Food drive at Wonder

Photo by Billy Woods

Wonder food drive

Wonder Junior High will donate 1,800 food items for their annual Food Drive for 15 families during Thanksgiving. Front row, from left, are Amarreon Johnson, Rakyah Munford, Ashionnah Henderson, Patrick Sims and Kaiesha McGruder. Back row includes principal Dr. Palmer Quarrels and Jessie McGruder. The drive was coordinated by the Houses program at the school.

Classified Staff Personnel Policy Meeting Tues. 11/29/2016

CLASSIFIED Personnel Policy Meeting at the WMSD Board Room on Tuesday 11/29/2016 at 3pm.

If you are interested in representing your campus, please attend.  

Method for determining representation (election, appointment, etc.) will be determined during this meeting based on volunteers in attendance.

Please contact Jim Robb at 870-735-1915 or jrobb@wmsd.net if you have any questions regarding the meeting.

West students earn all-region band

Photo by Billy Woods

West Junior High all-regional band

Six students from West Junior High were recently named to the Region 4 jazz band. They include (from left) Alex Speak, Demarus Davison, Brandon Curtis, Joylyn Kumpati, Andrea Tennison and first-alternate Logan Richardson

Faulk Career Day has purpose

By Billy Woods

WM School District

Nine representatives from various professional backgrounds recently spoke at Faulk Elementary's annual Career Day.

The event was coordinated by guidance counselors Annie Ester and Julia Killmar.

The professional reps included WREG-TV weatherman Jim Jaggers, Heather Parsons of Mid-South Health Systems, Braxton Stokes, Murphy Smith of Fidelity National Bank, Phil Hoard of the U.S. Air Force, Cortez Washington of ASU-Mid-South, Latrice McLin of Shoemaker Financial and the West Memphis Fire Department.

"With our sixth-graders this year we are working on college and career ready," said Ester. "We want to instill in them once you finish high school you have to do something else, whether it's a two-year degree, a technical certificate or going to a four-year college. This is all in line with the Academies of West Memphis' charter program.

"We always make sure ASU-Mid-South is involved. Plus, we get our community involved as stakeholders. All of it is done to make our students better."

AWM band earns awards at UAM contest

By Billy Woods

WM School District

The Academies of West Memphis band has completed another successful marching season.

The Blue Devil band, directed by Cathy Williamss and Kaitlin Roll, along with guard instructor Meghan Langley, recently were named the 2016 University of Arkansas Grand Champions at the UAM Marching Contest. Along with Grand Champions they were named Best in Class 5A, outstanding percussion, outstanding flag line as well as First Division Band, drum majors.

The band received a score of 97 out of 100 from three judges.

"It was pretty incredible," said Williams. "It was a musical, magical performance of the music from the Lion King. The kids really came together for that night's performance, highlighting a successful year of performances."

soloists this year included Ervin Jeffries, Joshua Foster, Elijah Robinson, Melanie Blakely, Lakendra Bradley, Tyson Covington and Jacob Armstrong.

The band also competed in the Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Region Marching assessment in Searcy where the band received the top rating of Superior First Division for their performance.

Also, 12 Blue Devils made the all-region jazz band and five more made alternate, which means 17 of 19 made it to the clinics in Marion, meaning they get to audition for the all-state jazz band.

The all-regional students include Dumaurier Looney, Jeffries, Covington, Lee Pouncey, Anthony Perkins, Zakia Brown, Tyler Steele, Jason Scott, Cody Wordlaw, Ethan Griffin, Tyshawn Campbell and Elijah Robinson.

East Special Olympians earn first places

Photos by Billy Woods

Special Olympic champions

East Junior High Special Olympians recently earned first-place finishes at regional competitions. Above, the volleyball team included Kishon Fuqua, Terrell Young, Jalen Smith, Galon Smith, Brandon Long, Mimi Barrett, John Morris, Marcus Anderson, Patricia Brown, Jamar Brown,, Noah Balti, Braylon Rushing, Dr. Michael Allison, coach Vicki Bowers, Annette Washington and Berleria Prackett. Also pictured, Mimi Barrett won first place in the regional bowling competition at Gosnell by rolling a 70. Barrett will compete in the state tournament Dec. 7 in Little Rock.