KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot continues a look back on highlights from 2016 with a focus on local schools.
ASUMH OPENS MECHATRONICS FACILITY
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home opened their state of the art mechatronics facility in November at their 4,500 square foot Technical Center located at 4034 U.S. Highway 62 West in Mountain Home. Mechatronics is one of four different degrees available in workforce technology at the college.
Dr. Charles Welch, president of the Arkansas State University School System, says the program is one of a kind.
Listen:
right-click to download mp3
Welch says it’s rare such a project took only two and a half years to develop partnerships and acquire the training equipment with limited resources. He’s also excited student enrollment and revenue have exceeded expectations.
Chancellor of ASUMH, Dr. Robin Meyers believes the mechatronics, welding, HVAC and automotive programs are the wave of Baxter County’s future.
Listen:
ASU-Mountain Home offers certification and two year associate degrees in automotive system repair; welding; heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration and mechatronics with scholarships available to traditional and non-traditional students. For more information, call Karen Heslep at 870-508-6100.
GUY BERRY COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMY HONORED
The Guy Berry College and Career Academy and their principal, Jeff Kincade, were honored in May when the school was named Model Alternative Education Program of the Year by the Arkansas Department of Eduction. Dr. Jake Long, Mountain Home Superintendent of Schools, made the announcement at the end of the May meeting of the school board. Long, who attended ceremonies at the State Capitol that same morning with Kincade and three students, Allen Deutscher, Joe Cherry and Travis Rogers, said the department of education also recognized the school board for their support of the districts alternative school program. Deutscher, Cherry and Rogers, who also received recognition at the Little Rock ceremonies, received their high school diplomas at the Mountain Home High School commencement ceremonies.
CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP AT COTTER AND FLIPPIN SCHOOLS
Two local school districts saw changes in leadership following the retirement of Superintendents Don Sharp from Cotter and Dale Query from Flippin.
Query, who was named 2016 Arkansas Superintendent of the Year, ended a 42 year career in education at Flippin and Bruno Pyatt with his retirement. A native of Colorado, Query came to Flippin after falling in love with the area during a visit to his college friend, Curtis Bryant.
As Query reflects on his tenure at the helm of the Flippin school system, he expresses pride in the community support for the current project to build a new elementary school.
Listen:
Query is also proud of the award winning program to teach dyslexic students which began a couple of years ago.
Query and his wife, Kaye plan on traveling during his retirement. But he admits he is hooked on education and will be returning to work part time for the Rural Education Association.
Kelvin Hudson was chosen as Query’s successor in the superintendent position. The district’s former assistant superintendent, Hudson was a student at Flippin Schools before beginning his career as an educator. In addition to his time in Flippin, Hudson taught in the Yellville-Summit and Bruno-Pyatt school district.
Cotter schools also saw a change at the helm when Don Sharp left the superintendent’s position after 14 years. Sharp, who was named Arkansas Rural Education Association Superintendent of the Year, said he would miss the children the most as he reflected on his tenure at Cotter.
Listen:
Sharp is currently interim superintendent at Highland School district.
Chad Harp, the former superintendent at Kota Public Schools in Oklahoma, was selected to succeed Sharp. He brings to Cotter Schools 22 years experience as an educator, including 11 years in the classroom, 10 years in campus administration and a year as superintendent. He holds certifications in most levels of administration and in Business Technology, English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Mild and Moderate Disabilities. He also has experience directing Athletic Programs, Gifted and Talented Programs, and 21st Century Learning Centers.
SEVEN TEACHERS AND FIVE SUPPORT STAFF RETIRE FROM MOUNTAIN HOME SCHOOLS
Seven teachers and five support staff members, with a total of 268 years of service, retired from Mountain Home Schools in 2016. Among them was Nancy Reed who ended her 36 year teaching career. The popular high school German teacher, known as Frau Reed to her students, brought the German American Partnership Program to Mountain Home in 1984. The exchange program, between German and American students appealed to her, she says, because it gives them an opportunity to experience Germany, but not as a tourist.
Listen:
Chris Francis has replaced Reed as the German teacher and leader of GAPP at Mountain Home High School.
2016 was also an election year which brought changes to the Twin Lakes Area, state and nation. The next segment in The Year in Review from KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot will focus on the election.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI