LISA Academy Insider Newsletter

Greetings, and happy October, LISA family!

At the beginning of the month, we had the honor of hosting the Fayetteville campus Grand Opening. It was a joyous occasion, embodying the vision and commitment to excellence that LISA Academy stands for. We were grateful to celebrate with our esteemed guests, including students and their families, teachers, and VIP community members.

With great enthusiasm, we embark on this new educational venture. The event was a testament to the dedication and hard work put into creating a nurturing and academically rigorous environment for students. We were able to celebrate how true collaboration and teamwork can create a solid foundation for a successful future. Collaboration not only between the builders, architects, and designers who built the facility but also collaboration with the surrounding Northwest Arkansas area for welcoming us with open arms and believing in school choice for families. LISA Academy is proud to be an educational option for scholars in this area of the state.

The grand opening celebrated not just a new school building but the limitless possibilities it holds for the future, fostering a sense of unity, purpose, and excitement among all those in attendance.

Best Regards,

Dr. Fatih Bogrek

Congratulations to West High senior Hayati for being a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program! He is one of 127 semifinalists in the state of Arkansas who scored highly on the SAT test.

Over the summer, students were assigned to read a novel according to their grades. Middle schoolers read Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray and high schoolers read Tight by Torrey Maldonado. At the start of the school year, each campus hosted a Battle of the Books event to determine the most knowledgeable 5 students of the assigned reading. Each team then competed against each other in a Kahoot-style game to answer questions about literary devices used within the novel.

This quarter, we highlight students who embody our Student Success Profile trait of being involved and compassionate citizens. LISA Academy is very proud and celebrates our students of all grade levels who give back to each other and their communities through service projects and compassionate deeds. By growing involved citizens, we are able to show students how important our community is and the ways we can give back.

Seven students from North High were selected to serve on the North Little Rock Mayor's Youth Council. Through this program, comprised of 85 students in grades 8-12, students are able to take on volunteer projects to improve their community, meet regularly to discuss and plan their service projects, and express their thoughts and concerns to the Mayor and City Council.

West High students Evelyn and Landon were selected to serve on Senator John Boozman's Congressional Youth Cabinet. This opportunity allows them to meet Sen. Boozman and discuss policies they feel are important to their young generation. They also learn more about civic duty and the processes behind policymaking and Congress.

District Office staff celebrated #WhyApplyDay by wearing college gear to encourage students to apply to higher education and continue their educational journies after high school graduation.

We would also like to encourage current Juniors to apply for Arkansas Governor's School, at the AGS website. Last summer, 11 LISA Academy students were selected to attend the four-week program, which allows students to stay on campus at Arkansas Tech University and study their subject of choice, which ranges from Choral Music or Visual Arts to Mathematics or Development Engineering.

West High was recognized for exceptional performance on AP tests last May, earning Silver recognition on the AP Score Report. The report measured College Culture, which is the percentage of students who took at least one AP exam; College Credit, which is the percentage of students who scored a 3 or above on at least one AP exam to earn college credit; and College Optimization, which is the percentage of students who took at least 5 AP exams total, with the first being in freshman or sophomore year. Congratulations to West High for this recognition and for effectively preparing students for college through AP courses and exams.

Math Kangaroo participants from the 2022-23 school year were awarded for their efforts in the competition. Math Kangaroo is open to all grade levels and not only students of LISA Academy, but anywhere! Anyone is welcome to join this year to strengthen math skills, develop problem-solving techniques, and learn from each other.

Students from West Middle, West High, and North Middle & High campuses represented LISA Academy at Thunder Over Rock STEM Fest. The science festival showcased real-life careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Students had great interaction with visitors and had the opportunity to explore STEM exhibits.

Several LISA Academy educators attended the ALA Teacher Leader Program in order to strengthen their leadership skills. The program, which meets throughout this academic year, is structured around seven themes: Collaborating, Leading, Understanding, Learning, Analyzing, Reflecting, and Advocating. This program allows for teachers to be better equipped for leadership in the classroom and throughout the school. Leadership is "key to retaining excellent teachers, improving the access of high-need students to excellent educators, improving school and student outcomes, and enhancing the professionalization of teaching" (Coggins & McGovern, 2014; Cosenza, 2015).

Students and staff across many campuses donned their orange to support Unity Day and bullying prevention. Students were taught about what kindness looks, sounds, and feels like.

Email: publicrelations@lisaacademy.org
Website: lisaacademy.org
Location: 10825 Financial Centre Parkway, Suite 360, Little Rock, AR, USA
Phone: 5019169450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LISAAcademy/
Twitter: @LISAAcademy