Tag Archives: Archie Ryan

Jonesboro Public Schools welcome new nationally certified board teachers

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By Krishnan Collins
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO –The Jonesboro Public Schools’ school board recognized eight new nationally certified board teachers at the JPS school board meeting Feb 11.

   The district now has 44 nationally certified board teachers and the process to become a nationally certified board teacher is a challenging process. 

    Christopher Taylor, a kindergarten teacher, described the challenges. 

   “Intense,” Taylor said. “It was very intense. It was probably one of the hardest professional things I’ve ever had to do. But I feel like it’s made me a better teacher. As I was going through the process I was actually able to see things that would help me improve as a teacher.”

   Teachers worked for months and sometimes even years producing videos, collaborating and typing reports all to be able to identify student needs inside and outside of the classroom. One teacher said there were 100 plus pages of typed material in the process. 

   Although a big goal of the process was identifying student needs, the ability to identify teacher needs was also gained. 

   The JPS board did not divert from the agenda on a very straight forward meeting night. The board did enter executive session, as the agenda said it would, to discuss employment, transfers, resignations and retirement for the 2020-21 school year. 

   Some discussion ensued over the issue of approving next school year’s academic calendar.    

   Board member Archie Ryan asked, “Is there anything unusual about the calendar?”

    It was said there was nothing unusual about the calendar but the school year would be starting on Aug. 13 which is the first day the district is allowed to have school and on a Thursday. The calendar also allows school to get out seemingly earlier than usual as school will end before Memorial Day. Memorial day in 2021 is May 31. 

   Students of Annie Camp Junior High School, Jimaria Jackson, Diamonique Reynolds, A’niah Graves, McKinna Robinson and Allannah Orsby were recognized at the board meeting after saving the life of a man who was going to attempt suicide. 

   According to KAIT8, Dec. 5, 2019, the members of the Annie Camp Junior High School basketball team were walking to Sonic. On the way there, they saw a man tying cords to a bridge and he put a cord around his neck. 

   The players called the police and continued to talk to the man. The man’s life was saved as officers arrived on the scene. 

   The JPS board’s next meeting is set for March 10 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held in the JPS administration building.

Editors Note: Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Veterinarians: Pets suffer from allergies, too

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Pet Allergies from Miranda Reynolds on Vimeo.

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by Miranda Reynolds
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO – The changing of the seasons mess with everyone’s allergies; for furry friends, this is no exception.

Dogs and cats can be prone to allergies or sensitivities to proteins found in pet food. In Arkansas, the common allergies in the region affect pets as well. Archie Ryan, veterinarian at Southwest Drive Animal Clinic, said allergies for pets and humans can be different.

“Humans build up an immunity to some allergies over time. For dogs, they typically get worse every year,” Ryan said.

Certain breeds of dogs commonly associate with allergies, e.g.

  • Shih Tzu
  • Golden Retriever
  • Maltase
  • Labradors

“Allergies are a dysfunction in your immune system that affect all pets but allergies have a genetic component to them so you can inherit allergies from your breeding,” Ryan said.

Lauren Rhue, associate veterinarian at Jonesboro Family Pet Hospital, said keeping a regular visit for pets is key.

“We like to get them in here every four-to-six months to make sure everything is going OK,” Rhue said.

Pets can be allergic to any type of food. This can start as soon as six-to-eight weeks, Ryan said.

The most common food allergies:

–       Red Food Dye
–       Dairy Products
–       Peanut Butter
–       Beef
–       Poultry

Some cases of skin disorders vary between different breeds. Genetics prove Labradors to be more prone to skin issues.

“My family had a Labrador. She was a dermatology train wreck, poor thing. She had allergies, ear infections, the works. We had to take her to a dermatology specialist and found out what she was allergic to,” Rhue said.

Veterinarians commonly speak about the commitment owning a pet takes.

“It’s a commitment. It’s a long-term commitment because they’re a puppy now but they’ll grow up and they’re going to live 10-15 years,” Rhue said.

April Morgan owns a Miniature Dachshund and works with animals. She says commitment to owning a pet should be taken seriously.

“People don’t take it seriously sometimes. They think, ‘Oh, I want a dog.’ Well it’s a big responsibility, it’s just like a child. I have three children and she is my fourth one,” Morgan said.

Pet owners can take some preventative measures to avoid allergies and food allergies.

–       Use fresh food
–       Store food in an air-tight container
–       Never pour new food over old food
–       Rinse your dog off with cool water after playing outside
–       Do not bathe too frequently and dry out the pet’s coat

Keep in mind, one human year can be worth about seven to a dog’s life, Ryan said. Bringing in the family pet routinely can prevent serious health problems in the future for your pet.