Community Update from School Board President Sheila Franklin
Tonight marks the final interview for our next superintendent. However, please note that the board meeting will not be live streamed as no decision will be made tonight.
The board is committed to thoroughly discussing the candidates before making a selection. We will announce the next meeting date as soon as it is decided, along with the live stream details for that meeting.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we work towards making the best choice for our school community!
Carolyn Lewis Elementary
2025 Arkansas Grown School Garden of the Year
Carolyn Lewis Elementary was recognized last week at our December School Board Meeting for being awarded under the 2025 Arkansas Grown School Garden of the Year Award, the Best Harvest Partnership School Garden Award. Carolyn Lewis Elementary gardens is an amazing atmosphere and you are going to be amazed every time you visit! Our garden teams around the district work so hard on their gardens and it is amazing to see how students across our district get to experience a school garden. Conway is on a roll winning this title!
CPSD School Board President Sheila Franklin
ASBA Certificate of Boardsmanship Award
Board President Sheila Franklin has been awarded the ASBA Certificate of Boardsmanship Award for having earned at least 25 hours of in service credit from ASBA accepted training. Mrs. Franklin, on behalf of Conway Public Schools, we appreciate your hard work and dedication to our students, staff, and community.
Coach Buck James
Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
CPSD recognized Coach Buck James at our December School Board Meeting for being inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame! It is stated that Coach James boasts one of the state's most successful high school coaching careers. With head coaching jobs at Star City, Camden Fairview, Bryant and now Conway, James has led teams to seven state championships -- one in Class 5A at Camden Fairview (2012) and a record five consecutive in Class 7A at Bryant (2018-22). In six seasons with the Hornets, he compiled a 68-9 record. He has earned 14 conference coach of the year awards and guided his teams to 13 conference titles.
Conway is known for having the best of the best. Here is a list of Wampus Cats who are in the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame: Peyton Hillis, Tim Horton, Marvin Delph, Lawson Pilgrim, Henry Hawk, Raymond Bright, Ken Stephens, Bryce Molder, Ray Rogers, Willis Watkins, and now Buck James. Please help us congratulate Coach James!
❄️ Winter Break Reminder (Dec 22–Jan 2)
All CPSD schools and offices will be closed for Winter Break December 22–January 2.
We’ll see you back on Monday, January 5, 2026! Stay warm and enjoy the holidays! ⛄🎁
Check out our December 2025 School Board Meeting Recap! We recognized our Champion Student of the Month, Coach Buck James for AR Sports Hall of fame, CLE Garden of the Year, and the board approved our 2026-2027 school calendar!! https://conwaypublicschools.edurooms.com/engage/conway-public-schools/newsletters/december-2025-school-board-recap
Tonight at our December School Board meeting we recognized Kimber King from Woodrow Cummins Elementary as our Champion Student of the Month! Way to go Kimber!!
CPSD Snow/Inclement Weather Information: It is the season for winter weather! CPSD is and will be closely monitoring weather conditions, roads, and bus routes today and future weather events. Any changes to the school schedule will prioritize the safety of our students, staff, and parents. Stay tuned for updates via automated calls/texts, email, app notifications, social media and conwayschools.org for the latest info. Please review procedures at https://www.conwayschools.org/page/inclement-weather-information.
🦃 Thanksgiving Break Reminder!
CPSD will be closed for Thanksgiving Break from November 24–28. Schools and offices will reopen on Monday, December 1st.
Enjoy your time with family and friends! 🧡
#ChampionsForKids #ProudPastPromisingFuture #ThanksgivingBreak #WeareCPSD #WampusCats #LittleCats
🌱 We are thrilled to announce that Carolyn Lewis Elementary has been awarded the 2025 Harvest Community Partnership Garden of the Year! 🌱
This recognition means so much to our school, and we are incredibly proud of the hard work, care, and dedication that made our garden flourish this year.
We are especially thankful for our amazing partnership with Krista Quinn and the Faulkner County Extension Office, the wonderful Mr. Richard Clerk and the Master Gardeners, as well as Kelli Burke who continually support, guide, and encourage our students. Their expertise and willingness to invest in our school garden have helped create meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities for our kids.
A huge heartfelt thank-you goes to Mrs. Tyler and Mrs. Parham—your passion, time, and sacrifice are the heartbeat of this project. Because of your leadership and commitment, our students not only learn about gardening, but also about teamwork, responsibility, and the joy of watching something grow.
Thank you to everyone who has supported our garden. This award is a celebration of community, collaboration, and the belief that great things can grow when we work together. Thank you to Leslee Tell from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture coming to present this award to us!🌿💚
#CarolynLewisElementary #GardenOfTheYear #ArkansasGrown #SchoolGarden #FaulknerCountyExtension #MasterGardeners #ProudToBeCLE
🎉 Ellen Smith Elementary is turning 100! 🎉
Established in 1925, Ellen Smith Elementary has spent a full century shaping minds, inspiring growth, and serving as a cornerstone of the Conway community. This year, we are proud to celebrate 100 years of learning, leadership, and legacy—and we want YOU to join us!
Celebration Event
Friday, December 5th
6:00 PM
Ellen Smith Elementary – Conway, AR
As we honor a century of excellence—and the incredible impact that Ellen Smith herself had on education—we also want to hear your stories.
📣 Were you a student or alumni of Ellen Smith? Did you know Ellen Smith personally?
Share your memories, moments, and photos with us using this form:
👉 https://forms.gle/a2PLcoYDTfNGcjVk7
Come celebrate 100 years of community and history with us! 💙✨
Check out this interview with Ellen Smith Elementary Principal Shannon Riner!
🎉 Wampus Cat Recognition 🎉
At our November School Board Meeting, we were proud to recognize our National Merit Semifinalists at Conway High School—some of the top academic performers in the nation! Fewer than 1% of seniors nationwide earn this honor, selected from over 1.3 million students who took the PSAT/NMSQT.
Dr. Kate Worley, CHS Principal, spoke highly of these students and their extraordinary achievements, and we couldn’t agree more. These seniors now move forward in the competition for more than $26 million in National Merit Scholarships this spring.
Please help us celebrate our outstanding students:
⭐ Caroline Chrysler
An exceptional scholar-musician with a 4.2 GPA, 34 ACT, nine AP courses, dual All-State honors in choir and clarinet, and co-founder of ConwayUP, a program supporting college access. Caroline plans to study biology on a pre-med track.
⭐ William “Will” Schlientz
A quiet, dependable leader with a 4.23 GPA, 33 ACT, and involvement in Tennis, Swimming, Soccer, and Band—where he serves as a section leader. Will plans to pursue a STEM-related field in college.
We are incredibly proud of these remarkable Wampus Cats and their hard work, dedication, and leadership. 💙🐾
🇺🇸 Honoring Service & Celebrating Excellence 🇺🇸
At our November School Board meeting, we were honored to welcome Brigadier General Chad Bridges, The Adjutant General of Arkansas, as our special guest. General Bridges led the Pledge of Allegiance alongside Ella, our Champion Student.
For Veterans Day, we thanked General Bridges for over 34 years of service, including 4 deployments (Sinai, Egypt; Baghdad, Iraq; Hurricane Katrina; and Germany) and numerous assignments across the country. Your dedication and leadership are deeply appreciated.
We were also proud to recognize our outstanding Conway High School JROTC, led by LTC Shelby, Sergeant First Class Michael Webb, Command Sergeant Major Larry Foster, and the JROTC Lead Cadets. Here are just a few of their incredible accomplishments from the past two years:
⭐️ 195 students enrolled—2nd largest JROTC program in Arkansas
⭐️ Earned Honor Unit with Distinction for two consecutive years
⭐️ Achieved the highest possible rating on their accreditation inspection
⭐️ Academic & Leadership teams competed in worldwide finals
⭐️ 17 graduates enlisted in the military last year; 6 entered Senior ROTC programs
⭐️ This year’s Cadet Battalion Commander received a nomination to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point
We are so proud of these cadets, their leadership, and their commitment to excellence. Thank you, General Bridges and CHS JROTC, for helping us celebrate Veterans Day last week in such a meaningful way. 🇺🇸💙
We are grateful for the service and sacrifice of:
Jason Black — United States Marine Corps
Tammy Henderson — United States Navy & Army National Guard
Thank you for your dedication to our country and to our students and community. 💙
#VeteransDay #ThankYouVeterans #WeAreWampusCats #ChampionsForKids
🎖️ Veterans Day – Honoring All Who Served
Today and every day, we honor the brave men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. 🇺🇸
A special thank you to the veterans within our CPSD family—your dedication and service inspire us all.
We are proud to recognize all veterans for the sacrifices they’ve made to protect our freedoms.
#ChampionsForKids #ProudPastPromisingFuture #VeteransDay #ThankYouVeterans #CPSDStrong
This week, schools across the nation and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) celebrate the vital work of school psychologists and the difference they make in helping students thrive at school, at home, and in life.
This year’s theme, “Finding Your Path,” highlights how school psychologists help students, families, and school communities set goals, navigate challenges, and discover their own paths to learning, growth, and well-being. 🌟
We’re proud to recognize our outstanding CPSD school psychologists:
Laykn Beard, Allison Bowsman, Makayla Ellison, Jessica McClure, April Reed, Elizabeth Spann, Paula Turner, and Sarah Washington.
Thank you for empowering students and families every day to find their path to success! 💙
#NationalSchoolPsychologyWeek #FindingYourPath #ThankYou #WeAreWampusCats #ChampionsForKids
🍎 Help Support the Wampus Cat Pantry! 🐾
We’re excited to share a new resource available this year for Conway Public Schools families — the Wampus Cat Pantry, which helps provide food and basic necessities to families in need through school referrals.
You can help us make a difference in one of the following ways:
🥫 Donate Food:
Purchase items from our list and drop them off at Courtway Middle School or Ida Burns Elementary School.
🛒 Shop Online:
Order directly from our Amazon Wish List and have items shipped straight to the pantry.
💙 Give a Monetary Donation:
Mail tax-deductible donations to:
Conway Public Schools
Attn: Wampus Cat Pantry
2220 Prince St.
Conway, AR 72034
(Make checks payable to “Conway Public Schools” and write “Wampus Cat Pantry” in the memo line.)
📦 Pantry Wish List Includes:
Mac & cheese, pasta, ramen, canned meats and soups, breakfast items, peanut butter, jelly, snacks, and more!
For additional information or questions about how to donate, contact Claudia Courtway (courtwayc@conwayschools.info) or Laney Doan (doanf@conwayschools.info).
Read more about the launch of the Wampus Cat Pantry and how it’s serving our Conway families here: https://www.conwayschools.org/article/2530644
🔗 Additional Community Resources: https://fcl.org/community-resources/
#WampusCatPantry #ConwayCares #ConwayPublicSchools #CommunitySupport
