The public school system tops state rankings, and alternative education facilities, such as Hass Hall Academy or one of the several Montessori schools, give residents various ways to foster the young minds of the area.

Bentonville, Rogers and Rogers Heritage high schools are in the top five Arkansas schools, alongside Haas Hall in Fayetteville and KIPP Delta Collegiate High School in Helena, according to the most recent U.S. News study of education, usnews.com/education.

The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville is ranked 132nd out of 1,600 national universities in the U.S. News Best Colleges Rankings. The UA also received accolades as best undergraduate business program and best undergraduate engineering program. John Brown University, located in Siloam Springs, was awarded top-honors as the best regional college in the South.

Jade Cameron (from left), Halley Parson and Joyce Turnage watch and talk as Megan Venable draws and illustration during an ELS academy class. Teachers from around the area visited the ESL academy class on June 14 to observe how to teach English as a second language.

Not Just For Kids
There are a number of other organizations in the area that provide post-secondary education.

In 2011, the Arkansas Department of Career Education designated the Northwest Institute of Technology as the leading secondary career center of Northwest Arkansas. In addition to post-secondary learning, NIT also helps prepare youth for their futures by providing career-focused training to high school students within a 25-mile radius. (ace.arkansas.gov)

NIT offers education to adults as well through three primary divisions of programs: diploma, community and adult. The diploma program is nine to 18 months of training for a specific occupation. Popular programs include automotive service technology, computer information systems and practical nursing. The diploma programs have competitive enrollment and the average age of students is 21-28 years old.

“With a tough economy like there is now, sometimes people don’t have the time or money for traditional post-secondary education. With our programs, we can help train someone to go to work this year. We also have a 80 percent placement rate, and our tuition is incredibly affordable at $47 a credit hour,” said Keith Peterson, vice president of instruction.

Community education programs are offered to individuals and businesses to enhance skills. The Adult Education Center at NTI provides free instruction to adults pursuing a GED, learning English as a second language, studying for citizenship and improving academic or computer skills.

Middle-aged stay young

Education for adults more than 50 is offered through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Arkansas.
“As 78 million baby boomers enter into the retirement years across the nation, many are searching for new ways to stay active and keep their brains constantly engaged. The simple solution is lifelong learning,” said Kathleen Dorn, Osher director.

“Lifelong learning plays a significant role in the psychological, emotional and physical wellness of older adults. It is also an opportunity to make our own unique contribution to society, meet new people, learn new knowledge and explore new ideas.”

Members of the institute have increased from 113 in 2007 to more than 825 members in June 2012, and the retention rate is 85 percent. Current programs include landscape digital photography, presidential campaigns, the history of Eureka Springs and technology training for the iPhone and iPad.

“These older adults in Northwest Arkansas are tremendous because they share an unprecedented desire to continue learning, volunteer their skills and give back to their communities. These lifelong learning activities produce a pool of talented, educated and engaged older adults who will inspire younger generations,” Dorn said.

“Montessori looks at children in a respectful and capable way. They have their own environment, and the teachers are not the focus of the classroom — the children are,” Butler said.

Teachers, parents and volunteers help children understand the guidelines of social interaction and focus on positive reinforcement of individual characteristics and talents.

“We teach a diverse curriculum to expose the children to their many gifts,” Butler said.

The organization of mixed-age classrooms instills a sense of community among the children, she said. The interest of the younger children inspires those a year or two older, and naturally the older children step up to be role models. As a result, the older children gain confidence and master the skills that they themselves are still learning.

“Each child has their own learning style,” states the school’s website, located at fayettevillemontessorischool.com. “Montessori teachers treat each child as an individual and customize lessons to fit his/her needs, personality and interests.”

The concept of education at Montessori stems from the belief that human beings learn critical thinking skills through discovery. In other words, children grasp abstract concepts by literally putting their hands on them. That understanding is the doctrine for the construction of a building for elementary-aged children at Colt Square.

Butler is utilizing her collection of scientific artifacts to decorate the new building. As one enters, they will be introduced to the world as it began, Butler said. There will be a jar of algae, rock and mineral formations, crinoids and fossils. Throughout the building, the progression of biological entities is revealed.

“We even have dinosaur poop,” Butler said.

Other interests to the collection include dinosaur eggs, fish skeletons, coral, bug collections, shark, a freeze-dried cobra and a woolly mammoth.

Internationally renowned architect Marlon Blackwell designed the building and his wife, Meryati, helped lead the project. Construction of the site is being executed by Nabholz Construction Services and financed through Legacy Bank.

Butler cited a commitment to living within her own means and making timely payments, along with the equity of the existing school, as factors that allowed for the development of the project. With some help along the way, Butler has guided the institute from a two-bedroom schoolhouse to a multiple-building facility.

“I believe that children should learn and be in a beautiful space. Marlon has a fantastic eye for design,” she said.
The new building is expected to be open to students Aug. 1.

In Benton and Washington counties alone, more than 90,000 students attend public schools and colleges.

FAYETTEVILLE
Nearly 9,000 of those are in grades kindergarten through 12 in Fayetteville, where school district honors include being listed among the country’s best high schools for 2010 by Newsweek magazine. Also, Ramay Junior High was named a 2010 Breakthrough School by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Alan Wilbourn, public information officer for Fayetteville Public Schools, said the district is widely recognized as a pacesetter in both academics and athletics.

“Each year, many students and staff mem- bers are recognized on the state and national levels for their accomplishments,” he said. “This rich history has created a culture in Fayetteville where excellence is the expectation, and the community provides both the literal and figurative support to make it happen.”

Other accomplishments include a state- wide-best 192 high school students being earning advanced placement scholar honors during the 2010-11 school year, along with 12 seniors being named finalists in National Merit Scholarship competition. Also, Fayetteville students repeatedly have scored highest in the state on the ACT exam.

Athletic accomplishments last school term included state championships in girls’ basket- ball, girls’ golf and boys’ indoor track.

Also, the high school band will march in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.

BENTONVILLE
Bentonville Public Schools also have plenty of bragging rights both in terms of academics and athletic conquests.

Like neighboring Fayetteville to the south, Bentonville students typically score well above statewide averages on End of Course exams and college entrance tests. The school also has a highly regarded fine-arts department, including decorated band, choral and drama programs.

Mayor Bob McCaslin credited strong leadership, including that of outgoing Superintendent Gary Compton, for the school district’s success.

“The intentional and continual pursuit of improvement by Dr. Compton, his staff, the school board and our community resulted in an outstanding product,” McCaslin said.
Compton is being replaced by Mike Poore, who comes to the area from Colorado Springs, Colo.

Bentonville High School in 2007 became the state’s first high school to be named a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The award recognizes public schools that are high-per- forming or have greatly improved student performance.

Recent additions to school facilities include the multimillion-dollar Arend Arts Center, which opened in 2001 and provides a first-rate place for choir concerts, theatrical performances, band concerts, assemblies, graduations and more.

Tiger Stadium opened in 2005 and features seating for 6,000 football fans and a synthetic playing surface. There is also an indoor practice facility, plus baseball, softball and soccer fields.

SPRINGDALE
Significant population growth that has continued for more than a decade has made Springdale Public Schools the second-largest district in the state behind Little Rock School District. Springdale enrollment was 18,810 last school year — up about 8,000 from a decade ago — and is expected to top 19,000 this year.

The district is home to 17 elementary schools, three middle schools, three junior highs and two high schools. Eleven new schools have been built in the past 10 years, and scheduled future openings include a new middle school in fall 2012 and a new junior high a year later.

Newsweek magazine named Har-Ber High School fifth in Arkansas and 342nd in the nation among its Best High Schools in America. J.O. Kelly and Tyson Middle Schools were recently recognized for the second time by the Schools To Watch group, which recognizes high-achieving middle schools across the country.

ROGERS
Rogers Public Schools prides itself on its advanced-placement program, which offers 22 courses that served 158 students last school year. The AP program is bolstered by a grant of $1.3 million through the Arkansas Advanced Initiative for Math and Science.

The district has more nationally board certified teachers than any other in the region, according to its website. “Our teachers go above and beyond to prepare themselves to be the best teachers possible,” said Superintendent Janie Darr.

Andrew Call, an actor in the Broadway hit American Idiot and a 1999 graduate, said drama teacher Ellen Stubbs opened the door for him to find what he does best.

“I believe without the Rogers Public Schools system I would have never had the opportunity to be- come what I am today,” Call said.

Brooke McNeely Galligan of Fayetteville was laid off from her job as a photojournalist and started her own freelance business, Brooke McNeely Photography. Although she did get work, she realized that independent photographers were abundant in the area and that she needed a competitive edge.

While participating in a local bridal fair, Galligan noticed the lack of videographers, and after researching higher-education opportunities, she decided to go to film school. Not wanting to leave the area, she was happy to enroll in the masters program in documentary film at the University of Arkansas.

“It sounded exactly what I was looking for, and it is in the [uni university’s] journalism department, which was perfect with my jour- nalism background,” Galligan said.

She took a few undergraduate classes last semester and will start the master’s program in the fall. Fortunately for Galligan, she is able to schedule freelance work around her classes. Many adults returning to school also are raising children. Maria Willox of Fayetteville knows the struggles of trying to balance family and studies.

Willox left the computer industry seven years ago to stay at home with her children. When her youngest child began elementary school, she decided the time had arrived to return to work but was unsuccessful at finding a “decent job,” she said.

“I did not keep up on my technical skills while at home, so it was the perfect time to make a career change,” Willox said.

Having always loved helping others, she decided to pursue certification as a registered nurse. She chose the nursing program at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville because of the school’s reputation.

“NWACC’s program is very challenging, but from what others say, they really prepare their students for the state exams and working in the real world,” Willox said. “It is nice knowing when I complete my schooling, I will have the knowledge to be a good, safe nurse.”

Balancing her time is a constant challenge.

“Now I not only have to care for my family, but I need to find the time to study and learn the new skills to become a RN.”

Cat Donnelly of Durham in rural Washington County also knows the challenges of parent- ing and going to school. She also works full time at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville as an administrative assistant, where she is also a senior on schedule to graduate next May with her bachelor’s degree in creative writing.

Like many students, Donnelly has found online classes very convenient.

“It’s hard for a working adult with a family to also squeeze in physically going to classes, which is why the online courses are so perfect,” she said. “The only thing is that you have to have discipline to not fall behind.”

Donnelly considers the hardest part of working and going to school is not being able to enjoy the college experience in the manner of traditional students.

Top test scores, great attendance and low dropout rates are some of the achievements of area schools.

Benton and Washington counties have 17 public school districts, including three charter schools. They range in size from the 185-student Haas Hall Academy Charter School in Fayetteville to the more than 19,000-student Springdale School District, according to the Arkansas Department of Education.

View the 2011 District Report Card (PDF)

The Arkansas General Assembly approved a school-choice law in 2003 that requires all of the state’s school districts to accept students who don’t live in their boundaries. But the regulation doesn’t require districts to accept those students if it means adding buildings or teachers.

Several of the region’s school boards passed guidelines for complying with the law that states they won’t accept transfers when their enrollments reaches 85 percent of existing building capacity. That’s why few, if any, students living outside the boundaries of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale are approved each year to attend those districts, which struggle to keep up with growing enrollments.

School district boundaries don’t follow municipal lines, so school officials urge home buyers on cities’ edges to pull property tax records before buying a house to make sure they know which school districts their children will attend.

A quick way to compare Arkansas districts and individual schools is to download their Report Cards, which are lists of statistics released each year by the state. Those are available at: www.arkansased.org/testing/ test_scores.html