HOPE – Hope Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Bobby Hart said today the teachers, administrators, staff, parents and students of the HPS have collaborated to keep education of students thriving during the statewide closure of public schools.\r\n
\r\n“It goes without saying that these are unprecedented times for our work and our country,” Dr. Hart said in a statement issued online Tuesday to HPS personnel. “Education will look different as a result of the work we are doing currently. We can simply survive and return to business as usual, or, we can use this opportunity to make ourselves better and more effective after this pandemic passes.\r\n
\r\n“I hope each of you are healthy and safe, and your families are the same,” he added. “Thanks, again, for the job you are doing.”\r\n
\r\nStudents in Arkansas schools are not scheduled to return to on-campus classes until April 20 under the current order of Governor Asa Hutchinson. Hart said that date will remain firm until new guidance is received from the Arkansas Department of Education and Gov. Hutchinson’s office.\r\n
\r\nTeachers and administrators across the Hope Public Schools have developed student packets for Alternative Method of Instruction materials for the first 10 days of the extended closure, excluding the week of Spring Break.\r\n
\r\nBERYL HENRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL\r\n
\r\nBeryl Henry Elementary School students may pick up new Alternative Method of Instruction packets at the BHE campus from 4-6 p.m. on April 1, according to BHE Principal Dr. Roy Turner.\r\n
\r\nDr. Turner said the first series of supplemental packets issued since the closure of schools was completed Monday.\r\n
\r\nStudents will be given access to myOn, Moby Max, Google Classroom, Freckle, Nitro Type, and other software which can be used to complete assignments during the closure.\r\n
\r\nTurner said printed materials and other information will be available at the drive around in front of the main office entrance at BHE.\r\n
\r\n“We prefer that students or parents not get out of their cars due to this being a ‘grab and go,’” Turner said. “We will deliver to the cars as they pull up by the office entrance.”\r\n
\r\nCREATIVE ACTION TEAM SCHOOL\r\n
\r\nCATS students have been given AMI work which was to be completed prior to March 30, CATS Principal Cleytus Coulter said.\r\n
\r\n“Our staff did provide additional days of support,” Coulter said. “The packets included directions, additional resources and work to be completed.”\r\n
\r\nStudents in the CATS program generally receive online instruction, she said.\r\n
\r\n“Each class has an online instructor that is constantly making contact with the students and parents,” she said. “Students in grades two through eight will use the online Moby Max program as part of their daily instruction.”\r\n
\r\nCATS teachers also have access to online conferencing software which allows them to speak directly to students and parents, she said.\r\n
\r\n“Creative Action Team School teachers and I are making contact with all students by email, phone or Zoom,” Coulter said.\r\n
\r\nCLINTON PRIMARY SCHOOL\r\n
\r\nAMI packets for Clinton Primary School students have already been issued for work planned through April 9, CPS Principal Ashlea Stewart said.\r\n
\r\n“We will release AMI for the week of April 13-17 on Wednesday, April 8,” Stewart said.\r\n
\r\nShe said work beyond that time frame will be released as information about the length of the statewide school closure is announced.\r\n
\r\n“We will post assignments online and packets will be available for pickup at the school,” Stewart said. “We will release specific pickup locations at a later date.”\r\n
\r\nParents are also asked to return completed AMI packets when picking up new assignments on April 8, she said.\r\n
\r\n“Parents will need to write the child’s name, grade, and teacher’s name on the front of the packet they are turning in,” Stewart said.\r\n
\r\nHOPE ACADEMY OF PUBLIC SERVICE\r\n
\r\nHAPS students may collect AMI packets daily through Thursday from 10 a.m. until noon each day from newsstand boxes located on the porch of the main entrance at 601 W. Sixth St.\r\n
\r\n“Students need to get a packet and a composition book,” HAPS Principal Dr. Carol Ann Duke said. “There is also a box for return of completed AMI work.”\r\n
\r\nHOPE HIGH SCHOOL\r\n
\r\nHHS students should have completed AMI Packet 1 for days 1-3, HHS Principal Bill Hoglund said.\r\n
\r\n“You should be started on Packet 2, which is to be submitted by April 7,” Hoglund said. “Please continue to check your school email for correspondence. Make sure your work is attached when you submit to Google Classroom.”\r\n
\r\nHHS students working from paper copies of the AMI packet must keep the packet until the work is completed. Students may obtain paper copies of Packets 2-4 from newsstand boxes located at the entrance to the MAC athletic complex on the HHS campus.\r\n
\r\n“You need to take a packet from each machine and make sure you put your name and lunch number on each packet,” Hoglund said. “When you complete your packet, you can return it to the campus through the designated ticket booth window located where you picked up the packet.”\r\n
\r\nDeadlines for HHS packets are as follows:\r\n
\r\n--Packet 1 Essay, March 31.\r\n
\r\n--Packet 2, Thursday, April 2.\r\n
\r\n--Packet 3, Tuesday, April 7.\r\n
\r\n--Packet 4, Monday, April 13.\r\n
\r\n--Packet 5, Friday, April 17.\r\n
\r\nSpecific questions regarding the packet content or assignments should be directed to the HHS main office.\r\n
\r\nYERGER MIDDLE SCHOOL\r\n
\r\nStudents at Yerger Middle School have been issued hard copy AMI materials for Days 1-10 of the closure, according to Principal Mike Radebaugh.\r\n
\r\nRadebaugh said hard copy materials may be obtained from a newsstand at the front entrance to the YMS campus. Materials for next week will be available on Monday. A file cabinet will also be available for the return of completed AMI materials.\r\n
\r\nAll AMI materials are also posted to Google Classroom online. Any additional issuance of AMI day materials will be announced on the Yerger Middle School website.\r\n
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TOP: Beryl Henry Elementary School Principal Dr. Roy Turner and sixth grade teacher Misty Gilbert deliver AMI packets at the car line on the BHE campus Monday. MIDDLE: HAPS student Carter Berry waves after retrieving AMI packet materials at the HAPS campus Monday, as Principal Dr. Carol Ann Duke looks on. BOTTOM: Newsstands have been re-commissioned for distribution of AMI packets to Hope High School students during the closure of public schools in Arkansas. – Ken McLemore/Hope Public Schools\r\n