Another great day of celebrating our amazing GFESC teachers. Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Celebrating GFESC Teachers this week! Thank you for all that you do to make our schools great!

This past week, our Education of Migrant Students team stayed busy on multiple fronts! While attending the virtual National Association of State Directors of Migrant Education 2026 Convocation virtually on our campus, they also dedicated time between sessions to support students in a hands-on way. The team assembled over 300 backpacks for qualifying students, each filled with resources to encourage summer learning and a strong start to the upcoming school year. Backpacks included books for summer reading, grade-level math and literacy workbooks, and essential school supplies. To further support families, each also received a bag of board games—offering fun, meaningful ways to build cognitive skills, strengthen communication, and promote social-emotional growth during the summer months. By staying engaged over the break, students can help prevent the “summer slide,” where academic skills in reading and math can decline. We’re proud to support our families with tools that make learning both accessible and enjoyable all summer long! ☀️📚 #GFESC #MigrantEducation #SummerLearning #StudentSuccess #CommunitySupport

Spotlighting some hard working new teachers at Booneville, Magazine and Van Buren schools.

Another productive day at GFESC as we welcomed our area LEAs for this month’s meeting. From sharing updates to tackling current challenges, today’s conversations were focused, practical, and rooted in supporting schools across our region. These gatherings continue to be an important space for staying informed, exchanging ideas, and keeping momentum moving forward. Thank you to everyone who showed up, contributed, and continues to do the work for students and schools each day. #GFESC #EducationLeadership #ARSchools #CollaborationInAction #SupportingSchools #StudentFocused

Wrapping up the final day of the 3-day Infant/Toddler CLASS Observer Certification Training here at GFESC! Participants engaged in in-depth learning around the CLASS 2nd Edition Infant-Toddler tool, practiced observing and scoring real classroom interactions, and strengthened their ability to conduct reliable, unbiased observations. This training equips educators with the tools and confidence to support high-quality early childhood environments. Thank you to all of our participants for your time, focus, and commitment to strengthening early learning experiences for young children! #GFESC #EarlyChildhoodEducation #CLASSObserver #ProfessionalLearning #InfantToddler #EducationTraining #QualityCare #ObserverCertification

A productive day at GFESC for the Secondary Principals Monthly Meeting, led by Angela Miller! School leaders spent time sharing insights, tackling challenges, and refining strategies to better support student success across our districts. These meetings continue to be an important space for leadership, connection, and growth. #GFESC #EducationLeadership #SecondaryPrincipals #StrongerTogether #SchoolLeadership #EducationMatters #ProfessionalLearning #LeadingTheWay

Elementary principals gathered today for their monthly meeting at GFESC - a great opportunity to connect, collaborate, and support one another. Strong schools start with strong leaders, and it’s always inspiring to see this group working together to make a difference for students and staff. #GFESC #ElementaryPrincipals #SchoolLeaders #BetterTogether

🔐 Technology Coordinators from cooperatives across the state recently participated in the CIRT (Cyber Incident Response Team) Conference, joining OST (Office of State Technology) and other technology professionals to work through a live cyber threat briefing and strengthen statewide readiness. The conference focused on cyber incident preparedness and on developing a new Cyber Incident Response Plan. Arkansas K-12 schools continue to lead the public sector in cybersecurity growth and maturity. 💻👏

Great Praxis Study Session today at GFESC!

Today’s workshop at GFESC was a productive day of planning and preparation for the year ahead! Led by Debbie Featherston, the Elementary Master Schedule (AM) & S&C (PM) session gave participants valuable time to dive into their work and get organized for next year. Secondary counselors focused on cleaning up and refining their master schedules within the upcoming database—setting the stage for a smooth and successful school year. We appreciate the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in supporting our students and schools! #GFESC #EducationCooperative #SchoolCounselors #MasterSchedule #PlanningAhead #SupportingSchools #StudentSuccess

📚 Today’s Dyslexia Contact Meeting was a success! Thank you to everyone who joined us for this important session led by Elizabeth Reeves. Participants engaged in meaningful conversations, shared resources, and strengthened their understanding of how to better support students with dyslexia. We appreciate your commitment to making a difference for every learner! 💙 #GFESC #DyslexiaAwareness #EducationMatters #StudentSupport #ProfessionalLearning #MakingADifference

Featuring a few of Clarksville School District’s newest staff who are making a daily difference.

Clarksville School District’s new staff stirring creativity and structuring learning for success.

Johnson County Westside newest staff Mr. Williams helping students reach their potential.

GFESC was excited to host Developing Tier 2 Systems for School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports (SWPBS)—bringing together dedicated school behavior teams focused on strengthening support for students who need it most. Throughout this workshop, participants deepened their understanding of Tier 2 systems, explored the Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI), and worked through key components like identifying students in need of support, progress monitoring, and ensuring fidelity of implementation. Most importantly, each team walked away with a clear, actionable plan to enhance Tier 2 support within their own schools. 👏 Thank you to Audrey Kengla and Kathleen Lancaster for leading this workshop, and all who participated and to the Arkansas Behavior Specialists for their commitment to supporting schools and making learning accessible for everyone! #GFESC #SWPBS #Tier2Supports #PositiveBehavior #EducationMatters #SchoolSupport #StudentSuccess #BehaviorSupport #ArkansasEducation #ProfessionalLearning #EducatorGrowth #StrongerSchools

A few first year ArPEP teachers full of inspiration and preparation for upcoming state assessments.

GFESC hosted an impactful session today focused on strengthening support for students through collaboration and expertise! 🤝📚 Special Education & Related Services: Relating Related Services – The Role of OT, PT, and SLP in the School Setting brought together professionals to explore how occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists play a vital role in supporting student success. Participants engaged in meaningful discussions on evidence-based practices, High Leverage Practices, and strategies to ensure students receive the support they need in the least restrictive environment. This session highlighted the importance of teamwork and coherence across special education services to better serve all learners. A big thank you to our presenters—Charity Avery, Amy Goddard, Sarah Dennis, and Taylor Brazil—for sharing their knowledge and leadership! #GFESC #SpecialEducation #RelatedServices #OT #PT #SLP #StudentSupport #EducationMatters #Collaboration #ProfessionalLearning

Today at GFESC, secondary counselors rolled up their sleeves for our Master Schedule Workshop! 🗓️ Participants spent time working directly in next year’s database—cleaning up and refining their master schedules to ensure a strong start for the upcoming school year. A big thank you to Debbie Featherston for leading this hands-on, productive session and supporting our schools every step of the way! #GFESC #SchoolCounselors #MasterSchedule #EducationSupport #StrongerSchools #Collaboration #ProfessionalLearning

Today at GFESC, we were proud to host a meeting highlighting the incredible impact of the Foster Grandparent Program through DMESC. 💙 This meaningful program connects dedicated volunteers aged 55+ with children who have exceptional needs—providing mentorship, tutoring, and support in schools, childcare centers, and Head Start programs across our region. Participants learned more about how volunteers make a difference every day, not only in the classroom but also through community service projects that uplift and support others. We are grateful for these compassionate individuals who give their time, wisdom, and care to help students succeed! For more information please visit: https://www.dmesc.org/page/foster-grandparents #GFESC #FosterGrandparents #CommunityImpact #MentorshipMatters #StrongerTogether #MakingADifference