District Insider Newsletter

Dear LISA Family,

November has been a big month for LISA Academy! ATLAS interim testing has taken place district-wide, applications opened for the 2025-26 school year, construction continues on the new Rogers-Bentonville Middle-High building, and more!

I am happy to share our updated Annual Report, which shows the progress LISA Academy students and staff are making. Our district grew to more than 4200 students across 13 schools in the state during the 2023-24 school year. Our first ATLAS Interim test results showed LISA Academy consistently performing higher than the state average across Math and ELA subjects. As the LISA 2.0 Model is being implemented, we are zeroing in on our STEM-C and College-Prep focus from Kindergarten to 12th grade, with an incredible number of seniors receiving college acceptances last year, and high school students increasing their volunteer hours.

Please view the Annual Report here, and know that I appreciate every student, parent, and staff member who is part of this supportive community so we all can achieve our best. LISA Academy scholars are truly remarkable, and their accomplishments are a testament to the hard work of all around them.

Best Regards,

Dr. Fatih Bogrek

Congratulations to the 26 students at North and West High Schools for earning the Arkansas Seal of Biliteracy, meaning they met both English and native language proficiency in writing and speaking. Students from LISA Academy earned seals in Spanish, Filipino, and Turkish.

Big cheers for the North High Climbing Team for placing 1st overall in their very first competition! Gabby snagged 1st place and Kya climbed her way to 3rd place. This is the inaugural year of the climbing team.

Ms. Cassidy Westhoff, from LISA Rogers-Bentonville, was recognized by her peers in SHAPE Arkansas and voted the 2024 PE and Sport Coach Teacher of the Year! This award is a testament to her dedication, energy, and the positive impact she brings to our students and school community every day.

Ms. Westhoff is a talented and inspiring PE teacher and a true advocate for her students’ well-being. Beyond her daily teaching responsibilities, she leads a student running club and participates in various races with her students in Northwest Arkansas, encouraging them to embrace fitness and teamwork. Her commitment extends beyond the gym or racecourse. —Each morning, she greets our students with a warm smile and maybe a dance, making their school day start with joy and enthusiasm.

Ms. Westhoff exemplifies the heart of LISA Academy’s mission, and we are so fortunate to have her on our team. Her passion, enthusiasm, and support make her an incredible colleague and role model.

Remember that siblings receive priority in the lottery! On the application, indicate that your child is a sibling of a current student to insure you recieve the sibling priority. After you have applied for the new student, please submit this form to provide necessary sibling documentation.

With campuses across the state, visit our website to learn more and find the option that works for your family. Apply now for your child to be Today's Learner, Tomorrow's Leader.

LISA Academy Online School students and North High students visited the Pulaski Technical College's Career Fair. They were able to network with the college and learn more about career and degree possibilities.

North and West High students went on a college trip to tour UCA and UALR facilities and meet with admissions counselors. By exploring their options, students are able to make informed decisions about their future.

Six LISA Academy seniors were awarded AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) scholarships at the AAPI annual event held at the Statehouse Convention Center on October 19.

Calling all math enthusiasts! Don’t miss out on the chance to showcase your skills in the Math Kangaroo competition!

Register by December 15th to join this fun and challenging math event, open to students of all ages. Compete with students across the nation and test your problem-solving ability!

Competition location: LISA West Middle School

Competition date: March 20, 2025 at 5pm

Questions? Reach out to Bilal Uygur by email: buygur@lisaacademy.org

Parent Academy will offer informational workshops for participants to help meet the needs of their students. This year's parent academy sessions will be held on December 12, 2024 at West High School for all Central Arkansas campuses.

Parents will be able to select the topics that they are interested in. The topics we are planning to present are:

- Online School Tools

- Public Library Resources

- Personal Finance
- Coding
- Cyber security
- Eating Healthy/Obesity
- Mental Health Wellness
- Depression and Anxiety

- College Readiness, College Counseling

- College Financial Planning

The program will begin at 6pm.