The Bookmobile has been rolling through the community, spreading joy, stories, and snacks all summer long! In addition to our usual books and meals, we’ve been thrilled to partner with Urrutia Family Dental and Buffalo City Soaps, who donated special items to share with kids. Pediatrics Plus also pitched in with hygiene kits and goodie bags for everyone on board. It’s been an amazing summer so far — and there’s still time to join the fun! The Bookmobile will be out and about through July 30th.
Summer fun isn’t over just yet, but the countdown to a brand new school year has officially begun! Mark your calendars with these important dates to help your family get ready. On August 7th, all campuses will host an Open House from 3:30 – 6:30 PM — a great chance to meet teachers, tour classrooms, and get everything in place for a smooth start. Then on August 11th, students will participate in Great Start, a special day designed to help ease into the new year with a little extra support. (More details coming soon!) Kindergarten students will not participate in Great Start, but instead, we’re offering a Kindergarten Open House that same morning from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Kindergarten families are also invited to attend the district-wide Open House on August 7th — or feel free to join us for both! Finally, the big day is almost here—the first day of school is August 13th, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back for an amazing 2025–2026 school year. Get those backpacks ready — it’s almost go time!
Hey Alma families — we’ve got a few tuition-paid spots open in our Pre-K program! Give your child a strong start with a high-quality early learning experience right here at Alma School District. If you're interested, be sure to follow the link below to access the waiting list and submit your information. LINK: https://www.almasd.net/o/aps/page/pre-k-information
It’s that time of year — back-to-school shopping is here! School supply lists are now ready to view, so you can get a head start on preparing for a great year ahead. Check out your school’s list and stock up on the essentials! LINK: https://www.almasd.net/page/school-supply-lists
No Bookmobile this Friday, July 4 - she's off for the holiday! Stay safe, keep reading, and we'll see you Monday! 🚐💨
Alma public schools, in compliance with Education general administrative regulation (Edgar) 34 cft 76.734, will destroy the special education records and 504 plans of students whose special education services were terminated on or before June 30, 2019. Parents, guardians, or students have the right to obtain a copy of any data in their folder. Please call the office of special education at (479) 632-4717 or come by the Alma School Administration Annex at 1023 Hwy 64 East in Alma before August 15 to obtain records or to receive more information pertaining to this matter.
Our Alma High School Band is hitting the road soon for an unforgettable experience — performing in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. on July 4th! We’re so proud of these talented students as they represent Alma on a national stage. Let’s send them off with love, support, and Airedale pride! Watch the Parade: Catch the performance live through the FOX Local app (available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and more), or stream the full recording later at july4thparade.com/watch. The parade begins at 11:45 AM ET.
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.
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!
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!
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 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.
There was plenty to celebrate at this month’s school board meeting! Julianna Tufts and Kacie Ramsey were recognized for their Chamber Choir’s achievement of Best Overall in the 5A Division at the state level. Congratulations on this incredible achievement! Erin Mills, Mary Joslin, and Stephanie Hall, along with a couple of their students, were honored for their leadership and dedication to History Day at Alma High School. Their hard work played a key role in making the event a success and supporting the students’ impressive accomplishments. The board also recognized outstanding staff across the district: Classified Employee of the Year: Ashley Dean, Belinda Bowen, Lauren Wakefield, Janet Camden, and Basil Kenner. Teacher of the Year: Danny Hobson, Debby Barrett, Emily Engelke, and Amanda Shores. Child Nutrition Employee of the Year: Gidget Goodwin. We’re proud to celebrate the talent and dedication of our students and staff who continue to make Alma Schools a place of excellence!
Huge thanks to the Center for Hearing and Balance for bringing their mobile screening trailer to Alma School District this week! Staff had the opportunity to receive free hearing tests, and we appreciate their commitment to supporting our health and wellness.
Happy School Principals' Day! Today, we celebrate the incredible leaders who guide our schools with dedication, heart, and vision. A huge thank you to the amazing principals across Alma School District who work tirelessly to support our students, staff, and community every single day. Your leadership inspires excellence, your care builds community, and your passion shapes the future. We are so grateful for all that you do!
This week, students across the district got their hands dirty (and had a blast!) celebrating Earth Day. At Alma Middle School, 8th graders created eco-friendly "throw and grow" seed bombs and left inspiring Earth Day chalk messages around campus for everyone to enjoy. They also repurposed pipe cleaners and clay to make new, creative artwork.
Meanwhile, 7th graders in Mrs. Price’s and Mrs. Swink’s classes enjoyed a full day of outdoor learning and fun. Using recycled plastic, students built their own “critter catchers” and tested them in the stream behind the basketball courts, hunting for crawdads and other aquatic critters. The day also featured several themed stations: An art station for hands-on creativity. A solar station making UV bead bracelets. A microscope station for identifying microorganisms from the water. And even a relaxation station just for bookworms! Over at Alma Intermediate School, students got involved in beautifying their campus by planting flowers with the help of dedicated volunteer Lou Cagle. It was a week full of creativity, discovery, and appreciation for our planet!
