School is starting all around Northwest Arkansas, and in Fayetteville students will be affected by some cutting edge changes.
Beginning with the 2012 school year, the Fayetteville School District is using a new Arkansas core learning system.
Kay Jacoby from the school district said, "Common core state standards are a real game changer for kids."
"So our kids are going to be learning a more rigorous curriculum."
Students in grades 3 through 8 will now have to follow Arkansas' Common Core Standards in English Language Arts and Math.
With new state assessments, Jacoby believes the sky is the limit for the future of Fayetteville's children, "They'll all be geared toward making sure that every 11th grader graduates college and career ready, and so we will know at grade 3, at the end of the year, is that 3rd grader on track to be college and career ready when he's in the 11th grade."
Also starting this year in Fayetteville schools is a new program that embraces the evolution of the computer, phone, and tablet in the classroom.
Patty Plummer from the Fayetteville public school said, "These students that we are teaching today, they were born into technology."
It's a new hi-tech way of teaching called 'Bring Your Own Device'.
Plummer added, "We are going to dabble this year into a pilot, which is bring your own device."
As teachers allow, students can not only bring their cell phone, or computer to class, but also use them in learning.
Plummer said, "Let's get on to the internet and let's look up this problem, you know lets research this person."
"Instantaneous access, information at the touch of your finger tips."
A technology tactic that this school hopes will keep it on the forefront of education, Plummer added, "It just opens up the realms of learning."
The school district is also opening a brand new, multi-million dollar high school.
Fayetteville School's Alan Wilbourn said, "The ship has turned and we're going to see a new day."
Phase one of the building project is closing in on completion. After six years of waiting for the new building, Fayetteville High students will finally have a new home to learn.
Wilbourn said, "Its so nice to see something that benefits so many, and it took a long time to get to where the united vision of what it should be, it's coming to fruition."
In less than two weeks, the halls will be packed, the classrooms full, and Wilbourn believes, a school's future brighter than ever, "Finally, Fayetteville High School students and staff will have a facility that's in equal caliber to the performance that they do in the classroom."
Common Core Standards, Bring Your Own Device, and a new building, three new ways to make a better year for 15 schools and more than 9,000 students in Fayetteville.
Beginning with the 2012 school year, the Fayetteville School District is using a new Arkansas core learning system.
Kay Jacoby from the school district said, "Common core state standards are a real game changer for kids."
"So our kids are going to be learning a more rigorous curriculum."
Students in grades 3 through 8 will now have to follow Arkansas' Common Core Standards in English Language Arts and Math.
With new state assessments, Jacoby believes the sky is the limit for the future of Fayetteville's children, "They'll all be geared toward making sure that every 11th grader graduates college and career ready, and so we will know at grade 3, at the end of the year, is that 3rd grader on track to be college and career ready when he's in the 11th grade."
Also starting this year in Fayetteville schools is a new program that embraces the evolution of the computer, phone, and tablet in the classroom.
Patty Plummer from the Fayetteville public school said, "These students that we are teaching today, they were born into technology."
It's a new hi-tech way of teaching called 'Bring Your Own Device'.
Plummer added, "We are going to dabble this year into a pilot, which is bring your own device."
As teachers allow, students can not only bring their cell phone, or computer to class, but also use them in learning.
Plummer said, "Let's get on to the internet and let's look up this problem, you know lets research this person."
"Instantaneous access, information at the touch of your finger tips."
A technology tactic that this school hopes will keep it on the forefront of education, Plummer added, "It just opens up the realms of learning."
The school district is also opening a brand new, multi-million dollar high school.
Fayetteville School's Alan Wilbourn said, "The ship has turned and we're going to see a new day."
Phase one of the building project is closing in on completion. After six years of waiting for the new building, Fayetteville High students will finally have a new home to learn.
Wilbourn said, "Its so nice to see something that benefits so many, and it took a long time to get to where the united vision of what it should be, it's coming to fruition."
In less than two weeks, the halls will be packed, the classrooms full, and Wilbourn believes, a school's future brighter than ever, "Finally, Fayetteville High School students and staff will have a facility that's in equal caliber to the performance that they do in the classroom."
Common Core Standards, Bring Your Own Device, and a new building, three new ways to make a better year for 15 schools and more than 9,000 students in Fayetteville.
