congratulations to Osceola for putting the kids first

[Missco]

The Osceola school district passed a millage today for the purpose of building a new arena. They also will build a new track and get turf. The will now have the nicest football facility in NEA. The arena will have 1600 chairback seats and room for others to stand. Kudos to the south ender's.

[Brian G]

Good for them.

[biglion1985]

That's awesome to hear do you know when they gonna get started and when it should be finished

[Head Lion]

Congrats to the Seminoles.

[jacosportsfreak]

  Ought to be real nice for those dozen, or so, home fans.

[Jimbo Morphis]

  Ought to be real nice for those dozen, or so, home fans.

bazinga

[sevenof400]

The Osceola school district passed a millage today for the purpose of building a new arena. They also will build a new track and get turf. The will now have the nicest football facility in NEA. The arena will have 1600 chairback seats and room for others to stand. Kudos to the south ender's.

How does this put the kids first?  How are the academics doing in Osceola? 

It wasn't all that long ago that Osceola was on the fiscal distress list (2010 I believe) and was one of the lowest performing districts in the state.  Now, if the district has fixed all of those problems then I'll salute them for that but given the dire state of matters in Osceola earlier this decade, that seems unlikely. 

Are things getting better in Osceola academically?

[teachers pet]

Agree, putting kids first should be about academics.

[Lineman]

It just gives the kids something else to vandalize for their "senior prank."

[Coltfan2005]

Osceola came off fiscal distress the year after they went on it. They have been removed from Academic distress as of June 2016, I believe. Still, it would seem that the money could have been used differently. However, that is not what the voters of Osceola wanted.

[Missco]

It is a positive thing regardless. Education gets blown way out of proportion. Swith the teachers at Osceola and Armorel or Rivercrest and test scores still stay the same. Atleast the community of Osceola is trying.

[sevenof400]

It is a positive thing regardless. Education gets blown way out of proportion. Swith the teachers at Osceola and Armorel or Rivercrest and test scores still stay the same. Atleast the community of Osceola is trying.

Had the citizens of Osceola voted for a millage increase when their schools were in fiscal and/or academic distress, that would have been a positive thing. 
This action says just the opposite and I hope draws some additional scrutiny from the Ark Dept of Education.  As a taxpayer, every community should be expected to make their best effort with respect to their school systems. 

Having said that, if the school situation is indeed improving in Osceola from an academic OR (academic AND athletic) standpoint, that would be a positive development.   

[WPWells]

I just want to go back to the "Education gets blown way out of proportion" comment for a moment. Schools are in the education business, not the basketball business. There's a reason basketball is an extracurricular. Keep that in perspective.

[Lineman]

We used to stress to kids they were student-athletes, students 1st & athletes 2nd.

[HorseFeathers]

We used to stress to kids they were student-athletes, students 1st & athletes 2nd.

stu-dent? whats that? Is that a new thing schools are trying?

[Radiotalker]

I just want to go back to the "Education gets blown way out of proportion" comment for a moment. Schools are in the education business, not the basketball business. There's a reason basketball is an extracurricular. Keep that in perspective.

I agree, but why do schools have celebrations and bring TV stations to recognize athletic scholarships? I have never seen one where a kid with an academic scholarship was celebrated.

[Missco]

Education is important that is why school's exsist. However, I am a realist. Those list's and test score's do not mean a whole lot. Test scores are directly related to socio economic's. My child would get the same education at Osceola, Rivercrest, Armorel, Blytheville, Gosnell or Manila. The Osceola community cares just as much about education as any other community. It is funny that when a predominantly black school builds facility's that they aren't putting education first. Just my thoughts.

[HorseFeathers]

and there it is

[Cheek]

These projects will be all Osceola's.  The Dept of Education will not pay one dollar on the gym or turf.  They may get some on the track, depending on how they present it to the state.  I don't care what they do as long as it is all their debt.   The only question is how are their academic  facilites.   If they are in good shape, there is no problem.  If they are in need of repair, shame on the School Board for making a bad decision with the districts funds.

[Lionheart88]

Education is important that is why school's exsist. However, I am a realist. Those list's and test score's do not mean a whole lot. Test scores are directly related to socio economic's. My child would get the same education at Osceola, Rivercrest, Armorel, Blytheville, Gosnell or Manila. The Osceola community cares just as much about education as any other community. It is funny that when a predominantly black school builds facility's that they aren't putting education first. Just my thoughts.

[Missco]

Jacosportsfreak, Osceola draws very well at basketball games. The football team doesn't draw that well.

[Missco]

Their academic facilities are in great shape. Pretty much all Mississippi county schools have great school buildings. 

[AirWarren]

Can Osceola credit the new steel mill for these investments?

[Missco]

Nope. This millage passed because the poor and true Osceola supporters decided it was time to show some pride and help the kids. The No votes were mainly middle class citizens that support Rivercrest or Manila schools. The steel mill actually is as close to Wilson as it is Osceola.

[Head Lion]

I agree, but why do schools have celebrations and bring TV stations to recognize athletic scholarships? I have never seen one where a kid with an academic scholarship was celebrated.

Radio, we do celebrate academic success here at Manila. We had 23 honor students of a class of 84. To be an honor student at Manila, you have to maintain a 3.5 gpa on a 4.0 scale in AP classes. I believe 11 of those have been accepted to the U of A & are attending this fall. Back to subject, I am glad for the young people in the district & can't wait for the battles ahead in a great facility filled "to the rafters."

[Coltfan2005]

Education is important that is why school's exsist. However, I am a realist. Those list's and test score's do not mean a whole lot. Test scores are directly related to socio economic's. My child would get the same education at Osceola, Rivercrest, Armorel, Blytheville, Gosnell or Manila. The Osceola community cares just as much about education as any other community. It is funny that when a predominantly black school builds facility's that they aren't putting education first. Just my thoughts.

Gee, is Al Sharpton on here? If you belive your child would get as good an education at Osceola/ Blytheville as they would at Armorel or Manila, you are fooling yourself.

[Wonderdog]

Radio, we do celebrate academic success here at Manila. We had 23 honor students of a class of 84. To be an honor student at Manila, you have to maintain a 3.5 gpa on a 4.0 scale in AP classes. I believe 11 of those have been accepted to the U of A & are attending this fall. Back to subject, I am glad for the young people in the district & can't wait for the battles ahead in a great facility filled "to the rafters."

/
11 kids from the 2016 graduating class at Manila will be attending the U of A this fall? That is a lot for such a small graduating class. Congratulations to those kids. That just seems really high for a school Manila's size.

[Lionheart88]

It also seems like a lot considering Manila's relative proximity to ASU (to say nothing of a few other fairly notable schools that are much closer than Fayetteville).

[Head Lion]

Most are 2nd generation kids, that is where one of their parents went. Last year's class had only 2 & most did go to ASU. We will have 8-10 go to ASU this year & another probably 10-12 to ANC.

[Longfellow]

I think y'all are missing the point of what he meant by celebrating academics. When a kid gets a 36 on the ACT and a full scholarship, no one brings out a news crew or makes a big deal about it. But get an athletic scholarship, especially football, and you get to be on tv and do interviews and are made out to be some big hero

[WPWells]

I think y'all are missing the point of what he meant by celebrating academics. When a kid gets a 36 on the ACT and a full scholarship, no one brings out a news crew or makes a big deal about it. But get an athletic scholarship, especially football, and you get to be on tv and do interviews and are made out to be some big hero

Yes, but why shouldn't those kids be celebrated like that?

[Radiotalker]

I think y'all are missing the point of what he meant by celebrating academics. When a kid gets a 36 on the ACT and a full scholarship, no one brings out a news crew or makes a big deal about it. But get an athletic scholarship, especially football, and you get to be on tv and do interviews and are made out to be some big hero

Exactly

[Missco]

Nope not fooling myself.  I am just a realist. School systems are not all educating people from the same situations.

[Brian G]

Agree with that for sure.  Each district has challenges unique to them.

[WPWells]

How many more academic scholarships are there than athletic scholarships? Why not focus on helping students get a scholarship that's actually achievable for them?

[Oldbadger]

Exactly

If a kid makes 36 on the ACT someone should let the news sources know.  How will they know if someone doesn't tell them.  I will guarantee it will be news.  If any of my grandchildren do that the whole world will know because I will shout it to the rooftops. lol

[Head Lion]

If a kid makes 36 on the ACT someone should let the news sources know.  How will they know if someone doesn't tell them.  I will guarantee it will be news.  If any of my grandchildren do that the whole world will know because I will shout it to the rooftops. lol

And you should!

[nmyeyes]

Education has very little to do with the buildings or grounds. 60% Parents , 20% Teachers , 20% child. The biggest problem to me in education is how much does your Mom and Dad really care about you? Sad but was in Education for a while and you can tell buy the Child if there parents care about education. Good parents mean Good students in most cases. Does not mean a 36 on the ACT but means you are there to learn. there are always exceptions.

[Cheek]

Where did you teach?  I hope it was auto mechanics and not english.

[nmyeyes]

coached, did not teach a class, but was smart enough to have sec do all my writing.   

[AirWarren]

Where did you teach?  I hope it was auto mechanics and not english.

As long as you can hold a ball, no need to be able to talk or write appropriately.

[Beardad]

As long as you can hold a ball, no need to be able to talk or write appropriately.

[Lineman]

As long as you can hold a ball, no need to be able to talk or write appropriately.

I guess that leaves out the linemen.

[AirWarren]

I guess that leaves out the linemen.

Minus the center.

[jr17]

Nicest facility in NEA in 3A? Or all classes? I'd have to see it to believe it.

[Coltfan2005]

Hopefully it will not run 100's of thousands of dollars over budget and put the school district in a hole like the last construction project did.

[bearbacker52]

Coach Frank Gathen coaches there and he is a great man, dont know if he coaches football, but he is the jewel of the staff of Osceola for sure.

[Radiotalker]

Coach Frank Gathen coaches there and he is a great man, dont know if he coaches football, but he is the jewel of the staff of Osceola for sure.

charleston posters said he was a bully.

[WPWells]

Please find that post before you throw that slander around

[bearbacker52]

charleston posters said he was a bully.

coach gathen could say boo and scare the heck out of kamala, but he helps students, and has done a great job of that, if not for him, i would not be retired from the army as a Major...He is a teddy bear