EL DORADO, AR — The El Dorado School Board convened on Monday, July 13, 2026, for a meeting that balanced pride in extraordinary student accomplishment with optimism regarding the district’s staffing stability for the upcoming academic year.

A National Showcase for El Dorado Talent

The evening began on a high note as Board President Clemmons called the meeting to order, immediately turning the floor over to Mrs. Katie King. Representing the Gifted and Talented/Beta Club programs, Mrs. King presented a glowing report on the Retta Brown GT Beta Club members who recently returned from the National Beta Club Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

The highlight of the report was the historic election of Lillian Geurin as National Beta Club Vice President. Her victory on June 23 was the culmination of a months-long campaign that began at the state level in January. Following her speech on the national stage and a rigorous interview process, Geurin successfully campaigned among members from 44 states to secure the seat. The district also lauded the team effort behind her success, particularly the student-produced original campaign skit, which integrated song and dance to earn a 4th-place national ranking.

The academic and artistic prowess of the district was also on full display, with students earning prestigious top-10 national placements after advancing through state competitions and grueling online preliminary exams:

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• Joseph Marquez placed 7th in the nation in Spanish.

• Boston O’Neal placed 10th in the nation in Social Studies.

• Chloe Lee placed 5th in the nation in Quilling.

• Knoa Aplin placed 5th in the nation in Color Photography.

Also Pictured is Isabella Ezell with Jewelry Design

In addition to these top placements, the delegation from El Dorado represented the district across a wide spectrum of disciplines, including painting, photography, pottery, jewelry design, and various collaborative team events such as “Reimagine, Recreate, Recycle” and “Meeting of the Minds.”

“Throughout the convention, our members represented the El Dorado School District with excellence, leadership, creativity, and school pride,” Mrs. King noted, reflecting on a broad roster of student participants who competed in academic, visual, and performing arts categories.

Investing in the Future: 2026-2027 Personnel Outlook

Following the student presentations, Assistant Superintendent Melissa Tucker provided a comprehensive personnel update that highlighted a period of steady growth and increased stability for the district.

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Mrs. Tucker reported that for the fourth consecutive year, the district’s teacher turnover rate has declined, a trend that suggests a strengthening culture of retention within ESD. As the district gears up for the 2026-2027 school year, they have successfully onboarded 44 new teachers, with 22 of those recruits bringing experience from other districts.

The district’s “grow your own” philosophy was a major theme of the report:

• El Dorado Promise: Nine of the new hires are graduates of the El Dorado Promise program. These former students have chosen to return home to launch their careers, effectively reinvesting their education back into the community that supported them.
• Internal Advancement: In a testament to internal professional development, five former paraprofessionals have successfully earned the credentials necessary to step into lead teaching roles within the district.

Finally, Mrs. Tucker introduced a new initiative designed to bridge the gap between high school and college while supporting elementary learners. Through a national grant, eight high school seniors will serve as tutors for elementary students. In addition to gaining valuable pedagogical experience, these students will receive a monthly stipend of $390 and a $1,600 scholarship to be applied toward their freshman year of college.

As the district prepares for the transition into the new school year, the dual success of its students on the national stage and the stabilizing trend of its workforce provided a clear theme of growth and commitment for the El Dorado School District.

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MAGNOLIA, AR. – Some of the region’s top law enforcement K-9 teams will put their skills on display this fall as Columbia County hosts a Law Enforcement K-9 Competition at Southern Arkansas University. The two-day event is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, at the Story Rodeo Arena on the SAU campus in Magnolia.

The competition will feature K-9 teams from law enforcement agencies across the area as they demonstrate the teamwork, discipline and training required for police service dogs to perform their duties. Spectators will have the opportunity to watch handlers and their K-9 partners compete in a variety of apprehension and obedience events designed to showcase the dogs’ agility, obedience and real-world law enforcement skills. Organizers say the family-friendly event is intended to celebrate the important role working dogs play in public safety while giving community members an opportunity to learn more about K-9 programs and meet local and regional law enforcement professionals. Friday’s activities are closed to the public as teams will be registering and participating in a welcome dinner. However, the Saturday schedule is open to the public and is admission is free.

The event will be held at the Story Rodeo Arena, located at 1015 Highway 82 Bypass West in Magnolia. Organizers encourage families, friends and supporters of law enforcement to attend and cheer on the competing teams while learning more about K-9 operations. They also hope the inaugural event will become an annual tradition for Columbia County. Those seeking additional information or interested in registration can contact event organizers Jerry Reich, Patti Reich or Stacey O’Donnell by phone at 870-904-9113 or by email at [email protected]. The event’s message is simple: Support the dogs. Support the handlers. Support public safety.

EL DORADO – Residents across much of South Arkansas should stay alert for the potential of heavy rain and localized flash flooding today and into the evening.

The National Weather Service has placed much of the southern two-thirds of the region under a Marginal Risk (Level 1 of 4) for excessive rainfall, with the greatest concern centered on areas including El Dorado, Texarkana, and surrounding communities. Forecasters say slow-moving thunderstorms and repeated rounds of rain could produce rainfall rates of 1 inch or more per hour, increasing the risk of flash flooding in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.

Additional rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches are expected across the region, with isolated locations receiving even higher amounts where storms repeatedly track over the same areas.

Motorists are urged to use caution if heavy rain develops. Roads can quickly become flooded, especially in areas that have already received significant rainfall. Officials remind drivers to never attempt to drive through flooded roadways and to remember the safety message: “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”

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Rain and thunderstorm activity is expected to gradually diminish later this evening, but residents should continue monitoring the latest forecasts and be prepared to act if a Flash Flood Warning is issued.

EL DORADO – Business leaders, entrepreneurs and community members will have an opportunity to expand their professional networks later this month during the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce’s July Business Hour.

The monthly networking event will be hosted by South Arkansas College on Tuesday, July 21, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the college’s Health Sciences Building, located at 401 W. Wesson Street in El Dorado.

The Business Hour is designed to bring together Chamber members and local professionals for an informal hour of networking, conversation and relationship building. Attendees will also have the opportunity to tour SouthArk’s Health Sciences Building while connecting with fellow business leaders, community partners and area professionals.

Chamber officials say the event is a chance for attendees to make new business connections, strengthen existing relationships and stay engaged with the local business community. The networking event is open to Chamber members and those interested in becoming more involved in the area’s business community.

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The El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce encourages anyone looking to grow their professional network and learn more about South Arkansas College’s Health Sciences programs and facilities to attend. The event is free to attend and no formal program is scheduled, allowing participants to network at their own pace.

MAGNOLIA – Southern Arkansas University recently recognized 75 faculty members for their scholarly accomplishments. The event, titled the All-Star Scholars Celebration, was held to recognize the research and scholarship produced by faculty.

“It was a wonderful event to acknowledge what our faculty are doing,” said Dr. Robin Sronce, provost and vice president for academic affairs at SAU. “It was to recognize that even though these faculty members are busy with teaching and advising students, they still remain active in the subjects that they teach.”

There were a total of over 280 scholarly activities reported by faculty members in the most recent academic year. They were in the categories of creative expressions, publications, presentations, and grants.

During the 2024 academic year, SAU faculty members produced 46 publications, gave over 140 presentations, presented 50 creative expressions, and wrote 52 grants.

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The scholarly work by faculty members also benefits current students at SAU.

“This scholarly work allows them to bring new ideas to the classroom,” added Sronce.

Dr. Tim Wise, professor of management, agrees that his research allows him to stay fresh in his field while presenting new ideas to his students.

Wise enjoys engaging in case research. One of his recent cases centered on the local restaurants MuleKick and Lefty’s.

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“I like to use case research because it’s something I can use in the classroom,” said Wise. “I talked with the owner of Lefty’s and MuleKick. She talked about how she started the restaurant, how she managed her restaurant, and a lot of other details that go into opening a restaurant and making a business successful.”

“I try to relate my case studies to topics we study in class and from the textbook,” added Wise.

Dr. Stacey Stanberry, assistant professor of education and director of elementary education and Rider Residency lead, said she uses research as a way to stay current in her field and to help students as they prepare for careers in education.

“My research is more centered around public education to help prepare educators,” said Stanberry. “Most of my research recently has been around our residency program and how it affects school districts.”

Sronce said the All-Star Scholars Celebration was a way of honoring and recognizing faculty members for their scholarly work. And she hoped the event would encourage faculty members to continue with that work.

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“We want to encourage faculty members to be lifelong learners and contributors to their fields,” said Sronce.