Alma School District Newsletter

We are excited to announce your 2024 homecoming royalty! Queen Vivian Beneux is joined by her senior maids, Addison Adams and Ashtyn Carmack. The junior class is represented by maids Breella Hughes and Brynlee Whitworth, while Claire Peters and Scarlett Stewart represent the sophomore class. Homecoming is a cherished tradition in our district and community, and we look forward to the upcoming celebrations. Don't forget to mark your calendars for the homecoming parade, set for Thursday, October 10th, at 6:00 PM. Stay tuned for more updates coming your way soon!

Welcome to all parents who have joined Rooms! This new communication tool enables parents, guardians, and students to connect with teachers and securely share student information. For those yet to sign up, a new wave of invitations will be sent out this afternoon. We highly encourage you to connect and log in to stay informed about important updates. If you haven't done so already, please download the district app.

Download for iPhone: https://apple.co/3cdoepN

Download for Android: https://bit.ly/3AECMrI

Accessing Rooms is as simple as flipping a switch within the app. If your information is up-to-date in eSchool, you will receive a text from 98900 and/or an email from accounts@edurooms.com. For families with multiple children, one invitation will link all of them in Rooms. This is a one-time sign-up process, ensuring ongoing connection as your children progress through various classes and grades.

So, what exactly is Rooms? Rooms connects parents and guardians directly to their children and their schedules, including direct access to their teachers. If you have more than one child, simply tap "Menu" in the bottom left to switch between them.

For each child, you'll find the following sections:

• Stream: Similar to announcements, these are posted by the teacher for everyone in the classroom, and replies are not permitted.
• Messages: This section allows for direct, two-way communication with your child(ren)’s teacher(s).
• Materials: Teachers can upload documents, class handouts, and other essential resources related to class and/or school.

Additionally, we've established a Rooms support page on our website to assist parents by addressing common questions and providing helpful answers.

Rooms Support: https://www.almasd.net/page/rooms-support

Last Friday, Mrs. Bottoms and Mrs. Ray teamed up for a special reading buddy adoption day. They shared a book titled "How to Read a Story" and discussed the various steps involved in reading. Afterward, students had the opportunity to adopt a reading buddy — a beanie baby — to take home and read to. Unlike real pets, reading buddies require just nightly reading and a few extra snuggles to keep them happy. This adoption experience offers a fun way to inspire students to read both at school and at home, making the reading process more engaging for them.

The Alma High School ROTC team achieved an impressive 3rd place overall in the Bixby Spartan PT Challenge held in Bixby, OK, this past weekend. They secured a 2nd place finish in the Raider Endurance Course and a 3rd place in the Maneuver Under Fire event. This challenging competition featured six physically demanding tasks performed by a coed team of twelve. We are immensely proud of these students for their hard work and commitment!

Jeremiah Humphrey from the United Welding Institute in Pottsville, AR, visited the Alma Ag Department on Tuesday to discuss trade career opportunities, with a particular emphasis on welding. We appreciate his valuable insights and guidance, especially since many of our students are eager to pursue careers in welding!

Emily Graves, a ninth-grade student at Alma High School, has recently earned a purple ribbon at the Arkansas-Oklahoma State Fair for her beautifully crafted purple and blue quilt! We have seen an impressive number of students from our district participating in various local and state fairs lately. Congratulations, Emily!

Alma FFA Members demonstrated their talents in Career Development Events during the Arkansas Oklahoma FFA Day on Wednesday, held at the Arkansas Oklahoma State Fair!

Results include:

• Livestock: 2nd overall
• Trevor Simon: 2nd overall individual
• Trenton Simon: 3rd overall individual
• Junior Tractor Driving: Logan Flanagan - 3rd overall
• Senior Tractor Driving: Tucker Overby - 10th overall
• Nursery and Landscaping: 7th overall
• Agronomy: 9th overall
• Floriculture: 14th overall
• Poultry: 22nd overall
• Dairy Cattle: 29th overall

Livestock Exhibitors:

Cattle:

• Wyatt Brister
  • 1st in class, steers
  • 10th overall steer
• Dakota Williams
• 2nd in class, commercial heifers
• 4th in class, steers

Sheep:

• Rylee Holmes
• 6th in class

Goats:

• Trenton Simon
  • 2nd in class, breeding does
  • Super showman, breeding does
  • 5th in class, wethers
  • Super showman, wethers
• Hailey Kelly
• 6th in class, wethers

Hogs:

• Brody Taylor
  • Reserve Grand Champion Spot
  • 2nd in class, spot
  • 3rd in class, light cross
• Locklan Flanagan
  • 5th in class, dark cross
  • 7th in class, Duroc
• Brittany Bowlin
  • 6th in class, dark cross
• Gracie Erwin
  • 4th in class, light cross
• Madison Montague
• 4th in class, Duroc

There's still time to apply! We are continuing to accept applications for free and reduced meals. If you have previously qualified or believe you may be eligible, we encourage you to submit your application today.

So THIS one is different. Mr. B sits down with 5th-grade GT student Claire Wheeler to talk to her about.....raising possums. Yes, you read that correctly! Claire talks about what it takes to raise possums, how they behave, what they eat, and how raising possums is a family tradition. One thing you can never say about our podcast is that the students or the subject matter is boring. We know you will be entertained by this episode, and as always, never be afraid to embrace your inner weirdo!

On Tuesday, Airedale Golf kicked off the Big Creek Conference Tournament, and what a memorable day it was! Our two senior stars, Miles Kendrick and Piercen Howell, took to the course for their final appearance in conference play. It was a great day of golf, but unfortunately, we fell just three shots short of qualifying for state. A heartfelt thank you to Brent Taylor from Citizens Bank, John Wood from State Farm, and all the sponsors who contributed to making this golf season a success! Kudos to this incredible team for giving their all and swinging into action! Scores: Chase Wood - 82, Jack Taylor - 82, Miles Kendrick - 83, Grady Farmer - 83, and Piercen Howell - 90.

On Tuesday, the Alma Cross Country team proudly hosted the inaugural Airedale Invitational! These dedicated athletes, along with many others not pictured, worked tirelessly — not just in running, but also in preparing a course from the ground up to make this historic meet possible. Congratulations to them and Coach Shultz!

The baseball team is offering raffle tickets for processed beef, courtesy of Alma graduate Josh Taylor from Taylor’s Ranch and Meat Processing in Ozark. The first draw wins half, while the next two draws will share the remaining half. It's a generous meat prize! The draw will take place at halftime during the November 1st game. Each chance costs $10. Get your tickets from a baseball player or Coach Curd. Thank you for your support!

Ready to join the Airedale action? Whether you want to contribute financially or provide snacks, your backing drives our students' achievements. There are various opportunities for you to engage and have an impact. Contact Jerrod Burns, Director of Athletics and Activities, for further information on how you can participate. Together, we can establish a supportive environment where every Airedale student receives the necessary resources and encouragement to thrive. Let's work together to shape a better future, one Airedale at a time!

October marks our food collection month! This year, the Food for Friends club at Alma High School is gathering items for Thanksgiving and Christmas meal boxes. They will also be replenishing outdoor food pantries throughout the community. To ensure the ongoing success of this initiative, we kindly request your support.

On Friday, November 8th, the Alma School District will pay tribute to the Alma Football State Champions from 1980, 1997, and 1998. This special recognition will occur during halftime of the Varsity Football game against Farmington. We can't wait to celebrate this moment with you!

Kevin Taylor, a seasoned sportswriter, has 42 years of experience, with 22 years dedicated to the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith. He is the author of two books, "Tiger Boogie!" and "Stat Daddy," and is happily married to Mardi Taylor. They have two children, Logan (19) and Landon (15). Kevin serves as an online teacher at Alma Schools since 2015 and also works as a sports reporter for Alma Schools since 2020. In recognition of his outstanding service, he received the 2021-22 Wadie Moore Distinguished Service Award.

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