 97.7 percent of the teachers were completely certified, two points better than the state average. The number of teachers with master’s degrees was below the state average: 32 percent for the school and 41 percent for the state.
The student attendance rate was 97.2 percent, almost three points better than the state average, and the school reported one weapons incident in 2013-14.
LONOKE HIGH
The high school was the bright spot for the district, earning 254 points and a B grade, but was still listed as a needs improvement school.
According to the state report card, the school had 608 students in the 2013-14 school year with an average class size of 16 students, and the teachers had an average of 10 years experience. The student population was 69.4 percent white, 21.2 percent black and 5.4 percent Hispanic.
Students beat the state-required goals for the 11th grade literacy exam and end-of-course algebra exam, but finished short of the goals for the end-of-course geometry exam.
On the literacy exam, 81.4 percent were proficient or better, one point better than the state requirement.
In algebra, 92.5 percent of the students were proficient or advanced, 17 points above the state requirement. In geometry, 73.1 percent made the cut, but the state required 75.4 percent to be proficient or better.
Students are also required to take an end-of-course biology exam, but the state placed no required goals on the test. About 43 percent of Lonoke high school students scored proficient or better on the test.
The school was very close to the state on the ACT scores. Lonoke students averaged 22.41 on the ACT reading and the state was at 22.46.
On the ACT English exam, Lonoke students were at 21.39 and the state was at 21.38. In math, Lonoke students scored 21.16 to the state’s 21.02. In science, Lonoke was at 21.53 and the state average was 21.9.
On the overall composite ACT score, Lonoke averaged 20.91 and the state was at 21.24.
For the second year in a row, the school was cited for accreditation issues. Based on the report card, 94.3 percent of its teachers were completely certified, 3.8 percent had emergency or provisional credentials and 57 percent had master’s degrees, well above the state average of 41 percent.
The student attendance rate was the lowest in the district at 94.8 percent but still ahead of the state average of 94.4 percent. The dropout rate was 3.8 percent compared to the state rate of 2.1 percent.
Lonoke’s graduation rate was 90.3 percent, more than three points better than the state average. The score also had a grade inflation rate of 2.9 percent and a college remediation rate of 43 percent, both better than the state averages.
The school reported four weapons incidents.
“We will continue to roll up our sleeves and work hard to move students forward academically to make Lonoke an achieving district,” Bailey said.
TOP STORY >> Combat medic presented awards
By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
Second World War veteran James “Tinker” Siler, 90, of Bradford was presented with the Bronze Star and the Combat Medical Badge during a ceremony on Wednesday at the White County Courthouse. Siler was a combat medic in the Battle of the Bulge.
Siler was awarded the medals 70 years ago but never received them and time moved on.
Later this year, Siler will be presented with the French Knight of Legion of Honor Medal at the French Embassy in Dallas.
“It is a great deal. I feel honored,” Siler said.
White County Judge Michael Lincoln proclaimed the day as “Tinker” Siler Day.
Siler was an 18-year-old high school senior when he went off to war in 1942.
He was in Gen. George Patton’s Third Army in three major campaigns: The Ardennes, The Rhineland and Central Europe.
On the combat medic team, Siler gave emergency first aid to severely injured soldiers on the front lines, bandaging them up to stop the bleeding, to get them to the hospitals. Some died in his arms.
“We helped to get them out of harm. We got them back to the doctors as quick as we could. It was heart wrenching,” Siler said.
He was in the second wave at the Battle of the Bulge. For 10 days straight, Siler was on the battlefield.
“Snow was knee deep. Guys froze to death in the trenches. The weather was as bad as the enemy. We weren’t dressed for it. We had short coats,” he recalled.
Siler endured frostbite from his knees down to his feet. They are 50 percent numb now. During the war, he got pneumonia and was taken to a Catholic orphanage for hospitalization.
Siler is a lifelong resident of Bradford. He and his wife, Marilyn, were married for 50 years until her passing 10 years ago. They had two daughters, Lisa and Cindy, and a son, Greg.
Siler served on the Bradford City Council for 15 years. He was also a rural mail carrier for 22 years and sold real estate. His career and hobby choices were far from the battlefield and the scenes he experienced.
“I didn’t want to be a nurse. I saw so much horrible stuff. You’d see it again in an emergency room, and I didn’t want to do it anymore,” Siler said.
“Oceans of tears were shed on both sides of the Atlantic and in German houses and Japanese houses. They had parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, too. War is a bad business,” Siler said.
He still has a giving heart. “I love to garden. I eat a little and give some away to people who need it,” Siler said.
According to his son, Greg, Siler never spoke about the war until recently, when he went to the VA hospital for medical care. Siler suffers from tinnitus and is nearly deaf because of his time in the war. It was then that work began to get him his medals.
Leader staff writer
Second World War veteran James “Tinker” Siler, 90, of Bradford was presented with the Bronze Star and the Combat Medical Badge during a ceremony on Wednesday at the White County Courthouse. Siler was a combat medic in the Battle of the Bulge.
Siler was awarded the medals 70 years ago but never received them and time moved on.
Later this year, Siler will be presented with the French Knight of Legion of Honor Medal at the French Embassy in Dallas.
“It is a great deal. I feel honored,” Siler said.
White County Judge Michael Lincoln proclaimed the day as “Tinker” Siler Day.
Siler was an 18-year-old high school senior when he went off to war in 1942.
He was in Gen. George Patton’s Third Army in three major campaigns: The Ardennes, The Rhineland and Central Europe.
On the combat medic team, Siler gave emergency first aid to severely injured soldiers on the front lines, bandaging them up to stop the bleeding, to get them to the hospitals. Some died in his arms.
“We helped to get them out of harm. We got them back to the doctors as quick as we could. It was heart wrenching,” Siler said.
He was in the second wave at the Battle of the Bulge. For 10 days straight, Siler was on the battlefield.
“Snow was knee deep. Guys froze to death in the trenches. The weather was as bad as the enemy. We weren’t dressed for it. We had short coats,” he recalled.
Siler endured frostbite from his knees down to his feet. They are 50 percent numb now. During the war, he got pneumonia and was taken to a Catholic orphanage for hospitalization.
Siler is a lifelong resident of Bradford. He and his wife, Marilyn, were married for 50 years until her passing 10 years ago. They had two daughters, Lisa and Cindy, and a son, Greg.
Siler served on the Bradford City Council for 15 years. He was also a rural mail carrier for 22 years and sold real estate. His career and hobby choices were far from the battlefield and the scenes he experienced.
“I didn’t want to be a nurse. I saw so much horrible stuff. You’d see it again in an emergency room, and I didn’t want to do it anymore,” Siler said.
“Oceans of tears were shed on both sides of the Atlantic and in German houses and Japanese houses. They had parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, too. War is a bad business,” Siler said.
He still has a giving heart. “I love to garden. I eat a little and give some away to people who need it,” Siler said.
According to his son, Greg, Siler never spoke about the war until recently, when he went to the VA hospital for medical care. Siler suffers from tinnitus and is nearly deaf because of his time in the war. It was then that work began to get him his medals.
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
SPORTS STORY >> Jackrabbits trot to win over NPHS
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
A disastrous third inning turned a competitive game into a blowout Monday as the Lonoke baseball team hammered North Pulaski 11-1 at the Lonoke Ballpark.
The Jackrabbits led 3-1 going into the third inning, had two outs, two runners on base and a 0-2 count to Haven Hunter when the Falcons fell apart.
North Pulaski relief pitcher Ean Collie threw a curve ball inside with his third pitch that froze Hunter, but was called a ball. Collie, who already had two strikeouts in the inning, showed displeasure with the call, and struggled badly to find the strike zone the rest of the inning.
He walked Hunter with the next three pitches, and then walked Cody Martin in five pitches. He had already walked Casey Martin and given up a single to right field to Savonte Rountree. Cody Martin’s walk scored Rountree and left the bases loaded.
Nick Graves then hit a routine grounder to shortstop that was fielded cleanly. Zach Douglass went the short rout to second base for the third out, but Chris Penn dropped the throw, allowing Casey Martin to score and leaving the bases loaded.
Collie got Christian James in a 0-2 hole before hitting him with a pitch to score Hunter.
Lonoke pitcher Todd Pool then singled to score Cody Martin and Graves. Tyler Fuhrman also singled to score James. Rountree then walked to load the bases and Elijah Seigrist walked to scored Pool for the final run of the inning, making it 10-1.
The Falcons also let three pop-up foul balls drop over the course of the inning, two at first base and one at home plate.
In total, North Pulaski gave up three hits, five walks, committed five errors and hit one batter while giving up six unearned runs in the third inning.
Lonoke didn’t score in the fourth, but scored without an out in the bottom of the fifth to invoke the mercy rule. Rountree walked, Seigrist was hit by a pitch and Casey Martin singled to center field for the game-ending RBI.
NP starting pitcher Ramiro Urena gave up two runs in the bottom of the first as he struggled with control.
Lonoke’s Tevin Patillo hit a leadoff single before Urena hit Levi Ward and walked Cody Martin to load the bases. Patillo was thrown out trying to steal home on a wild pitch during Graves’ at-bat.
Urena fanned Graves for the second out before Christian James hit a two-RBI single that scored Ward and Cody Martin. Urena then walked Pool and hit Fuhrman to load the bases again, but struck out Rountree to get out of the second jam of the inning.
North Pulaski’s run came in the top of the third. Brandon McKinney led off and reached on an error at first base. He stole second and then scored on a single to left field by Penn.
North Pulaski pitching gave up six base hits, walked 14 and hit four batters.
Pool threw three innings, giving up one hit while striking out five and walking zero. Hunter threw the fourth inning with no hits, two strikeouts and one walk. James threw the fifth for Lonoke, giving up one hit with one strikeout and no walks.
The Jackrabbits (12-2, 7-1) wait for Stuttgart to finish conference play to find out if they’ll be the one or two seed in the district tournament that begins Thursday at Riverview. Either way, Lonoke will not play until the semifinals on Saturday.
Leader sports editor
A disastrous third inning turned a competitive game into a blowout Monday as the Lonoke baseball team hammered North Pulaski 11-1 at the Lonoke Ballpark.
The Jackrabbits led 3-1 going into the third inning, had two outs, two runners on base and a 0-2 count to Haven Hunter when the Falcons fell apart.
North Pulaski relief pitcher Ean Collie threw a curve ball inside with his third pitch that froze Hunter, but was called a ball. Collie, who already had two strikeouts in the inning, showed displeasure with the call, and struggled badly to find the strike zone the rest of the inning.
He walked Hunter with the next three pitches, and then walked Cody Martin in five pitches. He had already walked Casey Martin and given up a single to right field to Savonte Rountree. Cody Martin’s walk scored Rountree and left the bases loaded.
Nick Graves then hit a routine grounder to shortstop that was fielded cleanly. Zach Douglass went the short rout to second base for the third out, but Chris Penn dropped the throw, allowing Casey Martin to score and leaving the bases loaded.
Collie got Christian James in a 0-2 hole before hitting him with a pitch to score Hunter.
Lonoke pitcher Todd Pool then singled to score Cody Martin and Graves. Tyler Fuhrman also singled to score James. Rountree then walked to load the bases and Elijah Seigrist walked to scored Pool for the final run of the inning, making it 10-1.
The Falcons also let three pop-up foul balls drop over the course of the inning, two at first base and one at home plate.
In total, North Pulaski gave up three hits, five walks, committed five errors and hit one batter while giving up six unearned runs in the third inning.
Lonoke didn’t score in the fourth, but scored without an out in the bottom of the fifth to invoke the mercy rule. Rountree walked, Seigrist was hit by a pitch and Casey Martin singled to center field for the game-ending RBI.
NP starting pitcher Ramiro Urena gave up two runs in the bottom of the first as he struggled with control.
Lonoke’s Tevin Patillo hit a leadoff single before Urena hit Levi Ward and walked Cody Martin to load the bases. Patillo was thrown out trying to steal home on a wild pitch during Graves’ at-bat.
Urena fanned Graves for the second out before Christian James hit a two-RBI single that scored Ward and Cody Martin. Urena then walked Pool and hit Fuhrman to load the bases again, but struck out Rountree to get out of the second jam of the inning.
North Pulaski’s run came in the top of the third. Brandon McKinney led off and reached on an error at first base. He stole second and then scored on a single to left field by Penn.
North Pulaski pitching gave up six base hits, walked 14 and hit four batters.
Pool threw three innings, giving up one hit while striking out five and walking zero. Hunter threw the fourth inning with no hits, two strikeouts and one walk. James threw the fifth for Lonoke, giving up one hit with one strikeout and no walks.
The Jackrabbits (12-2, 7-1) wait for Stuttgart to finish conference play to find out if they’ll be the one or two seed in the district tournament that begins Thursday at Riverview. Either way, Lonoke will not play until the semifinals on Saturday.
SPORTS STORY >> Lady Panthers win conference
By RAY BENTONLeader sports editor
The Cabot girls’ track team won the 7A-East/Central Conference meet last Friday in Conway by a wide margin. Cabot scored 193 points to beat two-time defending champion Bryant’s 135.5. Conway was third with 96 points.
Van Buren finished fourth with 96 and West Memphis finished fifth with 56.5. Little Rock Central scored 51, North Little Rock 31 and Mount St. Mary 24 to round out the league standings.
Cabot coach Leon White was pleased with his team’s overall effort, but confessed it probably should’ve been closer.
“The points are a little deceiving because Bryant’s best athlete wasn’t there,” said White. “She wouldn’t have scored enough for them to beat us, but it would’ve been closer. Overall I thought we performed pretty well. We got several people qualified for state that hadn’t qualified. We missed on a couple we wanted, too, and that was a little disappointing. But overall it was a really good meet for us.”
Expectations weren’t as high for the Cabot boys’ team, but the Panthers exceeded expectations, scoring 74.2 points and finishing third.
“That was a little bit of a surprise for the boys to come in third,” White said. “They’re young, there’s not very many of them out this year, but they competed hard.”
Bryant won the boys’ conference championship with 221.6 points while Conway was second with 146.
Micah Huckabee didn’t turn in anywhere near her best times, but still won the 800 and 1,600 meter races. White said that was by design for his University of Arkansas commitment.
“We weren’t asking her to run her best times,” White said. “We just asked her for the 10 points.”
Senior Danielle McWilliams also qualified for state in the 800 with a sixth-place finish. Alyssa Hamilton was right on her heels just two-tenths of a second behind McWilliams. She finished seventh and earned two points for the team total, but only the top six in each event qualify for state.
Freshman Casey Gore qualified for state in the 1,600 with a fifth-place finish, and three Lady Panthers joined Huckabee in qualifying for the two-mile.
Huckabee already had a qualified time in the 3,200 and didn’t run it at conference, but junior teammate Samantha Nickell finished second, Gore took fourth and senior Vanessa Weidling finished fifth for the Lady Panthers.
Lexi Weeks won the 400-meter race with a time of 58.80 and the 100-meter hurdles with a 15.62. Tori Weeks was right behind her in the high hurdles with a 15.95, and she won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles with a personal record of 44.77. Junior Caytee Wright also qualified for state in the 300 hurdles with a sixth-place finish, and McWilliams qualified in the high hurdles by also taking sixth.
“Danielle has been under the weather and wasn’t feeling real well, so she didn’t have her best meet,” White said. “But she got it done in everything we tried to qualify her for.”
Lexi and Tori Weeks finished first and second once again in the pole vault. Each has cleared 13-feet or more in almost every meet this year, but stopped at 11-6 on Friday because of bad conditions.
“We just wanted them to go as high as they needed to get first and second,” White said.
Junior Ashley Odom finished fourth in the vault to qualify for state. Lexi and Tori Weeks finished first and second in the long jump as well. Lexi Weeks jumped 17-7 and Tori went 16-7. Tori Weeks also won the triple jump with a leap of 37-2 3/4.
Hamilton threw a personal best 104 feet in the discus throw to finish second behind West Memphis’ Adara Russell, who threw 105-11.
Wright qualified for state in the high jump with a fifth-place finish, and Anna Sullivan threw the shot put 30 feet to finish fifth and qualify.
For the boys, sophomore Britton Alley finished second in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200. Junior Rocky Burke cleared 12-6 and sophomore Braxton Burton jumped 12-feet in the pole vault to finish second and third respectively.
Junior Brandon Jones finished second in the discus with a toss of 136-6, just 15 inches away from first place Austin Norris of Conway. Freshman Omero Garcia also qualified for state with a sixth-place discus throw.
Senior Nick Davis took fourth in the two-mile while Brayden Mercantel finished fifth in the 800 and sixth in the mile. Sophomore Connor Daigle finished sixth in the 300 hurdles.
“We were proud of them,” White said. “The girls did what we went over there to do and the boys did better than we thought. So it was overall a good day.”
The Cabot girls’ track team won the 7A-East/Central Conference meet last Friday in Conway by a wide margin. Cabot scored 193 points to beat two-time defending champion Bryant’s 135.5. Conway was third with 96 points.
Van Buren finished fourth with 96 and West Memphis finished fifth with 56.5. Little Rock Central scored 51, North Little Rock 31 and Mount St. Mary 24 to round out the league standings.
Cabot coach Leon White was pleased with his team’s overall effort, but confessed it probably should’ve been closer.
“The points are a little deceiving because Bryant’s best athlete wasn’t there,” said White. “She wouldn’t have scored enough for them to beat us, but it would’ve been closer. Overall I thought we performed pretty well. We got several people qualified for state that hadn’t qualified. We missed on a couple we wanted, too, and that was a little disappointing. But overall it was a really good meet for us.”
Expectations weren’t as high for the Cabot boys’ team, but the Panthers exceeded expectations, scoring 74.2 points and finishing third.
“That was a little bit of a surprise for the boys to come in third,” White said. “They’re young, there’s not very many of them out this year, but they competed hard.”
Bryant won the boys’ conference championship with 221.6 points while Conway was second with 146.
Micah Huckabee didn’t turn in anywhere near her best times, but still won the 800 and 1,600 meter races. White said that was by design for his University of Arkansas commitment.
“We weren’t asking her to run her best times,” White said. “We just asked her for the 10 points.”
Senior Danielle McWilliams also qualified for state in the 800 with a sixth-place finish. Alyssa Hamilton was right on her heels just two-tenths of a second behind McWilliams. She finished seventh and earned two points for the team total, but only the top six in each event qualify for state.
Freshman Casey Gore qualified for state in the 1,600 with a fifth-place finish, and three Lady Panthers joined Huckabee in qualifying for the two-mile.
Huckabee already had a qualified time in the 3,200 and didn’t run it at conference, but junior teammate Samantha Nickell finished second, Gore took fourth and senior Vanessa Weidling finished fifth for the Lady Panthers.
Lexi Weeks won the 400-meter race with a time of 58.80 and the 100-meter hurdles with a 15.62. Tori Weeks was right behind her in the high hurdles with a 15.95, and she won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles with a personal record of 44.77. Junior Caytee Wright also qualified for state in the 300 hurdles with a sixth-place finish, and McWilliams qualified in the high hurdles by also taking sixth.
“Danielle has been under the weather and wasn’t feeling real well, so she didn’t have her best meet,” White said. “But she got it done in everything we tried to qualify her for.”
Lexi and Tori Weeks finished first and second once again in the pole vault. Each has cleared 13-feet or more in almost every meet this year, but stopped at 11-6 on Friday because of bad conditions.
“We just wanted them to go as high as they needed to get first and second,” White said.
Junior Ashley Odom finished fourth in the vault to qualify for state. Lexi and Tori Weeks finished first and second in the long jump as well. Lexi Weeks jumped 17-7 and Tori went 16-7. Tori Weeks also won the triple jump with a leap of 37-2 3/4.
Hamilton threw a personal best 104 feet in the discus throw to finish second behind West Memphis’ Adara Russell, who threw 105-11.
Wright qualified for state in the high jump with a fifth-place finish, and Anna Sullivan threw the shot put 30 feet to finish fifth and qualify.
For the boys, sophomore Britton Alley finished second in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200. Junior Rocky Burke cleared 12-6 and sophomore Braxton Burton jumped 12-feet in the pole vault to finish second and third respectively.
Junior Brandon Jones finished second in the discus with a toss of 136-6, just 15 inches away from first place Austin Norris of Conway. Freshman Omero Garcia also qualified for state with a sixth-place discus throw.
Senior Nick Davis took fourth in the two-mile while Brayden Mercantel finished fifth in the 800 and sixth in the mile. Sophomore Connor Daigle finished sixth in the 300 hurdles.
“We were proud of them,” White said. “The girls did what we went over there to do and the boys did better than we thought. So it was overall a good day.”
SPORTS STORY >> Beebe gets walk-off hit, beats NLR
By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
The Beebe High School softball team got a big nonconference win at home on Monday, beating two-time, defending Class 7A state champion North Little Rock 3-2 on a two-out, walk-off single by Lady Badger shortstop Nikita Howell.
Beebe (18-3, 10-0) and NLR (10-7, 7-3) went into the seventh inning tied at 2-2, and the Lady Charging Wildcats were held scoreless during their at-bat in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Beebe’s Courtney Shepard got things started with a one-out single to center field. NLR starting pitcher RachelGregory struck out Beebe three-hole hitter Megan Davlin the next at-bat for the second out of the inning, but walked Aleighu Porterfield the following at-bat.
Beebe starting pitcher Ellie Reaves then loaded the bases with an infield single, bringing Howell to the plate. With a 2-1 count, Howell hit a line drive into left field on the fourth pitch of the at-bat. The ball landed just in front of left fielder Lydia Belew’s glove, which allowed Shepard to score the winning run for Beebe.
“We haven’t played real well against good teams here lately,” said Beebe coach Eric Chambers. “They’re a good team. What they (NLR) do is they swing the bat. She (Reaves) threw a lot of pitches, and got up and down.
“I was glad to see that we kept plugging and plugging, and we made some things happen. We had a good hit at the right time and scored the winning run. We also had a couple of other good hits that put us in position to score. It was a good win for us. We really needed it.”
North Little Rock scored the first two runs of the game in the top of the second. Reagan Sperling reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning, and scored four batters later on a two-out single to left field by Morgan Seaton.
The next at-bat, Bailey Harris scored on a single up the middle by leadoff hitter Sydney Parr, which gave NLR its 2-0 lead. Beebe scored its first two runs in the bottom of the third.
Catcher Haley Dinapoli led off the bottom of the third with a stand-up double to left field, and Baylee Halford followed Dinapoli’s at-bat with a bunt single to shortstop.
Two batters later, Shepard caught the right side of the infield sleeping, and reached on a bunt single to that side of the field. She picked up an RBI on the play as Hannah Crafton, Dinapoli’s courtesy runner, scored, which cut NLR’s lead to 2-1.
Davlin walked the next at-bat to load the bases, but Gregory followed with a strikeout for the second out of the inning. That brought Reaves to the plate, and she battled Gregory to a 3-2 count before being walked. That gave Reaves an easy RBI as Halford scored on the play, knotting the score up at 2-2.
Reaves earned the win in the circle. She pitched all seven innings, and recorded three strikeouts. Gregory recorded six strikeouts in the losing effort.
The Lady Badgers narrowly outhit the Lady Cats, 9-8. Shepard led Beebe with three hits. Dinapoli and Halford each had two hits, while Reaves and Howell had one apiece.
Sperling led NLR with three hits. Parr and Cassidy Tucker also had multiple hits for the Lady Cats. They each had two.
As good as Monday’s win is for the Lady Badgers, they’ll play their most important games of the season tomorrow at home against Sylvan Hills. That 5A-Central doubleheader will in all likelihood decide the conference champion, and first pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
Leader sportswriter
The Beebe High School softball team got a big nonconference win at home on Monday, beating two-time, defending Class 7A state champion North Little Rock 3-2 on a two-out, walk-off single by Lady Badger shortstop Nikita Howell.
Beebe (18-3, 10-0) and NLR (10-7, 7-3) went into the seventh inning tied at 2-2, and the Lady Charging Wildcats were held scoreless during their at-bat in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Beebe’s Courtney Shepard got things started with a one-out single to center field. NLR starting pitcher RachelGregory struck out Beebe three-hole hitter Megan Davlin the next at-bat for the second out of the inning, but walked Aleighu Porterfield the following at-bat.
Beebe starting pitcher Ellie Reaves then loaded the bases with an infield single, bringing Howell to the plate. With a 2-1 count, Howell hit a line drive into left field on the fourth pitch of the at-bat. The ball landed just in front of left fielder Lydia Belew’s glove, which allowed Shepard to score the winning run for Beebe.
“We haven’t played real well against good teams here lately,” said Beebe coach Eric Chambers. “They’re a good team. What they (NLR) do is they swing the bat. She (Reaves) threw a lot of pitches, and got up and down.
“I was glad to see that we kept plugging and plugging, and we made some things happen. We had a good hit at the right time and scored the winning run. We also had a couple of other good hits that put us in position to score. It was a good win for us. We really needed it.”
North Little Rock scored the first two runs of the game in the top of the second. Reagan Sperling reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning, and scored four batters later on a two-out single to left field by Morgan Seaton.
The next at-bat, Bailey Harris scored on a single up the middle by leadoff hitter Sydney Parr, which gave NLR its 2-0 lead. Beebe scored its first two runs in the bottom of the third.
Catcher Haley Dinapoli led off the bottom of the third with a stand-up double to left field, and Baylee Halford followed Dinapoli’s at-bat with a bunt single to shortstop.
Two batters later, Shepard caught the right side of the infield sleeping, and reached on a bunt single to that side of the field. She picked up an RBI on the play as Hannah Crafton, Dinapoli’s courtesy runner, scored, which cut NLR’s lead to 2-1.
Davlin walked the next at-bat to load the bases, but Gregory followed with a strikeout for the second out of the inning. That brought Reaves to the plate, and she battled Gregory to a 3-2 count before being walked. That gave Reaves an easy RBI as Halford scored on the play, knotting the score up at 2-2.
Reaves earned the win in the circle. She pitched all seven innings, and recorded three strikeouts. Gregory recorded six strikeouts in the losing effort.
The Lady Badgers narrowly outhit the Lady Cats, 9-8. Shepard led Beebe with three hits. Dinapoli and Halford each had two hits, while Reaves and Howell had one apiece.
Sperling led NLR with three hits. Parr and Cassidy Tucker also had multiple hits for the Lady Cats. They each had two.
As good as Monday’s win is for the Lady Badgers, they’ll play their most important games of the season tomorrow at home against Sylvan Hills. That 5A-Central doubleheader will in all likelihood decide the conference champion, and first pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
SPORT STORY >> Red Devil pitching silences Badgers
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Jacksonville Red Devils picked up a solid nonconference win on Monday, beating two-time defending Class 4A champion Arkadelphia 5-1 at Dupree Park.
Jacksonville scored two in the first inning, one in the fifth and two in the sixth while giving up just one unearned run in the second inning to earn the win.
Jacksonville coach Larry Burrows was OK with his team’s performance, but not entirely pleased.
“I don’t know, maybe I expect too much from them,” said Burrows. “I mean, we played a good game. We made some mistakes and we put them behind us. That’s what an experienced team is supposed to do.”
Jacksonville got one earned and one unearned run in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Courtland McDonald singled and Ryan Mallison walked to start things off.
McDonald scored when Caleb McMunn’s grounder to third was mishandled. Mallison came on two batters later on an RBI single to left field by James Tucker.
Tucker started on the mound and gave up two base hits in the first inning, including one to leadoff hitter Cutter Jester. Catcher Greg Jones then threw Jester out as he tried to steal second base. Tucker sandwiched another base hit between a strikeout and a 6-4 grounder to end the inning.
The second inning should’ve been a one-two-three inning for Tucker. After getting the first two batters out, an error at shortstop was followed by a triple that pulled the Badgers to within 2-1.
That’s how it stayed until the home half of the fifth inning, when Jacksonville nine-hole hitter Laderrious Perry drew a walk to start things off.
Two batters later, Mallison hit into a fielder’s choice that got Perry thrown out at second for the second out. McMunn then doubled to center field to score Mallison and give the Red Devils a 3-1 lead.
Jacksonville put together a two-out rally in the sixth, starting with a two-out base hit by Brandon Hickingbotham.
D.J. Scott was hit with a 2-1 pitch, and Perry, after falling into a 0-2 hole, worked the count full and fouled off three pitches before taking a pitch in the back to load the bases.
McDonald then singled to left-center field to drive in two runs and set the final margin.
Arkadelphia threatened in the top of the seventh by loading the bases, but relief pitcher Derek St. Clair struck out two batters and Perry made a diving, over-the-head catch of a hard line drive in right field to get out of the jam and preserve the victory.
Burrows singled out Perry and St. Clair for overcoming bad plays and making big ones.
“Perry swung at a bad first pitch and came back with a big at-bat for us,” Burrows said. “St. Clair hit one and walked one, but they moved on to the next pitch. That’s something we talk about all the time. I mean, look, we’re old. We’re a senior team and that’s what we’re supposed to do. That’s what it’s supposed to look like from an old team.”
Tucker gave up four hits while striking out four and walking zero in his five innings on the mound. St. Clair threw the last two innings, giving up one hit while striking out five, hitting one and walking one batter.
McDonald was the only player to finish with multiple base hits, going 2 for 4 while Perry reached base in every at-bat, going 1 for 1 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Jacksonville (16-6, 10-0) plays at Mills on Thursday to resume conference play in the 5A-Central. Arkadelphia dropped to 15-6 and are 9-0 in the 4A-7.
Leader sports editor
The Jacksonville Red Devils picked up a solid nonconference win on Monday, beating two-time defending Class 4A champion Arkadelphia 5-1 at Dupree Park.
Jacksonville scored two in the first inning, one in the fifth and two in the sixth while giving up just one unearned run in the second inning to earn the win.
Jacksonville coach Larry Burrows was OK with his team’s performance, but not entirely pleased.
“I don’t know, maybe I expect too much from them,” said Burrows. “I mean, we played a good game. We made some mistakes and we put them behind us. That’s what an experienced team is supposed to do.”
Jacksonville got one earned and one unearned run in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Courtland McDonald singled and Ryan Mallison walked to start things off.
McDonald scored when Caleb McMunn’s grounder to third was mishandled. Mallison came on two batters later on an RBI single to left field by James Tucker.
Tucker started on the mound and gave up two base hits in the first inning, including one to leadoff hitter Cutter Jester. Catcher Greg Jones then threw Jester out as he tried to steal second base. Tucker sandwiched another base hit between a strikeout and a 6-4 grounder to end the inning.
The second inning should’ve been a one-two-three inning for Tucker. After getting the first two batters out, an error at shortstop was followed by a triple that pulled the Badgers to within 2-1.
That’s how it stayed until the home half of the fifth inning, when Jacksonville nine-hole hitter Laderrious Perry drew a walk to start things off.
Two batters later, Mallison hit into a fielder’s choice that got Perry thrown out at second for the second out. McMunn then doubled to center field to score Mallison and give the Red Devils a 3-1 lead.
Jacksonville put together a two-out rally in the sixth, starting with a two-out base hit by Brandon Hickingbotham.
D.J. Scott was hit with a 2-1 pitch, and Perry, after falling into a 0-2 hole, worked the count full and fouled off three pitches before taking a pitch in the back to load the bases.
McDonald then singled to left-center field to drive in two runs and set the final margin.
Arkadelphia threatened in the top of the seventh by loading the bases, but relief pitcher Derek St. Clair struck out two batters and Perry made a diving, over-the-head catch of a hard line drive in right field to get out of the jam and preserve the victory.
Burrows singled out Perry and St. Clair for overcoming bad plays and making big ones.
“Perry swung at a bad first pitch and came back with a big at-bat for us,” Burrows said. “St. Clair hit one and walked one, but they moved on to the next pitch. That’s something we talk about all the time. I mean, look, we’re old. We’re a senior team and that’s what we’re supposed to do. That’s what it’s supposed to look like from an old team.”
Tucker gave up four hits while striking out four and walking zero in his five innings on the mound. St. Clair threw the last two innings, giving up one hit while striking out five, hitting one and walking one batter.
McDonald was the only player to finish with multiple base hits, going 2 for 4 while Perry reached base in every at-bat, going 1 for 1 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Jacksonville (16-6, 10-0) plays at Mills on Thursday to resume conference play in the 5A-Central. Arkadelphia dropped to 15-6 and are 9-0 in the 4A-7.
SPORTS STORY >> Falcons’ soccer sweeps Bears
By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The North Pulaski boys’ and girls’ soccer teams each got exciting victories over rival Sylvan Hills on Monday at Blackwood Field in Sherwood. The Lady Falcons scored in the first five minutes of the game and held that lead the rest of the way to win 1-0.
The Falcons fell behind 1-0 late in the first half, but scored in the 13th minute of the second half, and again with 35 seconds remaining to win 2-1.
The North Pulaski Falcon boys pushed the tempo drastically in the second half, keeping the game at a frenetic pace and keeping the ball on their offensive side most of the time.
North Pulaski coach Donny Lantrip said the faster pace in the second half was by design after he felt his team got out-hustled in the first half.
“We did force the tempo because they were beating us to every ball in the first half,” said Lantrip. “We’re faster than they are so there wasn’t any excuse for that. But they played hard in the second half and came through. I’m very proud of them.”
Sylvan Hills scored first when Gabriel Persson’s passed a perfect through ball to James Waller behind the Falcon defense. Waller got a one-on-one with North Pulaski goalkeeper Trenton Berry and scored with 3:45 remaining in the first half.
Berry was outstanding the rest of the game. Sylvan Hills got three very close range shots on goal from minute 14 to minute 12, each blocked in different ways by Berry. He deflected one shot over the goal, wrapped up another and kicked the third away while falling to the ground into the splits.
In the second half, North Pulaski kept the pressure on Sylvan Hills’ defense. After several close-range throw-ins and corner kicks, the Bear defense finally cracked when Illajah Carter got the ball in traffic near the goal, and weaved his way to an open shot to tie the game.
Sylvan Hills had a few opportunities to score, mostly on through balls to Waller as the Falcons were attacking so aggressively on offense, but Berry and the defense came through with stops each time.
The game-winning goal came when Carter took a pass near the far right corner and raced up the end line behind the goal. He then passed to Fernando Barrientos as he charged towards the goal.
Barrientos had one-on-one and put a hard shot into the back left corner of the goal, sparking a huge celebration, which drew a yellow card.
North Pulaski’s win combined with Jacksonville’s loss on Monday at Pulaski Academy, leaves the rivals tied for the second place in the loss column, and sets up a huge match Thursday at JHS’ Jan Crow Stadium.
North Pulaski is 9-3 in the league standings while Jacksonville is 8-3. PA leads the league at 10-1 and the top three are all guaranteed a spot in the state tournament. Sylvan Hills (6-5) and Beebe (5-6) are still vying for the four seed.
In the girls’ game, NP senior Ilycia Carter scored early in the Lady Falcons focused on defense the rest of the way, a strategy welcomed by Sylvan Hills coach Nate Persson.
“I was surprised they went defense because we beat them by three so we still have the tiebreaker over them if we end up tied,” said Persson. “And that’s a real possibility because we still have to go to PA, who no one in our conference has even scored on this year I don’t think. So in a sense it was still kind of like a victory for us because all we had to do was not lose by three. And the difference between that two and that three seed in state is huge.”
The Lady Bears are still in second place behind PA at 6-2 while North Pulaski is 5-3. Beebe is close behind at 4-4 and hosts the Lady Falcons next Monday.
Leader sports editor
The North Pulaski boys’ and girls’ soccer teams each got exciting victories over rival Sylvan Hills on Monday at Blackwood Field in Sherwood. The Lady Falcons scored in the first five minutes of the game and held that lead the rest of the way to win 1-0.
The Falcons fell behind 1-0 late in the first half, but scored in the 13th minute of the second half, and again with 35 seconds remaining to win 2-1.
The North Pulaski Falcon boys pushed the tempo drastically in the second half, keeping the game at a frenetic pace and keeping the ball on their offensive side most of the time.
North Pulaski coach Donny Lantrip said the faster pace in the second half was by design after he felt his team got out-hustled in the first half.
“We did force the tempo because they were beating us to every ball in the first half,” said Lantrip. “We’re faster than they are so there wasn’t any excuse for that. But they played hard in the second half and came through. I’m very proud of them.”
Sylvan Hills scored first when Gabriel Persson’s passed a perfect through ball to James Waller behind the Falcon defense. Waller got a one-on-one with North Pulaski goalkeeper Trenton Berry and scored with 3:45 remaining in the first half.
Berry was outstanding the rest of the game. Sylvan Hills got three very close range shots on goal from minute 14 to minute 12, each blocked in different ways by Berry. He deflected one shot over the goal, wrapped up another and kicked the third away while falling to the ground into the splits.
In the second half, North Pulaski kept the pressure on Sylvan Hills’ defense. After several close-range throw-ins and corner kicks, the Bear defense finally cracked when Illajah Carter got the ball in traffic near the goal, and weaved his way to an open shot to tie the game.
Sylvan Hills had a few opportunities to score, mostly on through balls to Waller as the Falcons were attacking so aggressively on offense, but Berry and the defense came through with stops each time.
The game-winning goal came when Carter took a pass near the far right corner and raced up the end line behind the goal. He then passed to Fernando Barrientos as he charged towards the goal.
Barrientos had one-on-one and put a hard shot into the back left corner of the goal, sparking a huge celebration, which drew a yellow card.
North Pulaski’s win combined with Jacksonville’s loss on Monday at Pulaski Academy, leaves the rivals tied for the second place in the loss column, and sets up a huge match Thursday at JHS’ Jan Crow Stadium.
North Pulaski is 9-3 in the league standings while Jacksonville is 8-3. PA leads the league at 10-1 and the top three are all guaranteed a spot in the state tournament. Sylvan Hills (6-5) and Beebe (5-6) are still vying for the four seed.
In the girls’ game, NP senior Ilycia Carter scored early in the Lady Falcons focused on defense the rest of the way, a strategy welcomed by Sylvan Hills coach Nate Persson.
“I was surprised they went defense because we beat them by three so we still have the tiebreaker over them if we end up tied,” said Persson. “And that’s a real possibility because we still have to go to PA, who no one in our conference has even scored on this year I don’t think. So in a sense it was still kind of like a victory for us because all we had to do was not lose by three. And the difference between that two and that three seed in state is huge.”
The Lady Bears are still in second place behind PA at 6-2 while North Pulaski is 5-3. Beebe is close behind at 4-4 and hosts the Lady Falcons next Monday.
TOP STORY >> PCSSD wants to keep schools with millage hike
By JOHN HOFHEIMER
Leader staff writer
Residents of the College Station and McAlmont communities can keep their historically significant black elementary schools, having convinced Pulaski County Special School District Superintendent Jerry Guess to improve rather than close them.
That’s if state Education Commissioner Johnny Key signs off on the proposal and voters approve a 5.6-mill property tax increase.
The PCSSD Citizens Advisory Board unanimously made those changes and another Monday, sending them on to Key.
In lieu of a PCSSD school board, which the state dissolved when it took over the district in 2011 for reasons of fiscal distress, the education commissioner serves as a one-man board.
Residents of the Scott community would get a reprieve for their school, slated for closure at the end of this school year, until a new elementary is built to replace it.
The new school had been envisioned for 650 or 700 students, according to Guess, and would have accommodated Harris and College Station students as well as those from Scott. Instead, the new elementary school would serve about 400 students.
“We modified the plan,” Guess said. “We’re trying to do what will best serve the patrons.”
“At Harris, we’d go in there and turn the ‘B’ Building into a pre-K center, increase parking, add new driveways and separate the parent drop off from the bus drop off,” said Brad Montgomery, director of maintenance. A new playground and a walking track would also be installed, he said.
A new kitchen and cafeteria would double as a storm shelter, a new administration area would be constructed, and all connectors would be enclosed to keep students out of the weather.
College Station sits below grade, and the roofs are different heights and materials.
A new section, one-and-one-half stories high, would connect the existing buildings to add a new entry, principal’s office and student services. “It will have a real nice look from the street,” Montgomery said.
“We’ll move and enlarge the media center, add a bus drop off, a separate car drop off and another playground,” he said. Parking would be added, too.
“We’ll enclose all outdoor corridors, except the fine arts building,” Montgomery noted.
The whole point is to give people what they want, Guess said.
“The parents at Scott are excited to stay until the new building is constructed.”
The board voted unanimously to recommend putting $2.5 million to $3 million into upgrades and additions at Harris and College Station elementaries. The new school would cost an estimated $12 million.
The new elementary to replace Scott and serve some unincorporated county residents would be located off state Hwy. 440 near the Fourche Dam exit, Guess said.
Previously, all three schools had been slated for closure and rolled into the new, planned elementary.
This is part of the ambitious district-wide facilities improvement plan the district would execute with the passage on May 12 of a 5.6-mill property-tax increase.
The increase would still leave PCSSD with a lower tax rate than either the North Little Rock or Little Rock school districts.
All these improvements are contingent upon voter approval of the increase.
That increase is expected to raise about $221 million and essentially build three new high schools and improve virtually every school remaining in the district after 10 schools split off with the Jacksonville-North Pulaski School District.
PCSSD is planning a large addition to Sylvan Hills High School if voters approve a millage increase, which would make it “basically a new school,” said PCSSD Director of Operations Derek Scott.
That school doesn’t have a space large enough for a student assembly. Improvements would include new classroom space, a new gymnasium and the space currently behind the school becoming the approach to, essentially, a whole new high school. The existing auditorium would be repurposed into a seminar room.
Two years ago, the school had about 770 students. After the Jacksonville-North Pulaski district starts classes, Sylvan Hills will grow to about 1,420 students.
Sylvan Hills Middle School, although recently built, still needs restrooms at the practice and play fields.
Sherwood Elementary would get a gym, a cafeteria and new parking.
Sylvan Hills Elementary is slated for additional classrooms, air conditioning in the gym and paved parking.
Cato Elementary, with open-space classrooms, could be moved about year three into the building that currently houses Northwood Middle School, Scott said.
In addition to work at Harris and College Station and the new Fourche Dam Pike-area elementary, here’s what patrons would get for their new tax dollars:
For Mills High School and its feeder schools, a new high school would be built for about $52 million, according to Scott, with the current high school remodeled and converted to a middle school.
Fuller, the existing middle school, would then be demolished.
The district would build the proposed new elementary school to replace Harris, Scott and College Station elementaries — roughly equidistant from each. That school is not currently on the state facilities master plan, but the state only matches about one-half of 1 percent of approved construction for PCSSD, Scott said. The district could afford the additional new school, assuming the millage increase is approved.
Landmark and Daisy Bates elementary schools would be gussied up and would each get a gymnasium/multipurpose room.
“We’re trying to ensure we can get rid of open-space classes, like those at Landmark, where possible,” Scott said.
The district would also build a new Robinson High School, converting the current high school into a middle school and demolishing the current middle school.
Robinson Elementary School, an open-space facility, would be demolished and replaced.
Chenal Elementary needs increased parking, and both Baker and Lawson elementaries need gymnasiums and facility improvements.
Maumelle High School, the most recently built in the district, still needs a track, visitors’ bleachers, restrooms, lights on the softball and baseball fields and the conversion of practice fields into game fields, according to Scott.
Maumelle Middle School, also recent construction, needs restrooms at the athletic fields and air conditioning in the gym.
Crystal Hill and Oak Grove elementary schools each need a gym and general improvements.
Pine Forest, which has a gym, still needs general facility improvements.
In the event that the millage increase vote fails, the district’s facilities plan would be reduced to building a new high school on Dixon Road to replace Mills High School and to perform an extreme makeover on Mills, converting it to a middle school for the students who otherwise would attend Fuller.
Early voting begins Tuesday, only at the Jack Evans Senior Center in Sherwood, the Jess Odom Community Center in Maumelle, the Roosevelt Thompson Library off Chenal Parkway and the County Regional Building at Markham and Broadway in Little Rock, according to Brian Poe, Pulaski County director of elections.
Residents of the Jacksonville-North Pulaski District aren’t eligible to vote in this election, nor are they subject to the increase if it is approved.
Leader staff writer
Residents of the College Station and McAlmont communities can keep their historically significant black elementary schools, having convinced Pulaski County Special School District Superintendent Jerry Guess to improve rather than close them.
That’s if state Education Commissioner Johnny Key signs off on the proposal and voters approve a 5.6-mill property tax increase.
The PCSSD Citizens Advisory Board unanimously made those changes and another Monday, sending them on to Key.
In lieu of a PCSSD school board, which the state dissolved when it took over the district in 2011 for reasons of fiscal distress, the education commissioner serves as a one-man board.
Residents of the Scott community would get a reprieve for their school, slated for closure at the end of this school year, until a new elementary is built to replace it.
The new school had been envisioned for 650 or 700 students, according to Guess, and would have accommodated Harris and College Station students as well as those from Scott. Instead, the new elementary school would serve about 400 students.
“We modified the plan,” Guess said. “We’re trying to do what will best serve the patrons.”
“At Harris, we’d go in there and turn the ‘B’ Building into a pre-K center, increase parking, add new driveways and separate the parent drop off from the bus drop off,” said Brad Montgomery, director of maintenance. A new playground and a walking track would also be installed, he said.
A new kitchen and cafeteria would double as a storm shelter, a new administration area would be constructed, and all connectors would be enclosed to keep students out of the weather.
College Station sits below grade, and the roofs are different heights and materials.
A new section, one-and-one-half stories high, would connect the existing buildings to add a new entry, principal’s office and student services. “It will have a real nice look from the street,” Montgomery said.
“We’ll move and enlarge the media center, add a bus drop off, a separate car drop off and another playground,” he said. Parking would be added, too.
“We’ll enclose all outdoor corridors, except the fine arts building,” Montgomery noted.
The whole point is to give people what they want, Guess said.
“The parents at Scott are excited to stay until the new building is constructed.”
The board voted unanimously to recommend putting $2.5 million to $3 million into upgrades and additions at Harris and College Station elementaries. The new school would cost an estimated $12 million.
The new elementary to replace Scott and serve some unincorporated county residents would be located off state Hwy. 440 near the Fourche Dam exit, Guess said.
Previously, all three schools had been slated for closure and rolled into the new, planned elementary.
This is part of the ambitious district-wide facilities improvement plan the district would execute with the passage on May 12 of a 5.6-mill property-tax increase.
The increase would still leave PCSSD with a lower tax rate than either the North Little Rock or Little Rock school districts.
All these improvements are contingent upon voter approval of the increase.
That increase is expected to raise about $221 million and essentially build three new high schools and improve virtually every school remaining in the district after 10 schools split off with the Jacksonville-North Pulaski School District.
PCSSD is planning a large addition to Sylvan Hills High School if voters approve a millage increase, which would make it “basically a new school,” said PCSSD Director of Operations Derek Scott.
That school doesn’t have a space large enough for a student assembly. Improvements would include new classroom space, a new gymnasium and the space currently behind the school becoming the approach to, essentially, a whole new high school. The existing auditorium would be repurposed into a seminar room.
Two years ago, the school had about 770 students. After the Jacksonville-North Pulaski district starts classes, Sylvan Hills will grow to about 1,420 students.
Sylvan Hills Middle School, although recently built, still needs restrooms at the practice and play fields.
Sherwood Elementary would get a gym, a cafeteria and new parking.
Sylvan Hills Elementary is slated for additional classrooms, air conditioning in the gym and paved parking.
Cato Elementary, with open-space classrooms, could be moved about year three into the building that currently houses Northwood Middle School, Scott said.
In addition to work at Harris and College Station and the new Fourche Dam Pike-area elementary, here’s what patrons would get for their new tax dollars:
For Mills High School and its feeder schools, a new high school would be built for about $52 million, according to Scott, with the current high school remodeled and converted to a middle school.
Fuller, the existing middle school, would then be demolished.
The district would build the proposed new elementary school to replace Harris, Scott and College Station elementaries — roughly equidistant from each. That school is not currently on the state facilities master plan, but the state only matches about one-half of 1 percent of approved construction for PCSSD, Scott said. The district could afford the additional new school, assuming the millage increase is approved.
Landmark and Daisy Bates elementary schools would be gussied up and would each get a gymnasium/multipurpose room.
“We’re trying to ensure we can get rid of open-space classes, like those at Landmark, where possible,” Scott said.
The district would also build a new Robinson High School, converting the current high school into a middle school and demolishing the current middle school.
Robinson Elementary School, an open-space facility, would be demolished and replaced.
Chenal Elementary needs increased parking, and both Baker and Lawson elementaries need gymnasiums and facility improvements.
Maumelle High School, the most recently built in the district, still needs a track, visitors’ bleachers, restrooms, lights on the softball and baseball fields and the conversion of practice fields into game fields, according to Scott.
Maumelle Middle School, also recent construction, needs restrooms at the athletic fields and air conditioning in the gym.
Crystal Hill and Oak Grove elementary schools each need a gym and general improvements.
Pine Forest, which has a gym, still needs general facility improvements.
In the event that the millage increase vote fails, the district’s facilities plan would be reduced to building a new high school on Dixon Road to replace Mills High School and to perform an extreme makeover on Mills, converting it to a middle school for the students who otherwise would attend Fuller.
Early voting begins Tuesday, only at the Jack Evans Senior Center in Sherwood, the Jess Odom Community Center in Maumelle, the Roosevelt Thompson Library off Chenal Parkway and the County Regional Building at Markham and Broadway in Little Rock, according to Brian Poe, Pulaski County director of elections.
Residents of the Jacksonville-North Pulaski District aren’t eligible to vote in this election, nor are they subject to the increase if it is approved.
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