Hot SpringsWorld Class High School

The HSWCHS NJROTC (Navy Junior Reserves Officer Training Corps) unit is the oldest NJROTC program in the state of Arkansas, established in March of 1969. NJROTC serves as a character and leadership development program nationwide for high school students. New instructors to Hot Springs include Lieutenant Commander Sean Garrett and Senior Chief David Patti, both of whom bring distinguished Navy careers with them to the classroom. Their focus is on building disciplined, service-minded students, who are prepared for leadership and careers in whatever fields they choose. Currently, 115 HSWCHS students are part of the program. The HSWCHS NJROTC Color Guard is requested to events across the community and central Arkansas area. In competitions, our teams were also among finalists last year in physical fitness and air rifle meets.

Hot Springs World Class High School and Gardner STEM Magnet School have received Beating the Odds Awards for Math Growth at the elementary and high school levels from the Office for Education Policy at the University of Arkansas. Both schools are being honored by OEP because students demonstrated high growth in scores on the ACT Aspire in mathematics. Congrats to our world class students and staff across the HSSD!

Chartwells introduces new Student Choice Program to allow students to taste and then vote on new additions to the HSWCHS school cafeteria lunch menu. Student Choice kicks off 12/4 - 12/6 with tasting events - during normal student lunch schedules - where students will sample a variety of new menu items from different food station options. The menu that receives the most votes will be introduced in the cafeteria as a daily meal option.

The HSSD is a diverse community of student groups, talents, and organizations. We look forward to each holiday performance and event throughout December. Don’t miss a thing, with an all-inclusive HSSD Holiday lineup, below. All events hosted at HSSD schools, as well as the Holiday Extravaganza on 12/6, are free to the public and open to all.

For Giving Tuesday, the Little Rock-based professional tap dance company Untapped sends dance instructors to schools across Arkansas at no charge to work with students in dance classes. Savannah Boyce and Michael Roberson, professional dancers and dance instructors with Untapped, worked with HSSD dance students across the district today. They brought hands-on tap sessions and brief discussion of tap history to our classrooms.

In a heated competition, HSWCHS students faced off in front of a packed gymnasium yesterday in the first ever HSSD Civics Tournament. Mrs. Meggan Moody organized the event as an engaging way to prepare 9th-12th grade students for a new graduation requirement to pass the Arkansas Civics Exam. Congrats to the winning team of Juniors: Tremain Young, Anthony Mitchell, Angel Youngs, and Sevannah Lawson, who have received tickets and school transportation to the Memphis Grizzlies game on Saturday.

Southwest Central Regional Solid Waste Management District awards the #HSSD HSWCHS and Oaklawn Magnet Recycling Grants to help add recycling bins to both sites, and to build greater engagement, general awareness, and participation for recycling in the student body and community.

This month, 70 students (57 from 4th-8th grade and 13 from 9th-12th grade) from our four HSSD Beta Clubs attended a regional Beta Leadership Summit. It was a record breaking year, as HSSD clubs took home seven awards and qualified to compete at the National Beta Club Summit in five categories. Student groups are from Beta Clubs currently established at Park Magnet (4th-5th grade students), Oaklawn (4th-5th grade students), a combined team from Hot Springs Intermediate School (6th grade students) and Junior Academy (7th-8th grade students), and Hot Springs World Class High School (9th-12th grade students).

Hot Springs World Class High School EAST and Park Magnet second grade students collaborated for a Mini-Maker Faire event. The Maker Faire - which are events that feature innovation and experimentation across the spectrum of science, engineering, art, performance and craft - was part of bringing to life the Inventions Over Time Unit of Inquiry for second graders. EAST student teams used invention kits to design projects for younger students to interact with.

During an International Baccalaureate (IB) Celebration, HSWCHS honored students for various levels of participation or completion of courses within the IB Programme. IB is among the most rigorous and demanding college preparatory curriculums available in the United States, for both public and private schools. 230 HSSD 9th-12th grade students are currently participating in some level of IB courses.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a national initiative that requires states to offer courses that prepare students to be job ready, via whatever path they choose after graduation. CTE courses create a bridge between academics and career paths by directly connecting student learners through experiences like apprenticeships, internships, hands-on training and demonstrations, service projects, and other personal interaction with employers. Through of a series of curriculum changes, grants, and visionary leadership, HSSD is proudly offering world class CTE opportunities through full Career Academies. Most recently, a grant from the Arkansas Department of Career Education is continuing to evolve and add to the CTE offerings of HSSD.

Join us in celebrating our the HSSD community for 2018 Homecoming Week, October 8-12. Find a lineup of daily themes for all HSSD schools. We will also host a districtwide pep rally on 10/11 at Joe Reese Stadium (all students will travel via buses to HSWCHS). Festivities conclude on Friday 10/12 with a Homecoming Court Assembly in the morning and the Crowning Ceremony and Football Game (vs. Magnolia) later that evening. Thank you for being part of honoring our #HSSDTrojans!

Pumpkin Light Night is a FREE event for the whole family, on October 23. This gathering celebrates the programs, clubs, organizations, and many offerings of the Hot Springs School District. Bouncy houses, pumpkin displays, booths and activities, food trucks (food trucks charge for food), and entertainment fill our Trojan Field. Be part of celebrating HSSD students and the HSSD community at the 4th annual Pumpkin Light Night!

Governor Hutchinson and leadership from the Jobs for America’s Graduates program, Arkansas Department of Career Education, and other Arkansas business leaders presented the HSSD with a $25,000 Entergy grant check to fund a Jobs for Arkansas Graduates (JAG) program at Hot Springs World Class High School.

Upgrades completed to the HSSD High School cafeteria, allowing for more convenient access by students, and additional tasty options for all food palates.

Seminar Planning helps High School Students Design Personalized Plans for the Future

Garland County