ANNUAL REPORT

2014

RUSSELLVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT

Today’s students will, according to many experts, change jobs up to fifteen times during their lifetime. These same students will also be working at many jobs that do not exist at the present time. At the same time there is a “skills drain” occurring in which an alarming number of tradesmen and technical workers are retiring and not being replaced fast enough. The question for educators and parents is, “How can we prepare these young people for the world of work that they will be facing as adults?”

There are, of course, the basics. The three “R’s” are still very important. It is probably more important than ever that students have a good command of the language and are able to apply language skills. Being able to work with numbers is still necessary, and reading, both informational and literary, continues to be very important. Other necessary skills include being able to communicate effectively, the

ability to collaborate and work as part of a group, the ability to both design and apply technology, creativity, higher order thinking skills, and cultural awareness are important today and will certainly remain so in the future.

Then there are other traits that, while they are harder to teach, are many times the difference makers in individuals achieving success in a career or simply in becoming a valued employee. Ambition, resourcefulness, punctuality, dependability, honesty, and the desire to add value to an organization are all traits that make individuals more successful and more desirable as an employee. These traits are harder to influence and have to be emphasized by both parents and the school. However they are very important to individual success and need to be recognized and encouraged.

Russellville School District believes it is our responsibility to create an atmosphere and provide opportunities that help our students acquire these skills and traits that will make them successful. It takes a lot of different academic courses. It takes varied learning experiences beyond the ordinary. It takes planning on the district level and individual student career planning. It takes allocation of resources to the effort. A district has to look beyond standardized test scores. The school district has to care not only about getting good results now, but also focus on the long term goal of helping young people become successful in the world in which they will live.

Because we care at RSD, we work to prepare our students for their world.

Thank you for your continuing support.

Yours in education,

Randall WilliamsSuperintendentRussellville School District

2013-2014 Data: Enrollment: 5069 Students (October 1) n Attendance Rate: 94.1%; Graduation Rate: 81.1%; Dropout Rate: 1.53%; College Remediation Rate: 30.7% n Discipline Plan Sent to Parents: Yes; Parent Plan Adopted: Yes n School Expenditures: Certified Salaries & Benefits

$27,778,128, Classified Salaries & Benefits $8,140,754, Child Nutrition $2,455,664, Debt Service $3,208,482, Federal Grants $3,768,363, Student Transportation $514,808, Professional Development $204,434, Capital Improvement $1,573,082, Other $6,615,147, Instructional $2,515,287, Utilities $2,473,735 n 2

Because we care...

Purpose Statement

Russellville School District will educate, equip, and empower all students to be productive, contributing members of their school, their community, and their world by preparing students to be college and career ready.

Vision Statement

Russellville School District will be known as the school of choice for all families within our region. The district will provide a rigorous and responsive educational system, which will prepare each student to reach his or her individual potential. From Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12, Russellville School District will develop the whole child by providing holistic learning that incorporates personal health, individual responsibility, social and ethical foundations, and “real-world” problem-solving. Through the effective integration of technology, Russellville School District will bridge the global community with the classroom to create a new and natural learning environment. This educational approach will enable students to be prepared for jobs of the future within a multilingual, innovative world. In addition to learning activities within the classroom, Russellville School District will provide parents and families with in-school and after-school support to ensure they are equipped to actively participate in the educational reinforcement of their children. Russellville School District will be effective in educating, equipping, and empowering each and every child to achieve his or her desired lifelong learning goals.

Core Beliefs

• We believe Russellville Schools (RSD) are and should continue to be highly regarded.

• We believe all kids from Pre-K-12 are well prepared to learn and succeed.

• We believe in developing the whole child, providing holistic learning that incorporates personal health, individual responsibility, social and ethical foundations, and “real-world” learning.

• We believe RSD students should be problem solvers who are prepared for the jobs of the future.

• We believe in integrating community and classroom into a new and natural learning environment.

• We believe that RSD schools should be on the cutting edge—effectively incorporating the best technologies.

• We believe in providing great support for parents and families with in-school and after-school options to actively participate in the school.

• We believe in equipping RSD employees for success with individualized support, professional development, and competitive salaries.

• We believe RSD should address the needs of all students whether they are going to work, pursuing a trade, or going to college.

• We believe that RSD should prepare students to work in a multi-lingual world.

• We believe RSD should have the best developed, district-wide curriculum with resources, activities, and assessments to meet individual student’s learning needs.

• We believe that RSD teachers are equipped to teach 21st century skills and are given a level of support and professional development to do their jobs.

• We believe and care for the students we serve by providing high quality learning, counseling, guidance, and nutrition.

• We believe that students should have the best educational opportunities available to them through a wide variety of learning experiences that inspire their interests and ambitions.

• We believe RSD exposes students to one of the most challenging, wide-ranging curricula in the state, prepares them to be competitive on the global stage, and allows them to participate in a diverse co-curricular and extra-curricular program.

2013-2014 Data: Enrollment: 5069 Students (October 1) n Attendance Rate: 94.1%; Graduation Rate: 81.1%; Dropout Rate: 1.53%; College Remediation Rate: 30.7% n Discipline Plan Sent to Parents: Yes; Parent Plan Adopted: Yes n School Expenditures: Certified Salaries & Benefits

$27,778,128, Classified Salaries & Benefits $8,140,754, Child Nutrition $2,455,664, Debt Service $3,208,482, Federal Grants $3,768,363, Student Transportation $514,808, Professional Development $204,434, Capital Improvement $1,573,082, Other $6,615,147, Instructional $2,515,287, Utilities $2,473,735 n 3

We prepare

We prepare our students RSD believes that all students need to be prepared for the world they will one day live in. Students must learn the essential skills for success in today’s ever-changing world, including critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration. At RSD, we are meeting the needs of our students by focusing on the core subjects, teaching them to be critical thinkers and problem solvers, providing technology skills, and preparing them for life and career.

2013-2014 Data: School Revenue: Local $33,341,754, State $16,510,194, Federal $3,603,203 n Total Expenditures Per Pupil: $9,832 n Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Meals: 56.9% n Expulsions: 0%; Student Assaults: 0.3% n RHS: Accredited Cited; Other Schools: Accredited n

Grade Retention: 1st (5) 8th (1) n Norm-Reference Scores (percentile ranking): Math 1st (57%), 2nd (62%), 3rd (56%), 4th (61%), 5th (53%), 6th (55%), 7th (57%), 8th (56%), 9th (50%); Literacy 1st (60%), 2nd (62%), 3rd (53%), 4th (57%), 5th (45%), 6th (48%), 7th (55%), 8th (59%), 9th (58%) n4

“Something about the 1:1 initiative that is extremely helpful for me is having the lecture notes on my computer screen as my teacher explains them. Also, when I go back to study, I can use the PowerPoint presentations from class because they are posted on Moodle. This initiative has also made me more responsible for doing and turning in my homework.”

--Victoria MyersSenior RHS

Success Story

Science Enrichment Labs

1:1 Initiative

For 21st century skills

2013-2014 Data: School Revenue: Local $33,341,754, State $16,510,194, Federal $3,603,203 n Total Expenditures Per Pupil: $9,832 n Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Meals: 56.9% n Expulsions: 0%; Student Assaults: 0.3% n RHS: Accredited Cited; Other Schools: Accredited n

Grade Retention: 1st (5) 8th (1) n Norm-Reference Scores (percentile ranking): Math 1st (57%), 2nd (62%), 3rd (56%), 4th (61%), 5th (53%), 6th (55%), 7th (57%), 8th (56%), 9th (50%); Literacy 1st (60%), 2nd (62%), 3rd (53%), 4th (57%), 5th (45%), 6th (48%), 7th (55%), 8th (59%), 9th (58%) n5

At RSD, students are exposed to a wide variety of opportunities not found at all schools.

At the elementary level, students are exposed to:

• Science enrichment classes• Technology business classes in 5th

grade• Summer Enrichment Programs that focus

on science, technology, engineering, art, and math

• Gifted and Talented Programs that include foreign language classes

At the secondary level, students are exposed to:

• Pre-AP and AP classes• Environmental and Spatial Technology

(EAST) classes• Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Mathematics (STEM) classes. This year RJHS was one of six schools in the state to be named a School of Innovation with the expansion of its STEM program. This year, 401 out of 802 students are enrolled in some type of STEM or EAST class

• The 1:1 Initiative that provided all students at RHS with a Lenova Yoga ThinkPad, for an interactive classroom environment

• Band, Theatre, and Fine Arts Classes• ACT and AP prep classes• 30 hours of concurrent credit

STEM Classes

Technology Classes

Band Classes

2013-2013 Data: Percentage of Proficient or Advanced Benchmark Scores for the Combined Population of Grades 3-8 and End of Course (EOC): Math 3rd (89%), 4th (78%), 5th (60%), 6th (75%), 7th (74%), 8th (70%), EOC Algebra 1 (89%), EOC Geometry (86%); Literacy 3rd (83%), 4th (88%), 5th (80%),

6th (76%), 7th (80%), 8th (81%), EOC Literacy (81%); Science 5th (65%), 7th (54%), EOC Biology (65%); For more information about your school’s achievement scores for the past three years, visit: www.russellvilleschools.net/required-information. n6

We prepare our students RSD is your community school, and we believe that community support is vital to education. We know that without the generous support of our community our district would not be as successful as it is today. Real world experiences are hard to teach in the classroom, and we encourage our community to participate in the learning environment.

Support from the community included:

• Downtown Rotary provided dictionaries to all third grade students.

• Beacon Tire donated $15,000 for a new track at Center Valley Elementary.

• The Junior Auxiliary renovated the Crawford Elementary library.

• Local churches provided meals to our students for the Summer Enrichment Program and throughout the summer.

• Businesses, organizations, and individuals participated in Career Day and Multicultural Day at Center Valley Elementary.

• Arvest donated $1,600 to RMS for the Partners in Art Education Program.

• Russellville Fire Department taught the students fire safety during Fire Prevention Week.

• Various businesses and individuals were guest speakers at all of our schools throughout the year.

Career Day Rotary Donated Dictionaries

Partners in Art Education

Learning about Fire Safety

2013-2013 Data: Percentage of Proficient or Advanced Benchmark Scores for the Combined Population of Grades 3-8 and End of Course (EOC): Math 3rd (89%), 4th (78%), 5th (60%), 6th (75%), 7th (74%), 8th (70%), EOC Algebra 1 (89%), EOC Geometry (86%); Literacy 3rd (83%), 4th (88%), 5th (80%),

6th (76%), 7th (80%), 8th (81%), EOC Literacy (81%); Science 5th (65%), 7th (54%), EOC Biology (65%); For more information about your school’s achievement scores for the past three years, visit: www.russellvilleschools.net/required-information. n7

To be good citizensWe believe that our students should give back to the community and learn about the men and women who have made a difference in our country. We encourage our students to practice good citizenship by providing opportunities to give back to the community and through the curriculum we teach everyday.

Activities our students participated in:

• Crawford Elementary held a Celebrate Freedom parade.

• Dwight Elementary held a Patriot Day celebration.• Elementary students participated in Earth Day

activities and helped with recycling efforts throughout the year.

• RHS held a Veteran’s Day celebration. • Students throughout the District held canned food

drives to help needy families.• RJHS Spanish Club collected over 300 toys for

Russellville elementary schools and for the Toys for Tots program.

• Schools throughout the District held drives for the Vilonia tornado victims, and some students went to clean up debris.

• UE5G held an annual Good Manners Tea.• RJHS Tools for Learning class made walker bags

and delivered them to residents at Stella Manor and Russellville Nursing Center.

Canned Food Drive

Celebrate Freedom Parade

Participating in earth Day

Good Manners Tea

2013-2014 Data: 16 Advanced Placement Courses Offered n 788 Advanced Placement Exams Taken n Percentage of Qualifying Scores of 3, 4, or 5 on Advanced Placement Exams (past three years): Russellville: 2012 (47%), 2013 (54%), 2014 (51%); State: 2012 (34%), 2013 (34%), 2014 (34%) n

ACT Results: RHS Students Scored on Average 21.5, Arkansas 20.4, Nation 21, Louisiana 19.2, Texas 20.9 n London & Sequoyah: Achieving Status; Other Schools: Needs Improvement n 8

We prepare our students

Concurrent Credit

Students wanting to jump start their college career can participate in the concurrent credit program at RHS. This program, in partnership with Arkansas Tech University, allows students to take up to 30 hours of college-level courses taught by college-approved high school teachers. Students gain exposure to the academic challenges of college while in their supportive high school environment, earning college credit at the time they successfully pass the course. Some students can even complete their freshman year while still in high school. This past year, students received $277,000 in free tuition, and it is predicted that this year they will receive $500,000.

ATU Career Center

The Arkansas Tech University Career Center located on the RHS campus, is an extension of Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus and allows area students the opportunity to participate in nine industry-driven, job specific programs that prepare students for immediate employment or further education after graduation. Students who participate can earn college credit hours before graduating high school, allowing them the opportunity to graduate college earlier and begin a successful career.

Available programs include: • Automotive Service Technology• Computer Engineering/Computer Information

Systems• Construction Technology• Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement

• Culinary Arts• Drafting Technology/Engineering-Architecture• Health Science/Health Information Technology• Welding Technology• Cosmetology

RSD believes that we should prepare our students for their future, whether that future is to go to work, serve their country, pursue a trade, or go to college. By giving our students choices, we are providing them with a wide variety of learning experiences that will inspire their interests and ambitions.

RSD does this by providing a variety of college and career opportunities for our students through the following programs:

2013-2014 Data: 16 Advanced Placement Courses Offered n 788 Advanced Placement Exams Taken n Percentage of Qualifying Scores of 3, 4, or 5 on Advanced Placement Exams (past three years): Russellville: 2012 (47%), 2013 (54%), 2014 (51%); State: 2012 (34%), 2013 (34%), 2014 (34%) n

ACT Results: RHS Students Scored on Average 21.5, Arkansas 20.4, Nation 21, Louisiana 19.2, Texas 20.9 n London & Sequoyah: Achieving Status; Other Schools: Needs Improvement n 9

For jobs of the future

Jag Program

Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to dropout prevention among young people who are most at-risk. The Secondary Learning Center (SLC) welcomed this program to campus this year. Students at SLC participate in life skill activities and practice school-to-work strategies such as job interviewing, behavior management, and on-the-job training.

Career education

Students at RJHS and RHS participate in many career education opportunities. A few include: All 8th grade students take the Kuder Navigator career inventory, an online education and career planning system, and begin mapping out their four-year plan. The four-year plan includes graduation requirements, career interests/goals, and Q&A about future RJHS/RHS course offerings. The 8th grade students also take the EXPLORE test, an assessment made by ACT that assesses college and career readiness. This assessment helps students and parents evaluate their college and career readiness. 8th grade students participate in mock job interviews.The 9th grade students tour the Arkansas Tech University Career Center each year during RHS Transition Day.Each student at RHS has the opportunity to visit with their RHS counselor during registration to try to help them choose classes that align with their interests and career plans.All RHS students participate in career education sessions with the RHS counselors a few times a year to discuss college and career options.

A Senior Career Day is held each spring where local professionals share their education and careers with the students. This fall, RHS will host a college and career fair. Representatives from several post-secondary schools, military, and industry will be available to share information with students and parents.This year, RHS has begun a career committee that will help plan for future activities to assist our students.

2013-2014 Data: RSD Teachers: 61% Bachelors, 39% Masters n 100% Fully Licensed n 10 Teachers are Working on Additional Licensure Plan n Licensed Employees: 453, Classified Employees: 338 n 30+ Teachers are National Board Certified n Average Teacher Salary: $50,143 n10

We prepare our students To Compete on the Global Stage

Forensics and Debate Teams

The RHS Forensics and Debate team competed against 31 schools at the Arkansas Communications and Theatre Arts Association (ACTAA) Tournament of Champions. This two-day tournament included 21 students competing in categories of extemporaneous speaking, prose, duet acting, humorous/dramatic interpretation, improvised duet acting, poetry, solo acting, storytelling, original oratory, International Public Debate Association (IPDA) debate, and readers theatre. Ten out of the 21 students competed in more than one category.

Spanish Clubs

RJHS Spanish Club competed in The Arkansas Foreign Language Teachers Association (AFLTA) World Languages Competition. RJHS competed in the poetry recitation, vocabulary bee, drama, talent, art, and culture categories in Spanish, where they placed 2nd in drama and in talent. Students also placed 3rd in art, and 2nd and 3rd in heritage poem.

RHS Spanish classes received outstanding scores after participating in the National Spanish Exam. The National Spanish Exam is an online standardized assessment measuring proficiency of students studying Spanish, and one of the most widely used tests of Spanish in the US. Four students scored in the silver category (scoring from the 85th-94th percentiles), and four scored in the Bronze category (scoring from the 75th-84th percentiles).

Athletics

The RHS Baseball team won their third state title in baseball, after winning championships in 1993 and 2001. The RHS boys soccer team won their second state title in five years.The RHS Cyclones golf team finished as the Class 6A state runner-up.Andrea Kindrick was named the Gatorade Arkansas Softball Player of the year for the second year.

Journalism

Students at RHS who produce “The Climax” yearbook, “Red and Black” newspaper, and “The Muse” literary magazine took home numerous awards at the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association Convention. Students competed in various categories by submitting materials in advance of the convention and during on-site competitions. Jacqueline Menjivar earned Runner Up Literary Magazine Writer of the Year, and Jenna Brown was named Literary Magazine Editor of the Year for “The Muse,” and Logan Kinkade was named Editor of the Year for “Red and Black” newspaper. The three staffs also earned 38 awards for materials submitted prior to the convention.

Choir

The RHS Choir competed in the Choral Performance Assessment (CPA)and State Festival, where they received five Best in Class Recipient Awards for the state 6A division. Each group scored a Division I Superior ranking. The Chamber Choir was named the Best Mixed Chorus Large and Cantate Choir was named the Best Female Chorus Large. The Cantate group also received the Best Overall Chorus Large. The Chromatic group competed in the Ensemble Division and were named the Best Mixed Ensemble Large and the Best Overall Ensemble.

The RJHS Choirs also performed at CPA, and the 8th and 9th Grade Select Girls’ Choir and Select Girls’ Ensemble both earned superior (I) ratings in performance and sight reading. The Boys’ Ensemble earned Excellent (II) ratings in both performance and sight reading.

To compete on the global stage our students must be well-rounded individuals who seek opportunities and actively pursue growth, both academically and socially. Our students are learning skills including teamwork, leadership, responsibility, flexibility, and accountability as they compete in and out of the classroom. These skills will not only help them in the classroom but will provide them with the skills they need to succeed in their career and life. This year, some of our students competed in the following extracurricular activities:

2013-2014 Data: RSD Teachers: 61% Bachelors, 39% Masters n 100% Fully Licensed n 10 Teachers are Working on Additional Licensure Plan n Licensed Employees: 453, Classified Employees: 338 n 30+ Teachers are National Board Certified n Average Teacher Salary: $50,143 n 11

We prepare our students To Compete on the Global Stage

Choir Forensics & Debate

Journalism Spanish Club

The Russellville School District Annual Report to the Public is a publication of the Russellville School District. In compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws, the Russellville School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, or disability in its employment and education practices. If you have questions regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s teachers or paraprofessionals, you are encouraged to contact Mrs. Alene Bynum, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel and Instruction at 479.968.1306. Le invitamos a que hable con la Mrs. Alene Bynum, si usted tiene alguna pregunta sobre las capacitaciones profesionales de los maestros o asistentes de maestros de sus hijos.

School Board Members:Morgan BarrettChris CloudBreanne DavisAllan GeorgeJami MullenJeff PhillipsWesley White

Administration:Randall Williams, Superintendent of Schools

Alene Bynum, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel and Instruction

Nathan Barber, Assistant to the Superintendent/Business Manager

RSD School Board Goals:1. RSD will be the “School of Choice” in our region for parents, students, and employees.2. RSD will increase partnerships that create a unified community that values and supports education.3. At RSD all students will achieve a level of preparedness and readiness to reach their individual potential so that businesses and universities seek out RSD students.

RSD will cultivate a culture of high expectations at every level.

RSD Board Meetings:RSD is governed by a seven-member Board of Education. The School Board consists of seven members, elected by a combination of five single-member zones and two at-large positions by the qualified voters of the District. School Board meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Administration Building located at 220 West 10th Street. The meetings are open to the public. Parents, grandparents, and care-providers of RSD students and Russellville residents are encouraged to become more familiar with the governance of the School District.