LRSD News

Attention Parents:

Rockefeller Early Childhood Center is Open today, February 13, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact the center.

Congratulations to Don R. Roberts Elementary, whose two teams swept the first two places in the 2011 "M-ath"letes Challenge! Western Hills took the 3rd-place spot, and Rockefeller and Jefferson rounded out the top five of this year's competition.

The "M-ath"letes Challenge championship round was held at UALR. Students in grades 3 - 5 competed over the course of three weeks in three separate rounds to make it to the final round. A total of 26 teams compete in Round 1; ten teams advanced to the "Top 10" for Round 2. The top five teams then advanced to the Championship Round.

The “M-ath”letes Challenge is a competition designed to provide Benchmark Assessment preparation and enrichment to students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade. Students compete for certificates, ribbons, trophies and an overall district trophy for the winning “M-ath”letes Challenge team and their school.

Two teams from Rockefeller’s 5th grade GT classes advanced to the finals of the Young Entrepreneurs Showcase (Y.E.S) held at McCain Mall. This annual business plan and entrepreneurship competition showcases teams of 5th-8th graders from across Arkansas. There are cash prizes in the areas of business plan, marketing piece, retail display booth and innovation. Judges for the competition are bankers and entrepreneurs. Only the top 25 business plans of the over 150 submitted advance to the finals.

The Cool Collars team made reflective and flea repellant dog collars, crafted out of duct tape. They were the winners of the second place prize for their Business Plan. Each student was awarded $50 and a trophy.

The CDCyclers team made necklace notebooks out of recycled CDs. They were featured on Good Morning Arkansas and have their product for sale at The Green Corner Store and Gallery 26. Their product was inspired by a project done in their art class with Sharon Boyd-Struthers, Rockefeller’s Art Specialist.

Rockefeller has sent teams to the finals for the last three years. According to GT Specialist Faye Hanson, “Every year we submit 4-7 plans for viable businesses. We research and brainstorm and write and work as a team to produce our products. This is such a great experience for my students. We all like the cash prizes, but I am especially pleased at how my students can hold their own against older students. Every year is better and better. It is challenging and lots of fun.”

What's the difference between an athlete and a "M-ath"lete?

Athletes spend hours upon hours training their bodies to perform to the best of their ability at sports. "M-ath"letes spend hours upon hours training their brains to perform to the best of their ability at math!

Jason Crader at Carver Magnet Elementary created the “M-ath”letes Challenge five years ago for students in grades 3 through 5 as a fun way to practice as a team for the annual Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program (ACTAAP) exam. The competition is open to all elementary schools in the Little Rock School District. Many schools also have created spinoff programs to help their students prepare for the math section of the ACTAAP. About 130 students participated this year in the official "M-ath"letes Challenge competition, but hundreds more competed in similar competitions at their own schools.

Students participate by working collaboratively to complete a 40-question exam in two 20-minute intervals during each round.

Twenty-six teams took part in the competition, which is composed of three rounds. In round one the field is narrowed down to 10 teams. Round two narrows it down even more to the top five, and then the champion is crowned in the third and final round, which is held at UALR.

Congratulations to the five teams who earned finalist standing in this year's "M-ath"letes competition:

Carver Magnet Elementary -- 40 points
Rockefeller Elementary -- 39 points
Fulbright Elementary Team 2 -- 38 points
Fulbright Elementary Team 1 -- 37 points
Forest Park Elementary -- 35 points