Ouachita River School District

A big thank you to all the parents who attended our Spring Family Night to learn about the upcoming Solar Eclipse. We appreciate your participation and hope you found it enlightening and enjoyable. Special appreciation goes to Kathy Rusert for delivering a fun and informative presentation and for helping to provide our families and community with Solar Ecplise viewing glasses. Thank you once again for your support.

Mrs. Wilcher's 3rd-grade class was awarded the Traveling Attendance Trophy for having the best attendance rate for the week of March 11-14th. They also earned the Principal's Smile Award for having a 100% attendance rate!! Attendance Matters Every Person Every Day

ORSD Schools will be closed on Monday, April 8, 2024 No school at Acorn and Oden campuses

Updated Softball Time: Thursday, 3/28/2024 Sr High Track Meet @ Mansfield Lady Tiger Softball @ Home vs Springhill - 4:30 PM Friday, 3/29/2024 Tiger Baseball @ Home vs Springhill - 4:00 PM

Attention Acorn Tiger Fans: Last minute game added for baseball tonight. Where: Cossatot River High School Time: 5:00 PM

AHS Juniors Selected for Study Tour Acorn High School Juniors Kailee Branson, Damon Cruz and Kohlea Carmack have been selected to participate in the 2024 Rural Electric Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative selected these students among a host of applicants to represent this region of Arkansas on the youth tour of Washington, D.C. in June 2024. Each student has achieved a host of accomplishments that demonstrate their commitment to this program and opportunity to learn about our nation’s history. Instrumental in starting the Youth Tour Program in Arkansas is credited to Mr. Alton Higginbotham, former president and chief executive officer of First Electric Cooperative Corp. Mr. Higginbotham stated that the program attracts the “best and brightest” of Arkansas’ youth and believed that in addition to learning about the federal government, the program gives our youth a better understanding of the important role of the electric cooperatives. The annual tour has been sponsored by Arkansas’ electric cooperatives since 1990 for Arkansas youth. Approximately 40 high school juniors with chaperones attend the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas’ Youth Tour and are selected by the state’s electric distribution cooperatives through essay contests and an interview process. During the tour, the group visits historic sites such as Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Institution, Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial, the U.S. Holocaust Museum and the U.S. Capitol. They also visit and meet with members of the Arkansas Congressional Delegation. Congratulations, Kailee, Damon and Kohlea! We are proud of you! #orsdlifeprep Ouachita River School District Through a safe, caring, and serving environment, students learn, grow, excel, and succeed...this is our mission in preparing students for LIFE!

ORSD Community, The ORSD school board will conduct the regular March meeting at the Oden Campus cafeteria tomorrow night March 25th at 6:00 pm. On the agenda is the 2024-25 school calendar. The board will have public comment on the school calendar only. Respectfully, Jerrall A. Strasner Superintendent of Schools

Oden Campus Announcement: The storm shelter on the Oden campus is accessible to the Oden community. If you are interested and would like to plan ahead, please contact William Edwards.

ATTENTION - Preschool Registration at ORSD! The Oden ABC Preschool on the Oden Schools’ campus is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 school year! Your child must be 3 years of age on or before the August 1, 2024 deadline. In order to complete registration, you must submit all of the following documentation: * Proof of Income (2023 tax information, if available) If not available or income changed from 2023 to current status due to a possible income change, a current month’s check stubs (30 days prior to date of application) may be accepted for proof of income. Due to program eligibility guidelines, proof of income from check stubs cannot be older than 30 days prior to application. If 2024 taxes are accurate, please provide a copy for proof of income. * Immunization Record - Must be current including 4-year old immunizations. If your child is 4 years of age by the date of the application, please make sure the immunization record submitted includes the current immunizations. * Birth Certificate * Social Security Card * Proof of Health Physical - physical within the past year will be sufficient until expiration - a physical is not required upon registration but needs to be done as soon as possible and proof submitted for enrollment to be processed. Without proof of physical, the student will be moved to the waiting list. *Utility Bill or Statement - verifying current address All documents listed above (in bold) are required to be submitted to process registration and enrollment. THANK YOU for your interest in our preschool program at Oden! Our staff look forward to meeting and working with you and your child this upcoming school year! Kimberly Robertson, Director Applications are available now through August at Oden K-12 Schools’ Office. Please complete the form link: https://forms.gle/z977VR8e7mkTG6uw6 For more information, contact: Oden ABC Preschool (870) 490-1195 (preschool phone) Oden K-12 Schools (870) 326-4311 135 School Drive | Oden, AR 71961 #orsdlifeprep

Important Announcement for Thursday, March 14th! Please monitor the weather coming to and from campuses this afternoon and evening with parent/teacher conferences scheduled. Acorn and Oden campuses have safe shelters.

Friendly Reminder about Elementary Drop Off-All elementary car riders should be dropped off in front of the elementary building. This includes 5th & 6th graders. There are no teachers on duty for drop off at Old Main, and this is currently not a drop off spot for 5th & 6th grade students. This area is very congested in the mornings with high school students and teachers. For the safety of your child, please drop off your child between 7:30 and 7:50 in front of the elementary building. Thank you for your cooperation!

ORSD Spotlight on Alumni! Acorn High School Alumna, Kayla Denton led the Idabel High School Girls Basketball Team to a state title, the first state title for girls’ basketball in the school’s history. Congratulations, Coach Kayla Denton! We are proud of you! Ouachita River School District...preparing students for life! #orsdlifeprep

February Students of the Month Kindergarten~ Evelyn Leonhart, Treasure Bice, & Chloee Collins 1st Grade~ Jackson Standrigde, Mary Nichols, & Parker Quinn 2nd Grade~ Lilly Parra 3rd Grade~ Trapper Neal, Bri Bohlman & Halen Cook 4th Grade~ Alex Schneberger & Keaton Birtcher 5th Grade~ Addison Riggons & Cooper Cunningham 6th Grade~ Elizabeth McCandless & Abi Slaten

Thank you, UA Rich Mountain for hosting Junior Day! Ouachita River School District - Acorn and Oden High School Juniors

Attention all 3rd-6th grade families, Acorn Elementary will be hosting our Spring Family Night on Monday, March 25 @ 6:00 PM in the cafeteria. Mrs. Kathy Rusert, NASA Ambassador, will be presenting that evening. Come learn about how to view the eclipse safely and also receive free NASA-approved eclipse glasses for your family.

Just a reminder! Ouachita River School District - Acorn and Oden K-12 Schools will be closed on Friday, March 15, 2024. No school was listed on the ORSD Calendar published at the start of 2023-2024 school year. Acorn and Oden Preschools will be OPEN and in session. Buses will not run on Friday, March 15th.

SCHOOL CHOICE Application - DEADLINE: May 1, 2024 The Public School Choice Act of 2015 enables students in Arkansas, grades kindergarten through 12th grade to attend a school in a nonresident district. If you reside outside of the Ouachita River School District (Acorn and Oden Schools) and choose Ouachita River School District as your school choice for the upcoming school year, our faculty and staff look forward to a collaborative partnership with your family to support your child in the learning process and be successful in preparing for life. The deadline for the school choice application process is May 1, 2024. The steps to complete the process include: 1 - Complete the Application for School Choice Transfer - click on application link: https://adecm.ade.arkansas.gov/Attachments/School_Choice_Forms_and_FAQs_121153.pdf Download application OR pick up an application: - ORSD - Acorn Schools (Polk County) 143 Polk 96 Mena, AR 71953 (479) 394-5544 - ORSD - Oden Schools (Montgomery County) 135 School Drive Oden, AR 71961 (870) 326-4311 2 - On or before the May 1, 2024 deadline, submit the completed application. Applications may be delivered or mailed to one of the campus locations listed in Step 1 or the Ouachita River School District Administration Office: Ouachita River School District 143 Polk 96 Mena, AR 71953 Ouachita River School District Through a safe, caring, and serving environment, students learn, grow, excel, and succeed...this is our mission in preparing students for LIFE! #orsdlifeprep

Acorn Elementary School KINDERGARTEN Registration April 10th, 11th & 12th, 2024 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Acorn Elementary School Office (See attached fliers for details and information)

Attention Acorn Tiger Fans: The baseball game that was scheduled today vs Waldron has been canceled.

The Book Fair is all set up and ready for our students! It will be open Monday-Thursday, March 11th-14th Please join us Thursday, March 14th from 3:45-7:00 PM for our Family Night. Don't forget that you can set up an Ewallet for your child. Visit our Book Fair webpage for more details. https://www.scholastic.com/bf/acornelementaryschool2