Ouachita River School District

Acorn campus busses are leaving campus now.

**Acorn Campus** Due to an incoming storm Acorn campus will hold busses until it is deemed safe to move the students. This is for the Acorn campus only. If you have any questions please contact your child's school office.

Baseball and Softball Acorn vs Springhill games for tonight have been canceled and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Time for Spring Pictures on the Acorn Campus! Monday, April 3rd

ORSD: There will be a Wellness Committee Meeting Wednesday, April 5th, at 11:30 a.m. in the Acorn Board Room of the Administration Building and via Zoom link; https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78985348505?pwd=pi6rl81dx64U55vdwtj0XHGeezJv1a.1 Meeting ID: 789 8534 8505 Passcode: 1EKzrq The Wellness Committee helps set standards and policies to improve student wellness by promoting nutrition, physical activity, and other school-based activities. The meeting is open to anyone interested. If you have any questions, please contact Leigh Garner at Lgarner@orsd.k12.ar.us

Attention 3rd-6th Grade Parents: Save the Date for our Fun Filled Family Night on Monday, April 17th starting at 5:30 PM with a hot dog meal. Rotations will start at 6:00 PM. Notes with more details will be going out soon, so be on the lookout for that information.

Acorn Students Recognized in Elks Essay Contest In December 2022, the Mena Elks Lodge 781 conducted their annual Americanism Essay Contest for students in grades 5th - 8th. The theme for this year’s essay contest was, “What is Your American Dream”. From Acorn High School, students submitted essays and received certificates. The following students were awarded certificates: Nick Long, Kimberly Cline, Mackenzie May, Destiny Stearman, and Ruby Dewitt. In addition to receiving certificates, the following students received gift cards and will be advancing to State competition with their essays. The Acorn High School students that will be competing at State include: (l to r) Madelynn Auer, Taylar Kesterson, Addi Ledbetter & Owen Wasif. 7th & 8th Grade History Teacher Andy Arnold coordinated the essay writing activity with Phyllis Caldwell of the Mena Elks Lodge 781. Thank you to Mena Elk’s Lodge and Phyllis Caldwell for coordinating and providing this opportunity and experience! Congratulations to our essay contestants and winners! #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!

Attention Acorn Tiger Fans: Acorn softball and Acorn baseball at home tonight vs Magazine starting at 4:00.

VFW Post #4451 Recognizes AHS Essay Winners Acorn High School students were recognized and honored for their winning essays in the VFW Post #4451 (Veterans of Foreign Wars) 2022-2023 Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest. Mr. Ed Cross presented the students with certificates and prizes. The following students were awarded prizes for their essay rankings: Adalyn Bohlman, AHS 7th Grade - Awarded 1st Place: $150 prize Jordyn Prewett, AHS Sophomore - Awarded 2nd Place: $100 prize Paxton Hooper, AHS Sophomore - Awarded 3rd Place: $50 prize Congratulations to our AHS Tigers’ essay winners! #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!

Acorn Students will be taking Spring Pictures next Monday April 3, 2023. We will start with Pre-K and move up through the grades until we get all classes done. Proofs will be sent home for purchase about 2 weeks afterwards. I'm thankful for Spring and the pretty flowers it brings! Mrs. Pearce

Oden kindergarten students learned about the Art Element, texture today. In art class. They made homemade play dough to use to design. ☺️

ATTENTION - Preschool Registration at ORSD! The Oden ABC Preschool on the Oden Schools’ campus is now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year! Your child must be 3 years of age on or before the August 1, 2023 deadline. In order to complete registration, you must submit all of the following documentation: * Proof of Income (2022 tax information, if available) If not available or income changed from 2022 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 2023 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! Kim Gray, Director Applications are available now through August at Oden K-12 Schools’ Office. 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

Acorn Campus Hosts Circus Guest Preview On Wednesday, March 8th, Acorn Elementary School and Kathy Medford Preschool students and staff were entertained by a special guest of The Culpepper and Merriweather Circus. The circus scheduled two performances on March 20th at the Polk County Fairgrounds. Thank you to the Polk County Fair Board and The Culpepper and Merriweather Circus entertainers for a fun and engaging preview show!

AHS Students Achieve High Reading Scores Over the past two years, Ouachita River School District students have strived to achieve the highest STAR Reading score possible on two consecutive STAR Assessments. Congratulations to the following students for achieving this goal: 8th Grade: Matilda Grant 9th Grade: Nicholas Hicks Zane Newton 10th Grade: Rebecca Bloodworth 11th Grade: Kenzie Daniels Rileigh Husted Ava Smith-Hawley Annabella Tedder 12th Grade: Johnathan Bodkin Olivia Maechler Reed McGee Jayden Wilborg ORSD Literacy & Math Coach Sherri Wright stated, “We are very proud of these students' accomplishments and their hard work. Know that we have others working to obtain this status.” 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!

AHS Tours UARM Technical Programs On March 7th, Acorn High School juniors and seniors toured a host of technical programs offered through the University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain. UA Rich Mountain Staff Mike Godfrey and Janet VanDeest led the program tours. Students learned about program offerings, certifications, and workforce trends in the career fields. Students toured the following programs and met with faculty: Welding Program and Instructor Stephen Moody Machine Tool Technology Program and Instructor Jonathan Lunsford Cosmetology Program and Instructors Tonya Boydstun & Kelly Craig Massage Therapy Program and Instructor Tammy Nelson Information & Computer Systems Technology Programs and Instructors Craig Jumper & Kandy Page Certified Nursing Assistant & EMT Programs and Instructor Billie Jo Hendrix Truck Driving Program with Program Facilitator Mike Godfrey Thank you to UA Rich Mountain for the opportunity to meet with instructors, tour facilities, and learn more about the programs to help be better prepared to train for future employment! This was a great experience! #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!

Ode Maddox Elementary School 2023 Kindergarten Registration Friday, April 21, 2023 8:00 AM - 3:20 PM Oden Schools’ Office Parents, the following documentation for your child’s registration is needed: *Birth certificate *Social Security Card *Proof of current physical (obtained by beginning of school year) *Immunization records We look forward to serving you and your family in the upcoming school year!

Acorn High School Juniors Accepted to Arkansas Governor's School Congratulations to Acorn High School juniors, Kora Carter and Kenzie Daniels! Carter and Daniels have been accepted to Arkansas Governor's School this summer! This prestigious competitive program will provide Kora and Kenzie with enrichment leadership experiences that will be very beneficial in their future careers and endeavors! Kora Carter plans to pursue higher education goals to major in education and a career as a special education teacher. Kenzie Daniels plans to pursue higher education goals to major in political science and a career in law. The Arkansas Governor’s School is a four-week summer residential program for upcoming high school seniors who are residents of the state of Arkansas. The program is funded by the Arkansas State Legislature as a portion of the biennial appropriation for Gifted and Talented Programs through the State Department of Education. AGS participants are provided tuition, room, board, and instructional materials for the four-week program on the site of a residential college campus, sponsored by the State. Arkansas Governor’s School is a non-credit program that seeks to create a unique experience for a select group of Arkansas’ best students—the potential leaders of the 21st century. AGS provides highly motivated, creative students with an intellectual atmosphere impossible to sustain in ordinary academic settings. Congratulations, Kora and Kenzie! 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!

Oden Woods & Waters Club Adopt-A-Highway 2022-2023 Project March 13th marked the completion of the Adopt-A-Highway activities planned for the 2022-2023 school year for the Oden Woods & Waters Club (OWWC). Multiple OWWC members participated in the four required trash pick-ups along the adopted two-mile portion of Highway 88 West between Oden and Pencil Bluff. Oden Woods & Waters Club is an outdoor conservation and recreation group for students in grades 6-12 on the Oden campus. Thank you to the following OWWC members for participating in the Adopt-A-Highway program: Tegan Gray, Clay Carmack, Caleb Hearne, Noah McAnelly, Darton Hunter, Isaac Gilbert, Dominic Libby, Ayden Starr, and Elliot Turner. Photos by William Edwards

Acorn High School will not have after school tutoring Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Reminder Acorn Elementary Parents/Guardians!!! No after-school tutoring on March 15 and March 16, 2023.