The 6th Grade 4A and below teams have officially wrapped up their matches, and their buses are rolling out as competitors head home. Today, we welcomed teams from Booneville, Cedarville, Charleston, Hackett, Lamar, Lavaca, Magazine, Mansfield, Ozark, Paris, Scranton, and Waldron — and let me tell you, these sixth graders came to play. First: Ozark Second: Scranton Third: Hackett Better Luck Next Time: Charleston MVP: Ian Weir From the very first round, the energy was electric. Close games, big scores, and plenty of buzzer action kept everyone on their toes. You could feel it — students were thinking fast, strategizing with their teammates, and learning to handle both victories and the “oops” moments with grace. One of my favorite parts of the day? The teachable moments. You could hear coaches having those important conversations about teamwork, communication, and how every single player impacts the outcome. Those lessons don’t just stay in the quiz bowl room — they stick for life. And oh… the pizza. 🍕 We thought the 4th and 5th graders were excited, but today, a few sixth grade boys practically levitated when the pizza boxes hit the table. Yes, the smell, the sight, the promise of unlimited slices — it was magical. Another big win? These students left the facility spotless. No mess, no leftover papers, just clean tables and a sense of pride. Districts, communities, and parents — you should be incredibly proud of these young people. Shoutout to our coaches who have been here three days straight and still served pizza with a perfectly straight face. You are superheroes in disguise. Day 3 is in the books — and the buzzers are already ready for Day 4. Let’s keep rolling, GFESC! #GFESC #QuizBowl #ThinkFast

Today we welcomed our 5th Grade 4A and below teams, and what a competitive, energetic day it was. As the buses pull away, these students are heading home a little more confident, a little more experienced, and maybe just a little more full of pizza. We were proud to host teams from Booneville, Charleston, Hackett, Lamar, Lavaca, Magazine, Mansfield, Ozark, Paris, Scranton, and Waldron. From the very first round, it was clear — these fifth graders came to play. When the match begins, buzzers are already in hand, eyes focused, waiting for that first word of the question. There’s an intensity to fifth grade that is so fun to watch. They’re eager. They’re ready. They want it. First Place: Ozark Second Place: Lamar Third Place: Mansfield Better Luck Next Time:Lavaca MVP: Tucker Meredith, Scranton One of my favorite parts of the day is seeing the growth happen in real time. You watch students gain confidence match by match. You see them learn how to recover from a missed question. You see them process a tough loss and come back stronger in the next round. Quiz Bowl isn’t just about what they know—it's about how they respond. And yes—they're playing for: Team trophies Top Ten individual honors That one MVP title But let’s be honest… hovering in the back of every fifth grader’s brain is the real burning question of the day: “When is lunch?” When that pizza arrives? It might as well be a championship moment. Bring on all the slices! Then comes the lightning round. A category might sound simple — like “Baby Animals.” Easy, right? Until someone asks… What do you call a baby platypus? (For the record — it’s called a puggle!) Suddenly, it’s not quite so simple. Lessons are learned all day long — academic lessons, teamwork lessons, confidence lessons, and sportsmanship lessons. Every match is a lesson. Not just in academics, but in composure, teamwork, and resilience. They learn how to celebrate wins with humility and handle losses with maturity. The sportsmanship today was outstanding, and the competitive energy? Exactly what it should be. Two days down. Six more to go. #GFESC #QuizBowl #ThinkFast

Today we kicked off eight exciting days of Quiz Bowl tournaments at GFESC, and what a fantastic start it was! We were thrilled to welcome our 4th Grade 4A and below teams to campus. Representing their schools with pride were students from Booneville, Hackett, Lamar, Lavaca, Mansfield, Ozark, Paris, Scranton, and two teams from Waldron. Seeing so many schools come together for a day of academic competition is always special — but there’s just something extra memorable about fourth-grade tournament day. First Place: Hackett Second Place: Paris Third Place: Lamar Better Luck Next Time, Winner: Ozark MVP: Abe Jacinto from Hackett For many of these 3rd and 4th grade students, this was their very first tournament. You could see the mix of excitement and nerves on their faces — that unforgettable moment when they realize, “I have to hit the buzzer… and then I actually have to know the answer!” It’s priceless. The enthusiasm, the teamwork, the deep concentration, and yes—a little anxiety—are all part of the experience. And they handled it beautifully. We had some incredible competition throughout the day, including -A game that went all the way to a tie-breaker -Lower-seeded teams mounting comeback wins -An exciting upset that had the room buzzing -And of course, no fourth-grade tournament would be complete without the legendary pizza lunch break—all-you-can-eat, with one important condition: please don’t get sick on the bus ride home! A huge shoutout to our Waldron principals who volunteered their time today to moderate and judge games. Having administrators step in to support events like this makes a tremendous difference. It’s an amazing experience to witness students thinking on their feet, collaborating under pressure, and representing their schools so well. We would love to see even more administrators join us in the coming days! #GFESC #QuizBowl #ThinkFast

Great collaboration happening at GFESC today! 🤝📚 Our GFESC LEA Monthly Meeting brought together area Local Education Agencies to connect, share updates, and work through important topics impacting our schools. These meetings provide valuable time for collaboration, problem-solving, and staying aligned in support of our districts, staff, and students. We’re always better when we work together! #GFESC #EducationalLeadership #ConnectGrowServe

Today we hosted the GFESC Spring Computer Science Impact Meeting 💻✨ This one-day session gave educators the opportunity to explore computer science content, resources, and engaging classroom activities. Together, participants strengthened their content knowledge and added new tools to their CS teaching toolkit. We’re excited to continue meeting each semester to support collaboration, innovation, and growth in computer science education. Anyone with an interest in Computer Science is always welcome to join us! #BetterTogether #ConnectGrowServe #ComputerScience

Today was Day 2 of our GFESC's Building the Base EL Teacher Cohort! (Secondary) 📚✨ This three-day institute is designed to help teams build a strong, shared foundation in English Learner/Multilingual Learner pedagogy. Participants are deepening their understanding of language acquisition, English proficiency level descriptors, and the specific social, emotional, and instructional needs of ELs/MLs. Teachers are also exploring practical strategies to create inclusive, student-centered classrooms with meaningful student talk, comprehensible content, and instruction that’s backward-mapped from clear learning goals. We’re proud to support our secondary educators as they strengthen practices that ensure every multilingual learner thrives. 💬🌎 #BetterTogether #ConnectGrowServe #MultilingualLearners

Today on campus, we hosted a Virtual Watch Party for the Act 504 K–12 Cybersecurity Policy Regional Workshop Series – Phase 2 💻🔐 Participants joined Jeff Killingsworth and Krissy Cross for a hands-on session focused on the Arkansas Department of Education K–12 Cybersecurity Policy and the Phase 2 control groups taking effect July 1, 2026. Attendees worked through a customizable spreadsheet tool to assess district readiness, plan next steps, and strengthen compliance efforts—all while connecting with peers from across the region. We’re proud to support our districts as they prepare for successful cybersecurity implementation and keep student data safe. #BetterTogether #ConnectGrowServe #CyberSecurity

GFESC was excited to host Day 2 of 3 for Building the Base EL Teacher Cohort (Elementary) on campus today! This institute helps educators build a strong foundation in English Learner/Multilingual Learner pedagogy, focusing on language acquisition, inclusive and student-centered classrooms, and effective strategies to make content comprehensible for all learners. We’re proud of these teachers for continuing to grow their practice and strengthen support for multilingual students! 💙 Looking forward to the last session date on March 18th! #GFESC #ELCohort #EmpoweringEducators

We were proud to host the GFESC AR THRIVE Leader Academy this week, a powerful 3-day workshop designed for building-level leaders, counselors, and teachers who directly manage student behavior in K–12 settings. Participants gained practical tools to support student behavior and mental health both proactively and reactively, while strengthening schoolwide systems that teach academic and social behaviors effectively. Throughout the academy, attendees explored strategies for prevention, de-escalation, and positive behavior support. Topics included recognizing internal and external biases, identifying signs of trauma or distress that impact behavior, implementing a multi-tiered system of support, and reinforcing positive behaviors to correct undesirable ones. Thank you to everyone who committed three days to learning, growing, and strengthening support for ALL students! 💙📚 #GFESC #ARThrive #BetterTogether

Mansfield School District’s newest teachers are engaging learners and inspiring creativity.

GFESC hosted MITS Personal Care Training for paraprofessionals and nurses today on campus! This session fulfills the required 10 practical hours toward Personal Care certification and provides essential guidance on Medicaid billing, documentation, and supervision. Participants learned more about care planning and billable services such as mobility, hygiene, eating, dressing, and other daily living supports that help students succeed. Thank you to everyone dedicated to supporting students and ensuring quality services across our cooperative! #GFESC #PersonalCareTraining #SchoolNurses #ConnectGrowServe

Superintendent's Meeting and Board Meeting day at GFESC is always a special day. We trained on New Superintendent Mentoring, 3rd Grade Promotion, Accelerating Student Outcomes, CTE, Bottom Quartile Strategies, Legislative Updates, Summer Training and Current Events. High level collaboration with these outstanding Education Leaders as always! Thank you to all of our presenters and our Lunch Sponsor Booknook. #LeadershipLivesHere #BetterTogether

Charleston High School’s Brittany Wilson teaching students about investing

Shoutout to Lavaca’s newest teachers for their dedication to the students’ learning

Recognizing Lamar Schools’ new teachers for their hard word and creativity

GFESC novice and mentor support presentation a University of the Ozarks’ Education Department interns .

Greenwood High School’s Coach Ross encouraging learning and fostering commitment for all students.

County Line Schools welcomes Jameson Hall as new teaching staff focusing on accelerating student learning.

Another productive day of learning at GFESC!⭐️ Today’s GFESC Hearing, Vision, BMI & Scoliosis Training provided school nurses with the essential training needed to complete mandated screenings with confidence and accuracy. Participants received hands-on guidance and practical updates to ensure they are fully prepared to serve students in their districts. Thank you to Katelyn Chambers and our dedicated school nurses for your commitment to keeping students healthy and ready to learn. Your work truly makes a difference every day! #GFESC #SchoolNurses #ServingSchools

Great day at the GFESC Elementary & Secondary Principals Meeting today! Our principals came together to collaborate, share updates, and discuss the important work happening across our districts. Meetings like this provide valuable time to connect, problem-solve, and focus on supporting students, teachers, and school communities. We appreciate the leadership and dedication each principal brings to their school every day. Working together makes us stronger! #GFESC #PrincipalsMeeting #SupportingSchools