Eureka Springs School District

📚 Welcome Back, Cheryl Shadrick! ❤️ We’re excited to welcome Cheryl Shadrick back to Eureka Springs Schools! After previously teaching at the middle school, Cheryl is returning to her roots and will be teaching 1st Grade this year. “I’m excited to be coming back to Eureka Springs to work with such a unique and supportive team in this beautiful little town.” A fun fact about Cheryl: She loves to pack up and head out on adventures! Some last just a day, while others turn into much longer journeys. 🌎✈️ Welcome back to the family, Cheryl! We’re so glad you’re here! ❤️

📣 Welcome to Eureka Springs High School, Taylor Peden! ❤️🖤 We are excited to welcome Taylor Peden as the new ESHS RootEd Advisor! The Arkansas RootEd Advisor program places dedicated college and career advisors in rural high schools to help students explore and prepare for life after graduation. Whether students are interested in college, technical training, military service, or entering the workforce, Taylor will help guide them as they discover opportunities, develop career-ready skills, and create a plan for their future. Working alongside our high school counselor, Gena Wenger, Taylor will provide students with additional support as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives. A message from Taylor: “My name is Taylor Peden, and I’m excited for the opportunity to join the Eureka Springs School District. My background has given me the chance to work with students in a variety of ways. I’ve been a teacher, coached, and currently serve as the Youth Director at the Great Passion Play. Each of these experiences has strengthened my passion for helping young people grow, build confidence, and discover their potential. What excites me most about this new position is the opportunity to help prepare students for both college and career. I believe every student deserves a head start on their future, along with meaningful opportunities to explore different career paths, develop valuable skills, and discover what they’re passionate about!” Please join us in giving Taylor a warm welcome! We are excited to have her on our team!

📚 Back-to-School Information is Here! We’re excited to welcome everyone back for another great school year! 📝 Registration: Please complete your student’s registration through their school building. 🏫 Open House: Join us to meet teachers, see classrooms, and get ready for the first day! ***A special thank you to the Eureka Springs School Board for once again providing FREE school meals and FREE school supplies for every student. Your support helps ensure every child starts the year ready to learn! ***PARENTS: Please provide a clear or mesh backpack.*** We can’t wait to see everyone soon!

🎉 Welcome to the Dragon Family! ❤️🖤🐉 Please help us welcome Christy Arnold, our new Middle School ALE Teacher! Christy lives in Green Forest and is excited to be joining the Eureka Springs School District. “I am so excited to be a part of Eureka Springs School. Everyone has been so welcoming and supportive. I feel lucky and blessed to have this opportunity.” Outside of school, Christy enjoys spending time on the golf course with her husband and friends. She says she may not be the greatest golfer, but she loves the fun, fellowship, and memories they make together. We’re excited to welcome Christy to our Middle School Dragon family and know she will make a positive difference in the lives of our students. Welcome, Christy! ❤️🖤🐉

🚨 Welcome to Eureka Springs School District, Paul Maliska! 🚨 We’re excited to welcome Paul Maliska as our new School Security Officer! Paul is looking forward to returning to the place where his journey began. “I am excited about being back in the school system where it all began for me and giving something back to it, the students, and the staff. Oh, and also being able to work with my wife too. 😊” Paul is a proud Eureka Springs alumnus, having started as a kindergartener and graduating from Eureka Springs High School before serving our country in the United States Air Force for 20 years. His years of military service, dedication, and commitment to others make him a wonderful addition to our district. Fun Fact: Paul is a certified Dive Master and Search and Recovery Diver who loves spending time scuba diving whenever he gets the chance! Please join us in giving Paul a warm Highlander welcome! We’re grateful to have him helping keep our students and staff safe while serving the community he has called home since kindergarten. ❤️🖤

Looking for a nurturing, high-quality preschool for your child? 💛 Eureka Springs ABC Preschool currently has openings! We’re a Better Beginnings Star Level 6 program with a 15:2 student–teacher ratio, and we focus on the whole child — social, emotional, and academic development. 👩‍🏫👦👧 If your child will be 3 or 4 years old by August 2026, stop by the elementary school office to pick up an enrollment application. Most families qualify for free. Have questions? Email nicole.winters@es.k12.ar.us — we’re happy to help! 🌱 Give your little one a joyful start to learning! 🌈

🎉 Congratulations to Our Own Jamie Dickelman! 🎉 We are incredibly proud to recognize Jamie Dickelman, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent, for being selected as a panel presenter at the 2026 Arkansas Department of Education Summit in Hot Springs! Jamie will join education leaders from across Arkansas for the session: “Clean Data Matters: SIS and SFA – Common Errors and Solutions” This panel will focus on helping school districts improve the accuracy and reliability of student information by sharing common challenges, practical solutions, and best practices from the field. Jamie’s selection to present at this statewide conference is a testament to her expertise, professionalism, and the outstanding work she does every day for Eureka Springs School District!! ❤️🖤👏

🏃‍♀️Welcome to Eureka Springs School District, Kamarie “Kam” Spargo! 🏃‍♀️ We’re excited to welcome Kam Spargo to ESSD as our new Middle School Physical Education & Health Teacher! Kam will also be coaching our Cross Country, Track, and Pee-Wee Basketball teams. A recent graduate of the University of Arkansas, Kam is beginning her first year in education and is eager to help students build healthy habits, confidence, teamwork, and a love for being active. Originally from Texas, Kam followed her family to Arkansas to complete her degree and has proudly made the Natural State her home. She is excited to become part of the Eureka Springs community and already loves the welcoming people and the beauty of our town. Fun Fact: Kam has a dog named Kilby and comes from a big family with five siblings! Please join us in giving Kam a warm Dragon welcome! We’re excited to have her on our team and can’t wait to see the positive impact she’ll have on our students!!!

🏀📣 Meet & Greet with the Scotts! 📣🏀 Join us on Monday, July 13, at 10:00 a.m. as we welcome Tyler and Tara Scott in their new roles! 🏀 Coach Tyler Scott will be in Highlander Arena to meet students and families as he begins his role as our Junior and Senior Boys Basketball Coach. 📣 Mrs. Tara Scott will be in the High School Auditorium to meet students and families as she takes on her new role as our Junior and Senior High Cheer Coach. While they certainly aren’t new faces to Eureka Springs Schools, Tyler and Tara Scott are stepping into exciting new roles, and we couldn’t be happier for them! 🏀 Coach Tyler Scott has faithfully served our district as a bus driver and long-term substitute and brings years of coaching experience and a passion for developing young men both on and off the court. When he’s not on the sidelines, he’s a proud husband to Tara and a devoted dad to his three sons. We are thrilled to have Coach Scott leading our Highlander basketball program and know our student-athletes will benefit from his leadership, dedication, and love for the game. 📚📣 Mrs. Tara Scott will transition from her role as a beloved third-grade teacher to serve as our Middle School Instructional Support Specialist while also taking the reins as our Junior and Senior High Cheer Coach. Tara has made a lasting impact on countless students through her kindness, encouragement, and dedication to helping every child succeed. Her positive spirit, leadership, and ability to build strong relationships with students make her a wonderful addition to both the middle school team and our cheer programs. Please join us in congratulating Tyler and Tara on these exciting opportunities and stop by on July 13 to welcome them to their new positions! ❤️🖤 #HighlanderPride #EurekaSpringsSchools

📚 Back-to-School Information is Here! We’re excited to welcome everyone back for another great school year! 📝 Registration: Please complete your student’s registration through their school building. 🏫 Open House: Join us to meet teachers, see classrooms, and get ready for the first day! ***A special thank you to the Eureka Springs School Board for once again providing FREE school meals and FREE school supplies for every student. Your support helps ensure every child starts the year ready to learn! We can’t wait to see everyone soon!

🍎 Welcome to Eureka Springs, Michael Smith! 🍎 Please join us in welcoming Michael Smith as the new Elementary School Principal at Eureka Springs School District! Michael is originally from Southside and brings a wealth of experience in both education and athletics. He spent three years at Timbo coaching boys and girls cross country, track, and basketball. Most recently, he served at Alpena, where he coached girls basketball for five years and was principal for three years. What excites Michael most about joining Eureka Springs is becoming part of the school and community while helping shape the lives of our youngest learners and setting them up for success in the years ahead. Fun Fact: Michael is a sports fanatic and a die-hard movie lover! We’re thrilled to have Michael join the ESSD family and can’t wait for our students, staff, and families to get to know him. Welcome to ESSD! ❤️🖤

🔬🐉 Welcome to the Dragon family, Zoe Tabor! We’re excited to welcome Zoe Tabor to the Eureka Springs School District! Zoe will be teaching 7th & 8th Grade Science and Physical Science, and we can’t wait for our students to learn, explore, and discover with her this school year. Please join us in giving Zoe a warm Dragon welcome! We’re excited to have you on the team and look forward to a fantastic year ahead.

📚✨ Congratulations to Ashley Wellman on her new role at Eureka Springs High School! ✨📚 After making a lasting impact as a 2nd grade teacher, Ashley is beginning an exciting new chapter as our High School Library Media Specialist and ESL Support Teacher. Ashley has inspired young learners with her passion for education, and we’re excited to see her bring that same enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication to our high school students. Whether she’s helping students discover their next favorite book, supporting English language learners, or creating a welcoming space for learning, we know she’ll make a tremendous difference. Congratulations, Ashley! We can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish in your new role.

🌟 ESHS FBLA Achieves Gold Status! 🌟 We are thrilled to announce that the Eureka Springs High School FBLA chapter has officially earned Gold Status for our activities during the 2025–2026 school year! While these banners are typically mailed out, we were able to receive ours in person at the National Leadership Conference (NLC) in San Antonio, Texas. Since our student competitor, Jessica, was competing and Mrs. Reed was serving her volunteer shift as an official timekeeper, Jessica’s father, Craig, stepped in to accept the banner on our chapter's behalf during the session. We are so proud of our students' hard work this past year to achieve this honor. Stay tuned for more updates from Nationals! #ESHSFBLA #GoldStatus #NLC2026 #EurekaSprings

STAFF- Check your emails!!!

📚❤️ Staff Spotlight: Welcome Jennifer Watkins! ❤️📚 Please help us welcome Jennifer Watkins, Dyslexia Interventionist! Jennifer was born and raised in Lamar, Missouri, and previously taught Resource Reading at Webb City High School before relocating with her family to Holiday Island. After enjoying her time at Eureka Springs Elementary with its incredible students and staff, she’s excited to continue helping students across the district unlock new worlds through reading. Jennifer is passionate about supporting students as they build confidence and strengthen their literacy skills. 📖 Fun Fact: When she’s not at school, you’ll likely find Jennifer curled up with a good book and her two cats, Petey and Gingy! Welcome to a new position at Eureka Springs School District team, Jennifer! ❤️🖤

Over the past two days, a team from Eureka Springs School District had the incredible opportunity to attend and present at the Model Schools Conference in Orlando. The team was honored to share how ESSD is creating engaging opportunities for students through innovative programs and experiences that help make school a place where students want to be. The response to the presentation was incredibly encouraging, with thoughtful questions, meaningful conversations, and wonderful feedback from educators across the country who were excited to learn more about the work happening in the district. In addition to presenting, the team attended numerous breakout sessions, collaborating with educators from across the nation and gathering fresh ideas, practical strategies, and innovative approaches to bring back to ESSD. The opportunity to learn from—and alongside—some of the country’s most forward-thinking schools has been invaluable. The team is proud to represent the students, staff, and community on a national stage and looks forward to putting these new ideas into action as ESSD continues to provide exceptional learning experiences for every student. ❤️🖤

📚 Staff Spotlight: Congratulations, Gideon Keas! ❤️🖤 Please join us in congratulating Gideon Keas on his move to Eureka Springs High School! After making a lasting impact teaching 8th Grade English Language Arts and Social Studies at Eureka Springs Middle School, Mr. Keas is beginning an exciting new chapter as our High School History and AP History teacher. His passion for history, engaging teaching style, and commitment to helping students think critically have inspired countless middle school students. We know he will bring that same enthusiasm and dedication to the high school classroom, where he’ll continue preparing students to become thoughtful scholars and informed citizens. Congratulations, Mr. Keas! ❤️🖤

📚✨ Welcome to Eureka Springs Middle School, Paige Bailey! ✨📚 Please join us in welcoming Paige Bailey to the Eureka Springs School District as our new 8th Grade Math & Algebra I Teacher at Eureka Springs Middle School! Paige is a lifelong resident of Harrison, Arkansas, and is excited to help students discover that math is about so much more than numbers. She looks forward to introducing concepts like functions and the Pythagorean Theorem while helping students see how they connect to everyday life. Fun fact: Paige has cut more hay with a team of horses than with a tractor! 🚜🐴 We’re excited to have Paige join our Dragon family and can’t wait to see the positive impact she’ll make in the classroom. Welcome to Eureka Springs, Paige! ❤️🖤

🐉 Welcome to the Dragon Family, Austin Wader! ❤️🖤 We’re excited to welcome Austin Wader as our new 5th & 6th Grade Math Teacher at Eureka Springs Middle School! Originally from Conway, Arkansas, Austin is excited to join the Eureka Springs School District and looks forward to getting to know each student as an individual while helping create a positive, supportive learning environment where everyone can grow and succeed. 🏈 Fun Fact: When he was younger, Austin appeared on his local news station multiple times thanks to his impressive ability to recall the scores of every NFL Super Bowl! Please join us in giving Mr. Wader a warm Dragon welcome! We’re excited to have him on our team and can’t wait to see the positive impact he’ll make in the classroom this year. ❤️🖤 🐉