Bentonville Schools -

We're happy to share that Matt Peoples has been promoted to Director of Visual and Performing Arts for Bentonville Schools. Matt has served our district for more than a decade, starting as a theater teacher at Bentonville High School and most recently as the assistant director of VPA. Matt is originally from the farmlands of Carlisle, Arkansas, but he now calls Bentonville home. He's a strong runner and, of course, loves the arts in our district and across our larger community. Congratulations, Matt! #whereexcellencelives

Soma Majumdar is our June Extra Mile Award recipient! She's an instructional assistant at Apple Glen Elementary. A colleague at Apple Glen nominated Soma for this award for her willingness to do whatever is needed. Soma greets students first thing in the morning, supports classroom instruction throughout the school and covers lunch duties. Soma was in the cafeteria just before summer break when she noticed a student choking. She immediately jumped in and performed the Heimlich maneuver. The second grader was understandably upset, but alive. Soma was the right person at the right moment. Thank you, Soma, for caring for all students as if they were your own! #whereexcellencelives

It's not goodbye; only see you later! We're happy for Bentonville Schools' Board of Education President Kelly Carlson and Board Member Joel Dunning, who recently accepted employment opportunities that will take them and their families out of NWA. Kelly and Joel resigned their positions on the board of education this week. While we're saddened to see them go, we know they'll improve their new communities through their commitment to public education. Thank you, Kelly and Joel, for your service! #whereexcellencelives

Our high school students are making our community that much better! Students are volunteering their time in our parks, schools and caring for younger students as part of our Summer of Service. Thank you, students, for making this #whereexcellencelives

Lincoln Junior High School seventh grader Kanin Cupp just returned from The U.S. Military Academy at West Point where he took part in the school's annual middle school STEM camp. He was just one of 80 jr. high students accepted into that program nationwide! While on campus, Kanin studied robotics, drones, and artificial intelligence led by West Point faculty and cadets. Kanin hopes to receive a West Point appointment after high school graduation and ultimately study aerospace engineering. Congratulations, Kanin! #whereexcellencelives

Well done, Class of 2025! #whereexcellencelives

Can we get a little commotion for the success? The Bentonville High School softball team is back-to-back Arkansas State Champions! Head Coach Kent Early and Assistant Coach Lindsey Davis lead these ladies. #whereexcellencelives

We'd love for you to stop by Bentonville High School tomorrow to welcome Dr. Jeff Wasem to his new role at BHS! The Bentonville Schools' Board of Education recently selected Dr. Wasem as the new principal at BHS. Come say hello, grab a coffee and a lemon tart! We're looking forward to celebrating Dr. Wasem and the beautiful tradition that is BHS! #whereexcellencelives

Back to back to back! Three consecutive Arkansas State Championships for the Bentonville High School ladies' soccer team! Head Coach Steve Porter and Assistant Coach Nick Smallridge lead these ladies. #whereexcellencelives

Brittany Bates, a nurse at Willowbrook Elementary, can cure just about anything with an ice pack, band-aid and loving words. “I realize it can be difficult for students to be away from their parents, especially when they aren't feeling well, so it's important that students feel safe and supported when they come into the health office,” she told us. When a first grader returned from Christmas break with a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes, the child's mom called Nurse Brittany for help. Mom told us she remembers setting an alarm for all hours to check on her daughter. Understandably, mom and dad were scared to send their baby back to school while working through their new normal. “Nurse Brittany was alerted to my daughter's condition, and she reached out to peers to understand how they dealt with this diagnosis and proactively began to research. On day one, I felt a level of confidence that she would take care of my child,” Mom wrote. “Without Nurse Brittany’s efforts and my confidence in her, I likely would have stopped working,” she added. Life is filled with change and challenges, but we’re not meant to go it alone. The people around us make all the difference. All children deserve to have a Nurse Brittany in their circle. Thank you for going the Extra Mile, Brittany! #whereexcellencelives

After conversations with local meteorologists, we intend to dismiss class early today. Parents who wish to check out their children by noon may do so. We will excuse your child's absence. Buses will begin running at 12:30 today for elementary school, with middle school, junior high and high school following. We will dismiss high school drivers at 1:00 p.m. Please track your child’s bus on the BusCompass app to follow their travel in real time. All evening activities are canceled tonight. Stay safe this afternoon and evening.

Twelve years in the making! You did us proud, Class of 2025! #whereexcellencelives

The Bentonville High School men's soccer team is ranked 14th nationwide! Watch them play tomorrow when they host the Arkansas State Playoffs on their home field. BHS men will play at 1:00 p.m. on Friday. Tickets at https://gofan.co/app/school/AAA Head Coach Mike Devaney and Assistant Coach Rick Ternes lead these young men. #whereexcellencelives Source: https://tinyurl.com/4755rb8c Photo Credit: Brant Turner

Congratulations to the Bentonville West High School Chamber Orchestra! They are your Arkansas State Champions after competing in the ASBOA state concert contest! The group recently competed in Jonesboro for the top honors and brought home the hardware. The BWHS Chamber Orchestra is led by Mary Kelly. #whereexcellencelives

Congratulations to the Bentonville Pride! These student musicians were invited to perform at The Midwest Clinic near Chicago in December. This international event attracts more than 18,000 attendees from all 50 U.S. States and 40 countries. Ensembles must undergo a highly competitive application process that includes audio recordings, videos, programs and letters of recommendation. Only a few ensembles are selected each year from across the globe, and even fewer high school bands make the cut, only FIVE this year! Bentonville Pride Director Tim Hendrix says this invite cements a performer's legacy on a global stage! #whereexcellencelives

Congratulations to the Bentonville High School ladies' and men's track teams, who are Arkansas State Champions yet again! This is the third consecutive state championship for the ladies' coach, Randy Ramaker, and a threepeat for the men's leader, Mike Power. #whereexcellencelives

It's not goodbye, but instead, thank you for everything! We're so proud of these beautiful people retiring from Bentonville Schools after decades of service! We wish them morning coffee in the garden, slumber parties with grandkids and no alarm clocks! Thank you for leaving Bentonville Schools better than you found us! #whereexcellencelives

This is Teacher Appreciation Week across the nation! If you have a moment, encourage your child to write a note of gratitude to these superheroes who do it all! Our teachers truly make Bentonville Schools #whereexcellencelives!

It's been a long road, but three students from Bentonville West High School are the $100,000 Samsung Solve for Tomorrow grand prize recipients! Congratulations to senior Ronak Pai and juniors LalitAditya Kameshwaran and Veera Sai Joshik Unnam, along with their teacher Matthew Possehl, for their work to develop an app that detects mouth cancer. Their app was inspired by a desire to help family members and friends with concerns about oral cancer screenings, specifically the difficulty in obtaining them. Our students worked with researchers at the University of Arkansas, internationally and local dentists to develop their app. The $100,000 prize money will be used to purchase newer technologies to inspire future students at Bentonville West! Congratulations, gentlemen! #whereexcellencelives

One of our favorite celebrations of the year is when we stop in May to recognize our teacher of the year from each school and those who have served 20, 30 and even 40 years with Bentonville Schools! These individuals are among the best in the nation. Congratulations to Fulbright Junior High School's Alane Schultz who is the 2024-2025 Bentonville Schools' Teacher of the Year! #whereexcellencelives