Changing school culture

Work is progressing on establishing a charter school within the Pea Ridge High School.

“On Jan. 15, I will sit before board,” Rick Neal, superintendent of schools said, explaining the next step of the charter school application to Pea Ridge School Board members.

“It is about kids, it is about taking a school district and placing a school within a school,” Neal said. “It will take our own students and build the manufacturing academy. We have school choice. A conversion charter is not open enrollment.”

Neal said Pea Ridge is looking at seven pathways to provide high wage, high demand jobs for students who graduate from the conversion charter.

Neal said he and business leaders will meet between now and January to determine needs for curriculum. He said there is state funding for this.

“It appears that in an advanced, global economy, that students need an advanced college degree. It appears that from this, we’re discouraging students to go to college. Howwould you respond to that?” Ann Cato, board president asked Neal.

“They can still go to college, but we’re sending the wrong message to say that everybody’s going to college. I’m not discouraging anyone because they don’t want to go. We will still o◊er the same courses with the same rigor. We’re just sending a di◊erent message for other students,” Neal said.

“This could help others go to college more easily by helping them earn for it,” Keith Martin, assistant superintendent said.

“We’re cheating kids right now; we’re not giving them what they need to get high wage, high demand jobs,” Neal said.

“You have a real passion forthis. The community has a passion for this. What makes you think this is going to succeed with the students you have right now. It’s extra work, it’s a different time schedule. It’s more than 3 o’clock in the afternoon,” Sandy Button, board member, asked Neal.

“It’s about selling the program. They have to be able to relate that it’s about a job,” Neal said.

“I can think of two specifi c students right now,” Josh Johnson, director of Pea Ridge Alternative Learning Academy, said.

“Don’t underestimate those students who don’t want to open books,” Police Chief Tim Ledbetter said.

“I think it’s real important that we teach things that will attract kids because what we are teaching is turning them o◊.

This is pretty good stu◊. We can change the whole culture of this. This is what the real world looks like,” Neal said.

Joshua Ramsey shared a story about a student who does not score well on math in school but used math to construct a shed and said the students have to realize the value of the lessons in real life.