Tag Archives: teachers

Jonesboro Public Schools Launches Counselor’s Website

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Story by DDNS Reporter Mia Young

Courtesy of Jonesboro Public Schools Facebook Page

JONESBORO, Ark. – Jonesboro Public Schools launched a new counselor website and approved additional compensation for teachers who teach more than 150 students per day and more during its monthly school board meeting on March 10.

Mandy Zipful, district school improvement specialist, presented the new counselor website, highlighting the new and improved course catalog for Jonesboro High School. The JPS School Counselors’ website provides a hub for connecting students with counselors, finding mental health resources, booking appointments, accessing grades and graduation requirements, and viewing a detailed course catalog. While the site is live, the district is working to connect the site to each school’s tab.

“This is a great tool for the students and parents,” Zipful said. “We’re super proud of this work.”

Zipful highlighted the new “Academics at Jonesboro High” course catalog, noting that the old version was just a Word document, while the new one lists every course offered and includes a detailed description. The new catalog also makes it easier to find graduation requirements, concurrent credit courses at both Arkansas State University and Black River Technical College, Success-Ready Pathways, and more.

“What would it look like to be more supported socially and emotionally?” Superintendent Misty Doyle asked students. Students said to be able to better get in touch with their counselor. 

The website helps students easily book appointments with their counselor in 30-minute increments. Students can schedule an appointment by going to the JPS School Counselors website, clicking “Academics at JHS,” clicking the “Counselor Appointment” tab, selecting the counselor they wish to meet with and choosing a time that works best for them. Doyle even gave an example of how a student had an appointment scheduled for 9 a.m. and was surprised to actually be called out of class on time.

During the superintendent’s report, Doyle asked Von McDaniel, director of student health services to give an update on mental health.

“As of today, we’ve had 167 student contacts for this school year. Some of them we spend a lot of time with, and some of those we don’t,” McDaniel said.

Counselors meet with and contact students for a variety of behavioral and mental health concerns. Students can meet with counselors as many or as few times as needed. While some students have the resources needed to head in the right direction, others don’t and the district recognizes that.

Photo courtesy of JPS School Counselors website.
(Left) Lene Pierce, Jonesboro High School Health and Human Services counselor, and Emily Aycock, Visual and Performing Arts Magnet school counselor.

The board passed the motion to approve additional compensation for teachers teaching more than 150 students per day for the first semester in the 2025-26 school year. The JPS finance office recommended six teachers, including two from JHS, two from Douglas MacArthur Junior High School and two from Annie Camp Junior High School, for the supplemental teacher contract pay.

“A teacher is not required to teach more than the maximum number of students permitted per day under the Standards for Accreditation of Arkansas Public Schools and School Districts, but a teacher may agree to teach more than the maximum number of students permitted per day,” according to Arkansas Code § 6-17-812 (2024).

The district will pay the teachers an additional amount in addition to their regular salary, proportionate to the additional number of students they taught.

The board also passed the motion to approve the purchase of a new $153,054 77-passenger school bus.

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Childhood Obesity: How One Arkansas School Fights It

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by Miranda Reynolds
Delta Digital News Service

As childhood obesity rates rise in America, one school in the northeastern part of Arkansas actively works toward lowering the rates in their school.

Helping Hands provides to schools in need by helping financially disadvantaged students. A special committee formed in 2017 by Rector school district and Helping Hands addressed physical activity among students. Elementary principal Anthony Dowdy said Helping Hands contributes a lot to the school.

“Helping Hands is a tremendous help to our school. They give in a lot of ways, not only in volunteering their time, but they also provide extra funds when we need it,” Dowdy said.

The school’s teachers requested outdoor and indoor equipment for the students, including:

  • Basketballs
  • Hula Hoops
  • Kickballs
  • Skip-balls
  • Scooters
  • Basketballs
  • Balance Boards

Rector School District administrators knew about the high rates of obesity in Arkansas. While tackling the rates, they tried to keep the focus of the students in the classroom as well. Dyslexic Therapist Lynnette Trail said burning off energy helps the students focus.

“They’re getting up and using those large motor (skills) and developing those skills and that helps to burn off some of that energy so that when they go back to the classroom, they’re more focused,” Trail said.

For the younger grade levels, burning off energy before returning to the classroom helps the teachers, too. First grade teacher Sara Rabjohn said a break from the classroom helps.

“Once they get that brain break, you can pull them back in for a little bit longer rather than trying to do it all without a break,” Rabjohn said.

The school formed a Health and Wellness Committee to also help with obesity problems. The committee consists of a cafeteria supervisor, the elementary principal, school nurse and a few teachers.

The committee met to make plans throughout the year to address obesity and make sure the students get enough physical education, Dowdy said. Keeping the students active in the school helps see the plan through.

“We try to keep them active as much as we can. We have extracurricular activities and provide them opportunities to participate in physical education,” Dowdy said.

Schools addressing obesity in children helps redirect the outcomes for adulthood. Rector School District actively works toward keeping their students active and healthy.