THE VIEW

On April 1st, the Project Unify Athletes and Members, from the Van Buren Freshman Academy, participated in the Track and Field, Area Four, Special Olympics at Southside High School. Jonathan Aguilar and Ronnie Vail qualified for State in their respective events.

Manuel Valente, pictured with School Board President Christy Mayo, was awarded 1st chair, 1st band, Saxophone Player at the Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association, All State Clinic. He will continue his musical talents at Arkansas Tech University in the Fall of 2016.

Spring 2016 Vol. 19 Issue 3

Coach Randy Loyd announces his retirement. Coach Loyd won his seven hundredth game, as the Head Boy’s Basketball Coach at Van Buren High School, on January 23rd, when the Pointers defeated Little Rock Catholic The Pointer Basketball Team went on to win their second straight 7A/6A Central Conference Title and made it to the semi-finals of the State Tournament. Coach Loyd has coached for twenty-nine years in the state of Arkansas. He has been the Van Buren Boy’s Basketball coach for twenty-two years. Coach Lloyd will remain at Van Buren as the Athletic Director. Loyd finishes his coaching career with a record of 709-364 with 356 of the wins as the Van Buren Boy’s Coach.

May second through May sixth marked, National Teacher Appreciation Week. Teachers in the Van Buren School District are blessed to have wonderful parents, community members and PTA’s that shower us with tokens of appreciation throughout the entire week. Thank you to all the teachers, administrators and support staff in the VBSD, that work so hard for all our students every single day.

Mitchell Smith, VBHS senior, University of Missouri signee, was awarded the Arkansas Player of the Year by the Southwest Times. He became Van Buren's all time leading scorer with 1,559 points.

The VBHS Men's Bowling Team won the 7A District Tournament in Lowell. The team placed third in the State.

The Freshman Academy Men's Track Team won the River Valley Conference Meet.

Northridge Middle School would like to congratulate the 2016-2017 Cheer Squad. The squad is sponsored by Lisa Pixley. Pictured First Row: Left to Right: Brooke Moore and Tori Agent. Second Row: Left to Right: Alexis Gibson and Ally Rauser. Third Row: Left to Right: Allysa Langley, Aubrie Johnson, Jasmine Barrett, Lauryn Muldrow. Back Row: Left to Right: Ashtyn Reynolds, Laynee Tichenor, Mariah Yancey, Kate Lanier, Madeline Pettigrew, Destiny Hyatt, Kyah Grubbs, Lily Rhoades, Beau Martin, Meagan Lewison and Kadyn Irwin.

The Northridge PTA is excited to announce that they had two state level winners in the PTA's Reflections Competition. Seventh grade student, Kylie Bell (top photo), won first place in the Middle School Dance Choreography Division and sixth grade student, Hailey Crawley, won first place in the Middle School Photography Division. Both students were invited to attend the PTA State Reflections Banquet in Little Rock on April 1st, and will go on for judging at the national level.

Celebrating Student Achievements

The Rena Elementary Fifth Grade Quiz Bowl Team finished off their season on March 2nd with a third Place finish at the GFESC Regional Quiz Bowl Tournament. The team placed second in the Van Buren School District League this year. Their overall record was 12-3. The team is coached by Jeff Dean. Front Row: Left to Right: Khatie Nouansavane, Harrison Gardner and Parker Brown. Back Row: Left to Right: Alivia Lawson, Sami Schubert, Hannah Lockhart and Colton Reather.

Callie Danielle Pixley was recently crowned Miss Teen VBHS. She also received the Crowd Choice and the Community Volunteer Award. Callie is the daughter of Kevin and Lisa Pixley and the granddaughter of Terry and Barbara Wells and Ben and Judy Pixley, all of Van Buren. Callie is a ninth grade student at the Van Buren Freshman Academy.

Northridge Middle School would like to congratulate the dance team for the 2016-2017 school year. Pictured First Row: Left to Right: Madison Rotter and Kynnedy Pendergrass. Second Row: Left to Right: Lilly Brasuell, Lauren Wilkinson, and Chloe Ford. Third Row: Left to Right: Caroline Ford, Savanna Bynum and Berkeley Rogers. Back Row: Left to Right: Lilly Deffenbaugh, Kate Rogers, Katherine Alonzo, Emily Rickner, Julie Swayne, Kylie Bell, Lexi Stell, Eliza Moore, Kinley Brown, Belle Brown, and Tara Young.

Eighteen Butterfield Trail Middle School Students completed National History Day Projects and competed in late February. Fifteen of those students went on to compete at the Regional National History Day Competition. Eight BTMS students took five projects to the State National History Day Competition at UCA in Conway on April 16, 2016. Pictured Left to Right: Skyla Sayarath, Sixth Grade, Individual Performance “Sacagawea: Encounter and Exchange with the Corps of Discovery”; Brooks Mulloy, Sixth Grade, Individual Website “Apollo 13: NASA's Finest Hour”; Cade Richesin and Richelle Stacy, Eighth Grade, Group Website “Apollo 13: NASA's Finest Hour”; Mami Inthirathvongsy, Eighth Grade, Historical Paper “Apollo 13: NASA's Finest Hour” and Caleb Jenkins, Hunter Boyle and Harrison Lehnen, Seventh Grade, Group Documentary “Apollo 13: NASA's Finest Hour”.

Celebrating Student Achievements

Nineteen students from Butterfield Trail Middle School, Northridge Middle School, and the Van Buren Freshman Academy represented their schools at the Regional National History Day Competition at Alma on March 14, 2016. These students submitted a variety of projects: documentaries, websites, papers, and performances over several different subjects. Brenda Taylor works with the Northridge Middle School and Freshman Academy National History Day students, while Tracy Cline works with the Butterfield Trail Middle School National History Day students. Pictured Front Row: Left to Right: Chris Limon (FA), Jocelyn Henriquez (FA), Stephen Harris, Mami Inthirathvongsy, Skyla Sayarath, Harrison Lehnen, Brooks Mulloy, Astrid Rodriguez and Cade Richesin (all BTMS). Second Row: Left to Right: Kate Rogers (NRMS), Kate Lanier (NRMS), Caleb Jenkins, Hunter Boyle, Richelle Stacy, Jaci Six, Kim Cruz, Jesse Dollard, Natalie Williams and Nicole Cope (all BTMS).

The Rena Elementary Fourth Grade Quiz Bowl Team capped off their season as the undefeated Van Buren Elementary District Champions. On March 1st, the team earned a Third Place finish in the Regional tournament. Team Members pictured Back Row: Left to Right: Drew Brasuell, Gage Ragsdale, Gracie Johnson, and Christian Woodward. Front Row: Left to Right: Hailey Jordan, Blake Richesin, and Haileigh Kelly. The team is coached by Marlene Summerhill and Jill Haley.

Celebrating Student Achievements

Butterfield Trail Middle School Spelling Bee Winners from January 6, 2016. The top four spellers competed in the Crawford County Spelling Bee, January 30th, at the Alma Performing Arts Center. Pictured Left to Right: Seventh Grade Student: Jessica Rierson (First Place); Sixth Grade Student: Hansen Elliott (Second Place); Sixth Grade Student: Shipley Jenkins (Third Place); Sixth Grade Student: Brooks Mulloy (Fourth Place) and Seventh Grade student: Elaum Purifoy (Alternate).

The First Annual Van Buren School District Staff Wellness Event was held, March 14th. The first wellness activity selected was bowling. The purpose of the development of the Staff Wellness Program is to promote teamwork and staying active. The elementary level winner of the bowling event was Parkview. The secondary level winner was Van Buren High School. The event was a huge success and there was a great turnout from every campus.

Mary M. Wilmot, art teacher at King Elementary, had the opportunity to meet artist, author, and civil rights activist Faith Ringgold at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. Ringgold is well-known for her story quilts and Crystal Bridges recently purchased "Maya's Quilt of Life," a quilt commissioned by Oprah Winfrey for Arkansas native Maya Angelou.

Patrick Allred, Parkview, Top Bowler in the elementary division.

Parkview Elementary: Pictured Back Row: Left to Right: Angela Raley, Renee Rotert, Barb Werner, Patrick Allred, Ron Davis and Michael Bridges. Front Row: Left to Right: Donna Helmer, Samantha Newell, Marti Salisbury and Cindy Williams.

Randy Graham, BTMS, Top Bowler in the secondary division. Van Buren High School: Pictured: Left to

Right: Paige Hammond, Robert Rogers, Eddie Tipton and Deena Dunn.

Pointer Pride in Professionalism

Deputy Superintendent, Kerry Schneider, received the Lifetime Membership Award at the PTA Awards Luncheon, held on May 3rd.

Kevin Croxton, music teacher at Parkview Elementary, received the Teacher of the Year Award at the PTA Awards Luncheon, held on May

Angel Gaona, Parkview Elementary PTA President, received the Volunteer of the Year Award at the PTA Awards Luncheon, held on May 3rd.

Dr. Childers, Principal at Tate Elementary, received the Administrator of the Year Award at the PTA Awards Luncheon, held on May 3rd.

Tammy Poole, teacher at Freshman Academy, received the Teacher of the Year Award at the PTA Awards Luncheon, held on May 3rd.

Dewayne Richesin, school resource officer, received the Children’s Champion Award at the PTA Awards Luncheon, held on May 3rd.

Butterfield Trail Middle School eighth graders visited the Fort Smith National Cemetery to launch their "Is Freedom Ever Free?" Expeditionary Learning Unit. Students were guided by members of our local VFW Chapter who spoke about the sacrifices that are made for our country.

Butterfield Trail Middle School eighth graders visited Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and spoke to Museum Educators about the symbolism artist's use. Students took this knowledge and applied it to their own work for their "Is Freedom Ever Free?" Expeditionary Learning Unit.

Several Butterfield Trail Middle School students decided to participate in Hooked On Fishing, Not on Drugs. A new club at BTMS!

On Friday, April 22nd, BTMS hosted a school wide event raising awareness about domestic violence and encouraging students to break the silence and end the cycle of violence. Our own Mr. Altman began the event with an original song and message about domestic abuse. The local chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) presented to the entire school about their role in advocacy and protection of abused children (top left and bottom right). Students then participated in a mile walk (some in heels) around silhouettes of victims of domestic violence (center image). In addition, the Van Buren Police Department and Crawford County Sheriff's office presented to students about online safety (top right), and the Crisis Intervention Center talked with students about safety in relationships (bottom left). BTMS wants to thank their PTA and the sponsors, whom this event would not have been possible without their support.

Education that Engages

Students Ethan Harris and Zackary Fitzgerald practice tying knots on their fishing poles.

Student R.J. Riley shows Jase Bradley how to play Backyard Bass Fishing.

Kindergarten students in Ms. Werner’s class, at Parkview Elementary, celebrate Cinco De Mayo.

Students at City Heights Elementary participate in STEM Club. The STEM Club members meet for four weeks, one night a week, to do STEM projects. The last two meetings parents and their children build a bottle rocket then launch them at the last meeting. The Education Foundation made the Clubhouse project possible.

The Northridge Middle School Cast of Seussical Junior, performed in three performances, Thursday, May 12th at 9:30, 1:00 and 7:00. The performance was a huge success as they performed for students, parents and the community.

The Van Buren School District held kindergarten registration and readiness for the 2016-2017 school year. Pictured are Central teachers and the future kindergarten students playing games and touring the school, while parents complete paper work and visit with the staff.

Kindergarten students at Rena Elementary, have been studying animals and life cycles. The classes hatched chicks last week, after twenty-one days of waiting. The Crawford County Extension Office loaned the incubators to the classrooms to use while learning about lifecycles.

Education that Engages

Students in Ms. Deffenbaugh’s class determine how many 10's and 100's are in the number 4,736. The students use their class 10,000 chart as a resource.

Students in Ms. Hall’s Food and Nutrition Class at VBHS participated in the Cupcake Wars, on March 17th. The cupcakes were judged by VBHS staff members based on creativity, presentation and flavor.

Butterfield Trail Middle School was selected to receive a 2016 Toolbox for Education Grant from the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF). A group of BTMS staff members have been working on ways to improve the enclosed concrete area when the school was renovated in 2006—the area between the Library, Auditorium, and the Commons Area. The Outdoor Classroom received a VBSD Education Foundation grant last year to create raised beds for planting vegetables and other plants for science classes. This new grant will allow BTMS to make this an Outdoor Classroom and Reading Area. The $5,000.00, Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grant will make this space an attractive, inviting, outdoor classroom with a pergola to provide seating space for an entire group of students and teachers to work, pots and hanging baskets with assorted plants, two “reading” gliders to encourage student reading and possibly a small picnic area. Besides math and science teachers and students using the area for projects, the vision is for Language Arts and Social Studies teachers to bring their students outside to read, instead of being cooped up in the classroom during reading times. This outdoor classroom will support teachers in the areas of biology, ecology, natural science, horticulture, environmental education, math, and reading.

Eighth grade science students creating

raised vegetable beds.

Education that Engages

Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs Club Members work in the outdoor classroom.

Van Buren School District is committed to education and support of children in our community. Some of our students and their families face critical nutritional deficits due to economic hardships and our IMPACT program is designed to provide help to fill that meal gap. For those dependent on the school lunch programs, critical needs arise when school isn’t in session. The need for IMPACT:

More than four hundred students currently receive some food assistance outside school days via existing programs.

Van Buren School District currently has more than one hundred students enrolled who are classified as homeless.

Van Buren School District’s free and reduced school lunch percentage is now over 50%

Approximately 40% of students below the age of sixteen live at or below the poverty level.

The Project: The IMPACT project will provide food assistance at four critical times

during the year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring break and the beginning of the summer break.

Each family will receive a food pack which will include food staples which will supplement their food sources during these critical times.

Food packs will be distributed or can be picked up at the district Service Center at 2804 Industrial Park Road, Van Buren AR. 72956.

What you can do to help: Provide a cash donation as a co-sponsor of IMPACT Volunteer time to help with food pack preparation and distribution

For more information about IMPACT, to volunteer, or to help with funding contact: Tom Watkins 479-471-4017 twatkins@vbsd.us

In association with the Amazing Acrobats of China from Branson, the award winning, Jinan China Circus will be making one stop in Western Arkansas before starting a three month world tour, on June 5, 2016 from 2:00-4:00. This incredible group of over twenty male and female athletes from the People’s Republic of China perform a two hour extravaganza that includes chair stacking, daring aerialist feats, traditional dance, magic and juggling, all in amazing and authentic costumes. This event brought to you by, The Fort Smith Radio Group and Eureka Pizza is one family event you will not want to miss. VIP adult tickets are $33; children twelve and under $23. $5 off per ticket for groups of ten or more. For tickets visit www.centerforfinearts.org or call 479-471-4017.

Van Buren Fine Arts Center

Community Connection