💙 Principal Amy Howell – Ida Burns Elementary
Today, we’re highlighting Mrs. Amy Howell, Principal of Ida Burns Elementary!
Mrs. Howell’s greatest joy as a principal comes from putting kids first in every decision and action. She believes in fostering a school environment where every child feels supported, valued, and empowered to succeed, not only academically but personally. Collaboration is at the heart of her work — she enjoys working alongside her dedicated staff to share ideas, strategies, and insights, ensuring students have the best educational experience possible. She says it best: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller. It really speaks to the power of collaboration and teamwork, achieving something greater than any one individual could accomplish alone.
Currently, Mrs. Howell is pursuing her doctorate, demonstrating her commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth. She is also a proud mother of three sons, and loves following them on their many adventures in sports, church, and community activities.
Ida Burns Elementary is thriving under Mrs. Howell’s leadership, offering programs that reinforce positive behavior, student achievement, and character development:
Claw and Paw Shop – Students earn CATS cash for positive behavior throughout the month and spend it on fun items or experiences, giving them a sense of responsibility and reward.
A renewed focus on schoolwide positive behavior programs, ensuring students have consistent encouragement and recognition for their efforts.
Mrs. Howell’s leadership is marked by compassion, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence, making Ida Burns a school where students, staff, and families all feel valued and connected.
💙 Show your appreciation for Mrs. Howell in the comments or send her a note of thanks here:conwayschools.org/o/cps/page/staff-celebrations
🚌 School Bus Safety Starts with YOU!
Whether you’re a Wampus Cat riding the bus or a driver sharing the road, everyone plays a part in keeping our students safe. 💛💙
For Students:
🐾 Arrive at your stop 10 minutes early
🐾 Stay back at least 10 feet from the curb
🐾 Wait for your driver’s signal before crossing
🐾 Use the handrail when boarding
🐾 Stay seated and face forward
🐾 Keep noise down — no distracting behavior
For Drivers:
🚗 Stop for flashing red lights
🚗 Slow down in school zones
🚗 Watch for crossing students
🚗 Never pass a stopped bus
🚗 Be patient — safety comes first!
Thank you for helping protect our Wampus Cats every day. Together, we make the ride to school a safe one! 🐾
#BusSafetyWeek #WampusCatPride #SchoolBusSafetyStartsWithYou
💙 Principal Shannon Riner – Ellen Smith Elementary
As we continue to celebrate and wrap up National Principals Month, we want to shout out each of our principals who make Conway Public Schools a special place for students, staff, and families. Today, we’re highlighting Mrs. Shannon Riner, Principal of Ellen Smith Elementary!
Mrs. Riner loves the little moments — hugs, smiles, and laughter from students — that make every day meaningful. Her favorite quote is, “A problem is a chance for you to do your best” – Duke Ellington.
Growing up on a dairy farm, Mrs. Riner learned hard work, perseverance, and creativity at a young age—raising baby calves, tending a garden, and preparing food for the winter. She never planned to go to college, but thanks to her mother’s encouragement, she earned her degree and began a remarkable career in education. Over the years, she has taught kindergarten, second grade, fourth grade, and even college courses at CBC, and has served as an instructional coach and assistant principal.
Family is at the heart of Mrs. Riner’s life. She is a proud mother to Casey (29), Candyce (23), and bonus son Deonta (24) and stepmom to three wonderful stepchildren in Georgia. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, thrifting, traveling, and, of course, coffee — her true love language!
Conway Elementary is proud to offer programs and initiatives that support students, staff, and families, including:
Student Success Program (sponsored by Axiom)
Employee & Teacher of the Month programs (sponsored by local businesses)
Starbooks Reading Initiative (supported by Paladino Construction, Conway Corp, FAB&T, and First Security Bank)
Positive Office Referrals to recognize great student behavior
Traveling Hispanic Family Literacy Events (funded by a Conway Foundation grant)
These programs, along with her dedication and leadership, help make Ellen Smith Elementary a place where students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, and where families feel welcomed and supported.
💙 Let’s show Mrs. Riner some Wampus Cat appreciation! Leave a comment below or send her a note of thanks here:conwayschools.org/o/cps/page/staff-celebrations
💙 Principal Heather Leavell – Sallie Cone Preschool
As we continue to celebrate and wrap up National Principals Month, we want to shout out each of our principals who make Conway Public Schools a special place for students, staff, and families. Today, we’re highlighting Mrs. Heather Leavell, Principal of Sallie Cone Preschool!
Mrs. Leavell’s passion is creating a sense of belonging and support for students, staff, and families — a place where everyone feels valued and empowered to learn and grow. She’s dedicated to making a lasting impact on young children’s learning, and her leadership helps shape the positive culture at Cone every day.
Fun facts about Mrs. Leavell: she has been a witness in a murder trial, attended a presidential impeachment trial, and as a young adult dreamed of singing the national anthem at a Major League Baseball game. When she’s not at school, she enjoys reading, baking, and traveling to National Parks with her family.
Sallie Cone Preschool is home to the Fueling Brains program, which supports student learning and development through research-based strategies and activities. Mrs. Leavell also prioritizes early childhood learning and family engagement, ensuring students get the strong start they need while families feel connected and involved in their child’s education.
💙 Show your appreciation for Mrs. Leavell in the comments below or send her a note of thanks here:conwayschools.org/o/cps/page/staff-celebrations
Our Wampus Cats have rolled into National School Bus Safety Week! 🐾🚌
Nearly 5,000 students ride our buses each day — and our amazing drivers make sure every Cat arrives safely to school and back home again. 💛💙
Let’s give a big Wampus Cat “thank you” to our transportation team for all they do! Thank you to our Conway community for doing your part — slowing down, stopping for buses, and helping keep our Wampus Cats safe every day.
#WampusCatPride #BusSafetyWeek #ThankABusDriver
🎶 This week on our Conway Public Schools Radio Highlight, CHS Band Director Nathan Cunningham and Drum Major PK Sublett joined us to share all about the Conway High School Band, this year’s marching season, and their upcoming performances! They received a 1st Division rating at the Bands of America Memphis Regional Marching Championship. CHS Wampus Cat Band is the BEST BAND IN THE LAND! 🎺💙
We’re so proud of our band program and the incredible talent and leadership that make it shine! 🐾
Don’t forget to tune in every Wednesday morning at 7:30 AM to hear exciting updates, stories, and events happening across Conway Public Schools!
📻 Catch us on:
✅ KAT Country 98.9 / 92.5 FM & AM 800
✅ 92.7 JACK-FM
✅ My Country Y107
#WeAreCPSD #WampusCatPride #ConwayBand #ConwayPublicSchools #WeAreConway #ChampionsForKids
Wampus Cat Pride – Safety Volunteer Spotlight
For our second Wampus Cat Pride recognition last night at our October School Board Meeting, we’re proud to honor Mr. Charles Finkenbinder, Conway City Attorney, for his incredible service as a CPSD safety volunteer.
Mr. Finkenbinder volunteers at multiple campuses, dedicating his time and energy to supporting our students and staff. His passion for serving our schools and community is truly remarkable!
Thank you, Mr. Finkenbinder, for going above and beyond for Conway Public Schools. We are so grateful for your dedication and heart for our students.
Check out this video of him in action: https://youtu.be/jLJ7n_ZTupk
#WampusCatPride #CPSDSafety #ConwayPublicSchools #ChampionsForkids #WeareCPSD
Check out our October School Board meeting recap. Some highlights include Hispanic Heritage Month, Mr. Charles Finkenbinder, National Principals Month, Paraprofessional Salary Schedule increase, School Board Dr. Barrett Petty nominated as our ASBA Delegate Assembly Representative, Board approved the Superintendent search advisory committee, Ms. Thelma Moton joined in the conversation about Mentoring plan, and more!
🎉 Wampus Cat Pride – Hispanic Heritage Month!
Conway Public Schools celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month across all campuses with student learning, art, and cultural appreciation. We also joined the Hispanic Heritage Festival at Laurel Park, sharing Wampus Cat spirit and student artwork honoring Hispanic culture. Tonight at our October School Board Meeting, we highlighted the art contest winners!
🏆 Art Contest Winners:
1️⃣ Lola O’Connor – Conway Junior High
2️⃣ Trinity Cohee – Conway Junior High
3️⃣ Amelia Thomas – Ellen Smith Elementary
4️⃣ Isabel Choc – Conway High School
5️⃣ Coniah Williams – Simon Middle School
Special thanks to our ESOL team, Dr. Yanez, Mr. Hurtado, and Mark Daniels with Sonic for supporting our students and community! 💙🐾
#WampusCatPride #HispanicHeritageMonth #CPSD
🍂 Fall Break is almost here, Wampus Cats! 🍂
Here’s what the schedule looks like next week:
📘 Monday, Oct. 13 – School in Session
📝 Tuesday, Oct. 14 – Teacher Work Day (No School for Students)
👨👩👧 Wednesday, Oct. 15 – Parent/Teacher Conferences (No School for Students)
🍁 Thursday & Friday, Oct. 16–17 – Fall Break (No School for Staff or Students)
📅 We’ll see everyone back on Monday, Oct. 20!
🔹 Parents – please check with your child’s campus for specific details about Parent/Teacher Conferences.
For more district calendar information: https://www.conwayschools.org/page/school-calendar
On October 3, 1878, our district officially began its journey of educating generations. That means Conway Public Schools is celebrating its 147th birthday! 🎈📚
We are so proud of our incredible students, staff, and community, both past and present, for building this incredible legacy. Here's to many more years of excellence!
In the picture, you can see a rendering of Conway's Little Green Building, the first public school in Conway, AR.
(Source: "Faulkner County Its Land and People" by the Faulkner County Historical Society)
🧹✨ Today is National Custodian Day, and we want to give a huge THANK YOU to our incredible custodians across Conway Public Schools!
From keeping our classrooms and hallways clean to making sure our buildings shine and more, our custodians make a lasting impact in the lives of our students by creating safe, welcoming spaces where learning can thrive. 💙
We celebrated them today, but we are grateful for them every day. Thank you, custodians—you truly make a difference! 👏
#WampusCatPride #ConwayPublicSchools #ThankACustodian #NationalCustodianDay #ChampionsForKids
No better way to celebrate the start of ORCH-tober than by kicking off our "La Fiesta Orquesta" Taco Supper ticket sales and donation drive! Orchestra students will be selling tickets and collecting donations now through October 22nd. All proceeds go straight back to our orchestra students!!
"La Fiesta Orquesta" Orchestra Taco Supper and Concerts:
Thursday, October 30th
Conway High School Cafeteria
Adult taco salad meal $15, Child soft taco meal $10
Dinner service 5-8 pm catered by Make-a-Meal
Performances in the James H. Clark Auditorium
Donations and ticket orders accepted in person and online!
Visit conwayorch.square.site
Pay via cash, check, credit, ApplePay, Google Pay, and CashApp!
October is National Principal Month, and we’re celebrating our champion principals who lead with vision, dedication, and heart. 💙
Help us honor these incredible leaders! Share a story, send words of kindness, or cheer on a principal who inspires you. Together, let’s show our appreciation for all they do.
Cheer on a Champion Principal Here: conwayschools.org/principals
#WeAreWampusCats #ChampionsForKids
CPSD Community Math Workshop
We want to hear from YOU!
CPSD is hosting a workshop to gather community input on supporting student success in math. Parents, guardians, and community members are invited to share feedback and ideas that will help us better support our students.
📅 Thursday, October 2, 2025 | 6:00–7:00 PM
📍 Conway Public Schools Administrative Annex & Support Services
1902 Hairston St, Conway, AR 72034
Your voice matters, and we hope you’ll join the conversation.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Preston Echols at echolsp@conwayschools.info.
Conway FFA students shined at the Faulkner County Fair livestock show last week!
Congratulations to Ella Kate Brown, Lainey King, Blaine Horton, Libby Anne Brown, Henderson Ealy, Brianna Moseley, Braelynn Carter, Lane Leavell, Madison Hartsfield, and Kanika Lep for their hard work, dedication, and outstanding awards, including over $7,000 earned in the Junior Livestock Auction!
These students will continue their competition season at the Arkansas Youth Expo in Fayetteville and the Arkansas State Fair in October. We are so proud of all of our FFA members and can’t wait to cheer them on at these upcoming events!
Read more about their accomplishments here: https://www.conwayschools.org/article/2442396
#WampusCatPride #ConwayFFA #ChampionsForKids #WeareConway #WeareCPSD #WampusCats
🐾 Don't forget! You’re Invited! 🐾
Join us for our first C.A.T. Forum – Communication • Accountability • Transparency. This is a community forum so everyone is welcome!
📅 Tonight Thursday, September 18, 2025
🕕 6:00–7:00 PM
📍 Conway High School Cafeteria
Why should you join us?
💬 Strengthen Communication – Share ideas and hear from others about how we can improve connections across our schools and community.
✅ Promote Accountability – Be part of the conversation that builds shared responsibility, transparent practices, and stronger accountability.
🔎 Encourage Transparency – Help create a culture of openness and trust through honest, respectful dialogue.
Let’s work together to make Conway Public Schools stronger—through communication, accountability, and transparency!
