This is just what we needed to start off the week leading up to Christmas! Kindergarteners from Central Park Elementary made 150 treat bags for the men and women at the Benton County Sheriff's Office. We're especially mindful of our friends at the BCSO as they mourn the loss of Detective Paul Newell right now. Grateful for men and women everywhere that wear the uniform in service of others. #whereexcellencelives
Congratulations to the Bentonville High School Golden Tamer Dance Team for another Arkansas state championship! This makes three consecutive championships for these ladies and their coach Megan Walbe! To say their practices are intense is an understatement, but they make it look effortless when it's go time. Congratulations, Golden Tamers. #whereexcellencelives
Write on, Bentonville! Just before the Thanksgiving break, third graders at Evening Star Elementary hosted a book signing! Students wrote and published their own work with the help of their teachers. The project, start to finish, was an opportunity to learn how to take a concept to a celebration! Way to go, Evening Star! #whereexcellencelives
Happy Thanksgiving, Bentonville Schools! We hope your day is filled with family!
Just before the break, the team at Tennie Russell Primary School hosted its annual feast for students and parents. The meal is one of our favorite traditions in Bentonville! #whereexcellencelives
Running a marathon is a big deal. Running the New York City Marathon and finishing 21st out of 48,000 athletes is extraordinary. Jacob Shiohira, a graduate of Bentonville High School, did exactly that though earlier this month. Jacob competed in cross country at BHS and is still running the globe. His goal is to finish the six biggest marathons in the world and qualify for the Olympic trials. His proud mom is Deb Nelson-Shiohira, a long-time kindergarten teacher at Willowbrook Elementary. Keep making us proud, Jacob! #whereexcellencelives
You went big, Bentonville! Two thousand folks gathered together last week to Choose Love. Two thousand. Let's keep it going every day. #whereexcellencelives
Love seeing our students do big things in the classroom and the community! The Bentonville High School Spanish National Honor Society recently volunteered at the JDRF Walk in NWA. Well done, BHS! #whereexcellencelives
A former student recently wrote us about some notes she found when going through her high school mementos. Lexi Carter said she found a couple of writings she had saved from Bentonville High School teacher Cayse Cunningham. Mrs. Cunningam shared the notes of encouragement when Lexi was a student in her AP Physics class.
Mrs. Cunningham has been teaching AP Physics and IB Physics for 10 years in Bentonville Schools. Her love for physics is surpassed only by her love of her students. She hopes her kids remember the principles of gravity, electromagnetism and nuclear force, but, more importantly, she hopes they also remember teachers are a lifelong force for them. She told us a teacher’s support doesn’t end after graduation.
These two ladies ran into each other this past summer at a local restaurant. Lexi told her mentor she is currently studying education. Her career goal is to become a teacher and care for others the way she was cared for in Bentonville Schools.
Join us in congratulating Cayse Cunningham for going the Extra Mile in her service to students. #whereexcellencelives
Bentonville West High School graduate Madison Phillips was recently elected president of her class at West Point - The U.S. Military Academy! Madison graduated from BWHS in 2021 and was a star student while in high school. Her grit is almost beyond human! We’re proud of your perseverance, Cadet Phillips! #whereexcellencelives
The Benton County Sheriff's Office will host its Parent's Night Out on November 7. This event is for adults only and you must register in advance at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b084aaeaa2fa3f49-parents1
This meeting is incredibly powerful and a must-see if your child owns a cell phone. Register now and save the date. #whereexcellencelives
Kelly & Cortney Carlson have championed the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement in Bentonville from day one and are co-chairs of Choose Love 2022. This husband and wife team rolled up their sleeves when we started planning in April, and they've been in the trenches ever since. Kelly is vice president of the Bentonville Schools Board of Education and Cortney is employed with Walmart. You want to know what really motivates them though? It's their girls. Julianna and Caroline are why they Choose Love. Earlier in the year, Caroline, who is seven and a half (the half is important, she says) brought her piggy bank money to Cortney. She said it was her contribution to our big event on November 9. You can bet this will be the biggest and best Choose Love celebration yet. Make plans now to be there. #whereexcellencelives
October is National Principals Month. The folks you see here keep our schools going, and they do it with grit and grace. If you have a moment this week, drop a note off with your principal or send an email to share the love! #whereexcellencelives
What a great night recently at Osage Creek Elementary and Creekside Middle! The two schools hosted a packed house for a combined culture night. Students were invited to share the stories of their backgrounds through dance, art and music. #whereexcellencelives
The Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement is a formula to live with courage, show compassion, extend gratitude and offer forgiveness. We hope you'll join us in perpetuating the movement throughout Bentonville on Wednesday, November 9. The event is perfect for families of all ages! #whereexcellencelives
We the people are loving this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a rare, original print of the U.S. Constitution made possible by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Bentonville High School civics students toured the exhibit with their teacher Michael Eaves earlier this week. Original prints of the Declaration of Independence, the proposed Bill of Rights and the Articles of Confederation can be viewed until January 2. The exhibit is free and absolutely worth your time. #whereexcellencelives
You wanna put on a clinic...you call up the best. WNBA Hall of Famer Jackie Stiles showed the ladies' basketball team at Lincoln Jr High how it's done recently. Jackie encouraged the ladies of Lincoln to live their dreams on and off the court. In the 2001 WNBA draft, Stiles was selected fourth overall by the Portland Fire and was later voted the Rookie of the Year #whereexcellencelives
Back in May, we asked our teachers to take a picture of themselves celebrating the Choose Love Movement over their summer break. We got back some incredible images but one stood out. Deb Hight is a teacher at Washington Junior High School. Her daughter is battling cancer right now, but the mother-daughter duo still took a moment to Choose Love outside of their cancer clinic. The reality is this life can be tough. But so are you. Live each moment with courage, compassion for others, offer forgiveness and show gratitude. The Choose Love formula is a game changer.
We plan to share more pictures like these leading up to Choose Love Day in Bentonville on November 9. #whereexcellencelives
Kindergarteners at Vaughn Elementary are learning what plants need to survive, and it seems we all might be a houseplant! Give us sunshine, water and fresh air, right? Love seeing teachers like Shannon Johnson at Vaughn promote learning in the great outdoors. #whereexcellencelives
We're once again offering our most popular lunch and learn on the topic of online safety. Mark your calendars now for this powerful discussion with Benton Co Prosecutor Nathan Smith. You'll learn more about online dangers and how to better protect your kids. Bring a sandwich from home or grab a bite in the drive-thru, and join us. #whereexcellencelives
A big thank you to Arkansas State Senator Bart Hester and Arkansas State Representative Jim Dotson for spending time in the halls of Bentonville Schools last week. The two toured classrooms in our newest and oldest schools led by our principals and education specialists. We're grateful for our state lawmakers that spend time learning and listening. #whereexcellencelives
