Guy Fenter Education Service Cooperative, AR - Students First | Connect Grow Serve

Great collaboration happening today at GFESC! 🍎 Elementary principals from across the region gathered for our monthly Elementary Principals Meeting, led by Angela Miller. This time together provided an opportunity to connect, share updates, and collaborate on ways to best support students, staff, and school communities. We’re always stronger when we learn and lead together! 💡 #BetterTogether #ConnectGrowServe #GFESC #EducationalLeadership #ElementaryPrincipals #LeadToLearn

Fort Smith School District’s teachers and students nearing Spring break, but the learning mission continues!

Today at GFESC, Federal Programs and Curriculum Coordinators came together for a productive morning of collaboration and learning, followed by an afternoon ArAPP Workday. Participants engaged in meaningful discussions during the monthly meeting and then rolled up their sleeves to continue building strong, data-driven district plans through the AR App process. These ongoing sessions, in partnership with DESE, are designed to support schools in developing high-quality strategic plans that truly meet their students’ needs. We appreciate the dedication of our districts as they continue this important work! #GFESC #ConnectGrowServe #EducationalLeadership #SchoolImprovement

GFESC Counselors gathered today for their monthly meeting, led by Karen Grady! This collaborative session provided valuable updates, meaningful discussion, and the opportunity to learn from guest speakers on topics that matter most to our schools and students. These meetings continue to strengthen connections and support the important work counselors do every day. Thank you to all who attended and contributed to a great day of learning and collaboration! #GFESC #SchoolCounselors #StudentSupport #Collaboration #EducationMatters

Participants completed Heartsaver CPR/AED/First Aid Certification training today at GFESC! This course provided school staff with essential, life-saving skills designed for non-health professionals in educational settings. From responding to emergencies to preventing injuries, attendees gained practical knowledge and hands-on experience to help keep students and staff safe. Thank you to everyone who participated and is committed to creating safer school environments! ❤️ #GFESC #SchoolSafety #CPRTraining

Today at GFESC, school teams kicked off Day 1 of 2 of Developing Tier 2 Systems for School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS). Participants explored key components of Tier 2 support, including identifying students who need additional behavior support, progress monitoring, and ensuring interventions are implemented with fidelity. Teams are working together to strengthen their school-wide systems and will leave with an action plan to support student success in their buildings. We look forward to continuing the learning on April 8th! #GFESC #SWPBS #ConnectGrowServe

GFESC ArPEP Year 1 is complete! We are so proud of all of our candidates!

GFESC ArPEP Year 2 wrapped up today with the submission of their edTPA portfolios! Yay! We are so proud of all our of their hard work!

We thought the past two weeks of Quiz Bowl at GFESC were fast and furious—but today’s Battle of the Books took the excitement to a whole new level! Students in 3rd–6th grade teams gathered for a day full of lightning-fast thinking. Each grade level had its own reading list and then competed in 13 matches, where every question had only one type of answer: the book title and the author. 3rd grade First:Clarksville - Second: Charleston - Third: County Line 4th grade First:Charleston - Second: Booneville A - Third: Ozark 5th grade First: Paris B - Second: Van Buren - Third: Couinty Line 6th grade First:Paris B - Second Paris A - Third Mansfield B Now picture this: a room with as many as nine matches happening at once, buzzers going off at every table, teams checking their schedules, and students racing to their next match. It was organized chaos in the best way—crazy fun! These students were incredible. Teams of 2–4 readers were responsible for keeping track of their own schedules and rotating to their next match on time, and they handled it like pros. A huge thank you goes out to our coaches and volunteers, who served as fantastic moderators and kept matches running smoothly all day long. We also want to give a big shout-out to Misty Hawkins and her Regional Library staff for joining us and supporting this event year after year. Our regional library system is such an incredible asset to our schools and communities, and we are grateful for their partnership in promoting literacy. And a special thank you to Christie Mahl, who moderated six of the eight days of Quiz Bowl over the past two weeks and today stepped in to moderate her first Battle of the Books. Christie, we appreciate your dedication and commitment to supporting our students! We were excited to host 31 teams representing schools from Booneville, County Line, Charleston, Clarksville, Greenwood, Mansfield, Ozark, Paris, Scranton, and Van Buren. Wow—what a day and what a fantastic way to promote reading! #GFESC #BattleoftheBooks #BooksAndBrains

GFESC hosted Secondary Scheduling – Day 1 & 2 this week! Middle School and Junior High counselors, along with eSchool System Administrators and Coordinators, worked together on Day 1 to focus on Course Catalog and Master Schedule setup. These sessions help ensure schools are prepared for a smooth and successful scheduling process for the upcoming school year. Collaboration and planning like this help support students and staff across our districts! #GFESC #BetterTogether #ConnectGrowServe

Yesterday we welcomed our 6th Grade 5A and up teams to GFESC for Day 8 — the final day of this year’s Quiz Bowl tournament run. Joining us were teams from Alma (2), Greenwood (2), Fort Smith (3), and Van Buren (2), and from the moment the first match started, it was fast, competitive, and full of energy all day long. First Greenwood East Hills 1 Second: Fort Smith Ramsey Third: Van Buren Butterfield Better Luck Next Time: Fort Smith Kimmons MVP: Symphony Alexander - Van Buren Butterfield After watching the 5th graders the day before, we thought we had already seen peak pizza enthusiasm… but yesterdays’s group proved us wrong. These teams completely wiped us out! It turns out 6th graders are just as serious about pizza as they are about Quiz Bowl. 🍕 Throughout the day, we saw exactly what makes Quiz Bowl so special—incredible knowledge, quick thinking, teamwork, and great sportsmanship. The competition was strong, but the encouragement between teammates and respect shown toward opponents made the day even better. As we wrapped up the final matches, presented awards, and watched the buses roll out, there was that moment we’ve all been heading toward. After eight straight days of tournaments, we finally took a deep breath and a big sigh as it sank in… Eight awesome days of Quiz Bowl are officially in the books. And just like that… it’s a wrap until next year. A huge shout-out to all of the students, coaches, and volunteers who made these tournaments possible. Your enthusiasm, preparation, and support are what make this event such an AMAZING experience for everyone involved. Thank you for eight fantastic days of learning, competition, and fun. See you at Quiz Bowl next year! #GFESC #QuizBowl #BrainPower

Day 7 is in the books, and what a great day it was at GFESC! Today we welcomed our 5th Grade 5A and up teams, and even under cloudy skies, the enthusiasm inside the building could not have been higher. We had teams from Alma (2), Clarksville, Greenwood (2), and Van Buren (2). First Place: Clarksville Second Place: Van Buren Dawgs Third Place: East Hills A Better Luck Next Time: Alma Gold MVP: Kacen Cox - Alma One of my favorite parts of today was watching the team spirit on display everywhere. Students were cheering each other on, encouraging teammates between rounds, and one team even started doing jumping jacks before each match to get focused and ready to compete! After seven straight days of tournaments, that kind of energy is exactly what keeps things fun. We were also honored to welcome State Representative Aaron Pilkington (District 45) as a guest judge today. He shared that he competed in Quiz Bowl when he was in school, which made his visit even more special. It was great having him jump right in and be part of the action. And then there was the pizza situation. I’m fairly certain this group may have set the record for most pizza eaten at a tournament this year. When it comes to all-you-can-eat, these 5th graders clearly took that challenge seriously. As always, it is incredible to see the depth of knowledge these students bring. From science to history to random trivia you didn’t even know existed, they continue to impress us with how much they know and how quickly they can recall it. More importantly, we appreciate the great sportsmanship and healthy competition shown throughout the day. The encouragement, respect, and excitement for learning are what make Quiz Bowl such a special event. Now, as the buses roll out and the rooms grow quiet, it really starts to sink in…There is just one more day to go. #GFESC #QuizBowl #BrainPower

Johnson County Westside High School’s new teachers are spring forward into learning

Recognizing Fort Smith Schools’ new teachers for their hard work and dedication to students.

Mulberry Pleasant View Schools’ teachers are preparing students for success.

Day 5 of 8 days of Quiz Bowl Tournaments at GFESC was fast, focused, and full of great competition as our senior high 5A and up teams took the stage in a round-robin format. We welcomed teams from Alma, Greenwood, Northside, Southside, and Van Buren, and they came ready to play. The matches moved quickly, the buzzers were active, and the level of knowledge and strategy on display made for a great day of Quiz Bowl. First: Southside Second: Northside Third: Greenwood Better Luck Next Time: Van Buren MVP: Cody Goodson Senior high tournaments definitely have a different vibe than the elementary days earlier this week. The intensity is higher, the discussions run deeper, and the competitors are constantly thinking a step ahead. It’s always fascinating to listen to the conversations between rounds—students debating questions, comparing strategies, and coaches helping teams think through the next matchup. One thing never changes, though—the learning that happens throughout the day. Every match brings new challenges, new questions, and new opportunities to grow as competitors and teammates. Days like today remind us why Quiz Bowl is such a great activity. Great competition, thoughtful conversations, and students who genuinely love learning. Five days down… three more to go. Let’s keep it rolling! 🧠🏆 #GFESC #QuizBowl #BrainPower

Today 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 System & Services Acquisition (SA) and preparing districts for the ADE K-12 Cybersecurity Policy requirements taking effect July 1, 2026. Attendees worked through a customizable tool to assess district readiness and plan for compliance while connecting with peers across the region. We appreciate everyone who joined us as we continue working together to strengthen cybersecurity in our schools! #GFESC #CyberSecurity #ConnectGrowServe

Today the Senior High Quiz Bowl teams rolled onto campus, and you could feel the difference right away. The atmosphere was a little quieter, a little more focused — these students arrived with game faces on and business in mind. Competing today were teams from Cedarville, Lavaca, Lamar, Mansfield (two teams), Mountainburg, Ozark, Paris, Scranton, and West Fork. First: Cedarville Second: Ozark Third: Lavaca Better Luck Next Time: Lamar MVP:Tyson House - Cedarville At first, things felt a bit more serious than the younger divisions we’ve hosted earlier this week. But it didn’t take long for that competitive spark to ignite. Once the first questions were read, the buzzers started firing, the pace picked up, and the competitive energy filled the rooms. One of the best parts of a Senior High tournament is seeing the full circle of Quiz Bowl growth. Some of the competitors in today’s rooms have been coming to GFESC tournaments since they were in 4th grade. Now a few of them are seniors playing in their final GFESC tournament, which is both exciting and a little bittersweet. Watching those students demonstrate years of knowledge, confidence, and teamwork is something special. And of course… it wouldn’t be a GFESC tournament day without another round of pizza for lunch. After several days of tournaments, the tradition continues strong — fueling competitors, coaches, and moderators alike for the afternoon rounds. The rain outside didn’t dampen the enthusiasm inside one bit. Matches stayed intense, teams battled through tough questions, and the day was full of great competition and sportsmanship. Four days down, four to go. The buzzers are still hot and the competition is just getting better. Let’s keep it rolling at GFESC! 🎉🏆 #GFESC #QuizBowl #ThinkFast

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