We’re excited to welcome Melinda Bailey back to Alma School District! An Alma native and proud 1988 graduate of Alma High School, Melinda has served the Alma School District for many years — 12 years as a classroom teacher, 15 years as the AIS Media Specialist, and 2 years as the District Test Coordinator. After taking time off to be with family and travel, she’s ready to return to the place she loves. With a lifelong passion for special education, Melinda is excited to join the Alma Intermediate School team once again — this time as a Special Education Teacher! Melinda and her husband of 36 years, Greg, still call Alma home, and we’re so glad to have her back with the Airedale family.
Our National History Day competitors had an incredible week at the national contest at the University of Maryland, June 9-12! In between competitions, students explored our nation’s capital — visiting landmarks like the National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery, the Smithsonian museums, the Capitol (with a visit to Senator Boozman!), the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and many more. AHS Competitors: Riley Bender, Logan & Morgan English, Layla Hendrix, Xavier Herzig, Ava Mendez, Carter Seals, Jack Snell;Teacher: Mary Joslin. AMS Competitor: Jenna Rogers. Way to represent Alma on the national stage!
We’re excited to welcome Kelsey Stone to Alma Middle School as a Social Studies Teacher and 8th Grade Head Volleyball Coach! Kelsey is from Fort Smith and a graduate of Van Buren. She and her husband, Brett, have two daughters, Madden and Merritt. This will be her 9th year in education. She previously taught and coached at Rogers Heritage and spent the last 7 years at Ozark as a technology teacher and Head Volleyball Coach. Kelsey says, “I am so excited to be teaching social studies and coaching middle school volleyball here at Alma!” Welcome to the Airedale family, Coach Stone!
Coach Cal is in the house! We were excited to welcome Coach Cal and the Razorbacks to Charles B. Dyer Arena today for a special satellite camp! This camp gave Arkansas basketball fans a unique opportunity to learn directly from Coach Calipari and the Razorback coaching staff. Participants worked on basketball fundamentals in an intensive, hands-on environment — and even picked up drills they can take home to keep improving their skills. It was an awesome day on campus — thank you to everyone who came out to be part of it! Check out Facebook for more pictures.
Three Alma High School students recently attended the State Officer Leadership Academy (SOLA) at Arkansas Tech University! SOLA brings together state officers from all Career Tech Student Organizations (CTSO) for leadership training. Throughout the week, students worked on elevator speeches, shared how CTSOs have shaped their lives at a special luncheon with state leaders and industry professionals, and gained valuable skills in workshop planning, parliamentary procedure, social media, and gratitude. These experiences will help them lead and inspire the next generation of CTE students. Representing AHS were: Brenna Morris – Arkansas TSA President. Kylee Wallis – Arkansas TSA Secretary. Noel Parker – Arkansas TSA Sergeant at Arms.
We’re excited to share that ALL FOUR Alma School District campuses have been nominated for 2025 Best of River Valley!
Let’s show our Airedale pride and support our schools by casting your vote!
✅ Vote here: https://www.votebestofrivervalley.com/
📅 You can vote once a day — every vote counts!
Please join us in welcoming Garrison Jensen to the Alma School District! Garrison is joining the team at Alma Intermediate School as a Special Education Teacher. A proud 2018 graduate of Alma High School, Garrison holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Ouachita Baptist University and a Master’s Degree from Arkansas State University, both in education. As a lifelong learner, he is passionate about improving education and making a positive impact wherever he can. Now beginning his fourth year in education, Garrison shared, “I’m happy to be back home and excited to see what the future holds!” Welcome back, Mr. Jensen — we're glad to have you!
We’re excited to introduce Nicole Holt as a new Special Education Inclusion Teacher at Alma High School! A proud 2005 Alma graduate, Nicole is thrilled to return and serve the community that helped shape her journey. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas and recently completed her internship at Alma Middle School, gaining valuable hands-on experience in a supportive, inclusive environment. Nicole and her husband, Billy, have been married for 18 years and have four amazing kids — Ashlyn 18, Faylyn 15, Eleanor 8, and Wyatt 4 — with three currently attending Alma Schools. Outside of work, she enjoys family time and staying active in the community. She’s eager to build strong relationships with students, families, and staff and looks forward to contributing to AHS’s culture of growth, connection, and success. Help us give Nicole a warm Airedale welcome!
Logan English, an incoming senior at Alma High School, was recently elected to a county office during the 84th annual session of Arkansas Boys State. English was chosen by his peers during county elections held Monday, May 26. As part of the program, participants form a mock government that includes eight simulated counties, each with its own county judge, sheriff, and justices of the peace. Well done, Logan! Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, and thank you for proudly representing Alma at the state level. Read the full story here: https://arboysstate.meritpages.com/stories/English-of-Mountainburg-elected-to-county-office-at-Arkansas-Boys-State-2025/159901371?
We’re excited to welcome Ms. Ashlen Hill to Alma Middle School as our new Language Arts teacher! A proud Van Buren native, Ms. Hill graduated from Van Buren High School before earning her degree from Arkansas State University. For the past three years, she taught at Greenland Middle School, and now she’s thrilled to bring her passion for reading and writing to Alma. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Hill enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and hanging out with her dog, Margot. She’s looking forward to a fantastic school year and can’t wait to get started with her students. Welcome to Alma, Ms. Hill!
Alma School District Jr. Trap Team Update: On May 9th, four of our Jr. Trap teams competed at Regionals. Alma Jr. Trap Team 1 placed 3rd and earned a spot at the State Competition, which took place last Friday. Last week, the team received their medals and trophy for their strong performance at Regionals. Great job, team!
Welcome Mr. Ben Holland to Alma School District! We’re excited to welcome Ben Holland to Alma High School! A graduate of Arkansas Tech University, Mr. Holland holds a degree in Agricultural Education and brings classroom experience from Newport High School, where he taught Animal Science, Plant Science, and Ag Mechanics. Raised on a dairy and cow-calf farm in Siloam Springs and with six years in the poultry industry, Mr. Holland has a strong passion for agriculture. This year, he’s already been involved in the Alma High School Ag program alongside his wife, Kisia Holland, and looks forward to providing students with hands-on learning experiences. Welcome to Alma, Mr. Holland!
Matthew Stout Shines at State Special Olympics! Fresh off his junior year at Alma High School, Matthew Stout brought home two medals from the State Special Olympics at Harding University in Searcy! Bronze – Javelin Throw. Gold – 100 Meter Dash. Way to go, Matthew! Your hard work and determination are an inspiration to us all!
Bookmobile Update! It’s the first day on the road, but we’ve hit a small bump! On the way to the intermediate school, we had a mechanical issue — five hoses in the undercarriage were damaged and the engine won’t run. We’re switching to a different bus for the day! While service will be limited, we will still be delivering meals and have a small selection of children’s books available. Thanks for your patience — and happy Monday! Check out the official schedule below!
We’re excited to welcome Chelsea Burdick back to Alma High School! A proud 2005 AHS graduate, Chelsea brings over 12 years of teaching experience, dual certifications in History and ELA, and a master’s in History from Arkansas Tech. After teaching at AHS for over a decade and taking a year off to welcome a new baby, she’s thrilled to return with fresh energy and a deep love for the Alma community. Chelsea and her husband, Daniel, have five children in the district, making her return extra special. Welcome back, Mrs. Burdick!
We are thrilled to announce that Mrs. Ashton Ogilvie is joining our Kindergarten team at Alma Primary School! Ashton is a passionate and energetic educator entering her second year of teaching. What makes this extra special? She completed her internship right here at APS — and now she’s back with the Airedale family! Here’s a little about her in her own words: "My name is Ashton Ogilvie, and I am a second-year kindergarten teacher. I completed my internship at APS, and I’m so excited to be coming back! My husband and I got married last June, and we love spending time outside, being with our families, and watching the Razorbacks!" Please join us in giving Mrs. Ogilvie a big Airedale welcome!
The Alma School District is proud to announce the hiring of Cody Vaught as the new Head Coach of the Alma High School Boys Basketball Team. Coach Vaught brings a wealth of coaching experience, a tireless work ethic, and a deep commitment to the growth and development of student-athletes. His strong leadership, clear vision, and pursuit of excellence make him a valuable addition to our athletic program. Coach Vaught and his family — wife Kimberly, and children Luke (4), Landry (2), and Elliot (9 months) — are excited to join the Alma community. We’re thrilled to welcome them to the Airedale family! We are confident that Coach Vaught will continue the proud tradition of Airedale Basketball while inspiring our student-athletes to succeed both on and off the court. Please join us in giving Coach Vaught and his family a warm welcome to Alma. We look forward to an exciting new chapter for Airedale Basketball under his direction!
We made it, Alma! The school year is officially over, and summer break has begun. A huge thank you to all of our amazing students, staff, and families for making this year one to remember. From classrooms to ballfields, concerts to competitions — you’ve all made us proud. Now it’s time to trade homework for sunshine, early mornings for late nights, and cafeteria lunches for cookouts and popsicles. Whatever your summer plans may be — vacations, staycations, or just soaking up the sun — we hope it's full of fun, laughter, and relaxation. Enjoy every minute, stay safe, and we can’t wait to see you back in the fall. Happy Summer from Alma School District!
Get ready, Alma — the Bookmobile is hitting the road again, and it's bringing the magic of reading right to your neighborhood! Starting June 2, our big green bus full of books will be making its way across the district with shelves stacked high with awesome reads for all ages. From laugh-out-loud chapter books to page-turning mysteries, epic adventures, and colorful picture books — there’s something for every reader on board. Let’s make this a summer full of stories.
Heads up, parents and students! As we wrap up the school year, the cafeteria will be serving a Manager's Choice menu during the final week. Menus may change, so stay updated by checking here: https://www.myschoolmenus.com/organizations/820.