Blytheville Parents and Community Letter
State of the District
March 2026
Greetings from Superintendent Hopkins,
Have a safe and happy Spring Break!
We are moving closer to Springtime, although the weather may be uncertain; our plans to finish this year strong are not. Next week is Spring Break, students and staff will be taking time to refresh and reset. When we return, the time will be focused on end of year assessments and continuing the curriculum. While staff will infuse their content with more engaging activities, we will educate everyday until the last day of school. We know you will support our efforts to make sure we maximize instructional time by:
Discussing with your scholar(s) the importance of instruction and exhibiting the behaviors of scholars who are at school to learn.
Make sure your scholar is at school Everyday, All Day!
Make sure your scholar is prepared for every class. Having an open communication channel with the teachers and school staff helps students see that all the adults that love them are working in partnership to support them.
Discourage student disrespect and disruption to the learning environment. That includes following school rules and seeking support before a conflicted relationship turns physical.
Minimize bringing in contraband to any campus.
Behavior concerns can prevent your scholar from participating fully in the instructional program and the fun end-of-the-year events.
Middle & High School Students:
“The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) has launched the Course Choice program for the 2026–2027 school year, allowing students in grades 6–12 to take courses not offered by their resident school, with a special focus on expanding options for schools rated "D" or "F". The program offers personalized learning pathways in preparation for enrollment, employment, or enlistment.” The Course Choice Enrollment window is open until August 31st. There are some restrictions:
The course prerequisites must be completed before registration.
The academic calendar may look different by each provider. You must follow the academic calendar of that provider.
Transportation is not funded for non-virtual courses. Travel time must also be taken into consideration. Most courses are virtual. Students are challenged to be organized and self-sufficient to successfully excel in that setting.
There may be unavoidable scheduling conflicts with the local school’s master schedule. Class times can not be adjusted on either end. Class policies are determined by the provider.
Grades are submitted by the provider and not under the supervision of the local school.
The Course Choice Catalog: Course Catalog
Desmos Calculators: Arkansas 3-10 grades
The calculator available to use on the state mathematics assessments is the Desmos Calculators. The following grades can use the calculators on part or all of the math exam:
6th grade can use the Desmos Scientific Calculator on the sections for geography, statistics, and probability
7th and 8th grade uses the Desmos Scientific Calculator
9th grade Algebra uses the Desmos Graphing Calculator
Geometry classes use the Desmos Geometry calculator
You can find those calculators at Desmos | Testing (or Google Desmos Calculators: Arkansas).
LOOK OUT: Please, make sure you support your scholar in navigating the calculator at home in your down time. We will have a resource on the social media and webpage to help navigate the calculators.
Interim Data and Parent Support:
Celebrating Small, but Significant Wins:
In over 70% of math and ELA classes, 3rd through 10th grade, we decreased the number of students in Level 1. Approximately 20% of our classes had less than five students who grew from Level 1. We need to watch those students to ensure they maintain growth through the end-of-the-year assessment.
Level 1 on the Arkansas ATLAS assessment signifies that a student is performing below grade-level expectations, demonstrating a "limited understanding" of the assessed academic content. It is the lowest of four performance levels and indicates that the student needs substantial academic support. Growth is always a cause to celebrate!
We need you! Building Fluency in ELA and Math
ELA remains our area of focus across campuses. We need more students reading, writing, and speaking. We want students to rest and refresh over Spring Break, but if you have time please make sure scholars are reading and writing for 15 minutes each day. Here are some reflection questions that you can use to discuss what they are reading:
Questions Before, During, and After Reading - TeacherVision
We have seen student growth in Math. But there are some ways that you can support students by mastering multiplication tables and understanding written math problem prompts. Practicing with the calculator is great, but basic fluency helps students check their own understanding of the process for answering more complex Math questions. During their downtime, help students by letting them explain to you how they are thinking about solving a particular problem.
XtraMath - 10 minutes a day for math fact fluency
ON THE MOVE:
5th grade is moving to Blytheville Elementary School for the 2026-2027 school year. Please watch for details after Spring Break.
Third Grade:
Parents, now that Interim Assessment results are in, Blytheville Elementary School will be communicating with you individually concerning plans for next year. Please make every effort to respond to any meeting requests in a timely manner.
Important Information & Upcoming Dates:
The BSD attendance goal is 95%. We need Every Student, All Day, Everyday!
High School: Seat-time Requirements state that you should be in class 350 of the 360 minutes of your school day, including limiting tardies. This is a graduation requirement. Be in Class On-time, All the Time!
Spring Break: March 23 - 27, 2026
Snow Make-Up Days: March 20, 2026, and June 3-5, 2026 (Tentative: more days may be added)
Parents and Guardians: Please update your home address, email, and phone number with your child(ren)’s school. Custodial parents are the first contact.
Stay in the know: Follow Blytheville School District (BSD, BES, BMS, BHS) on Facebook and bookmark the website.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Hopkins, Superintendent
Blytheville School District