📣 AVID Wednesday Reminder!

👕 Don’t forget to wear your AVID shirt tomorrow to show your support for college and career readiness across PCSSD!

This week, we’re spotlighting how Landmark Elementary incorporated AVID into their Peace Week celebration. Third graders created postcards filled with inspiring messages for influential leaders in our district and state. Their outreach even reached the University of Arkansas, where students received heartfelt responses from:

🏀 Coach John Calipari, Men’s Basketball

🥎 Coach Courtney Deifel, Women’s Softball

🤸 Coach Jordyn Wieber, Women’s Gymnastics & Olympic Gold Medalist

"The students and I have talked about the University of Arkansas and all it has to offer as well as each of the coaches," Landmark Elementary Principal Neely Claassen said.

These activities not only encouraged students to practice writing and communication skills, but also showed them how their voices can make an impact beyond the classroom! #AVID #PCSSDproud

11 days ago, PCSSD
Arkansas Gymnastic letter to Landmark Elementary
Coach John Calipari letter to Landmark Elementary
Arkansas Softball letter from Head Coach Courtney Deifel to Landmark Elementary

Bus Driver Safety Awareness Week spotlight 🚌Tamika Parker!
Tamika Parker drives for Sylvan Hills Junior High and High School and is in her second term. She starts each day with a smile and a mission to uplift students and be a source of light.
🌱 Outside of work, Tamika runs a vegan food truck, cheers on her son at Sylvan Hills football games, and works as a licensed cosmetologist.
🗣 “Knowing they saw the Light of Christ in me and it has spread to them is so rewarding!” Tamika said.
Want to make a difference like these incredible drivers? 👉 Apply to be a bus driver at PCSSD: https://pcssd.schoolspring.com/

11 days ago, PCSSD
Temika Parker smiling  wearing a bright yellow safety vest and sitting in the driver's seat of a school bus.
🚌 Charles Anderson finds joy in the rewarding work of watching students grow and transform over the years. He has been a bus driver for 23 years and now serves as Route Supervisor in the Robinson feeder.

💪 Outside of work, Charles enjoys lifting weights, singing, reading self-improvement material, and watching college football.

🗣 “It’s a great feeling when a student sees me at a store, remembers I was their bus driver, and runs over to give me a hug,” Charles said.

✨We are recognizing our men and women at the wheel for Bus Driver Safety Awareness Week.. Want to make a difference like these incredible drivers? 👉 Apply to be a bus driver at PCSSD: https://pcssd.schoolspring.com/
12 days ago, PCSSD
Charles Anderson standing in front of Pulaski County Special School District bus. The tall, muscular man is wearing a safety vest, lanyard, and watch.
October is National Principals Month! Today, we are celebrating Dr. Kim Truslow of Oakbrooke Elementary School. Thanks for everything you do for our PCSSD students. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
13 days ago, PCSSD
Dr. Kim Truslow

🌊 Celebrating Source Water Protection Week! Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle—Central Arkansas’s primary drinking water source! 💧

🚰 With guidance from Central Arkansas Water’s watershed management team, students waded into the Maumelle River, collecting fish 🐟 and macroinvertebrates 🪲 using seines and kick-nets. CAW staff helped identify the specimens 🔍 and explained their ecological significance 🌱.

✨ A powerful reminder of how education 📚 and environmental stewardship 🌍 go hand in hand!

#SourceWaterProtection #LakeMaumelle #EnvironmentalScience #cleanwatermatters #centralarkansaswater

13 days ago, PCSSD
Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle
Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle
Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle
Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle
Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle
Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle
Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle
Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle
Students from Maumelle and Robinson High Schools' AP Environmental Science classes got hands-on with science at Lake Maumelle
October is National Principals Month! Today, we are celebrating Dr. Valencia Essel of Baker Elementary School. Thanks for everything you do for our PCSSD students. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
14 days ago, PCSSD
Dr. Valencia Essel
October is National Principals Month! Today, we are celebrating Anjelica Evans of College Station Elementary School. Thanks for everything you do for our PCSSD students. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
15 days ago, PCSSD
Anjelica Evans
At the October board meeting, PCSSD celebrated three incredible honorees — a student leader from Maumelle High School, an inspiring educator from Mills Middle School, and a Vietnam veteran alumnus whose story came full circle. Read more about their journeys ➡️ https://www.pcssd.org/article/2487420
15 days ago, PCSSD
Two people, a man and a woman, smiling together. The woman is wearing a purple top and the man is wearing a striped shirt. The text on the image reads "What continues to inspire me is seeing our teachers give their best every day."
October is National Principals Month! Today, we are celebrating Tiffany Brown of Crystal Hill Elementary School. Thanks for everything you do for our PCSSD students. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
16 days ago, PCSSD
Tiffany Brown
October is National Principals Month! Today, we are celebrating Stacy Bottoms of Cato Elementary School. Thanks for everything you do for our PCSSD students. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
17 days ago, PCSSD
Stacy Bottoms
🏈 Friday is Homecoming at Sylvan Hills High School. The varsity football team will host the West Memphis Blue Devils on October 24 at 7:00 PM. 🐻
👑 This is your 2025 Homecoming Court: ✨
Haley Belin, Nia Herd-Thomas, Jaci Rainy, Bella Osborne, Imani Whaley, Ja'Riyah Williams, Chloe Cullier, Kadence Mellville, Nadia Perkins, Charlee Smith, Ashley Whitmore, Sara Adams, Tailor Albert, Kyndal Browning, and Makenzie Walker
17 days ago, PCSSD
2025 SHHS Homecoming Maids Haley Belin Nia Herd-Thomas Jaci Rainy Bella Osborne Imani Whaley Ja'Riyah Williams Chloe Cullier Kadence Mellville Nadia Perkins Charlee Smith Ashley Whitmore Sara Adams Tailor Albert Kyndal Browning Makenzie Walker
Navy White Simple Congratulations graphic for Homecoming maids with their names Haley Belin Nia Herd-Thomas Jaci Rainy Bella Osborne Imani Whaley Ja'Riyah Williams Chloe Cullier Kadence Mellville Nadia Perkins Charlee Smith Ashley Whitmore Sara Adams Tailor Albert Kyndal Browning Makenzie Walker

👨‍⚖️ Nearly 100 students from every PCSSD high school took an oath this morning to serve in Teen Court! 👩‍⚖️

⚖️ Teen Court empowers students to act as judges, jurors, and advocates, using restorative justice to help their peers learn from mistakes and make better choices.

🏫 PCSSD is proud to be the only district in Arkansas with a school-based Teen Court model, where students earn class credit while gaining real-world experience in justice and leadership.

📊 Studies show that teens who participate in Teen Court are less likely to reoffend compared to those in the traditional court system—proof that student leadership makes a difference! #PCSSDproud #TeenCourt #ServeAll

17 days ago, PCSSD
Maumelle High School teen court students
Students arrive for teen court
Teen Court Sylvan Hills Students
Maumelle High School student raising his hand in a crowd of PCSSD Teen Court students
Judge Mark Leverett swearing in PCSSD Teen Court
Arkansas State Senator Jamie Scott speaking to PCSSD Teen Court
PCSSD Teen Court students from Mills University Studies taking an oath
Mills University Studies High School student shaking Judge Barry Hyde's hand during PCSSD Teen Court swearing in.
Pulaski County Youth Services waving to students at PCSSD Teen Court
Judge Barry Hyde speaking to PCSSD Teen Court
October is National Principals Month! Today, we are celebrating Mike Hudgeons of Sylvan Hills Middle School. Thanks for everything you do for our PCSSD students. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
18 days ago, PCSSD
Mike Hudgeons

🍂 We are in the middle of Homecoming season! 🏈 Maumelle High School's Varsity Football Team will host Jacksonville on October 17 at 7:00 PM.

👑 This is your 2025 Homecoming Court: ✨

📸 Pictured from left to right ➡️ Ryleigh McIntosh, Macy Clark, Avery Culp, Brooklyn Sawyer, Sania Sheppard, Hallie Cook, Madison Rainey, Reihanna Chatmon, Sasha Boyd, Kendyl Forte, Israel Springs, Kendyl Walker, and Leilah Jackson.

Not pictured are Jayden Rudd and Lexi Morton.

🎉 Homecoming is more than a game—it’s a celebration of our Hornet family! From the field to the stands, let’s make it unforgettable! 🐝

18 days ago, PCSSD
Maumelle High School Homecoming Court standing under the scoreborard.
A flyer for the Maumelle Homecoming Court wit their names listed. 📸 Pictured from left to right ➡️ Ryleigh McIntosh, Macy Clark, Avery Culp, Brooklyn Sawyer, Sania Sheppard, Hallie Cook, Madison Rainey, Reihanna Chatmon, Sasha Boyd, Kendyl Forte, Israel Springs, Kendyl Walker, and Leilah Jackson.
✏️📚 Each day, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is shaping students' futures. From building strong study habits to practicing leadership skills, they reminded us that college and career readiness start with determination and support. 💪

⏰ Tomorrow, remember to wear your college or career shirt to show what your future could hold or where in your past shaped you. 👕🎓
18 days ago, PCSSD
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Sherwood Elementary School
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Robison Middle School
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Robison Middle School
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Sherwood Elementary School
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Robison Middle School
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Robison Middle School
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Sherwood Elementary
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Robison Middle School
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Robison Middle School
Group of students wearing college shirts for AVID Day Robison Middle School
👕 AVID Wednesday! 👕

Don’t forget to show your AVID pride by rocking your college and career shirts tomorrow! At Daisy Bates Elementary, Tigers took AVID to the next level with their annual Rock Your School Week. 🐯

Teachers flipped their classrooms into real-world career spaces — from doctors’ offices 🩺 to other exciting professions — giving scholars a chance to explore college and career pathways in hands-on, creative ways. 🎓

This event and AVID are all about helping our scholars DREAM BIG, set goals, and see their future selves in action. A huge shoutout to our teachers for making learning an adventure every single day! 📚

#AVIDWednesday #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
18 days ago, PCSSD
Daisy Bates students pretend to be doctors on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY
Daisy Bates students pretend to work at an airport on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY
Daisy Bates students pretend to be investigators on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY
Daisy Bates students pretend to be architects on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY
A box delivered by Daisy Bates students pretending to be postal workers on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY
Daisy Bates students pretend to be chefs on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY
Daisy Bates students pretend to be construction workers on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY
Daisy Bates students pretend to be construction workers on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY building a marshmallow and toothpick tower
A Playdoh cake constructed by Daisy Bates students pretending to be chefs on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY
Daisy Bates students pretend to be postal workers on AVID ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY
October is National Principals Month! Today, we are celebrating Zondria Campbell of Joe T. Robinson Middle School. Thanks for everything you do for our PCSSD students. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
19 days ago, PCSSD
Zondria Campbell
The 5-time boys basketball champions of Comet Nation have entered a new Galaxy. Dozens walked through the arena for the first time today and learned the building will be named after Coach Raymond A Cooper, who led Mills University Studies High School to state titles in 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2025. Some of those players made a basket with students today.. Here are the top ten pictures from the event. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
19 days ago, PCSSD
Exterior of the Raymond A. Cooper Arena without its name revealed. A crowd is gathering for the unveiling.
Exterior of the Raymond A. Cooper Arena with its name revealed. People are beginning to walk in.
Interior of the Raymond A. Cooper Arena . A crowd on the basketball court.
A group photo of the Mills University Studies High School basketball team
A basketball being handed to Coach Raymond A. Cooper. His team is smiling in the background.
Coach Cooper making the first basket in the new arena.
A signature on a basketball court saying "Ray Cooper Court"
Four rows of chairs in a film study room with the words win, strive, effort, determination, and passion on the wall.
People gathered under an omnidirectional jumbotron that hangs above a basketball court
Three Mills University Studies High School cheerleaders smiling directly at the camera
October is National Principals Month! Today, we are celebrating Dr. Lisa Watson of Mills Middle School. Thanks for everything you do for our PCSSD students. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
20 days ago, PCSSD
Dr. Lisa Watson
October is National Principals Month! Today, we are celebrating Janna Carr of Maumelle Middle School. Thanks for everything you do for our PCSSD students. #PCSSDproud #ServeAll
21 days ago, PCSSD
Janna Carr