Dear Parents and Families of George Junior High School,

Welcome to October! We are officially entering the heart of the fall semester, and it has been exciting to see our students settling into their routines, engaging in their learning, and taking advantage of all the opportunities that this school year has to offer. We had a wonderful start to the year, and I want to take a moment to reflect on a few of the great things that happened in September. Our Parent Participation Meetings were a tremendous success, with strong participation from parents and families. It was great to see so many of you connecting with teachers and staff. Our students have already begun making strides academically, and we’re proud of their hard work in and out of the classroom. October promises to be another busy and productive month! We have a list of key events to mark on your calendar in this newsletter. I'll give you one of those dates now. There will be no school on October 18. We hope everyone has a chance to recharge and spend time with family during that three day weekend. As we continue through the semester, I want to remind everyone of the importance of communication. If your student is facing any challenges, whether academic or personal, please don't hesitate to reach out to their teachers, our counselors, or myself. We are here to support all students in reaching their full potential. Thank you for your continued support. Together, we can ensure that every student at George Junior High has a successful and rewarding school year. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me or any of our amazing faculty and staff. We are here for YOU!

#DestinationGeorge #WeAreGeorge #SpringdaleFamily

Dr. Jeff Flanigan, Principal

1. What inspired you to become a teacher, and how long have you been teaching?

I was inspired to become a teacher to serve students and families in our local community. Another motivation was a desire to elevate myself out of poverty with a profession that required higher education. I am also a first generation college student. Showing my daughters that I could attain a degree despite some unconventional timing and thousands of other distractions was very important to me. I served Springdale schools as an intern in 2012 and upon graduation, I started teaching full time with the district the following year. So, it's been 11 years?! Time flies when you're having fun :)

2. What subject(s) do you teach, and what do you enjoy most about it/them?

I teach Strategic Reading 8th/ 9th. I am blessed with a Learning Center advisory of 8th graders, too. Spending time with students and discussing those text to self connections in what we read is one of the most enjoyable components of my practice. It is also a great honor and privilege to help and advise LC students to learn English and make new friends at GJHS. I adore my classroom, my students, and my colleagues.

3. Can you share a favorite teaching moment or a memorable experience from your classroom?

Back when we all still had phones laying around on our desks, a kid picked up my iphone 8 and declared "Don't worry Ms. if you keep grinding, one day you'll catch up."

4. What do you believe is the most important lesson you want your students to learn from you?

I want my students to learn that behavior is a literacy. We are communicating with each other verbally and non verbally all day long. I want students to learn how to do that with intentionality; despite it being a daily challenge for adults too . It would be wonderful if the important lessons of presence, empathy and reading stamina were all learned in equal measure.

5. How do you like to spend your time outside of school? Any hobbies or interests?

I like to spend time reading, being outdoors, roller skating, doing yoga, walking my dog, or hanging out with my friends. I enjoy watching PBS documentaries and reading magazines like the New Yorker, National Geographic, or Harper's.

6. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Ireland. I would go there to see some ancestral locations my Mimi has written down in a genealogy book.

7. What’s one fun fact about you that most people might not know?

I am a registered yoga teacher.

8. Who is a teacher or mentor who greatly influenced your life and career?

The first teacher who made an impact on me was Mrs. Buckley at Butterfield Elementary School. She was fierce and practiced a form of tough love that I needed in 5th and 6th grade. Another was Mrs. Redfern, who was my English teacher at Woodland back in the day. In 1993 at Fayetteville High School I was part of the inaugural alternative learning center. My teachers there tried their best to help me navigate challenges at home and school. At NWACC, it was Dr. Anita Jones and Dr. Todd Kitchen who instilled in me the belief that persistence could count for a lot. Finally, at the UofA - Dr. Angela Elsass, Dr. Erin Casey, and Dr. Heather Kindall all come to mind as excellent professors and mentors.

9. What’s your favorite book or movie, and why does it resonate with you?

I find it impossible to choose one favorite book or movie as my interests vary. The top five films include The Breakfast Club, Purple Rain, and School of Rock because they each resonated with me at different life stages. Regarding favorite books: The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd; The Temple of my Familiar, by Alice Walker; or Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver are definitely in my top ten list.

10. If you could give one piece of advice to your students, what would it be?

Build reading stamina by reading a bit more each day. *Always Be Yourself ;)

The Wrangler Library Media Center has been busy with Class of 2029 and Class of 2028 orientation the past few weeks. Students have been discovering the library and checking out books! Ask your students what they are reading. Research has demonstrated that reading for at least 20 minutes a day exposes readers to new vocabulary, enhances comprehension, and reduces stress!

10/1 8th Grade Volleyball vs. Lakeside 4:30pm @ George

10/3 Debate/Media Field Trip to Walton Arts Center 8:45 AM to 2:00 PM

10/3. 8th Grade Football vs Kimmons 6:45pm-Northside High school

10/5 Debate Tournament @ Bentonville HS

10/7 9th Grade Football vs. Rogers Heritage @ Heritage-5:30pm

10/7 8th Grade Volleyball @ Kirksey first game 4:30pm

10/7 Computer Science field trip to Amazeum 10:30am-2:15pm

10/8 8th Grade Volleyball vs. Darby first game 4:30pm @ George

10/8 Junior Leadership Field Trip

10/9 Fine Arts Night 6:30-7:30 in Arena

10/10 8th Grade Football vs. Darby-6:45pm--Springdale High School

10/10 Industry Day field trip 12:30- 2:30pm

10/10 Girl Soccer Information Meeting During Advisory 12:08-12:38 in Seminar Room

10/11 TESS Artifact Upload Breakfast Potluck 7:15-8:30

10/11 Ladish Reading Class Field Trip to Crystal Bridges

10/12 Cross Country @ Sonora MS - 7:00-11:00am

10/12 Region 5 All Region Auditions @ Lakeside Junior High (Select Men, and Cantate)

10/14 9th Grade Football vs. Bentonville West-5:30pm-Bentonville West High School

10/14 8th Grade Volleyball @ Southwest first game 4:30pm

10/15 8th Grade Volleyball Game vs, Grimsley first game at 4:30pm @ George

10/16 SPED Field Trip to Farmland Adventures 9:00am-11:00am

10/17 National spreadSHEET day

10/18 NO SCHOOL

10/21 9th Grade Football vs. Rogers-5:30pm-Springdale High School

10/21 8th Grade Volleyball Game @ Lingle TBD

10/22 8th Grade Volleyball Game vs Chaffin 4:30pm @ George

10/22 Computer Science Field Trip to Boston Mountain Recycling 8:30am-12:15pm

10/23 FCS Guest Speaker

10/23 Theatre Field Trip to The Outsiders House and Museum (8:30am-3:30pm)

10/24 8th Grade Football vs. Lingle-6:45pm-Rogers Heritage High School

10/24 FCS Guest Speaker - Extension

10/25 Principal's Cabinet Seminar Room 11:30-1:00

10/26 Debate Tournament @ Har-Ber HS - Day 1 only

10/28 9th Grade Football vs. Bentonville-5:30pm-Bentonville High School

10/29 Student Flu Clinic

10/29 Cross Country Conference @ Roger's - 2:00-6:00pm

10/29 FCS Guest Speaker - Extension

10/30 FCS Guest Speaker - Extension

10/31 8th Grade Football vs. Lincoln-6:45pm-Bentonville West High School

Principal: Dr. Jeff Flanigan, jflanigan@sdale.org

Assistant Principal: Cara Sedberry, csedberry@sdale.org

Assistant Principal: Josh Jenkins, jjenkins@sdale.org

9th Grade Counselor/Lead Counselor: Andrea George, ageorge@sdale.org

8th Grade Counselor/Parent Resource Center Director: Valarie Howe, vhowe@sdale.org

Social Worker: Letty Hug, lhug@sdale.org