Berryville board approves new virtual school

Students in the Berryville School District will have an opportunity to take classes from home next year thanks to a new program recently approved by the school board.

At its monthly meeting held Monday, May 19, the school board OK’d a new virtual school for the district, Berryville Superintendent Owen Powell said.

“It’ll be available to any students that live in our district,” he said. “ We’ve had a lot of students that have chosen to either homeschool or do virtual school, and with offering this, we’re hoping to get some of those students back in our district.”

The online classes will be using the same curriculum as students who attend in person, Powell said.

“It’s just totally virtual,” he said. “There’s a lot of different ways that we can work it out. If they wanted to come and actually physically be on campus for a few courses, say like … maybe they want to do their cores face to face, and then take other courses online, or vice versa. And they obviously, if they live in our district, they can still participate in any extracurricular activities that we have. So, we’re just trying to create more opportunities for our students here in our district.”

Also approved by the board is a new EAST program for the middle school. EAST, which stands for Education Accelerated by Service and Technology, has been used in schools in Arkansas since 1996 and focuses on project-based learning and community service, where students can use technology to solve problems in their communities, according to the program’s website.

“We’ve had [an EAST program] at the high school for quite a few years, probably going back … maybe 10 or 15 years,” Powell said. “…We’re going to start a middle school program, and I’m excited about that. I think it’s going to bring some really good opportunities for our students at our middle school.”

The board also OK’d a new career coach for students in grades 8-12 that will be funded by a grant through a partnership with North Arkansas College in Harrison, Powell said.

“This position will really help our students,” he said. “They’ll work closely with our counselors and our principals, working with students to help them find their best career path.”

In personnel actions, the board approved the hiring of teacher and new head volleyball coach Alley Edwards, teachers/coaches Rachel Harlan and Timothy Ingram, high school teachers Taylor Mathis and Josh King, building learning coordinator Heather Zaloudek, virtual education facilitator Boone Hooker, middle school teacher Taylor Pytel, ALE teacher Lucas Akins, Bobcat Academy substitute Amanda Briggs, elementary building secretary Laci Tennant, special education paraprofessional Nicole Douglas, cafeteria managers Katlynn Gerrard and Vickie Steward, bus aide Kelly Hawkins and bus driver John Kesler.

Also approved was Jared Wolfinbarger becoming high school assistant principal, moving over from a teaching position at the middle school.

Resignations/retirements OK’d were intermediate teachers Mallory Watkins and Angela Robinson, junior high cheer coach Samantha Burke and teachers/ coaches Shawn Walter and Cecilia Doss.

GOOD NEWS TO WRAP UP YEAR

Powell said a good school year for the district ended on a positive note with the recent release of state-issued letter grades after testing that took place in the 2024-2025 school year.

All campuses were issued B letter grades, Powell said.

“We’re just super happy about the improvements that we’ve made,” he said. “I mean, we’ve made it a top priority for us and had all of our schools improve and score a B on their letter grade. The middle school, they jumped two grades from a D to a B, so that was a huge improvement.

“I’m just really proud of all of our staff, all of our teachers and our principals and our students, just for all the hard work that they’ve put in to to improve those letter grades. To see all the growth that we’ve experienced this year across the district, it’s been great, really.”