'A C~^A VAL AND ELAINE HENRY Tommy and Chelsie, too P.O. Box 9485 North Little Rock.AR 72119 Telephone 501-374-5115 Fax 501-374-6678 4^ Lil April 6, 1995 APR 1 0 1995 o: Cc: b' 'a' Dr. Henry Williams Superintendent of Schools Little Rock School District 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72203 Dr. Williams: , Seems like only yesterday I was talking with you concerning our search for a Principal at Carver Magnet. The vacancy left by Mary Guinn seemed as if it left a chasm that could not be filled. As we interviewed, struggled, listened, weighed each candidate the job seem to grow in intensity and magnitude. Our common goal of the best for the best seemed out of touch for reality. Thank you for ending our plight with the temporary appointment of Diane Barksdale. Our year is quickly drawing to a close. It has been a productive year at Carver and a most enjoyable one. Mrs. Barksdale has worked to be there for us, there with us, and there in a capacity of encouragement and guidance. She has been fair in all her dealings with the PTA as well as with both our children that attend Carver. We have looked to her for wisdom and I can say she has not failed my family. No, she is not Mary Guinn, nor is anyone else. The greats just get greater and in their absence when all seems to be in the shadow of their departure one steps in and picks up the pieces. So Mrs. Barksdale has done. I appreciate your time and consideration now as it comes time to appoint a permanent Principal. I feel Ms. Barksdale has shown us and Administration that she is the one we need to carry us on in the manner in which we were accustomed. The children respect her as do the parents. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to be aware of Carver and its needs. Thank you for watching and waiting to see if indeed she was the one. Thank you in advance for appointing her as our permanent replacement. Please, sir, in a time when schools seem in the forefront of diversity....when all is going so well for us....leave our leader as she is. We need stability and we fed we have it. Hoping to hear affirmatively, I remain esti id Willing to Help, CC
Members of L.R. School BoardPC: GERALD AND ALICE CLARK a 100 SUNSET LANE NLR AR 72118 Telephon* 501-771.4304 REC April?, 1995 APR 1 1 1995 Dr. Henry Williams, Superintendent Little Rock Public Schools 810 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72203 Office of Desegregaton Moi Bl iijnng REF: George Washington Carver Magnet Principal Position Dear Dr..Williams. i After having Mrs. Diane Barksdale as our interim Principal this year and working with her on PTA and personal issues I would like to ask you to consider her as our permanently appointed Principal. I know you have closely monitored this situation and I can only hope you have seen her act and react with the kind of authority needed to run our school in a proficient manner as we have. Thank you for your consideration of her. We remain, Sincerely, Gerald and Alice ClarkC& : Crou/t/e. d April 24, 1995 RECESVsO MAY 1 1995 Dr. Henry Williams, Superintendent Little Rode Public Schools 810 West Maridiam Little Rock, AR 72201 0Jfice of Desegregation Monitoring REF
Nfrs. Diane Baricsdale Dear Dr. Williams
Thank you for allowing us to address you with our recommendation of Mrs. Diane Barksdale, the interim Principal, at Carver Magnet School. We began this year with mixed emotions as we had on board all new office staff. We appreciated your letting Mrs. Barksdale have the internship and this year to show all of us and yourselves that her qualifications were not mete words cm paper but words in action. We have found her easy to work with, attuned to ail situations and always ready with solutions to problems that have worked. She has always made herself available to us and is more than willing to meet with different committees during school or afterwards. We have not had any instances that we have called upon her that she made us feel she didn't have the time to consult with us. We fed our school in its excellence has progressed under her leadership. That we have not only survived die change of leadership we have made excellent progress in the same direction in which we had previously been led. We, as the Parent Teacher Association Executive Board, give her a standing ovation as wdl as a hardy well done. We further solicit your approval to appoint her our pormanent replacement this coming year. Mrs. Barksdale has a heart for Carver and for it's students andfiKulty. We feel that we are the Best in the State and are led by the best...Thank you for approving her as our new Principal, we remain Sincerdy, PTA Executive Board George Washington Carver Magnet School CC
L.R. School Board Magnet Review Assistant Supaintendents OflBcc of Desegregation MonitoringC./Z May 10, 1995 M^X 2 6 W5 Dr. Henry Williams Superintendent Little Rock School District 810 West Markham Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 D Dear Dr. Williams: I feel compelled to write you at this time to express my opinion on the principal position at Carver Magnet School. As co-president of Carver's PTA this year and a very involved parent I approached this year with apprehension. The unknowns associated with a new principal, and an "acting principal" at that, made for some doubt. I must tell you, however, that those doubts were soon replaced with relief as I watched Diane Barksdale at work. Her concern for the students and staff at Carver was exemplary. She has taken a very active role in teaching children the value of learning to take care of themselves, both physically and mentally, through education and good old-fashioned tender loving care. Mrs. Barksdale took an active role in involving teachers in the decision making process at Carver, giving them the well deserved credit for being such a strong and professional staff. Additionally, she formed "Youth Action Committees" made up of students and allowed them to interact with her on a regular basis, thus giving them pride in having a say in their school. I believe that with the authority that comes with being named the principal of Carver, Mrs. Barksdale will continue to prove to all of us that she is truly the best possible person for the job. She has made such an impression on me this year, and I believe that as she grows in this position she will see to it that Carver continues to be known as a premiere school in the Little Rock School District. 1 sin^ely appreciate your time. Co-President, Carver PTA CC: LRSD Board members Magnet Review Committee Margaret Gremillion Ann Brown Sadie Mitchell Dick HurleyAnita Murrell 4504 Bunker Hill Drive North Little Rock, AR 72116 PM -J* 5?> ! Ann Brown Office of Desegregation Monitoring 201 E. Markham, Suite 510 Heritage West Building Little Rock, AR 72201 lllit Illi...I May 10, 1995 rl < 'V 0 Dr. Henry Williams Superintendent Little Rock School District 810 West Markham Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 OiSice o: Dear Dr. Williams: I feel compelled to write you at this time to express my opinion on the principal position at Carver Magnet School. As co-president of Carver's PTA this year and a very involved parent I approached this year with apprehension. The unknowns associated with a new principal, and an "acting principal" at that, made for some doubt. 1 must tell you, however, that those doubts were soon replaced with relief as I watched Diane Barksdale at work. Her concern for the students and staff at Carver was exemplary. She has taken a very active role in teaching children the value of learning to take care of themselves, both physically and mentally, through education and good old-fashioned tender loving care. Mrs. Barksdale took an active role in involving teachers in the decision making process at Carver, giving them the well deserved credit for being such a strong and professional staff. Additionally, she formed "Youth Action Committees" made up of students and allowed them to interact with her on a regular basis, thus giving them pride in having a say in their school. I believe that with the authority that comes with being named the principal of Carver, Mrs. Barksdale will continue to prove to all of us that she is truly the best possible person for the job. She has made such an impression on me this year, and I believe that as she grows in this position she will see to it that Carver continues to be known as a premiere school in the Little Rock School District. I sin^ely appreciate your time. Co-President, Carver PTA CC
LRSD Board members Magnet Review Committee Margaret Gremillion Ann Brown Sadie Mitchell Dick Hurleycc: 51995 Office of Ossegrsgdiiai Mcnavuius May 30, 1995 Dr. Henry Williams, Superintendent LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 810 W. Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 REFERENCE: SELECTION OF PRINCIPAL CARVER MAGNET ELEMENTARY Dear Dr. Williams: As PTA Co-Presidents of Carver Magnet Elementary School for the 1995-1996 School Year, Dewey Fitzhugh and myself, on behalf of the entire Carver Magnet Elementary PTA Board, would like to give our unanimous support for Mrs. Diane Barksdale to be selected as the permanent principal for Carver Magnet Elementary School. Carver is a unique school, and it has tremendous support from the PTA. We are a very close knit family, and we want to be firm in both our direction and commitment for the coming school year. Therefore, it is very important that as we set our goals and establish our mission statement for the coming year, we would like to know that the staff at Carver can also be experienced and firm on its goals and objectives. We have just experienced the past year with Mrs. Barksdale as acting principal. We believe that Mrs. Barksdale has a proven record of success as both an Assistant Principal and Acting Principal over the past several years. This year at Carver has been an outstanding, exciting and active year for all of the students, teachers, staff and the PTA. We would like to continue this success with the energized momentum that it presently has. We believe that we can do that better with Mrs. Barksdale as principal than we could with anyone else new coming in. We make this request with respect for the LRSD's authority and leadership. We believe that your knowing our commitment and desire to work with the LRSD is important. For the first time in years, this school as well as many others in the District are beginning to feel more as one family under the leadership of the District. We think that this is a great opportunity to get parents, teachers and students working together to achieve the educational goals set by the District. We are doing our part as a PTA. However, we need a little help from the leadership of the LRSD. Dr. Henry Williams, Superintendent LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 5/30/95 Page 2 Thank you for this opportunity to express our opinion, and we hope and trust that we can all work together to continue the successes we now enjoy as a part of the "District's family". Sincerely, Wali Caradine, Co-President Dewey cc: Magnet Review Committee Arm Brown OFFICE OF DESEGREGATION MONITORING Margaret Gremillion ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT - ELEMENTARY Sadie Mitchell ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT - ELEMENTARY Dick Hurley LRSD HUMAN RESOURCES LRSD Board Members Ci^ JUN 51995 Office of Desegregation Monitoring May 30, 1995 Dr. Henry Williams, Superintendent LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 810 W. Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 REFERENCE: SELECTION OF PRINCIPAL CARVER MAGNET ELEMENTARY Dear Dr. Williams: As PTA Co-Presidents of Carver Magnet Elementary School for the 1995-1996 School Year, Dewey Fitzhugh and myself, on behalf of the entire Carver Magnet Elementary PTA Board, would like to give our unanimous support for Mrs. Diane Barksdale to be selected as the permanent principal for Carver Magnet Elementary School. Carver is a unique school, and it has tremendous support from the PTA. We are a very close knit family, and we want to be firm in both our direction and conunitment for the coming school year. Therefore, it is very important that as we set our goals and establish our mission statement for the coming year, we would like to know that the staff at Carver can also be experienced and firm on its goals and objectives. We have just experienced the past year with Mrs. Barksdale as acting principal. We believe that Mrs. Barksdale has a proven record of success as both an Assistant Principal and Acting Principal over the past several years. This year at Carver has been an outstanding, exciting and active year for all of the students, teachers, staff and the PTA. We would like to continue this success with the energized momentum that it presently has. We believe that we can do that better with Mrs. Barksdale as principal than we could with anyone else new coming in. We make this request with respect for the LRSD's authority and leadership. We believe that your knowing our commitment and desire to work with the LRSD is important. For the first time in years, this school as well as many others in the District are beginning to feel more as one family under the leadership of the District. We think that this is a great opportunity to get parents, teachers and students working together to achieve the educational goals set by the District. We are doing our part as a PTA. However, we need a little help from the leadership of the LRSD.Dr. Henry Williams, Superintendent LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 5/30/95 Page 2 Thank you for this opportunity to express our opinion, and we hope and trust that we can all work together to continue the successes we now enjoy as a part of the "District's family". Sincerely, Wali Caradine, Co-President Dewey Fitzhugh, Co-Resident cc: Magnet Review Committee Ann Brown OFFICE OF DESEGREGATION MONITORING Margaret Gremillion ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT - ELEMENTARY Sadie Mitchell ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT - ELEMENTARY Dick Hurley LRSD HUMAN RESOURCES LRSD Board Members WALI CARADINE P. 0. BOX 190 LITTLE ROCK, AR 72203-0190 JUK-1'9S ^rnyposTAG.
P7 Si RQ.MCTER 1403341 MS. ANN BROWN OFFICE OF DESEGREGATION MONITORING 201 E. MARKHAM, SUITE 510 HERITAGE WEST BUILDING LITTLE ROCK, AR 72201 Hill ll...l,.l.)l.lll....,.ll.ll,ll.l..l.fl..ll..u..llll,..lRECEIVED June 29, 1995 Dr. Henry Williams, Superintendent LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT 810 W. Markham Little Rock, AR 72201 JUL 5 1995 Office of Desegregation Monitoring REFERENCE: SELECTION OF PRINCIPAL CARVER MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Dear Dr. Williams: As PTA Co-Presidents of Carver Magnet Elementary School for the 1995-1996 School Year, Dewey Fitzhugh and myself, on behalf of the Carver Magnet Elementary PTA, would like to thank you for your support and selection of Mrs. Diane Barksdale as the permanent principal at Carver Magnet Elementary School. We believe that, with Mrs. Barksdale's proven record of success and the energized momentum, the upcoming school year at Carver will be great! We are looking ahead to another exciting and fun filled year of working together with the teachers and students, as well as with the Little Rock School District to achieve the objectives and goals that we have set for the 1995-1996 year. Again, thank you for believing in Mrs. Barksdale, the Carver Magnet Teachers and Staff, PTA, Students and Supporters. Sincerely, Dewey Fitzhugh, Co-President cc: Magnet Review Committee Ann Brown OFFICE OF DESEGREGATION MONITORING Margaret Gremillion ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT - ELEMENTARY Sadie Mitchell ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT - ELEMENTARY Dick Hurley LRSD HUMAN RESOURCES LRSD Board Membersi LRSD ADMIN. BULDING Fax:1-501-324-2032 Jan 30 97 16:33 P.02/03 ' r ' i D
st ridLRSD ADMIN, BULDIMS Fax:1-501-324-2032 Jan 30 97 16:34 P. 03/03W HO? PAHENl S/INTL A t ST U Jiiat Parents and l eaehers Think of This Program Ilf to bnqu**s k^nx-J iff SECOND ANNUAL PARENT NIGHT OUT Lh vrty pexi UJI thx--. iHtX 1 * oin pwnr.v - riter .v,y Ak# Ik-fi-nx. "iih giadv n fu ltT<eioi With ' ht'i 8n>pl.- r .aji .ui4K n htJjXd Pic- lx
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>, j, Ivt '1 , Jhij jnd dont KfT M' tJV >.'. !> ifxJ I T.tn gei jfx.uf jh,.. bc,j n WHtnt? CARVER MAGNET ?100 E. STH STREET Little rock, ar 72202 rtx- f h-A- l,ing '/ isii 'e'.v inn. :y > Mr Ld Ford, ^lUthor ot p^scfpsine ai Horne and Schoo: -vill w-istt wt!h PARENTS and preseni esfecitve nosjhve discipilne sirateyies. Come hs^en and ask evoryUiing you've aiwaye *ftfan'ed to Know and didnt know who lo ask* Mr. Fofd comes highly reoornmended and brings w'jth him national rn?
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Staft. Pt vwrek. ^,pf di.wn your questions and icncei f Ofd's irequssiiid these i hanks s bsiow. rit? f nday. April 4lii - SpeaaiieVGrade Level Meetings Gonferencs Room ilMy questions for Eq Fordo, Tom Burbon: m m 8.-'5 - S.46 - B: S 40 - W:0G - t0:55 - 11 -fJS i 1:5S - !1 55 - 1?
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| r -1 aJ? I 324-2460 yr TT"^^ HI J.v^''ll 1 \clLinu'? T, Issue 4 Apti' ' May ]49- I i The PrincipaVs Prospect ' rh: qi. ji'.A' time th..:i parents 'iperJ ..itE. their children is tn-' fiios
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-.! f .i.-toi when .t comes tci children building ronfictence m rhen'rt'ives and bener'ing that someone has copfinerice in their abmtv to succeed. Ott'^i' schnnl.s ,'an do iittle bec3u.ie tfiev are over.i helmed L.v - er. :p .'nt t. ''.iJi'i
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e'f ivhat qualitv time 'eadv IS. Mav.v of vc'V heart him last vear Come again. It ..ill ba a nigbl in remember C ARVER PTA SHINES Febran' llt.h marked the cay t.hal .'crvi-T M.ag-e: catried ot* all the .Membership Av Dzt7Hi Barksdale LiNrn I dreamed 1 stood in a studio .And vif.tched tv.o sculptiors there Tile dav tiiey used teas a yoim.B child's mino And tiiey tasluoncd it with care Cite was a teacher, t'ne tools he used 'Acre bocks and mu.sic and art. One a parent with a guiding hand a gently, loving heart. Pay after dav. the teacher toiled With a touch. th.i' vi'as deft ano sure. While the pa'-ent labcre.d bv his side And polished and smoothed it c're. .And n her. at last their task was done 1 h.?v nere protid or what thev ivrori^ht. f nr the tltirgs t.bev had tnolded mto the du! d C.nuid neither be sold rot bought. And each agreed he would have railed i.t h.t Tull,
ivorked ftione For bel'ind the parent stood the srtiQoi ?Jld hind the teadwr, the home .AMfi, '' dfld.O'i'.' , MUiimiiia .rd. ' This is the high-i. st hc-nor that one oai
get- uom flA. ! \ > jv.aids a' the [.ittie Rock I'TA Council roiindc' si.)
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nc.''icori. v\e received several a-Aarc's tor our fantastic irern- 'Ae are luekt/ to have va! serve on otir PI A board arid thank .m.'n tor the ipTship drive 2!' ^..-b.ci'o! *0 n^rn .t and,-i tf- t iniduided the first infi'A niembersiiip ' .'l.ih'.e P.td ncbool EL,!ise f'lr iou'.:. staff i'nernh'?.rs,''Up Thanks T e -eryone tor helping ns VW.?Td s..'.n
eve -arc, Ch.air X ebi tor cu: school Helen and Va! H'.'i'rv .served ar '.o- 1 tor this. Thank.s to them. .1 recognition it' made to honor OOI TTaa po' mees h.'r Ecbcntor ot toe Year Soeliv C'ih'l.sssimc a:'d otp' Admin: E-.i ksci..h: tor of the r Plane 11 ,' -art' both ru-h hard \M'it'kis .iiid v-'C die' A'jn
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,.'itf .i!l .'.J ter Car ver. Ch.r \'.Ti 'ri'- db? I ded t.ile many hours o! service tlvat he iias r.'en to Carver through tus years I tiere He is so mv'Oived in the commu-nitv and in trying to make tlimas better for all. April 2'2nJ ivi'.l be our annual Spaghetti Sltppe and onr fourth graders wi'd pcrirm. The nragram will begin at 6:00 p.m. and sivpper will be served at 6: pm. MiiA.e piaiv noiv to extend and see a! onr Carver tandiy frend.-. again. Field Dav at Carver A .iiway.s a tur DiTi'? t :>r everx one and we want vr.u to CCITIC .-hi!.-' end seme cirrt \'T-_b yo'j'' I''.ease put May 23rd I your Calenda nov'/ s..' ~rcj's. cap come icm us! Oo' kominatiii^ (..,?pv'v,v(..e get ting orc, iTv.zed t.o s'fnd Hfirit stioets ! y' S
o.^kiiiv how VO yeni Oil out PT.' er being schoc.! It d '.kc t.i h.ebp ne.'d h..iard. Titase consul irr.'oiVfcd al VOLr c.'iild's s such a.n im
.' irfaat jOb ioui child v.i.l love hjvins
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Wv i va .so many v .inde.-- Car-.er and wi' iv.?.-?. ICC! to Kl'iOA' how much .appircbsted bv the Cai ' Hid ci.ildren. 1 Roz !\v wtoi- I' d \ad..'T. l-.iyy,I.'-, i 11'. '-f'rt =iid(. Arkansas Democrat (gazette MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1993 Copynght O 1993. Little Rock Newspapers. Inc. 3 schools named as best in Redbook Three Arkansas elementary schools are among the 177 recognized this year in the Americas Best Schools Project featured in the April edition of Redbook magazine. The three schools are Carver Magnet Elementary School in the Little Rock School District, Vilonia Elementary School in Faulkner County and Westside Elementary School in Springdale. More than 550 schools were nominated for the project by state and national education leaders, members of the U.S. House of Representatives and education reporters. The schools competed in six areas: classroom innovation, parent and community involvement, extracurricular activities, special-needs programs, significant improvement and overall excellence. Carver was cited for its math and science curriculum that includes an astronomy class. The school was listed of the Best of the States. One school from each state was selected in the category. Westside was among the 77 schools recognized for overall excellence. Vilonia Elementary was among 10 schools honored for their efforts to meet the needs of those with physical, emotional or behavioral learning disabilities. The school faculty includes teachers who are certified in special and elementary education. Learning disabled children are assigned to regular classrooms where all students learn together. Elementary school pupils also are paired with high school students who serve as role models.Aritansas Democrat 1razctte FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1995 Piling on the laughter I V 'Hi/. ft' h l/ i I Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/RICK McFARLAND CLASS CLOWNS Kierra Watson forms the top of a clown pyramid Thursday during the Carver Magnet School kindergarten classes' Carver Big Top Circus, The other clowns are (from left) Luke Angelo, Lake- sha Whitley, Thaddeus Higgins, Corey Bradford (atxjve Thaddeus), Aukosh Jagannath, Brian Henderson and (at rear) Mae Faulkner, a substitute teacher. The circus also featured seals, horses, lions and their trainers as well as dancing bears, tightrope walkers, elephants, strongmen and, of course, ringmasters. ''6B FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1992 Principal to help school integrate, copy LR success The Associated Press MONROE, La. J.S. Clark Magnet Schools 600 students all are black, but the schools superintendent hopes to make it as big an integration attraction as a Little Rock. .Ark., school became when he was superintendent there. Monroe Schools Superintendent George Cannon has brought Mary Guinn, principal at Little Rocks Carver Elementary School, to study Clark and see what changes might attract white students. When you look at the program description and all the written material... there is no reason the school should not be operating effectively, Guinn said. So Im curious myself to see where the areas of weakness might lie. Little Rock School District policy does not prohibit a principal from doing consulting work on personal or vacation days off. Guinn told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that she is using two vacation days to do the work. She and Cannon, a former Little Rock superintendent, said the school district in Monroe has not established a set fee to pay her, but it will be between the customary S300-$500 each day. Guinn said that she has done some consulting work in the past, including work for the Rockford, Ill,, school district. This year, in addition to the Monroe job, Guinn said she plans to do some consulting work with Pine Bluff School District. Carvers magnet program was set up in 1986, two years before Clarks. Carver was in a high-crime, industrial, all-black neighborhood that busing failed to integrate. Cannon was among the white parents who sent their children there after the program was set up. So many whites enrolled that courts eventually ordered the school to reserve at least half of its desks for minority students, Guinn said. The environment was safe. There was wonderful learning going on and all kids that went there were challenged, and you sensed that from day one, Cannon said. Guinn arrived in Monroe on Wednesday and planned to spend two days evaluating the schools program. She will submit written recommendations. Clark teachers met with Guinn on Wednesday and said theyre eager to hear her suggestions. A lot of the stuff she said, were already doing, but theres a missing link, fourth-grade teacher Beverly Turner said. Im hoping shes going to be the bridge. In a July court ruling, a federal judge cited the Monroe school system for not fully developing Clark as a magnet school. A1988 court order called for creation of a magnet school at Clark in e.xchange for returning to neighborhood zones for the system's other elementary schools. Before then, Clark had been a fifth- and si.xth-grade center, drawing some 150 white students a year. Lack of money kept the enhanced programs planned for Clark from being fully implemented. The system was turned down for at least two federal grants that would have provided hundreds of thousands of dollars for the school. "Theres a lot that could be done at Clark right now, but because theres not any money, its not going to be done, said 'Vernon Foy, whose son is a Clark student. Besides paying for about 11 additional teaching positions, the school system spends little e.xtra money at Clark, Principal John Smith said. Cannon said additional money for Clark could be freed up after the board re-examines its budget and determines whether the system is overstaffed. He also said Clarks program can probably be revamped without spending a lot of money. "What well have to do is dismantle the whole school program and start over, and in doing so, I think its affordable, he said. Staff writer Danny Shameer contributed to this article.Arkan,sas Democrat i1^ (Onzc lie WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1992 Arkansas Detiiocral Gaznlls/Nyma Bennet Smith celebrated the 1992 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards they received Tuesday in Little Rock. The awards included $25,000 for each recipient. AWARD-WINNING EDUCATORSArkansas educators (from left) Yoriko " Lola" Perritt. S. Irving Granderson, Brenda Sivils Ball. David Rainey, Linda Childers and Lynn Educators recall inspirations as six get $25,000 awards BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democtat-Gazelte Education Wiilet The Arkansas recipients of the $25,000 Milken Painily Foun (inLion Nalional Educator Awards were praised Tuesday in Little Rock for the positive influence they have had on the lives of thousands of children. But many of (he award-winning educators, who were honored at a luncheon al the Excelsior Hotel, told of the people, including the children, who served as their personal inspirations. David Rainey, principal of Dumas High School (Desha County), described the indelible impression his lltli-grade social studies teacher, Richard Smith, made on him. Smith, now a member of the stale Board of Education, challenged his students to be the bc.sl that they could be, Rainey said. He warned his sludeiiU that without an education, the world would go loo fast and pass them by. What keeps me going is seeing the kids' faces light up when we work on experiments, and science changes from being a student's worst class to his favorite. said S. Irving Granderson, a seventh-grade science teacher at Elmwood Junior High in Rogers. The best days I have arc when I have a neat activity for (he students. Like most of the educators honored. Gi ander.son. a former chemist, has more than 20 years of teaching experience. He said he stresses hands-on science projects for his students, adding (hat be got interested in the subject when he ami his wife served in Africa as part of the Peace Corps. Yoriko Lola" Ierrilt. a Caddo Gap (Clark County) native and elemenlary science teacher at Carver Magnet Elementary in Tattle Rock, called Granderson one of her personal role models because of his use of hands-on nclivilies and the workshops he has conducted for other science teachers. Territt described her parents and how they always told her that she could do anything she wanted to do. While her parents did not have prestigious jobs, they did have books in their home, she said. Of teaching science. Perritt said. 1 try to leach more about science than the students think they want to know. As wonderful as the Milken award is, it pales in comparison to the light I sec in children when they see a tuning fork vibrate and realize that sound comes from vibrations, or when they place a piece of cardboard over a glass of water and turn it over and it doesn't spill," she said. I/ynn Smith, a Fort Smith Northside High School art teacher, told of one of his students. who is from Laos. The student, who has a limited knowledge of English, recently won an award in the National Wood Duck Stamp Competition and was able to go to Washington, Smith said. Success stories are possible when we initiate the learning process, he said. Smiths classes have produced about 300 winners in art competitions in the last five years. If students produce quality work, then my responsibility is to get them recognition. he said. Brenda Sivils Ball, an English and literature teacher at Pine Bluff High, thanked her husband when she accepted the award, noting that he had to work three jobs a day so she could get her leaching degree. Ball, a former Arkansas Teacher of the Year, called the $25.()()() cash award an impossible dream. The money is five limes the salary she received a.s a beginning teacher 21 years earlier, she said. How fortunate I have been to have been able to learn at the feet of children." Ball said. Linda Childers, principal of Thurman G. Smith Elemenlary in Springdale, also cited her husband a.s an influence. He convinced her that she could have greater impact on students by giving up teaching and becoming a principal, Childers said. Childers also praised her superintendent, the staff at her school and the strong coinmu nily support for Springdale.s schools. She said 100 percent of the parents participate in the annual parent-lcacher conferences. The Milken award winners were only representatives of all the outstanding educators in Arkansas, Childers said. This is the second year the Milken Family Foundation of Los Angeles ha.s provided the awards to six Arkansas teachers. Besides the cash awards, the teachers will attend a three-day symposium in the spring with the other Milken winners, past and present, from other states. The first awards were presented in California in 1987. The program honors outstanding educators in 20 slates. The awards recognize, celebrate and reward educators who have made and continue to make significant contributions to the education of children, and heighten public recognition and appreciation of the leaching profession. Carver Magnet losing principal who took it to top BY CYNTHIA HOWELL Democrat-Gazette Education Writer Mary Guinn is leaving the magnet school she helped make so popular that parents camped out last February in near freezing temperatures to enroll their children. Guinn is giving up her job as principal of Little Rocks Carver Ma^et Elementary School in June to take an administrative job in Monroe, La. She was hired 'Thursday night by the Monroe City School Board as the districts new associate superintendent for educational quality. Her annual salary will increase from $59,524 to $70,000. When she assumes the job July 1, she will be the No. 2 person in a district headed by former Little Rock Superintendent George Cannon. A new principal at Carver next year will be just one of at least 14 changes in principals in the districts 52 schools. Dr. Henry Williams, Little Rocks new superintendent, is making several changes in principal positions, and Friday the proposed transfer of Dr. Samuel Branch from Mitchell Incentive Elementary School to Fair Park Elementary became the latest en- SATURDAY, MAY 7. 1994 Copynght Little Rock Newspapers, Inc. JTj try on the list Guinn has been principal for nine years at Carver,
an east Little Rock school she attended as a child.
She I also I worked'.' 'has at Steph e'its, Guinn . - ,, WoodrufC^d Pulaski Heights elementanes. All but three years of her career were served in Little RocKSht also worked for a Head Stjrt program in Russellville. - Carver has a 'Basic skills/math-science magnet theme that has been popular with parents in all three Pulaski County districts. As an example of its popularity, NortliLit- tle Rock parents last Februcry began camping out five days' be- fure the opening uay of registration so they could ensure their children seats at the school. Carver has won numerous honors in recent years. Redbook magazine in 1993 named Carver the best school in the state. The school also has won honors and See GUINN, Page 7B Guinn Continued from Page 1B thousands of dollars in grants from Business Week magazine, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and the Arkansas Department of Education. Staff members at the school have won prestigious presidential awards for the teaching of mathematics and science. The school also is the recipient of numerous district honors for parent volunteerism, PTA membership and student awards. Guinn said Friday she had hoped to tell parents about her new job before it became public knowledge. She still plans to send letters to parents early next week and meet with parents at a Parent-Teacher Association meeting Thursday. The students, teachers and parents at Carver made the decision to take the job particularly difficult, Guinn said Friday. Whatever I have been able to accomplish here was the result of my working with them. She said she hopes her successor will be selected by a committee that will include parents of Carver pupils. I love being a principal and could be a principal forever, Guinn said. But her new job will , allow her to have an impact on a larger group of students. If I am ever going to do it, this is the time, she said. Guinn will be in charge of curriculum, instruction and principals in Monroes 18 schools. The district has an en- rollment of about 11,000. She already is familiar with the Monroe district. She served as a consultant there for the past year and has a strong working relationship with Cannon. When the Little Rock district was torn by a teacher strike in 1987 and was without a superintendent, it was Guinn who recommended Cannon as an interim administrator. Cannon was a new faculty member at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and was one of Guinns instructors at the university. He was later hired to fill the superintendents position full time. Guinn served as a special assistant to him during his tenure. I feel were losing a good principal, John Riley, the parent of four Carver students, said Friday afternoon. Its a loss for Carver and for the school district. Riley said he was very much concerned about who Guinns successor will be and would like to serve on any selection committee that is established. Guinns whole family is involved in education. Her husband is a teacher at Gibbs International Studies Magnet School. One son is an instructional aide at Mitchell Incentive Elementary and her other son is a student at Parkview Arts and Sciences Magnet High School.I Arkansas Democrat (Ojtzcllc THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 4. 1999 ' J [/ Pupil devises shopping aid for the blind I f( )i Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STATON 8RE1DENTHAL _ Rebecca Ruth Stanley, 11, won the fourth-grade national award in the Invent America Contest for her talking Product Reader. Stanley Is a student at Carver Magnet Elementary School in Little Rock. -Ji. LR girls invention wins national award BY SHAREESE KONDO ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE A Carver Magnet Elementary School fifth-graders invention could make finding a can of pop or a package of doughnuts at a store possible for an imguided blind shop- ' per. Rebecca Ruth Stanley de-' veloped the concept of a ' hand-held Product Reader' that would blurt out details - about an item from the price to the ingredients. The device is activated by . bar code labels already em- ' blazoned on most products. Itll be the size of a re- ' mote control, and it will have a button a person can push to read the bar codes, and a voice will tell them what the product is. how much it costs and whats in it, said the petite ll-year-old, whose invention won the ' fourth-grade level national . Invent America Contest. It also won Carvers Science Fair last year. Invent America is sponsored Dr. Raymond Damadi-an, inventor of magnetic resonance imaging technology. Students from kindergarten to eighth grade can submit entries to be judged by a See INVENTION, Page SB ' service for blind patrons. ' IllVdIUUn Wal-Mart Kroger, J.C. Penney, . _ Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack Continued from Page 1B 3jid gears, and K-Mart said Urey team of inventors, scientists and would sell the device, Rebecca said, authors. Her logbook also utcluded I think judges on the national sketches and crayon-colored draw-level realized Uie depth of her research and had to be impressed with her thoroughness, said Leticia 'White, science specialist at ings of her products prototype, market research data, bar' code concepts and details of bar code usage. She discovered that on most Carver. She said Rebecca spent products the last two lines of bar three months creating the Product codes are blank and that it would Reader. be feasible to encode tliem witli in- Rebecca logged research for her gi-edient details and product deinvention from surveys she took of scriptions. Arkansas School for the Blind Stu- ' dents and faculty, as well as students at Lions World Services for My invention would work just like the hand scanners people use now at stores, Rebecca said. It tlie Blind. She also relied on a fam- would be battery operated though ily friend who is blind to test-mar- .......... ' ket her device. This is something my friend Barbara Bolin said she could use, and talk to people through a small speaker. In a letter Rebecca submitted - with her entry, Jim Hill, superinten- Rebecca said. The people I sur- dentofthe Arkansas School for the veyed at the School for the Blind Blind, called her product one that and Lions World [Seivices for the would facilitate independent liv- Blind] said they would use it too. ing on the part of blind and visually They also said theyd be willing to impaired individuals. pay up to $20 for it Along with a $1,000 savings bond In the logbook detailing the and a patent of her device, the selfproducts concept, Rebecca in- described math and science nut eludes snapshots of herself and said the invention gives her a feelstore managers who said theyd sell ing of making life a little easier for her product or offer it as e'lstomer other people. . // TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2000 LR teacher placed on leave after arrest on sex charges ARKANSAS DEMOCRATCAZETTE A Carver Magnet Elementary the 1998-99 school year. Murray was arrested on charges music teacher who was arrested of rape, first-degree sexual abuse Saturday on rape and sexual and engaging children in se.xually abuse charges is being placed on explicit conduct for use in visual administrative leave pending an or print medium after Pulasld investigation, a Little Rock School County investigators received a District spokesman said Monday. i.......................................... videotape showing him in sexual Suellen Vann said Jimmy A. acts with a 13-year-old boy. John Murray, 52, of 6712 Verbena Drive, Rehrauer, the Pulaski County Little Rock, was not working for sheriffs office spokesman, said a the district during the summer va- minister gave the tape to investiga- cation and that he will be on ad- tors, but he would not say how the ministrative leave until the minister got it charges are resolved. The boy is not a student at Carv- Murray has been employed by er. Rehrauer described Murrays the district since 1995, and worked relationship with the boy as that of as a substitute in some district a family acquaintance. as d auvduiuic ill buiue ui
schools during 1992 and 1993. Murray, who pleaded innocent Vann said Murray was selected in Pulaski County Municipal as a teacher of the year at Carver Court, is being held in the Pulaski by his peers at the school during County jail on $25,000 bond.Novembe r 15. 2 0 0 1 o Q C i l.i p ' I ir is a s iPs I P 5 o 3= CD I e c <D Re el I S^ c >0-5 . . C/1 IT- * isb- * V 55 s (D J n b: . (0 B c C Is Letters Continued from Page IE the day of the attacks. Parents had rushed to take their children home. "We were still shaky, Mariconti in. j says. When she opened the big en- velope and saw the letters inside, I started crying. I assumed peo- a pie were writing to the police and the firemen, but not to us not m to another school. I took them to u my kids and said, Look at thisl It was her kids idea for the g whole class to write back, she says. H She mailed their letters to Little Rock along with her own that I read, We are not close to the J World Trade Center, but our hearts are there. Maricontis third-grade class answered with 28 letters about *0 Write back soon reads this decorated letter from New Yorks P.S. 189. vdiere they were and how they felt Bb the day terrorists destroyed the centers twin towers. These are 1- and 8-year-old 1^^ childrens responses, from letters written the week of Sept 24 to kids DH at Carver. Hit oS Ml u o o Q 3 Th .5 T3 s: o 2.frUrt,gu J. j3's.s p S y > " 0.73 y. u i2 m ' 2 -2 O & ^*285^ z u 2 Ji S u 2 Ui O w. Dear Johnny, I like to ride my bicycle down myhill What is your favorite color? I bate what happened to the twin towers. Dont you? I hate those guys that did this. Elvis Abren I ill'.i.s s 1sFl u I _!o4a B'S!(J'S g I _ * e-s-~-S Pin st K > n Ti Sg?.a h r P n 5.28 u u u 2 It* 4> V) '^U'W V- ?? c flj .s-fl-a ua U t. z iSSii a <u <u Dear Madison, Why would such dumb jerks do this to New York? Do you know? I would like to be your friend, third-grader Cindy writes from New York. Melissa Delos Angeles Dear Adrian, When the plane crashed I started to cry because my aunt worked two blocks away from the twin towers and I thought she died horn the smoke. - W^en she came home, I went running to hug her. Yshua Peguaro Dear Nathan, Almost my mother and father died because my dad is one block away from (he twin towers and my mom is three blocks away. . I hope nothing happens in Little Rock, Arkansas, or in Carver Magnet Elementary. David Rosado Penn didnt tell her class the news from New York on Sept. U, deciding it would be Vetter if they heard it from their parents. I did not know why..: Bu* th* Brieitte Aponte about it for a very long time, she says. Thats Dear Matt, My mom picked me up early when my class was going to lunch. Dear Kelsea, Myfcrofhers Wc should Catch school was in r -t back of the twin OsaHia Din Laden towers. My brothers school and chain him in a when we decided to write to the children in New York. Now, the two classes have s/ room and put My brother is m . high school. My Barney in there mom was really arranged to become pen pals. The kids will worried about him. Josmalyn Aybar t 1 rm 1 J trade letters the with him. Then bed rest of this year. be sorry. Mariconti says few of the Dear Gary, It will never be the same. A lot of people lost there love ones. Im sad about Che - Matt Sherman, children in her ... J J class knew much third grade, about Arkansas Carver Magnet School learned __________ a lot about geography. And a bigger lesson, she says war because my brother is a Ma- that kids like them in far-off Arkansas not only know what hap- rine and he might go to war. _____________ ^Shyanne pened in New York, but also care , Dear Dominique, I know it was very sad when about what happened to New Yorks children. This is a big thing to them, the twins exploded and I know she says. I think they see it as i it was very sad for you, too.... I sign of hope. hope you have a great life. Carver, third-grader Drev Jobanny Mateo Richardson says, Ive learned * can be helpfid just writing a let ter. Classmate Kelsea Washingtoi says, "After we got the letters back I felt like the lads are safe.August 1 3, 2 0 0 2 State board revokes licenses of 3 teachers Provisional status granted to another ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE The Arkansas Board of Education revoked the licenses of three people Monday and granted another a one-year provisional license. After a lengthy hearing, the board voted 4-1, with one abstention, to revoke the license of Michael Ball, who pleaded guilty to three felony counts of theft of property in Cleburne County Circuit Com-t in March 2001. Ball, who taught at Quitman High School for almost 20 years before he resigned last year, told the board he had admitted to taking up to $14,000 from the senior class activity fund over three years. He said he had paid back all he knew he had taken from the fund money earned from a limch concession stand operated by students and then some. Board Lewis member Thompson of Texarkana voted against revoking Balls license. Calvin King of Marianna abstained. Robert Hackler of Mountain Home, JoNell Caldwell of Little Rock, Luke Gordy of Van Buren and Peggy Jeffries of Fort Smith voted for revocation. The board was unanimous in its decision to revoke the licenses of Sharon Diaz and Jimmy Murray. Diaz, who was teaching in Texarkana, was arrested in December 2001 on charges stemming from a sexual relationship with a student. She pleaded guilty to seven counts of sexual assault in the first degree. Murray, a former Carver Magnet Elementary School music teacher, was convicted on charges of rape and possession of child pornography after a videotape showing him molesting a 13-year-old boy was turned over to Pulaski County sheriffs deputies. The board was also unanimous in its decision to issue a provisional license to Pamela Dickson, giving her the option of returning to full licensure after a one-year probationary period. Dickson was convicted in 1986 on charges of making false statements to the Federal Housing Authority regarding a home loan. Kenneth Williams, staff attorney for the Arkansas Department of Education, told the board he was recommending a probationary period over revo-
cation because the charge was 16 years old and because it was unrelated to her teaching duties.
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