Dr. Fowler is collaborating with District Administrators on the LEADS evaluation process.
Pattie Wheeler, OUR Co-op Literacy Specialist, providing training for Yellville-Summit Elementary School staff.
During the OUR Co-op's October Board meeting, Hope Worsham, DESE Asst. Commissioner of Public School Accountability provided updates on the ATLAS Assessments and possible changes that will be recommended for the Accountability System and ESSA School Index/School Ratings.
Arkansas Seniors: Don't miss a final opportunity for a comprehensive review of the upcoming ACT test on October 28th! Fast, effective, and engaging - this review is the perfect refresher to prepare for the upcoming test date. Sessions are THIS THURSDAY 10/26 with two time slots available.
Register at: bit.ly/review-registration and don't forget your OnToCollege review sheets!
The annual Junior High and Senior High Chess Tournaments were held today at the OUR Co-op. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all the coaches and players who attended!
We are thrilled to spotlight Emilee Tucker, our CTE Coordinator, who recently presented at the Arkansas CTE Coordinator Fall Retreat!
Emilee's passion for bridging the gap between education and local business and industry is truly exceptional. Her commitment has resulted in a host of partnerships that are making a real impact in our community.
Emilee's partnerships include collaborations with:
🤝 Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce
🤝 Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District
🤝 U of A Cooperative Extension Service
🤝 North Arkansas College
🤝 Local community and business leaders
These partnerships have led to an array of incredible programs that benefit our educators and students, while promoting economic growth and development. Some of these initiatives include:
📚 Workforce Initiation Network (WIN) Leadership Academy
📚 Book Studies on Workforce Development
📚 Industry Tours
📚 Teacher Externships
📚 WIN Website
📚 Virtual Meetings Between Students and Industries
📚 Magazines
📚 One Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment sent to industries from multiple partners
📚 Work-Based Learning Search on the Harrison Chamber website
📚 Youth Career Summits targeting high-risk youth
📚 Cross-Curricular PD Sessions
📚 Research Station and Farm Tours
📚 Increased FACS, Agriculture, and Business PD Trainings
Emilee is no stranger to presenting at a state and regional level on strategies for partnering with business and industry. In 2021, she graced four conferences, including Arkansas ACTE, Region IV ACTE, ADE Summit, and ABEA, to share her expertise.
We are proud of the incredible work Emilee is doing to enhance our education system and foster vital partnerships!
#OUR #CTECoordinator #EducationPartnerships #CommunityEngagement #WIN #Partnerships #BetterTogether #ArkansasCTE
Curriculum and testing coordinators from the OUR Co-op districts met yesterday to share information related to curriculum and testing updates.
Ozarks Unlimited Resources Education Service Cooperative (OURSC) hosted the Arkansas Cooperative Technology Coordinators for a productive session this week. They received updates on AR Cyber Laws, cybersecurity awareness, and explored Google Workspace collaboration tools. The team also diligently prepared for the November ACOT conference.
The North Central Region Counselor Association are meeting at the co-op today for counseling professional development focused on the DESE Updates for the 2023-2024 school year.
Congratulations to Valley Springs Elementary. The Newest National Model PLC at Work School. We are proud of your accomplishments!!
OUR Co-op had the privilege of hosting Congressman Rick Crawford and area administrators with the focus of the afternoon providing opportunity for conversation between the Congressman and officials from OUR Co-op district personnel.
OUR Co-op recently hosted a training for school board members. The session was presented by APSRC and provided required information for board members.
On Wednesday, OUR Co-op hosted a session on Texthelp presented by Evan Beavers from DESE. Texthelp consists of a suite of tools which are being made available to every student in Arkansas to help increse student acheivement in reading and mathematics.
OUR Co-op hosted a Fall Principals' Meeting during which updates on a variety of topics were provided.
🌟 Exploring Careers Like Never Before with Virtual Reality! 🌟
CTE Coordinator, Emilee Tucker took virtual reality headsets to the Ozark Mountain business classroom to provide 7th - 12th grade students a glimpse into a world of diverse career possibilities 🌐🎮
With these VR headsets, students can:
🔍 "Tour" different facilities and workplaces in a virtual world.
👩⚕️ Experience assisting with knee surgery.
🚑 Respond to a simulated car crash.
🛠️ Rebuild a destroyed communication tower.
☀️ Install solar panels on a home.
🔥 Weld a broken assembly line, and so much more!
At the end of each simulation, data is collected on student interests in these careers. 📊 (data remains aggregated at the school level and students do not provide their name or any other sensitive information)
This data will be linked to each school and shared by Mrs. Tucker with local industries and the Chamber of Commerce. 💼💡 It's all about targeted career pipeline planning to shape our future workforce!
It's worth highlighting that OUR Co-Op achieved recognition last year in the area of VR Career Exploration. 🌟 Among the 15 co-ops in the state, OUR secured the #1 ranking in "Started SIMS" and #2 position in "Total Number of Unique Users by Site." 🏆 We are committed to ensuring all students have ample opportunities to explore diverse career paths!
Keep an eye out for future updates as the VR headsets journey to other schools within the OUR Co-Op area! 🚀 #OUR #CTE #ArCTE #VirtualReality #CareerExploration #FutureLeaders #InnovationInTheClassroom
Our Early Childhood Coordinator, Cindy Lambe and Assistant HIPPY Coordinator, Gayle Slape hosted a meeting of the HIPPY/PAT Advisory Board . We value the input and collaboration received from the individuals and agencies that participate and support our early childhood programs throughout the year. Agencies represented were HFA:Circle of Life/Northark, Educational Opportunity Center/Northark, U of A Snap Ed, U of A Boone County Extension Service, Ozark Opportunities/Headstart, ADA/Forestry Division, Hope Cottages, Mt. Judea School, ADE/First Connections.
🔒 Stay secure this October! 🚨 The Arkansas CIRT (Cyber Incident Response Team) wants you to know these 4 essential actions to protect yourself and your district during Cybersecurity Awareness Month: 1️⃣ Create strong passwords 2️⃣ Enable multifactor authentication 3️⃣ Spot and report phishing attempts 4️⃣ Keep your software up to date. For more information or cybersecurity resources, contact your ESC’s Technology Coordinator. #CybersecurityAwareness #StaySafeOnline
Our CTE Coordinator, Emilee Tucker, continues to make significant strides in the field of education and workforce development. Emilee recently attended the NWAEDD Business Services/One-Stop Operator meeting, where discussions revolved around economic development, sector planning, and regional partnership strategies.
Mrs. Tucker has been appointed to the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District Workforce Development Board, where she now serves as the chair of the Youth Committee.
📚 The Youth Committee has some inspiring initiatives in the pipeline:
🗓️ On October 17th, there's a youth career fair conference at OUR Co-Op, aimed at empowering at-risk seniors.
📆 On October 26th, another conference is set to take place in NWA, targeting Benton County. Again, it's focused on guiding at-risk seniors towards promising career opportunities.
But that's not all! In the spring, the same students will be invited back to both locations for a second conference. This time, they'll engage in mock interviews and receive guidance on employment opportunities upon graduation.
Stay tuned for more updates as these initiatives unfold!
#OUR #OURCTE #CTE #BetterTogether #Education #YouthDevelopment #CareerOpportunities #NWAEDD #Partnerships
Celebrating the success of Workforce Initiative Network (WIN) Leadership Academy Session #1! 🎉👏 A big thank you to all attendees for their active participation in this afterhours session. Together, we're forging stronger connections between educators and industry partners to empower student success. 🌟 #WINLeadershipAcademy #EducationAndIndustry #CTE #SuccessInSession1 #HarrisonRegionalChamberofCommerce #Wabash #Partnerships
Schools with educators in WLA this year:
- Alpena (Ginger Armington, FACS)
- Berryville (Cassie Swofford, Counselor)
- Deer/Mt. Judea (Nathan Windel, Science - Keith Perkins, Agriculture)
- Flippin (Kelvin Hudson, Superintendent - Vicki Hurst, Counselor)
- Green Forest (Charlsie Polk, Career Development)
- Harrison (Micaela Fitts, FACS - Will Potts, Business - Kelly Regan, Career Coach - Ashley Massengale - Career Coach)
- Kingston (Angelia Mueller, Librarian & Parental Engagement)
- Marshall (Janet Seymore, FACS)
- Omaha (Mary Arnold, Counselor)
- Ozark Mountain (Melissa Smith, Business)
- Valley Springs (Scarlet Williams, Counselor)
Emilee Tucker, OUR CTE Coordinator, and Gordon Eichelberger, DCTE ESC Regional Specialist & Pathways Coordinator, are on a mission to enhance the partnership between DCTE and our local schools. They've already made visits to seven schools and will cover them all before the Fall semester ends. This statewide initiative ensures stronger connections in CTE and allows best practices to be shared across the state!
During these visits, several noteworthy achievements came to light:
1. Marshall High School witnessed remarkable enhancements to its Agriculture program under the guidance of Andrew Hendrix, the new Agriculture Teacher.
2. Jasper High School proudly unveiled its new Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) classroom
3. At Green Forest Middle School, Charlsie Polk, the Career Development Teacher, showcased an innovative approach to engaging parents and staff in cultivating essential soft skills in students.
These positive discoveries underscore the collaborative efforts and commitment to excellence within our educational community!
