Computer Science Domain 4 in action! Ashley Kincannon, AR CS Specialist, was all about unpacking the standards, identifying durable skills, and experiencing standards-aligned activities that bring the learning to life in the classroom. #CSforAR, #thinkcoop1st
DMESC EC Staff Spotlight: Krisi Dixon! 🌟
Meet Krisi Dixon, a Lead Infant Toddler Teacher at CRELC-Vandervoort in her second year with DMESC! 🍎✨
When asked what she loves most about Early Childhood, Krisi puts it simply: "The kids are the best part of this job! I love where I work and love the ladies I work with!" She’s especially proud of having the endless patience needed to love and guide little ones all day long—though she admits the non-stop hugs and affection make it pretty easy!
When she isn't shaping young minds, Krisi is all about family and farm life. Her world revolves around her three daughters (ages 23, 21, and almost 20) and her brand-new 2-month-old granddaughter! 👶💖 Rounding out her busy home life is a whole crew of pets: cats, dogs, ducks, and chickens! 🦆🐶🐱🐔
🥤 Go-to Fuel: Pineapple & Strawberry Fantas or Pink Slush Alani
💬 Words to Live By: "To teach a child is to touch the future. The patience, warmth, and quiet care you extend today becomes the foundation for who they grow up to be tomorrow."
We are so grateful for the heart, warmth, and dedication Krisi brings to our classrooms every day! 💙
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
Meet Krisi Dixon, a Lead Infant Toddler Teacher at CRELC-Vandervoort in her second year with DMESC! 🍎✨
When asked what she loves most about Early Childhood, Krisi puts it simply: "The kids are the best part of this job! I love where I work and love the ladies I work with!" She’s especially proud of having the endless patience needed to love and guide little ones all day long—though she admits the non-stop hugs and affection make it pretty easy!
When she isn't shaping young minds, Krisi is all about family and farm life. Her world revolves around her three daughters (ages 23, 21, and almost 20) and her brand-new 2-month-old granddaughter! 👶💖 Rounding out her busy home life is a whole crew of pets: cats, dogs, ducks, and chickens! 🦆🐶🐱🐔
🥤 Go-to Fuel: Pineapple & Strawberry Fantas or Pink Slush Alani
💬 Words to Live By: "To teach a child is to touch the future. The patience, warmth, and quiet care you extend today becomes the foundation for who they grow up to be tomorrow."
We are so grateful for the heart, warmth, and dedication Krisi brings to our classrooms every day! 💙
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
🍔 National Cheeseburger Day at Mena Preschool! 🍔
Crystal’s class celebrated National Cheeseburger Day with a little creativity! Preschoolers had fun making their very own 3D cheeseburgers—stacking up lots of learning and fun along the way! ❤️
We love seeing creativity come to life in our preschool classrooms! ✂️🧀🍔
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
Crystal’s class celebrated National Cheeseburger Day with a little creativity! Preschoolers had fun making their very own 3D cheeseburgers—stacking up lots of learning and fun along the way! ❤️
We love seeing creativity come to life in our preschool classrooms! ✂️🧀🍔
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
🇺🇸 Constitution Day at DeQueen Preschool!🇺🇸
Cynthia Tena's preschoolers celebrated Constitution Day by putting on their fancy hats and creating their very own classroom constitution! They worked together to make positive declarations for their classroom and proudly added their signatures.
Such a sweet way to bring Capturing Kids’ Hearts into everyday learning—building kindness, connection, and a classroom community where everyone belongs. ❤️
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
Cynthia Tena's preschoolers celebrated Constitution Day by putting on their fancy hats and creating their very own classroom constitution! They worked together to make positive declarations for their classroom and proudly added their signatures.
Such a sweet way to bring Capturing Kids’ Hearts into everyday learning—building kindness, connection, and a classroom community where everyone belongs. ❤️
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
We appreciate Dana Ray and Andria Miller for sharing their knowledge and expertise at our Principals’ Meeting today! 💙💚 Their work behind the scenes—and their willingness to share valuable data, information, and resources—helps support our school leaders and the districts we serve. We’re grateful to have them on our team! #thinkcoop1st
Supporting Our Beginning Principals!
Dana Ray, DMESC's Assistant Director/ TCC and Andria Miller, DMESC Systems Support Specialist, met with our Beginning Principals Mentoring (BPM) group today to share important data and resources to support them in their new leadership roles. We appreciate the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and support these school leaders as they begin their journey in administration! 💙💚
#thinkcoop1st
Dana Ray, DMESC's Assistant Director/ TCC and Andria Miller, DMESC Systems Support Specialist, met with our Beginning Principals Mentoring (BPM) group today to share important data and resources to support them in their new leadership roles. We appreciate the opportunity to connect, collaborate, and support these school leaders as they begin their journey in administration! 💙💚
#thinkcoop1st
🌟 DMESC EC STAFF SPOTLIGHT 🌟
Meet Jana Strode, Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) at DMESC! Jana is kicking off her 3rd year full-time with us, bringing so much heart, passion, and expertise to our early childhood team. 🗣️❤️
What drives Jana: "My favorite part of working in early childhood is seeing how much growth can happen in such a short period of time. I love helping children find their voice and watching their confidence grow as their communication skills improve."
What she’s most proud of: Building meaningful relationships with her students and guiding them as they find their voice. For Jana, nothing beats the feeling of watching a child transition from struggling to communicate to expressing themselves through words, sounds, and other tools.
A few quick facts about Jana:
Life Advice: "Remember that every day is a fresh start. Some days are harder than others, but don’t carry the frustrations of today into tomorrow."
Family & Pets: She shares her life with her husband, four grown children, one dog, "way too many" cats, and one very special granddaughter! Of all her titles, "Grammy" is her absolute favorite.
Go-To Fuel: Turkey jerky & a Bloom sparkling energy drink! ⚡
Thank you for everything you do to support our students, Jana! We are so lucky to have you on the DMESC team! 👏✨
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
Mount Ida did our part in World Gratitude Day by celebrating and thanking the maintenance and cafeteria staff who are keeping our lights shining bright and bellies fed!
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
Today’s DMESC Staff Meeting focused on what matters most—positive student outcomes. We celebrated the accomplishments of our districts and are proud of all DMESC district letter grades. This reflects the dedication and hard work happening in our schools every day. Several departments shared how their goals directly impact student outcomes, and staff collaborated on ways we can continue strengthening the support we provide. We also had the opportunity to recognize Bonita and Leigh with certificates honoring their years of service. Our purpose remains clear: We Serve and Support our schools so that ALL students Succeed. 💚💙
#thinkcoop1st
#thinkcoop1st
💚💙13 Districts. One Cooperative. A Shared Commitment to Students. 💚💙
DMESC is proud to celebrate our 13 school districts and the incredible work happening across our region. We are 1 of only 5 education service cooperatives in Arkansas with no D- or F-rated districts!
This achievement belongs to the educators, administrators, support staff, school boards, students, families, and communities who work every day to help students succeed.
To each of our 13 districts — congratulations, and thank you for the work you do for students every day!
💬 Help us celebrate! Give your DMESC district a shout-out in the comments!
#thinkcoop1st
DMESC is proud to celebrate our 13 school districts and the incredible work happening across our region. We are 1 of only 5 education service cooperatives in Arkansas with no D- or F-rated districts!
This achievement belongs to the educators, administrators, support staff, school boards, students, families, and communities who work every day to help students succeed.
To each of our 13 districts — congratulations, and thank you for the work you do for students every day!
💬 Help us celebrate! Give your DMESC district a shout-out in the comments!
#thinkcoop1st
Early Childhood leaders participated in CKH Process Champions Training a one day training designed to take select educators and turn them into on site mentors who keep the CKH momentum alive.
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
DMESC Early Childhood is proud to partner with Capturing Kids Hearts!
This Pre-K-12 program focuses on a powerful truth: "If you have a child’s heart, you have their mind." By prioritizing relationships, educators create safe, thriving classrooms where students truly want to learn.
Here is how it works:
🤝 The EXCEL Model: A 5-step framework to engage, listen, communicate, empower, and launch students positively every day.
📝 Social Contracts: Classrooms collaboratively build agreements on how to treat one another with mutual respect.
☀️ Good Things: Starting class by sharing positive, real-life moments to build a strong community.
💬 Restorative Questions: Using a supportive 4-question process to redirect behavior instead of relying on immediate discipline.
The results? Higher student achievement, fewer discipline referrals, and happier teachers! 📈❤️
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
#Education #CapturingKidsHearts #SchoolCulture #TeachingTips #ClassroomManagement #EdChat
This Pre-K-12 program focuses on a powerful truth: "If you have a child’s heart, you have their mind." By prioritizing relationships, educators create safe, thriving classrooms where students truly want to learn.
Here is how it works:
🤝 The EXCEL Model: A 5-step framework to engage, listen, communicate, empower, and launch students positively every day.
📝 Social Contracts: Classrooms collaboratively build agreements on how to treat one another with mutual respect.
☀️ Good Things: Starting class by sharing positive, real-life moments to build a strong community.
💬 Restorative Questions: Using a supportive 4-question process to redirect behavior instead of relying on immediate discipline.
The results? Higher student achievement, fewer discipline referrals, and happier teachers! 📈❤️
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
#Education #CapturingKidsHearts #SchoolCulture #TeachingTips #ClassroomManagement #EdChat
Early Childhood leaders participated in CKH Process Champions Training a one day training designed to take select educators and turn them into on site mentors who keep the CKH momentum alive.
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
#LittleStepsBigFuture
#BuildingBrightFutures
#thinkcoop1st
DMESC middle school teams spent the day exploring what career readiness can look like in grades 6-8! Districts across our co-op dug into the Career Readiness Self-Evaluation Rubric, explored hands-on Paxton/Patterson College & Career Readiness Lab stations, and left with real strategies (and a few "quick wins") for building a career-ready culture on their campuses. Big thanks to DCTE’s Sunni Teal and Dr. Gary Udouj for today’s presentation and every team that showed up ready to plan so students can explore!!
#thinkcoop1st
#thinkcoop1st
💻🔧🛡️ Shoutout to the Tech Teams Who Keep It ALL Running!
Today, on National IT Professionals Day we’re celebrating our amazing district tech teams—the people behind the passwords, Wi-Fi, devices, updates, cybersecurity, troubleshooting…and the occasional. "Have you tried turning it off and back on?"😄
Most importantly, thank you for the work you do every day to protect our students, support our staff, and keep our schools connected and secure.
We see you, tech teams—and we appreciate ALL you do! 💙💚
#NationalITProfessionalsDay
#thinkcoop1st
Today, on National IT Professionals Day we’re celebrating our amazing district tech teams—the people behind the passwords, Wi-Fi, devices, updates, cybersecurity, troubleshooting…and the occasional. "Have you tried turning it off and back on?"😄
Most importantly, thank you for the work you do every day to protect our students, support our staff, and keep our schools connected and secure.
We see you, tech teams—and we appreciate ALL you do! 💙💚
#NationalITProfessionalsDay
#thinkcoop1st
Terry Young and Ann Frachiseur volunteered at the Dive into Good Health Fair sponsored by Mena Regional Health System on Saturday. The program is hoping to recruit more grandparent volunteers in our area. Working as a Foster Grandparent is great for all senior adults physical and mental health. Call 14793854319 if interested.
#AmericorpsSeniors
#thinkcoop1st
#AmericorpsSeniors
#thinkcoop1st
Today, we pause to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, honor the heroes who answered the call, and reflect on the courage and unity shown in the days that followed.
We will never forget. 🇺🇸
#NeverForget #September11
#thinkcoop1st
We will never forget. 🇺🇸
#NeverForget #September11
#thinkcoop1st
The Foster Grandparent Program of DMESC does a Service Project each year in remembrance of 911. Projects are always centered on ways to lift up our community. This year grandparents donated non perishable food items to food pantries in 7 different locations around our coop area. They also donated food to 3 districts for their school backpack programs. In honor of the ones we lost on 911, go do something kind and caring for others today!
#AmericorpsSeniors
#AmericorpsSeniors
📚💡 Great conversations and collaboration at today’s Curriculum Coordinators Meeting at DMESC!
We always enjoy bringing our district leaders together to share ideas, connect, and support the great work happening across our schools. 💙💚
#thinkcoop1st
We always enjoy bringing our district leaders together to share ideas, connect, and support the great work happening across our schools. 💙💚
#thinkcoop1st
#thinkcoop1st
