Evening Star Elementary School

🤗Big Playground News for Our Little Owls! 🎉We have a huge surprise waiting for our students tomorrow—thanks to the incredible support of our PTO and families! This year, you helped raise funds to: •Install a second saucer swing •Add two more belt swings •Relocate our ADA swings to make them more accessible for our little owlets who need them most 🥰We can’t thank you enough. Your generosity means the world to our students and their families. These new additions will bring so much joy! Get ready, because come Tuesday, those swings will be in full swing (literally)!

🥳Thursday, we celebrated a very special member of our school family — Kim Sparks, our Classified Support Staff of the Year! 💙Kim’s dedication, kindness, and hard work make a difference in our school every single day. She is one of the first smiles students see in the morning and a constant source of positivity throughout the day. Kim goes above and beyond to support students, staff, and families in countless ways. 💐Whether it's helping in the front office, lending a hand in the classroom, or stepping in wherever needed, she does it all with grace and a cheerful heart. Our school simply wouldn’t be the same without her steady presence and joyful spirit. 🦉It was an honor to celebrate Kim and recognize her for everything she brings to our school community. She is a true example of service, dedication, and love for kids! 🌟Please join us in congratulating Kim Sparks on this well-deserved recognition! We’re so lucky to have her on our team!👏🏻

🎉 Shoutout Time! 🎉 We want to take a minute to recognize this incredible team of ladies — our amazing PTO Board! 💐✨ From organizing fundraisers and surprise Happy Carts, to providing breakfast & dinner for our ESE staff, coordinating “Stock the Lounge” events, and leading beloved traditions like Pie Supper and Walk in My Shoes — this team does it all! 🥧👟 They also go above and beyond with next-level decorations (hello, balloon arches! 🎈), help keep the Hoot Hut running smoothly, and make Field Day unforgettable by supplying the popcorn 🍿, decorating to the max 🎉, and helping supervise all the fun! ☀️🏃‍♀️ They’re the behind-the-scenes magic that helps make Evening Star Elementary the Best Place to Be! 🌟💛 Let’s show them some love in the comments! 👏👇

Wednesday we will kick off our Student Appreciation Days! We are excited to close out our final week of school with some added fun. We are beyond proud of our WISE little owls and the growth they have made this school year.

💙Today, we’re celebrating this incredible team of therapists—truly the Best of the Best! Kristen Musteen (SLP), Erin Bradford (OT), Becky Payne (SLP), Stacy Leonard (PT) & Faith Park (Hearing Impaired Specialist) provide specialized care and support to many of our precious little owls. We’re so grateful for all they do! 💐

🎶 Calling all ESE 4th Grade singers! 🎶 Bentonville High School is hosting a Choir Day Camp for 4th-6th grade students from June 3rd–6th, and it’s the perfect opportunity for your student to learn, sing, and have fun with others who love music! 📅 Camp Dates: June 3–6 🌐 Register at: https://gofan.co/event/3356001?schoolld=AR72390_3 🎓 Evening Star families: If you're interested in applying for an ESE Choir Camp Scholarship, please complete this form: ➡️ ESE Choir Camp Scholarship Form [https://76a3.edulnk.com/e/dqae7x/kquab0?__$u__] ⏰ Scholarship applications close Thursday, May 22nd at 3:00 p.m. Don’t miss it! Let’s make this summer one to sing about! 🎤✨

🤗Attention 2025-2026 Kindergarten Students! Are you excited for Kindergarten? 🗓️Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 15th! We have a special night filled with activities planned specifically for our 2025-2026 Kindergarten students! ✅You will get to: - Meet with ESE teachers & staff - Engage in various literacy and math activities - Learn all about Kindergarten & our ESE PTO - Make some new friends ‼️Please attend during the time based on the first letter of your child’s last name. By attending during your designated time, this ensures that our ESE Kindergarten teachers and ESE staff have ample time to work with each child. •A-H 5:00-5:45 p.m. •I-P 6:00-6:45 p.m. •Q-Z 7:00-7:45 p.m. Where: Evening Star Elementary 9649 Haxton Rd Bentonville, AR 72713

💙🩺 Shoutout to Our Incredible School Nurse - Dana Crutchfield! 🩺💙 From tummy aches and nosebleeds to ice packs, Band-Aids, and the comfort of a caring hug — Nurse Crutchfield does it all with compassion and a smile. She’s the steady heartbeat behind the care and support our little owls need each day. Thank you, Nurse Crutchfield, for the countless ways you help our students feel safe, seen, and supported. We are so grateful for your calming presence and your big heart! 🦉

Tonight is “What’s Next Night” for our rising 5th graders! It’s an exciting evening filled with helpful information about the transition to middle school. You and your future middle schooler will have the chance to meet their new principal, tour the building, and ask any questions you may have about what’s ahead. We’re so proud of our ESE Owls as they spread their wings and prepare for this next big step!

🏆 Last Thursday evening we had the honor of celebrating some of our very own stars at the Bentonville Schools awards ceremony! 🌟Congratulations to Shawn Damron, our ESE Teacher of the Year, for her incredible heart, dedication, and impact on our students. We also recognized several staff members for their milestone years of service with Bentonville Schools: Marla McRae – 20 years Kristen Musteen – 15 years Paula Kaufmann, Jolene Smitherman, Cara Morland, & Hannah Graves – 10 years 🫶🏻We are beyond thankful for these incredible educators and staff members. Their commitment to Evening Star and the children we serve has touched countless lives. Check out the Bentonville Schools Facebook page for more highlights from the evening: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16FpRLEKPv/?mibextid=wwXIfr

🍽️ Friday, May 2nd was School Lunch Hero Day, and we are beyond thankful for our amazing cafeteria ladies! Every day, they greet our little owls with a warm smile and serve up delicious meals to keep their tummies full and ready to learn. From breakfast to lunch, they do it all with heart.💙 👏🏻Please help us celebrate Mrs. Sheila and her incredible team—true heroes in our school! We are so lucky to have them.

🗓️ Bike to School starts this week! 🚲We are excited to see all of our little owls who live in the walk zone riding their bikes to school this week. More resources can be found at this website: https://www.bentonvillek12.org/page/bike-to-school-resources

📣Hey Owl Families! We’re always working to make our cafeteria the best it can be—and we sincerely appreciate your feedback! 💬We’d love for you to take just a minute to share your thoughts. Your input helps us continue to improve breakfast and lunch options for our amazing little Owls. 🍽️ It only takes a minute, and it makes a big difference! Scan the QR code or click the link below to take our quick survey by Friday, May 2nd. Thanks for helping our little Owls shine! https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/c87fe1da818544778ab8a22c3b97fe0b

🌟Today is Administrative Professionals Day! Join us in celebrating the 3 most incredible office ladies! 🎉Mrs. Tammy Webb, Mrs. Kendra Rogers, and Mrs. Kim Sparks are absolutely phenomenal and we appreciate all that they do for our entire ESE community!🫶🏻

🚌Thank your bus drivers today and every day! 🫶 We appreciate all you do to keep our little owls safe to and from school. Thank you, ESE PTO, for treating our drivers to a special surprise today!💙🦉

🎉 Big Congratulations to Our Very Own Mrs. Ann Watson! 🎉 We are so proud to celebrate Mrs. Watson — our incredible Library Media Specialist, Robotics Coach, Book Club Sponsor, and all-around Master Teacher Extraordinaire! 💫 Yesterday, she received a wonderful surprise as the Bentonville Schools Foundation named her a 2024-2025 grant recipient winner! 🏆👏 We can’t wait to see what amazing things our little owls will create and explore in the 2025-2026 school year with her guidance. 🦉✨ Join us in giving a HUGE shoutout to Mrs. Watson for her passion, creativity, and dedication to our students! 💛💙

🗓️Mark your calendars! You aren't going to want to miss this! 🧑‍🎨Visual Arts Student Exhibitions - Thursday, April 17th, 5:00-6:30 at the BHS AAC Shewmaker Gallery. 🎨We can't wait to see some of our students' artwork on display.

🥣Let's create a chain reaction of kindness, one donated cereal box at a time! 💙 🗓️The Annual ESE Cereal Drive kicks off Monday, April 14th! We will be collecting boxes until Friday, April 25th. Our goal is to collect enough cereal boxes to fill our gym and create a Domino run to celebrate the kindness and generosity of ESE students and families. Our Annual Cerea Domino Run will take place on Friday, April 25th. 🌟Last year, we collected 762 cereal boxes. Let's surpass this goal! Check out our Facebook post from last year to see the fun had by all -the Domino Run is featured in a video in the comments: https://www.facebook.com/share/16Ao1NHMkt/?mibextid=wwXIfr📽️

🙌Last Thursday was Paraprofessional Appreciation Day, and we want to give a huge THANK YOU to our incredible Evening Star Instructional Assistants and Para Professionals! 💙 These phenomenal individuals work tirelessly behind the scenes—supporting students and staff, providing constant supervision from the first bell to the last car in the lot, and cheering on our students every step of the way. Their dedication, heart, and hard work make us better every single day. We are so grateful for all they do! 👏