Students in Mrs. Price’s science class at Alma Middle School explored physical and chemical changes during their “Campfire Chemistry” lab using one of everyone’s favorite treats: s’mores.
With graham crackers, chocolate squares, and marshmallows, students observed how heat and mixing create different types of changes. They learned that melting chocolate and softening marshmallows are physical changes, while roasting marshmallows over a “flame” (a countertop burner in this case) produces a chemical change.
To finish, students connected the experiment to real-world science by examining how our bodies break down food, showing how eating involves both physical and chemical changes.
Mrs. Price’s hands-on approach made learning about matter both educational and delicious!
Learning by Doing: Alma Middle School’s “How To Sessions”
This week during advisory, Alma Middle School students took part in the school’s engaging “How To Sessions.” During these sessions, teachers shared hands-on skills ranging from practical to creative — including making blankets, cooking pancakes, sewing, fly fishing, knitting, using power tools, changing tires, and writing in cursive. These unique activities give students valuable real-world skills while allowing teachers to connect, engage, and inspire in new and meaningful ways. Way to go, Alma Middle School — keep exploring and learning!
This week during advisory, Alma Middle School students took part in the school’s engaging “How To Sessions.” During these sessions, teachers shared hands-on skills ranging from practical to creative — including making blankets, cooking pancakes, sewing, fly fishing, knitting, using power tools, changing tires, and writing in cursive. These unique activities give students valuable real-world skills while allowing teachers to connect, engage, and inspire in new and meaningful ways. Way to go, Alma Middle School — keep exploring and learning!
📣 Parents & Guardians: It’s Parent-Teacher Conference Week!
Here’s what you need to know:
- Thursday, October 16: Teacher Work Day + Afternoon Parent-Teacher Conferences — No school for students.
- Friday, October 17: Parent-Teacher Conferences (all day) — No school for students.
Pre-K families: Pre-K students will attend school as normal both days.
You can view both the Pre-K and District Calendars at the link below.
LINK: https://www.almasd.net/documents/school-calendars/787919
Here’s what you need to know:
- Thursday, October 16: Teacher Work Day + Afternoon Parent-Teacher Conferences — No school for students.
- Friday, October 17: Parent-Teacher Conferences (all day) — No school for students.
Pre-K families: Pre-K students will attend school as normal both days.
You can view both the Pre-K and District Calendars at the link below.
LINK: https://www.almasd.net/documents/school-calendars/787919
On October 2, district leaders, principals, and curriculum specialists participated in NIET Learning Walk Training, a professional development opportunity through the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching.
This training helps school leaders strengthen teaching and learning by conducting short, non-evaluative classroom visits focused on instructional growth and student engagement.
The following day, October 3, NIET staff developers joined Alma school leaders on campuses across the district to put their new skills into action — observing, collaborating, and supporting teachers in their continued pursuit of excellence.
A huge thank-you to NIET and our dedicated staff for their hard work, collaboration, and commitment to continuous improvement across all Alma schools!
This training helps school leaders strengthen teaching and learning by conducting short, non-evaluative classroom visits focused on instructional growth and student engagement.
The following day, October 3, NIET staff developers joined Alma school leaders on campuses across the district to put their new skills into action — observing, collaborating, and supporting teachers in their continued pursuit of excellence.
A huge thank-you to NIET and our dedicated staff for their hard work, collaboration, and commitment to continuous improvement across all Alma schools!
October Board Meeting Recognitions
We’re celebrating our incredible staff and leaders this month!
Alma Primary School – Recognized for fostering a strong foundation for lifelong learning through dedication and care.
⭐Honorees: Jessica Gillingham, Erin Sanders, Melissa Ellifrits, Amanda Nelson, Jennifer Schneider, Ashley White
Alma Intermediate School – Recognized for launching the 5th Grade Ambassador Program, creating meaningful leadership opportunities for students.
⭐Honorees: Madison Yates, Shelbi Thomas, Allie Smith
Alma Middle School – Recognized for providing nutritious meals and a welcoming environment that supports student success.
⭐Honoree: Jill Boyd
Alma High School – Recognized for exceptional teaching and demonstration of Illustrative Mathematics. Her dedication, positive attitude, and impact have inspired fellow Alma High School math teachers.
⭐Honoree: Amanda Atwell
National Principal Month
This October, we celebrate the leadership, dedication, and care of our principals who make a difference in every school:
Brian Kirkendoll – Alma High School
JD Coursey – Alma Middle School
Jennifer Lyon – Alma Intermediate School
Shawn Bullard - Alma Primary School
Thank you to all of our staff and principals for the impact you make on our students every day!
We’re celebrating our incredible staff and leaders this month!
Alma Primary School – Recognized for fostering a strong foundation for lifelong learning through dedication and care.
⭐Honorees: Jessica Gillingham, Erin Sanders, Melissa Ellifrits, Amanda Nelson, Jennifer Schneider, Ashley White
Alma Intermediate School – Recognized for launching the 5th Grade Ambassador Program, creating meaningful leadership opportunities for students.
⭐Honorees: Madison Yates, Shelbi Thomas, Allie Smith
Alma Middle School – Recognized for providing nutritious meals and a welcoming environment that supports student success.
⭐Honoree: Jill Boyd
Alma High School – Recognized for exceptional teaching and demonstration of Illustrative Mathematics. Her dedication, positive attitude, and impact have inspired fellow Alma High School math teachers.
⭐Honoree: Amanda Atwell
National Principal Month
This October, we celebrate the leadership, dedication, and care of our principals who make a difference in every school:
Brian Kirkendoll – Alma High School
JD Coursey – Alma Middle School
Jennifer Lyon – Alma Intermediate School
Shawn Bullard - Alma Primary School
Thank you to all of our staff and principals for the impact you make on our students every day!
October is National Principals Month!
We’re so thankful for the leadership, dedication, and care our principals show each and every day.
Help us celebrate these incredible leaders:
🏫 Brian Kirkendoll – Alma High School
🏫 JD Coursey – Alma Middle School
🏫 Jennifer Lyon – Alma Intermediate School
🏫 Shawn Bullard – Alma Primary School
Let them know how much you appreciate them and recognize the positive impact they have on our schools the next time you see them!
We’re so thankful for the leadership, dedication, and care our principals show each and every day.
Help us celebrate these incredible leaders:
🏫 Brian Kirkendoll – Alma High School
🏫 JD Coursey – Alma Middle School
🏫 Jennifer Lyon – Alma Intermediate School
🏫 Shawn Bullard – Alma Primary School
Let them know how much you appreciate them and recognize the positive impact they have on our schools the next time you see them!
We are excited to announce that Alma Middle School has been upgraded from a B to an A school in the Arkansas Department of Education’s accountability ratings!
This recognition reflects the dedication of our students, staff, and community in preparing every Airedale for success as they continue their educational journey. We are thrilled to see the hard work and commitment of our middle school Airedales acknowledged in this way.
Together, we are proud to continue building a tradition of excellence at Alma Middle School.
This recognition reflects the dedication of our students, staff, and community in preparing every Airedale for success as they continue their educational journey. We are thrilled to see the hard work and commitment of our middle school Airedales acknowledged in this way.
Together, we are proud to continue building a tradition of excellence at Alma Middle School.
Homecoming Week Highlights 🎉🏈💚
What a wonderful week of celebrating tradition, school spirit, and community! From start to finish, our Alma family - students, staff, alumni, parents, and friends - helped make Homecoming 2025 one to remember.
Thank you for being part of the fun and for showing your Airedale pride in so many ways!
What a wonderful week of celebrating tradition, school spirit, and community! From start to finish, our Alma family - students, staff, alumni, parents, and friends - helped make Homecoming 2025 one to remember.
Thank you for being part of the fun and for showing your Airedale pride in so many ways!
Homecoming has arrived, and we’re excited to celebrate this special tradition! A big thank-you to everyone who came out for last night’s parade. Tonight, the Airedales face the Harrison Goblins, with the coronation ceremony set for 6:30 p.m. on the field, just before kickoff. Come out and enjoy the spirit and excitement! We appreciate Heritage Portraits for beautifully capturing our homecoming court!
The homecoming fun isn’t slowing down!
Today’s the day for the homecoming parade! Queen Raleigh and her court will be leading the way, along with other amazing groups and organizations.
📍 Main Street
⏰ Tonight at 6:00 PM
Come out, cheer loud, and celebrate with us!
Today’s the day for the homecoming parade! Queen Raleigh and her court will be leading the way, along with other amazing groups and organizations.
📍 Main Street
⏰ Tonight at 6:00 PM
Come out, cheer loud, and celebrate with us!
Mrs. McCarver’s Alma Middle School students have been having fun with hands-on science! They explored force and deformation using spring scales and investigated potential energy with pull-back cars. Learning in action!
Science is popping in Mrs. Price’s class! Students tested which dish soap makes the biggest, longest-lasting bubbles when the soap-to-water ratio is the same. After forming their hypotheses and experimenting, they’re now sharing their claim, evidence, and reasoning. Hands-on learning at its best!
Arkansas Peace Week is here! This statewide program promotes peacemaking and highlights organizations working to build lasting peace in Arkansas. Mrs. Pitts and Mrs. Combs’ art students created amazing pieces showing what peace means to them and how we can build more peaceful communities. Five winning artworks from each grade will move on to the statewide contest, with winners announced in October and displayed at the Capitol in Little Rock!
Here’s a peek inside Mrs. Price’s class at Alma Middle School! Students used stickers to model what might be happening at the particle level when substances mixed and created a gas. Did the particles join together, break apart, or rearrange into something new?
Professional Learning in Action! Last week, Mrs. Hubbs and Mrs. Reeves attended a professional learning event in Little Rock for Instructional Leaders. They joined leaders from across Arkansas to explore strategies and practices designed to empower the teachers they lead this school year. Great work, Mrs. Hubbs and Mrs. Reeves — thanks for leading the way for our Airedale educators!
Mrs. Price’s science students at Alma Middle School have been experimenting with bath bombs! They tested individual ingredients like baking soda, citric acid, Epsom salts, and oils — trying to answer the question: “What makes a bath bomb fizz?”
Individually, nothing happened — no bubbles, no fizz! Next, they combined ingredients and discovered the secret duo that makes the magic happen (we’re keeping that part under wraps for next year’s kids 😉).
Up next: uncovering the mystery gas that’s being created. Stay tuned — our budding scientists are on the case!
Individually, nothing happened — no bubbles, no fizz! Next, they combined ingredients and discovered the secret duo that makes the magic happen (we’re keeping that part under wraps for next year’s kids 😉).
Up next: uncovering the mystery gas that’s being created. Stay tuned — our budding scientists are on the case!
Mrs. Price’s students at Alma Middle School have kicked off their first science unit with an exciting question: How can we make something new that wasn’t there before?
The adventure began with a hands-on mystery — dropping a bath bomb into water. Students quickly noticed the bubbling reaction and filled the room with investigative questions: Where do the bubbles come from? What if we used boiling water? What exactly are bath bombs made of?
This spark of curiosity launched an engaging investigation into chemical reactions. Over the course of the unit, students will:
- Explore the properties of matter
- Model changes at the molecular level
- Discover how new substances are created
From mixing ingredients to analyzing data patterns, they’re not only learning chemistry concepts but also building critical thinking skills — all while having fun and staying curious.
The adventure began with a hands-on mystery — dropping a bath bomb into water. Students quickly noticed the bubbling reaction and filled the room with investigative questions: Where do the bubbles come from? What if we used boiling water? What exactly are bath bombs made of?
This spark of curiosity launched an engaging investigation into chemical reactions. Over the course of the unit, students will:
- Explore the properties of matter
- Model changes at the molecular level
- Discover how new substances are created
From mixing ingredients to analyzing data patterns, they’re not only learning chemistry concepts but also building critical thinking skills — all while having fun and staying curious.
IMPORTANT UPDATE for Airedale fans: Tonight’s Battle of the Bone game will NOT be available on the Alma School District livestream due to illness. However, you can still catch every play and cheer on the Airedales by tuning in to the Van Buren livestream instead.
Watch live here: https://youtube.com/@pointermediavb?si=E3YPxxr444C8I9m7
Thank you for your understanding, and let’s still bring the spirit — whether in the stands or tuning in from home.
Watch live here: https://youtube.com/@pointermediavb?si=E3YPxxr444C8I9m7
Thank you for your understanding, and let’s still bring the spirit — whether in the stands or tuning in from home.
REMINDER: Alma School District will be CLOSED on Monday, September 1st in observance of Labor Day. We hope everyone enjoys a safe and relaxing long weekend! Classes will resume on Tuesday, September 2nd.
It’s Battle of the Bone week! The Airedales take on the Pointers this Friday, August 29, at Blakemore Field. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available now at the Administration Building and Alma High School office. Let’s pack the stands and cheer loud — good luck, Airedales!
