Friends,

The First Day of School brings back great memories for me as I look back on my time as a student here in Little Rock. I am a proud graduate of Parkview High School. (All hail the red, the white, the blue!)

The academic and extracurricular opportunities afforded to me by the Little Rock School District prepared me for college and my career. I'm convinced that a quality education can help transcend the most difficult obstacles a child will face. Because of that, as Little Rock's mayor, I want to use every opportunity I can to partner with our local schools to ensure we are supporting every child in Little Rock from cradle to career.

I'm the first Little Rock mayor to appoint a chief education officer at City Hall. Our current chief education officer, Jennifer Glasgow, oversees our partnerships with LRSD and other education entities, and she directs our education initiatives, like our successful community schools model. The chief education officer is also instrumental in helping to identify and secure grant opportunities and facilitating City support of education programming. Most recently, she spearheaded the CIty's funding of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to an additional 2,800 children across Little Rock.

As LRSD students go back to school today, I'm particularly grateful for our community schools partnerships at Chicot, Mabelvale, Stephens, Washington and Watson elementary schools and at Mabelvale Middle School. A community school is a neighborhood hub with an integrated focus on academics, youth development, family support, health and social services, and community development. This model leads to improved student learning, stronger families, and healthier communities.

Many factors outside the school day may impact a student's academic outcomes, ranging from food insecurity to lack of access to healthcare. Community schools work with families and faculty to identify those needs and community assets to meet them. Solutions may be a food pantry or school-based health clinic.

Community schools also work to provide extended learning opportunities for students that increase their curiosity and engagement at school. Working with local and state-level partners, students at these schools may be able to visit their school garden for a hands-on science or nutrition lesson or participate in an after-school arts program.

As an example of a partnership in action, this past school year, Chicot Elementary introduced a new mascot, the cheetah. The school partnered with the Little Rock Zoo to pilot the mascot program, and students learned about their new mascot, including its natural habitat and the need for conservation efforts.

We will continue exploring ways to expand and improve our community school model even as we focus on our existing and new educational partnerships. This past weekend, the Little Rock Police Department, Little Rock Fire Department and the City's Department of Community Programs all sponsored back-to-school events to ensure all students were equipped with the backpacks and school supplies they need to have a successful year.

This morning, members of my staff visited LRSD campuses to greet and encourage students as they kicked off the new year. Let's make the 2023-24 school year a time all of us get more involved in improving the lives of students, whether it's through volunteering or mentoring, or helping a teacher equip a classroom. Growing forward together takes all of us as we support and improve the quality of life and place in the state's capital city through education.

• The Little Rock Board of Directors will meet Tuesday, August 15, at 6 p.m. at The Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St. All board meetings are livestreamed on the City of Little Rock Facebook and YouTube pages. To view the agenda, click here.
• As noted previously, there are two community meetings this week to give residents an opportunity to provide input to the Board of Directors on a potential sales tax proposal. Today (Monday, Aug. 14) at 6 p.m., the Ward 4 meeting is at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1818 Reservoir Road. Wednesday, Aug. 16, is the Ward 1 meeting at Second Baptist-Downtown, 222 E. Eighth St., at 6 p.m.
• The City's Sustainability Office and other partners are participating in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2023 Urban Heat Mapping campaign on Saturday, Aug. 19. Citizen scientists are needed to volunteer to collect temperature data to help map where people are most at-risk or safest in urban environments during heat waves.
• The application period continues for Little Rock Cares grants to individuals impacted by the March 31 tornado. The third-party administrator of the grants, Heart of Arkansas United Way, is hosting an in-person assistance opportunity for anyone with questions about the application process on Thursday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fletcher Library, 823 N. Buchanan St.