Business and college partners tour PRMBA

TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Teacher Jared Ross (left) and PRMBA student Mark Law (left in blue coveralls) showed business and college professionals the welding pathway of the conversion charter school at Pea Ridge High School Friday.
TIMES photograph by Annette Beard Teacher Jared Ross (left) and PRMBA student Mark Law (left in blue coveralls) showed business and college professionals the welding pathway of the conversion charter school at Pea Ridge High School Friday.

Business and college leaders toured the Pea Ridge Manufacturing and Business Academy, Friday. PRMBA, the new conversion charter school at Pea Ridge High School, is the first of its kind in the state.

"Our business and college partners enjoyed it -- they're basically providing the curriculum. We are essentially training our students to fit that model," Charley Clark, director of PRMBA, said.

"We have a great relationship with the business partners," Clark said. "They know what they need. We teach it. And our students get to fill that need."

Students conducted the tour and visited with business and college leaders during a luncheon provided by school staff.

"Even though the school is just getting started, I am very impressed with both the planning process which involved multiple partners, and the excitement of the students, who feel this adds direct and immediate relevance to their learning," said Kathy Smith, senior program officer, Arkansas Education Reform Initiative, said. "I applaud the Pea Ridge School District and superintendent Rick Neal for having a vision that will benefit students and area industries for years to come."

"I was really impressed with how forward thinking this charter school concept is, not just for Northwest Arkansas, but nationally," said Lee Anne Mills, Sr. Director of Shows and Events Strategy, Walmart. "The way the staff is focused on merging education with business skills with independent learning is fantastic. It really does give a student the opportunity to take charge of their own education."

"Graduating students will be better prepared for the work force due to the learning applications offered by PRMBA," Bruce Sikes, chief academic officer of Arkansas Tech University, Ozark campus. "Because the curriculum is aligned with higher education to a job, students can leave high school for entry level employment in many cases... The uniqueness of PRMBA is that it connects high school to college and to a specific job. PRMBA transitions students seamlessly into job opportunities."

Tim Paetz, owner of Bud Anderson Heating & Cooling, said the skills taught at PRMBA will be able to apply their skills faster for their employer and give them an edge on the job market. "In the end I believe that all school districts should be able to provide the students with a career path or a college path when exiting school.We are looking forward to many years of experienced help."

"I am impressed with what Rick, Charley, and the rest of the team there have done in a short amount of time. The facilities look great and they have thoughtful plans in place to expand and improve the program. I was very impressed with the students that we met and interacted with during the afternoon. They have embraced the idea that they skills they are learning will help them find good jobs after graduation to either help them begin a career or provide an income to further their education," said Jeff Smith, Sr. Director Logistics Maintenance & Purchasing, Walmart Logistics.

"I believe the PRMBA will prepare students for the work force who either want to begin a career and work directly after graduation or who want to find a better job to support their further ambitions in life which may include college. I do believe the students who choose to enter the work force immediately after graduation will be better prepared to do so through the education and skills they learn from the PRMBA," Smith said.

Marcia Sanders, assistant director/teacher center coordinator for Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, said: "Pea Ridge has set a high bar over the last several years, and it is wonderful to see Mr. Neal continuing and extending this tradition of excellence.

"I was very much intrigued by the online component and will be curious to see how that delivery of education translates into assessment results, e.g., ACT, PARCC, SAT, etc. I believe that this method of delivery will be very effective for many students and I'm looking forward to hearing of positive results for the classes as a whole.

"It was also impressive to see the close working partnership with the various businesses and industries. I feel that this depth of involvement will better prepare students for their chosen career.

"Finally, the collaboration between students and between students and teachers was very gratifying to see. It appeared that students truly enjoyed school and, I would imagine, that this translates into improved attendance rates," Sanders concluded.

Community on 10/01/2014