Congratulations to Kelli Parson, Early Childhood Coordinator for DMESC, who will serve as the 2026–2027 president of the Arkansas Early Childhood Special Education Professionals (ASEP)!

Kelli is pictured with early childhood coordinators from across Arkansas. We are proud of her leadership and dedication to supporting young children, families, and educators across the state.
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
28 days ago, DMESC
ASEP Conference
On August 19, the ASEP Conference was held in Conway. Local Lead Captain Karen Garner, Cheryl Green, ABC/ECH Assistant Coordinator, and Kelli Parson, ABC/ECH Coordinator, attended this wonderful conference, where they provided support and assistance throughout the event.
The conference featured valuable presentations designed to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and guidance of educators across Arkansas. Opportunities such as ASEP allow professionals to learn from one another, build meaningful partnerships, and work together to better serve children and families.
Through continued collaboration, we can help ensure that Arkansas children receive the individualized support and resources they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Arkansas children are our focus!
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
29 days ago, DMESC
ASEP Conference
ASEP Conference
We’re currently updating ESCWorks accounts.
If you experience any issues with your account during this process, we’re happy to help!
Please contact Crystal Willey for assistance: crystal.willey@dmesc.org
479-385-4319
#thinkcoop1st
29 days ago, DMESC
Important Information

DMESC's Community Health Nurse Specialist, Leigh Garner, enjoyed welcoming educators and students at Cossatot River High School on their first day of school. Wishing students, educators, and staff a wonderful year ahead!
#thinkcoop1st
We Serve and Support our Schools so that ALL Students Succeed.

about 1 month ago, DMESC
Cossatot River SD

Foster Grandparent volunteers attended back to school workshops in July and August to revisit Foster Grandparent guidelines and regulations as well as the importance of the relationships they form with students in order to be able to assist them in the classroom. Volunteers also reviewed tutoring methods and innovative ideas on how to engage students in the classroom.

#thinkcoop1st

#AmericorpsSeniors 

We Serve and Support our Schools so that ALL Students Succeed.


about 1 month ago, DMESC
Foster Grandparents
Foster Grandparents
Foster Grandparents
Foster Grandparents
DMESC's Foster Grandparent Volunteer, Ann Frachiseur, enjoyed welcoming educators and students at Cossatot River on their first day of school. Wishing students, educators, and staff a wonderful year ahead!
#thinkcoop1st
We Serve and Support our Schools so that ALL Students Succeed.
about 1 month ago, DMESC
Cossatot River SD
YOU MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST DAYS. 💙
Maybe everything didn’t go according to plan.
That’s okay.
Because your students don’t need perfection.

They need someone who sees them.
Someone who believes in them.
Someone who keeps showing up.

And that’s exactly what you’re doing.

✨ The routines will come.
The lessons will happen.
But the relationships you’re building right now?
Those can change everything.

Keep going. Your work matters.
— Your friends at DMESC
#thinkcoop1st
about 1 month ago, DMESC
relationships
📦 Special deliveries for Nashville & Dierks!
Beau hit the road to deliver Early Career Exploration Boxes from the Arkansas Division of Career and Technical Education (DCTE) to Nashville and Dierks! These boxes are packed with promotional materials designed to support Early Career Exploration and introduce the exciting launch of the new Career Clusters and Pathways — helping educators connect students with possibilities for their futures. 🌟
Each box also included a special letter from DCTE Director Ross White, wishing educators a successful start to the new school year. 🍎
We’re excited to help get these resources into the hands of our schools and can’t wait to see how they help students explore, discover, and dream about what’s possible!
And, of course, Beau makes a pretty great delivery guy. 📦😊
#thinkcoop1st
about 1 month ago, DMESC
Early Career Exploration Boxes
Early Career Exploration Boxes
DMESC's CTE Coordinator, Beau McCastlain, enjoyed welcoming educators and students at De Queen on their first day of school. Wishing students, educators, and staff a wonderful year ahead!
#LeopardPride
#thinkcoop1st
We Serve and Support our Schools so that ALL Students Succeed.
about 1 month ago, DMESC
1st Day of School
DMESC's specialists and coordinators enjoyed welcoming educators and students at Mena on their first day of school. Wishing students, educators, and staff a wonderful year ahead!
#thinkcoop1st
We Serve and Support our Schools so that ALL Students Succeed. See less
about 1 month ago, DMESC
1st Day of School
1st Day of School

DMESC's Community Nurse Health Specialist, Leigh Garner, enjoyed welcoming educators and students at ORSD's Acorn campus on their first day of school. Wishing students, educators, and staff a wonderful year ahead!
#thinkcoop1st
#orsdlifeprep
We Serve and Support our Schools so that ALL Students Succeed.


about 1 month ago, DMESC
1st Day of School

DMESC's Local Leads Captain, Karen Garner, enjoyed welcoming educators and students at Dierks on their first day of school. Wishing students, educators, and staff a wonderful year ahead!
#thinkcoop1st
#outlawstrong
We Serve and Support our Schools so that ALL Students Succeed.


about 1 month ago, DMESC
1st Day of School
1st Day of School
DMESC's TCC, Dana Ray, enjoyed welcoming educators and students at Mount Ida on their first day of school. Wishing students, educators, and staff a wonderful year ahead!
#thinkcoop1st
#LionPride
We Serve and Support our Schools so that ALL Students Succeed.


about 1 month ago, DMESC
1st Day of School
#thinkcoop1st
We Serve and Support our schools so that ALL students Succeed
about 1 month ago, DMESC
Board Meeting
🌟 Summer Shout-Out! 🌟
As summer comes to a close, we want to give a huge THANK YOU to these two amazing young ladies, Xitlali (Golli) & Cecily, who kept things running smoothly at the Co-op all summer long!
From taking lunch orders 🍽️, running the snack store 🍫, keeping the cookie jars stocked 🍪, and making sure the coffee and tea were always ready ☕, they jumped in wherever they were needed with a smile. Their hard work, positive attitudes, and willingness to help made a big difference every single day.
A special shout-out to “Golli” for taking the lead on our social media this summer. She did a fantastic job capturing the fun, sharing our story, and keeping everyone connected. We couldn't have asked for better!
We're definitely going to miss having these two around campus every day, but thankfully they're not going too far—we know exactly where to find them! 😊
Thank you both for everything you did this summer. We appreciate you more than you know and can't wait to see all the great things you'll continue to do. 💙
#thinkcoop1st
about 1 month ago, DMESC
Summer Shout Out
Temporary Phone System Issue
We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with our phone system. We apologize for the inconvenience.
If you need to reach us, please contact us via email. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Thank you!
#thinkcoop1st
about 1 month ago, DMESC
Temporary phone system issue

Early Educators Complete CPR Training at DMESC
Early childhood educators gathered at the DeQueen-Mena Education Service Cooperative campus to participate in a CPR certification class, strengthening their ability to respond confidently in emergency situations.
The training was led by experienced instructors Leigh Garner and Karen Garner, who provided hands-on instruction in CPR techniques and emergency response procedures. Participants practiced life- saving skills designed to prepare them to act quickly should a medical emergency arise in their classrooms or schools.
By completing this training, these dedicated educators are better equipped to protect the health and well-being of the children in their class.
This training reflects the ongoing commitment of local schools and early childhood programs to maintain safe learning environments while ensuring educators have the knowledge and confidence to respond when every second counts.
Keeping children safe while providing them with a quality education remains a top priority. Opportunities like today's CPR training help ensure that early educators are prepared to meet both of those important goals, giving families added confidence that their children are in capable and caring hands.
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st

about 1 month ago, DMESC
CPR training
CPR training
Don't forget to reach out to DMESC for any needs you have to get ready to go BACK TO SCHOOL!
#thinkcoop1st
about 1 month ago, DMESC
back to school
💻🩺 The technical side of school nursing took center stage at our DMESC Novice School Nurse Workshop! A big thank you to Mrs. Bonita for sharing her knowledge and helping our new school nurses build confidence with the tools and systems they'll use throughout the year.
#thinkcoop1st
about 2 months ago, DMESC
summer PD
📍 Spotted! DMESC team members connecting with fellow cooperative professionals at the 51st Annual AAEA Summer Conference. Together, we're embracing this year's theme, "Vision to Impact: Be the Change," and bringing new ideas back to the districts we serve.
#thinkcoop1st
about 2 months ago, DMESC
aaea conference