Slam Dunk Story Time keeps growing and thriving! This past Friday, between the girls' and boys' varsity basketball games, more than 75 excited kids gathered for an energetic and fun-filled story time. The event emphasized the power of community, with Dr. Urrutia serving as the guest reader. Kids left with big smiles, a sweet treat, and a brand-new book to take home. Mark your calendars for January 7, when Alma's mayor will be our special guest reader!
Several spring sports schedules are now available on our website! You can find them under the 'Athletics Calendars' section in the documents tab or by visiting the individual sport pages on the respective building pages. We’re excited for an incredible spring sports season — Go Airedales! LINK: https://www.almasd.net/documents/athletic-calendars/712756.
Join us on Friday, January 24th, during halftime of the varsity boys basketball game to honor Dr. Schlabach for his dedicated service to the Alma community and the Airedales. A reception will be held in the Arena Hospitality room at 5:15 PM before the games.
The Alma School District is making great progress with the Alma Forward 2040 initiative. As part of this effort, we are working to craft a new mission statement or slogan that embodies the district's values and vision. Staff members were invited to share their input, and this week, teacher representatives from each campus participated in a focused workshop to refine the ideas. During the session, the group reviewed various components of the Alma Forward 2040 initiative, identifying key words that resonate with our mission. They then worked in two teams to develop slogans of eight words or less based on these concepts. Through further discussion, the focus was narrowed to statements of six words or less. Each team selected their top two statements, and the group voted to determine the final two slogans to present to the entire staff for consideration. The next step will be a staff-wide vote, and we’re eager to share the final outcome with the public soon. In the meantime, check out our teachers collaborating on this meaningful project!
Slam Dunk Storytime was a slam dunk success, nearly tripling in size at Tuesday night’s varsity basketball games! The energy was off the charts, and we’re pumped to keep the excitement going. Huge shoutout to Alma Primary School Media Specialist Amanda Shores for being our MVP guest reader — she totally rocked it! 🏀📚🎉
Livestream Sponsorships - Be part of the Airedales action! Is your business interested in becoming a livestream scoreboard sponsor? Here’s your chance to connect with the community and support the team! As a sponsor, your business will enjoy: Your logo displayed on the livestream scoreboard during game day (example below). Public Service Announcements (PSAs) throughout the broadcast. Social media shout-outs to boost your visibility. Don’t miss this opportunity to support the Airedales and showcase your business. Contact Jerrod Burns at mburns@almasd.net or (479) 632-4791 to get started!
Last week at the Varsity basketball game, we kicked off our very first Slam Dunk Storytime! This new initiative is a fun way to encourage reading while students enjoy the excitement of the game. We invited all children to join us in the hospitality room for a brief read-aloud session, not just those from our home team. We’re thrilled to report that the event was a huge success, with 16 children in attendance, all of whom were fully engaged and excited throughout the story. Mr. Bullard did an outstanding job reading aloud, keeping the young audience captivated. After the story, the children received a treat from Scruffy to enjoy during the game. If you missed it, no worries! Slam Dunk Storytime will be held at every home varsity game, with new guest readers each time. We hope to see you there!
January marks School Board Appreciation Month! We want to express our sincere thanks to the devoted members of the Alma School District Board of Education for their steadfast dedication to our students, staff, and community. Your leadership and vision truly make a difference each day! Let’s take a moment to acknowledge their hard work and service!
SCHEDULE CHANGE: Due to anticipated inclement weather, the Junior High basketball games originally scheduled for Thursday, January 9th, have been rescheduled to Wednesday, January 8th. The times and locations will remain the same, with the only change being the date. Thank you for your understanding!
Last week, the Skokos Performing Arts Center-Alma celebrated their recent membership with the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon-cutting ceremony! We are incredibly proud of this amazing venue and everyone who contributes to making it such a special place for our community. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out their incredible lineup of entertainment and events by visiting skokospac.org. Don’t miss out on all the great performances — they’re worth seeing!
The generosity of our community continues to enrich the students of the Alma School District. Last week, the Hand to Hand Foundation brought joy to many families by organizing a toy giveaway at the Alma High School campus. Additionally, around 120 students benefitted from the Shop With a Cop program this past Saturday, made possible by the Alma Police Focus Group, local law enforcement, and numerous donors. Several of our dedicated counselors, including Brandi Brogan, Kristin Wagner, and Torie Goode, played a significant role in ensuring the success of this initiative. A heartfelt thank you to everyone in the district and the community for your contributions to these efforts.
🎉 Way to Go, Alma Rubik’s Cube Team! 🧩
Our 6th and 7th graders brought their A-game to the Rubik's Cube competition at Guy Fenter! Each member displayed exceptional skills, solving those colorful cubes in under a minute.
Special shoutouts:
- Harrison Hohenstein for earning 7th place.
- Braddock Stewart for an incredible 5th place finish.
We’re so proud of this talented group of problem-solvers. Keep up the amazing work — your hard work and dedication shine brightly!
We are thrilled to highlight an Airedale alum and a few current students who will be performing in the 39th annual Western Arkansas Ballet production of The Nutcracker! Kelsey Corder, a 2019 graduate of Alma High School, is returning to her roots to take on the lead role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Kelsey has spent four years with the Louisville Ballet Company in Kentucky and is currently part of the America Midwest Ballet in Omaha, Nebraska. Alongside her are current Alma students Gracelyn Edwards from Alma Middle School and Sullivan Ware from Alma Intermediate School. Don’t miss the opportunity to see these talented Airedales shine on stage. Check out the details below for more information and a link to purchase tickets.
TICKETS: https://www.etix.com/ticket/o/9123/westernarkansasballet
All Alma School District campuses and offices will be CLOSED for the WINTER BREAK from Monday, December 23, through Friday, January 3, in observance of the Christmas and New Year's holidays. ASD employees will resume work on Monday, January 6, and ASD students will return to school for the second semester on Tuesday, January 7. On behalf of the Alma School District, we wish everyone a joyful and safe winter holiday break.
Mark those calendars! The Airedales are throwing a TOY TOSS party! Students can bring a toy and get in for free!
It's a day bursting with excitement for the Alma Middle School Advance Drama Class because they've been chosen as the 2025 One Act Showcase for the Junior Festival! Their performance of “Hoodie” achieved an incredible Superior Rating at the Arkansas State One Act Festival, marking them as the top contenders! Hip hip hooray and congratulations to these shining stars of the stage! 🎭✨
The Hand To Hand Foundation toy giveaway is happening this Saturday! Check out all the details below.
Today, Mrs. Barrett’s 8th grade Intro to Business and Marketing class from Alma Middle School visited the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. They met with faculty from the College of Business and Industry, enjoyed a tour of the campus, and had some leisure time in the Student Center. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to glimpse the possibilities that await in their future!
This week, we celebrate National School Bus Safety Week! The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) encourages drivers to reduce their speed and remain vigilant around school buses in their neighborhoods. We appreciate the significance of this week and express our gratitude to everyone in our transportation department for their efforts in safeguarding our students. For more details on school bus stop safety, please visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safety.... 🚌🚸🦺🚦
The Alma School District app serves as an important resource for effective communication and staying updated on district news. It provides parents the opportunity to connect with teachers and access class information via the Rooms feature. If you are a registered parent or guardian, downloading the app is important for logging into Rooms and receiving notifications straight to your device. Make sure to enable notifications for the best experience. Below are the download links for both iPhone and Android.
Download for iPhone: https://apple.co/3cdoepN
Download for Android: https://bit.ly/3AECMrI
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/DaherIUDOLI?si=3APehjEj4keKiXlX