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.
❤️🖤 🐉
🎉 🎉 Congratulations to Our Arkansas Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Recipients! 🎉
We are proud to recognize several Eureka Springs educators who have earned Arkansas Merit Teacher Incentive Fund payments through the Arkansas Department of Education.
This recognition is awarded to eligible teachers in designated state-tested grades and subjects and is based on multiple years of student growth and achievement data.
We are grateful for the hard work, dedication, and commitment these educators (and ALL educators in our district!!!) demonstrate each day in support of student success. Please join us in congratulating them on this well-deserved recognition!
❤️🖤
🎨 STAFF SPOTLIGHT: STAFF MOVEMENT 🎨
Please help us congratulate Katie Lopez on her new role at Eureka Springs Schools!
After inspiring young learners as a 1st Grade Teacher at Eureka Springs Elementary, Mrs. Lopez is beginning an exciting new chapter as our Grades 7–12 Art Teacher at the middle and high school.
Mrs. Lopez brings creativity, enthusiasm, and a passion for helping students express themselves through art. Her ability to build strong relationships and encourage every learner to reach their potential will make a tremendous impact on our secondary students.
We are excited to see her talents continue to shine in this new role and can’t wait to watch our 7–12 art program flourish.
Congratulations, Mrs. Lopez! We’re so excited for you and this next adventure. ❤️🖤
📚✨ Welcome to Eureka Springs Middle School, Rachel Holt! ✨📚
We are excited to welcome Rachel Holt to the Eureka Springs School District as our new 7th & 8th Grade English Language Arts Teacher at Eureka Springs Middle School!
Rachel joins us from Huntsville, Arkansas, and is eager to become part of the collaborative and supportive learning community that makes Eureka Springs such a special place. Her passion for education and commitment to putting students first make her a wonderful addition to our team.
A fun fact about Rachel: before pursuing education, she attended culinary school! 🍽️👩🍳
Please join us in giving Rachel a warm Dragon welcome! We are thrilled to have her on board and can’t wait to see the positive impact she will make in the lives of our students.
