CCSD, Woodlawn Schools Start 2023-24 School Year on Monday

  • Dionte Langford (second from right) and Willie Bea Brandon (right) check out the homemade desserts that were part of a pulled pork meal that Jo Wegner of Kingsland organized for all Cleveland County School District staff, including those who work for Cleveland County Head Start program. Nearly 150 gathered inside the Kingsland School auditorium for a lunch that included door prizes provided by Rison businesses.
    Dionte Langford (second from right) and Willie Bea Brandon (right) check out the homemade desserts that were part of a pulled pork meal that Jo Wegner of Kingsland organized for all Cleveland County School District staff, including those who work for Cleveland County Head Start program. Nearly 150 gathered inside the Kingsland School auditorium for a lunch that included door prizes provided by Rison businesses.
  • Dana Gavin (right) gets ready to try some of the homemade meal of chicken and dressing, ham and other dishes prepared for the teachers and staff of the Woodlawn School District by Mt. Olivet Methodist Church at Calmer. Woodlawn staff will be treated to both breakfast and lunch each day thanks to several of the churches in the community, including Mt. Olivet Methodist, Bethel #2, Friendship, Center, Shepherd Hill, and Oak Grove Churches.
    Dana Gavin (right) gets ready to try some of the homemade meal of chicken and dressing, ham and other dishes prepared for the teachers and staff of the Woodlawn School District by Mt. Olivet Methodist Church at Calmer. Woodlawn staff will be treated to both breakfast and lunch each day thanks to several of the churches in the community, including Mt. Olivet Methodist, Bethel #2, Friendship, Center, Shepherd Hill, and Oak Grove Churches.
  • Kingsland and New Edinburg treat CCSD to lunch. See more below.
    Kingsland and New Edinburg treat CCSD to lunch. See more below.

    BACK TO SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF - Teachers and staff for the Cleveland County and Woodlawn School Districts were treated to meals by patrons of their respective districts on Tuesday as the go through professional development training this week in preparation for the start of the new school year on Monday, Aug. 14. 

    Cleveland County Superintendent Jerrod Williams and Woodlawn Superintendent Dr. Kevin Hancock expressed their appreciation for the meals.

    Jo Wegner of Kingslnad (second from right) organized a lunch of barbequed pork with all the trimmings for all teachers and staff of the Cleveland County School District Tuesday at the Kingsland School Auditorium. Wegner told the crowd of nearly 150 people that she wanted to treat everyone to create a sense of unity among the school district. Nearly all the staff were wearinbg “Better Together Wildcats” t-shirt for the event Tuesday. Wegner said she recruited friends from Kingsland and New Edinburg to help with the meal. Pictured are (left to right) Wren McClellan, Kingsland Mayor Sharon Crosby, Linda Hornaday, Trenna Kemp, Jody Mitchell, Maryanne Franklin, Patricia McClellan,  Jo Wegner and Cleveland County Superintendent Jerrod Williams.

    RISON - Students in both the Cleveland County and Woodlawn School Districts will begin the 2023-24 school year this Monday, Aug. 14.

    One change under the state's new LEARNS plan that could impact the school calendar is that school districts will no longer be allowed to use "alternative methods of instruction" (AMI) days to make up for the days when schools are closed for weather or any other reasons. Each school day missed with have to be made up. Both local school districts have added make-up days at the end of their school, if needed.

    The Cleveland County School District added May 28, 29, 30, 31 and June 3 as its make-up days. The Woodlawn School District added May 29, 30, 31 and June 3, 4 as its make-up days.

    Here is an updated list of administrators and the 2023-24 school calendar for both districts:

    Cleveland Co. School District

    The Cleveland County School District will have all new administrators this year. Jerrod Williams replaces Craig Dupuy as superintendent. Williams had previously served as superintendent at Sheridan, Bauxite and Pangburn. Dupuy accepted a job as assistant superintendent at Benton.

    Meanwhile, Angie Hudson is the new Rison Elementary principal, replacing Letitia Walker, who was hired as the Rison High School principal. Prior to becoming elementary principal, Hudson was as a teacher and alternative learning environment (ALE) director for the high school. The following is the school calendar for the Cleveland County School District: Aug. 14 - First Day of School Sept. 4 - Labor Day Holiday Sept. 6 - Fall Pictures Sept. 27 - Club, Activities and Senior Who's Who pictures Oct. 9 - Columbus Day Holiday Oct. 10 - PSAT Oct. 11 - Make-Up Pictures and Senior Make-Ups Oct. 13 - End of First Quarter (continued from page 1) Oct. 17 - Parent/Teacher Conferences Oct. 24 - ASVAB Test Oct. 27 - Homecoming Nov. 13 - Fall Holiday Nov. 20-24 - Thanksgiving Break Dec. 15-21 - Semester Tests Dec. 21 - Second Quarter Ends Dec. 22-Jan. 7 - Christmas Break Jan. 8 - School Resumes Jan. 15 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Feb. 6 - Parent/Teacher Conferences Feb. 19 - Presidents Day Holiday Feb. 27 - 11th Grade ACT March 8 - End of Third Quarter March 18-22 - Spring Break April 15-May 7 - ATLAS Window (3rd-10th Grades) May 3 - Senior Awards Assembly; Last Day for Seniors May 20-23 - Semester Tests May 24 - Last Day of School

    Woodlawn School District

    Woodlawn Elementary has a new principal in Heather Cox. She was formerly that FLEX administrator for Arkansas Virtual Academy, which is a full-time online public school for kindergarten through 12th grades. According to the Arkansas Virtual Academy website, the flex program that Cox oversaw was a vetting program/school to identify students who could benefit from flexible scheduling.

    T.J. Hill remains the principal at Woodlawn High School.

    The following is the Woodlawn School District's official calendar for the 2023-24 school year: Aug. 14 - First day of school Sept. 4 - Labor Day Holiday Sept. 13 - Progress Reports Oct. 9 - Columbus Day Holiday Oct. 9-13 - Homecoming Week Oct. 13 - End of First Quarter Oct. 17 -Report Cards/Parent-Teacher Conferences Nov. 13 - Fall Harvest Holiday Nov. 15 - Progress Reports Nov. 20-24 - Thanksgiving Holidays Dec. 22 - End of 2nd Quarter Dec. 25-29 - Christmas Holidays Jan. 1-5 - New Year's Holidays Jan. 8 - Staff Development (no school for students) Jan. 9 - Classes resume, 2nd Semester Begins Jan. 10 - Report Cards Jan. 15 - Martin Luther King Holiday Feb. 13 - Progress Reports/ Parent-Teacher Conferences Feb. 19 - Presidents Day Holiday March 13 - End of 3rd Quarter March 15 - Report Cards March 18-22 - Spring Break March 29 - Good Friday Holiday April 17 - Progress Reports April 26 - Testing Break May 14 - Graduation for Class of 2024 May 27 - Memorial Day Holiday May 28 - Last Day of School