Literacy in Action! We’re putting the spotlight on literacy with the help of Mrs. Reeves, our District Literacy Specialist! Whenever exciting literacy moments happen in our classrooms, we’ll be here to share them with you. First up: Miss Shores' 1st Grade Class! As a first-year teacher, Miss Shores is already making a big impact! She led her students through an engaging lesson on phonemic and phonological awareness — key foundational skills for becoming strong readers. Her students were all in, fully engaged in the learning process! Next up: "Show Down" in Action! In this fun and interactive activity, students secretly wrote their answers on whiteboards before revealing them to Miss Shores. This exciting game, part of the Skills Block in the EL Curriculum, gave students a chance to practice previously taught phonics skills while Miss Shores collected data to track their progress. Way to go, Miss Shores and her 1st graders! Stay tuned for more Literacy in Action! 🚀📖
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!
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!
The Christmas festivities at Alma School District have come to a close! Thank you for making this season so special. We hope your break is filled with rest, relaxation, and plenty of fun. Wishing you all a happy holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you back on campus on Tuesday, January 7th.
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!
Gingerbread Fun at Alma Primary School! The holiday spirit was in full swing today as our kindergarten classes dove into a sweet and festive activity — creating gingerbread masterpieces! With icing, candy, and creativity flowing, the students had a blast bringing their gingerbread creations to life. To make the day even more special, some families joined in the fun, sharing laughter and making cherished memories together. What a delightful way to celebrate the season! Great job, kindergarteners! 🎄🍭🎉 For more images, be sure to visit the Alma School District Facebook page!
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.
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!
Although the Thanksgiving celebrations have come to an end, we just HAD to share these adorable snapshots from one of the Thanksgiving programs at Alma Primary School! In the week leading up to Thanksgiving, the kindergarten classes hosted a fun performance for their friends and family. A special thank you to the teachers who made it all happen! Sweet moments turned into memories.
The Hand To Hand Foundation toy giveaway is happening this Saturday! Check out all the details below.
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
This week, we set sail and celebrated National School Lunch Week in cafeterias throughout the district! Established in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, National School Lunch Week (NSLW) has annually highlighted the significance of a nutritious school lunch in a child's life and its effects both inside and outside the classroom. This year's theme, “School Lunch Pirates: Find Your Treasure,” underscored the essential role that healthy school lunches play in students' academic and social success. The Child Nutrition Workers at Alma School District truly went above and beyond, wearing their best pirate attire and turning their kitchens into a pirate paradise! A huge shoutout to them for their unwavering dedication, especially this week, for transforming lunchtime into an exciting treasure hunt for all the students!
Parent-teacher conferences are set for this week, taking place on the evening of Thursday, October 17, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM, and all day on Friday, October 18. Please note that there will be no school for students on Friday, October 18. Additionally, students will not attend school on Monday, October 21st, as it is designated as a teacher workday. Classes will resume on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
