Senior Night is Thursday for Blue Devil hoops

The West Memphis Blue Devil basketball teams will be in action on Tuesday and Thursday of this week for the regular-season finales.
West Memphis will host Valley View at Lehr Arena on Tuesday before taking on Nettleton on Thursday for Senior Night at Lehr Arena.
Tuesday's game will begin at 6 p.m. with the girls game.
Blue Devil seniors will be recognized on Thursday between the girls varsity and the boys varsity games.
Also, 6A-East Conference coaches will meet on Wednesday of this week to vote on seedings for the upcoming conference tournament. The tournament will not be played at one site. Teams with the better seed will host its opponent. The tournament will begin on Saturday.

AWM squad wins GREC Quiz Bowl

By Billy Woods

WM School District

The Academies of West Memphis quiz bowl team swept right through the competition last week at the annual Great Rivers Educational Co-op tournament at Forrest City on the campus of East Arkansas Community College.

AWM went 6-0 in the round robin tournament to win the championship. The Blue Devils posted wins over Palestine-Wheatley, Brinkley, Clarendon, Barton and Helena-West Helena.

"These are some of the most talented kids I've worked with in a while," said AWM quiz bowl coach Dewanda Kirkland. "All of my seniors are uber-talented in band and other extra-curriculars and so I have to share them, but I do that willingly because I want them to be as well-rounded as possible."

Kirkland used all juniors and sophomores for the regional competition because seniors Jason Scott (captain), Joshua Foster, Ervin Jeffries and Dawson Mathis were at the regional band clinic.

The team of Lee Pouncey, captain Byron Emerson, Tyler Dye, Jordan Young, Kobie McCoy, Malik Barnes, Wallace Crain, Bradley Flippo and Teresa Miller dominated the competition at EACC.

Kirkland said her team has various areas of expertise. Emerson, she said, is solid in math and science, Young is strong in literature, Scott is strong in math, science and history and Foster is strong in history and chemistry.

"Bradley (Flippo) keeps asking me when are there going to be some sports questions," Kirkland said with a laugh. "I said, 'honey, this is Quiz Bowl."'

OURschools - NEW RELEASE

VOLUME 1 - Issue 1 of OURschools released today!  West Memphis School District's latest media publication shares just a few of the great things happening at WMSD! www.wmsd.net/ourschools

Spring sports meeting Wednesday

There will be a meeting between coaches and parents of athletes in West Memphis spring sports on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the Academies of West Memphis' Performing Arts Center.
All parents are urged to attend.

Richland robotics team stand out in competitions

By Billy Woods

WM School District

The Richland Bot Builders, a rookie First Lego League robotic team, competed against 23 other teams in a qualifying round on Jan. 14 at Christian Brothers University.

The won one of only five certificates of recognition and received an invitation to the West Tennessee Championship. Richland competed in the championship against 48 teams at the University of Memphis Jan. 21. The team was elated to win first place for their Innovative Solution that benefits people and animals.

Bot Builder team member, Emily Thorne, said this was an experience that she will never forget.

"Every time you are working with robots it feels like you are an engineer, but what's awesome about it is that you are an engineer. I'm just a fifth-grade engineer."

The team was judged in four categories: Robot Design, Core Values, A Project and Robot Races.

After building and programming their autonomous robot, the team raced in three rounds to earn points by completing missions designed to help animals and people. The team was able to deliver a shark in a tank to a set location, attach a disabled pig's prosthetic legs, deliver a trainer and zoologist to a training base and depress a barrier for a seeing eye dog and its owner in just two-and-a-half minutes.

The team also demonstrated skills in mechanical design, programming efficiency and strategy and innovation in their robot design interview.

The Core Values were judged through an interview focusing on how the team collaborated, problem solved and compromised.

Nicholas King, a rookie team member, said, "What robotics mean to me is teamwork, trust and learning from each other.

With a nationwide push to increase Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Richland coach Amanda Webb says that robotics encompass all aspects of STEM.

"Just ask one of our team members or their family about this experience," said Webb. "Their response is all the encouragement we need to try to extend and expand this program."

The team is seeking supportive partnerships to increase students' exposure to robotics, coding and STEM

"My robotics experience was amazing and I hope more people get to have this experience," said team member Meredith Grafton.

WMSD school choice deadline: May 1

The West Memphis School District Participation in the Arkansas Public School Choice Act of 2015:

Parents and legal guardians of children residing outside the West Memphis School District who are interested in sending their child/children to the West Memphis School District for the 2017-18 school year may pick up and application at the WMSD Central Office located on 301 South Avalon.

The Arkansas Public School Choice Act of 2015 provides a process by which parents may apply for the admission of their child to attend a school in a district outside the district in which the parent resides.

The parent must first submit an application to the selected non-resident district. The application must be on a form approved by the Arkansas Department of Education.

The application must be submitted or postmarked no later than May 1 of the year in which the student would begin the fall semester at the non-resident school district.

Applications do not have to be resubmitted for students currently attending the WMSD under the Arkansas Public School Choice Act. The notice complies with all provisions of the Arkansas Public School Choice Act of 2015.

All-region band announced for AWM

By Billy Woods

WM School District

Thirty-three Academies of West Memphis students recently earned all-region band status.

The band students performed in Searcy at the all-region clinic on Jan. 21. The clinicians were Dr. Ricky Brooks of the University of Central Arkansas and Ralph Brody of Clarksville.

The West Memphis students who made the all-region band include Amari Wilson, Claudia Brown, Melanie Blakely, Tianna Matthews, Teresa Miller, Abbe Jeter, Mercedes Shell, Mason

Smith, Jason Scott, Tobie Gardner, Cody Wordlaw, Kenaz Bailey, Byron Kirkland, Akira Cox, Ervin Jeffries, Lee Pouncey, Tyson Covington and Ethan Kaiser.

Du'maurier Looney, Wanya Strickland, Sydney Prackett, Zakea Brown, Jacob Armstrong, Joshua Foster, Devon Branstetter, Anthony Perkins, Elijah Robinson, Ethan Griffin, Tevan Spencer, Tyshawn Campbell, C.J. Ricks, Dawson Mathis and Anterious Mathis.

Richland kicks off Houses program

By Billy Woods

WM School District

The results Wonder Junior High got from its contingency at the Ron Clark Academy last summer has spread to the rest of the West Memphis School District.

The RCA is designed to improve discipline, school spirit and academic performance utilizing a theme based on teamwork.

Clark's teaching team splits up students into four houses (or teams), very similar to those in the Harry Potter series. The results have been electrifying.
All of Clark's students have team camaraderie, and they welcome newcomers with joy and genuine excitement. They earnpoints to get rewards that continue to exceed anything the students could dream up on their own.
Richland Elementary has kicked off its program with six houses.

"Throughout the rest of the school year these will be (the students') new family," explained Kay Spurlock, Richland's guidance counselor.

Each house is known for different characteristics. The staff members are assigned to houses as well and "they are just as passionate about their houses as the kids are," Spurlock added.

The Richland students will earn points for getting excellent grades, exemplifying good character, staying on task, turning their work in on time and many other things.

Richland kicked off its own program with a huge ceremony in the school's cafeteria.

AR Benefits Newsletter - Important information for Employees w/ school Insurance

NOTE to WMSD Employees:  The information below is for PRIMARY Health Insurance provided to you as a state employee through AR Benefits (EBD).  SUPPLEMENTAL Insurance provider (EBI) is here through 1/27/2017, if you wish to make changes to Dental, Vision, Disability, heart plans, etc.

INSURANCE CARDS: 

Due to benefits staying the same for the 2017 plan year, EBD did not do a mass mailing of insurance cards for the new year. If you did not make any changes to your plan during Open Enrollment, your current card is still valid.

If you made changes during Open Enrollment, you should have received your new card. Should you need a new card to use, you can contact EBD Member Services at
501-682-9656 or at 877- 815-1017 x1.
You can also send a request by email to AskEBD@dfa.arkansas.gov.

Once a set of cards has been mailed, they can take 10-15 business days to arrive. Should you need a card before your mailed set arrives, you can login to your account at ARBenefits.org and print out a temporary card that you can use. When you receive a set of cards, please check to make sure your information is accurate and contact EBD or your agency/district Health Insurance Representative if you see an error. Also, claims are processed based on the name we have for you in our system. If your pharmacy or doctor tries to run a claim with a name that does not match what is on the card, the claim will be rejected and need to be resubmitted with the correct name.

Full story can be found in the link below, along with necessary steps to receive Wellness Discount in 2018.

http://portal.arbenefits.org/newsDocuments/enewsletter2017123.pdf

Pre-Retirement Workshop Tues. Feb. 28, 2017

If you are an Arkansas public school employee who is considering retirement at the end of this school year or the next, this workshop is for you!  

REGISTRATION is REQUIRED:

Be sure to register ASAP!

www.ia-office.com

info@ia-office.com

$10/attendee - Pay at the Door

Meeting in West Memphis will be on Tuesday February 28, 2017 in the Academies of West Memphis High School Performing Arts Center.

QUESTIONS?

Call 1-501-988-2726

Click to See FLYER for more details

NOTICE to WMSD Staff

Typo on the EBI Employee Benefits Overview handout.  Dental is EMPLOYEE paid & Long Term is EMPLOYER paid.

 

Jan 17-27, 2017 WMSD Supplemental Insurance OPEN ENROLLMENT w/ EBI. (Cafeteria Plan)

WMSD Supplemental Insurance OPEN ENROLLMENT w/ EBI. (Cafeteria Plan)

Campus Schedules will be determined upon Educational Benefits Incorporated's (EBI) arrival on Tuesday 1/17/2017.  Each employee will need to visit with an EBI representative to verify no coverage, continuation of coverage, or any modifications of coverage.  EBI will be on WMSD campuses from Tuesday 1/17/2017 through Friday 1/20/2017 and the next week Monday 1/23/2017 through Friday 1/27/2017.

Educational Benefits, Inc. for Agent of Record Services and competitive employee benefit plans specifically designed for school districts; these plans cover teachers, classified staff and school board members.

Insurance coverage available to districts includes:

Disability – Underwritten by USAble Life
Life insurance – Underwritten by USAble Life
Accidental death and dismemberment – Underwritten by Cigna
Dental – Underwritten by a variety of carriers

Educational Benefits, Inc. provides other benefit plans for school districts in addition to those listed above.