Westside Consolidated School District Explained

Westside Consolidated School District
Motto:	leading the Way in Educational Excellence
Grades:	PK–12
Superintendent:	Mr. Scott Gauntt
Schools:	3
Students:	1,669
Teachers:	128.42 (on FTE basis)
Staff:	258.42 (on FTE basis)
Ratio:	13.00
Conference:	4A Region 3 (2012–14)
Accreditation:	Arkansas Department of Education
Mascot:	Warriors
Colors:	Scarlet White
Location:	1630 AR 91 West Jonesboro, Arkansas 72404
Country:	USA

Westside Consolidated School District #5 is a public school district headquartered in unincorporated Craighead County, Arkansas, near Jonesboro.^{[1] [2]}

The district encompasses 207.99mi2 of land, and serves several rural communities in the Craighead and Lawrence counties.^{[3] [4]} It principally serves Bono, Cash, and Egypt,^{[5] [6]} and it also serves portions of Jonesboro.^[3] Of the three main communities, as of 2003 Bono is the largest.^[7]

All schools and the district are accredited by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) and AdvancED.

History

The school district opened in 1966, a consolidation of the Bono, Cash, and Egypt School districts.^[8]

In 1975, the Westside High School obtained accreditation from AdvancED (formerly North Central Association).^[9]

In 1994, the Westside Elementary School obtained accreditation from AdvancED.^[10]

In 1997, the Westside Middle School obtained accreditation from AdvancED.^[11]

In 1998, the Westside Middle School shooting occurred., there was a perception that the schools were unsafe due to the attack.^[12]

James Dunivan served as superintendent beginning in 2000,^[13] and served as such until 2004, when he took that job at the Nettleton School District. James P. Best, previously the superintendent of the Heber Springs School District, replaced Dunivan.^[14]

Schools

The district's schools include:^[2]

• Westside Elementary School, serving more than 650 students in prekindergarten through grade 4 (PK–4).
• Westside Middle School, serving more than 350 students in grades 5 through 7.
• Westside High School, serving more than 550 students in grades 8 through 12.

Previously the district had a separate Westside Junior High School.^[15]

Further reading

• Web site: Arkansas Department of Education school district maps, 1952-1954 Craighead County, 1952-1954. Arkansas Digital Archives. Arkansas State Archives. (Download) - Includes boundaries of predecessor school districts: Cash, Bono, and Egypt

Notes and References

1. "Jonesboro city, Arkansas." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on October 18, 2010.
2. "Contact Us ." Westside Consolidated School District. Retrieved on October 18, 2010.
3. Web site: SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Craighead County, AR. U.S. Census Bureau. 2018-06-04.
4. Web site: SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Lawrence County, AR. U.S. Census Bureau. 2018-06-04.
5. https://web.archive.org/web/20040520230643/http://warriors.crsc.k12.ar.us/ Home
6. Deadly Lessons: Understanding Lethal School Violence. The National Academies, Committee on Law and Justice, Board on Children, Youth and Families. 2003. 102. Retrieved on October 18, 2010. "The Westside School District is one of five public school districts in the immediate area and serves the Bono, Cash, and Egypt communities, which lie adjacent to Jonesboro and are largely rural towns."
7. Deadly Lessons: Understanding Lethal School Violence. The National Academies, Committee on Law and Justice, Board on Children, Youth and Families. 2003. 102 Acknowledgements. Retrieved on October 18, 2010. "Bono is the largest of the three with a population just over 1,000 residents. Cash and Egypt count 280 and 112 residents, respectively."
8. Web site: Goatcher. Truett. School District Consolidation Will Save Millions of Dollars: Fact of Myth?. Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators. January 1999. 12 (PDF p. 15/27).
9. Web site: Institution Summary, Westside High School . AdvancED . January 7, 2013.
10. Web site: Institution Summary, Westside Elementary School . AdvancED . January 7, 2013.
11. Web site: Institution Summary, Westside Middle School . AdvancED . January 7, 2013.
12. News: Schools. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. 2008-04-22. 2018-06-04.
13. Web site: Askins, LeAnn. Westside's Dunivan leaving to assume. https://web.archive.org/web/20040508173811/http://warriors.crsc.k12.ar.us/westside_in_news.htm. dead. 2004-05-08. Jonesboro Sun. 2003-12-09. 2019-12-22.
14. Web site: Askins, LeAnn. New superintendent hired for Westside. https://web.archive.org/web/20040508173811/http://warriors.crsc.k12.ar.us/westside_in_news.htm. dead. 2004-05-08. Jonesboro Sun. 2004-03-05. 2019-12-22.
15. Web site: Home. https://web.archive.org/web/20040520230643/http://warriors.crsc.k12.ar.us/. dead. 2004-05-20. Westside Consolidated School District. 2004-05-02. 2019-12-22.