Lacy Baker | Delta Digital News Service

NEARK Helped by Recent Grads

Posted on May 7, 2026 by Ron Sitton, Ph.D.

by Ali Lara
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO, Ark. — The College of Education & Behavioral Sciences’ interconnection with the Northeast Arkansas community benefits education majors, NEA school districts and Arkansas State University.

Makenzi Davis graduated in December with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. A-State awarded her the Chancellor’s Scholar at the College of Education & Behavioral Sciences Convocation of Scholars Ceremony.

She was also one of the first students at the college to be accepted into the new Aspiring Teacher Program. The program allows students who make a high enough score on their exam to waive their year of residency and become full-time teachers immediately.

“Before, I was just a college kid who stuck to their inner circle and this really stretched me as a person. It’s made me a lot more connections than what I had before I got here,” Davis said.

Davis now teaches physical education at the Nettleton Intermediate School and serves as the junior high girls’ head basketball coach. She said this position has made her feel a lot closer to the NEA community.

Lacy Baker, the Nettleton School District Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Assessment, has been involved in the district’s hiring process for many years. She said at least half of the Nettleton School District teaching staff working there currently has some sort of certification degree from A-State.

The school district also takes in as many A-State residency placements as possible. For the 2026 fall semester, the district had 27 placement requests and she predicts they’ll be able to take in all of them.

“Anything we can do here at Nettleton to reinforce what A-State is doing there and, of course, keep up our numbers of teachers,” Baker said.

Baker said she’s a big fan of the Aspiring Teacher Program because it’s good for the students. It gives college students early access to teacher benefits and salary. She said A-State graduates come to the workplace very well prepared.

“Arkansas State is doing beautifully by preparing their students. I think it’s such a wonderful opportunity for student that are already ready to go ahead and go on into that third year,” Baker said.

Baker said student-athlete visits, professor presentations and staff meetings are some other ways A-State stays involved in the Nettleton School District.

Valarie Hilson, an assistant professor and program coordinator of Physical Education Teacher Education at A-State, said the Aspiring Teacher Program strengthens collaboration with the NEA school districts.

Faculty from Community Care & Miracle Kids volunteer at the Area Seven Special Olympics Track Meet, held April 10 at Jonesboro High School. Photo courtesy of Special Olympics Arkansas Area Seven

Hilson, who coaches the Special Olympics of Arkansas and serves as the Area Seven training director, has served as a Special Olympics coach for over 20 years. An A-State colleague introduced her to the nonprofit organization. The organization hosts regular sporting events across the state.

Jonesboro High School hosted the last event April 10, which included 565 athletes ranging in ages from 2 to 60 participating. The Nettleton High School track team, local businesses and A-State faculty and students were all involved in the event.

The commitment to helping one another succeed is vital in maintaining the relationship between the education majors, NEA school districts and A-State.

Special Topic

Nettleton School Board honors special member

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Tristan Bennett

By Tristan Bennett
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO – The Nettleton School Board honored a special member of the district’s team at a meeting Monday night.

The board recognized Abby the therapy dog for the work she and her handler, Bryce Holmes, do with the students at University Heights School for Medical Arts.

“We do a lot of things with the kids from going down the slides to literacy and emotional control,” Holmes said.

Abby and Holmes began going to the school since December 2019 and immediately became popular among the students. Abby spends every Tuesday and Wednesday encouraging young readers and bringing smiles to classrooms. Debbie Bean, UHSMA principal, said she already noticed an improvement in her building.

“You can just kind of feel it,” Bean said. “When she walks in, the kids are just drawn to the dog, and the dog is just perfect.”

Abby is a resource for every student, but works especially with the special education program. She wears a vest that was designed with snaps, zippers, buttons and ties to help teach fine motor skills.

She also works with UHSMA reading interventionists. Students read aloud to Abby to help build their confidence and ability.

“There are kids that stop and go ‘I will read to Abby,’ and to have our interventionist say ‘We never thought we’d hear them say that,’ that’s a huge encouragement for me,” Holmes said. “That’s one less kid that has to go through the hum-drum of reading out loud.”

According to Holmes, therapy dogs in schools improve test scores, increase attendance, help with emotional stability and bring down stress hormones.

Also on the agenda, James Dunivan, superintendent, recommended the addition of a $50 non-refundable registration fee for the district’s three Pre-K programs. If accepted, the fee would be applied to the first tuition payment.

“With so many Pre-Ks in the area, understandably, parents will go around and put their names on multiple lists,” Dunivan said. “We hold that spot, we don’t get to fill it. So, we hope that the $50 registration fee will make it more serious and more important before they put their names on the list.”

The board, with all members present, voted unanimously to accept the recommendation.

Next, Grace Petersen, elementary curriculum director, and Lacy Baker, secondary curriculum director, gave reports highlighting student accomplishments from across the district.

Elementary students attended the Arkansas Junior Beta Club Convention in January. A Fox Meadow School of Creative Media student was elected president of Arkansas Junior Beta Club, and 100 more students attended and competed at the convention.

The Jr. High Quiz Bowl Team took fourth place at the state tournament and received an invitation to nationals, and a Nettleton High School student won the Crowley’s Ridge Reading Council writing contest with his essay about the impact “Harry Potter” as had on his life.

Other issues discussed in the meeting were: