[watts]

My husband's work is transferring him to Little Rock. We found out last week and hope to stay here in MN until June, when the kids get done with school.

We have some cities in mind and I would like some feedback on them. I have never been to AR so I am going in to this totally blind!

Maumelle
Conway
Cabot
Benton
North Little Rock

We aren't acreage people as we are social, want to meet other young families and like to be surrounded by others (but not living on top of one another).

I'm particularly concerned about the schools in the Little Rock area. Which school districts should we totally AVOID? My daughter is in kindergarten at a Spanish Immersion school (solely taught in Spanish ALL the time). Is there any Spanish Immersion schools in the Little Rock area? My search has brought me nothing.

Any feedback is welcome. I've lived in Minnesota my entire life and never thought I would be leaving. I'm going in to this with an open mind and a positive outlook...but it would be helpful to get feedback from those who are THERE, kwim?

TIA!!

~S

[ArkansasTraveler]

Originally Posted by watts

I would like some feedback --

Which school districts should we totally AVOID?

All

Originally Posted by watts

My daughter is in kindergarten at a Spanish Immersion school (solely taught in Spanish ALL the time).

Spain would be a good place for you and daughter, not much Spanish spoken in Arkansas. Mex yes but not Spanish.

Originally Posted by watts

Is there any Spanish Immersion schools in the Little Rock area?

May come across a Mex school but very unlikely.

Originally Posted by watts

Any feedback is welcome.

What do any of the 647 Watts of Arkansas have to say about you yankee Watts moving in?


I see that Arkansas Traveler is banned on the left but with this up on the right side - Welcome, ArkansasTraveler.
You last visited: 12-23-2006 at 08:40 PM
Private Messages: Unread 0, Total 6.

[woopig_sooie]

I've lived in North Little Rock and Conway and I would definately chose Conway over NLR. Maumelle is probably the nicest of the communities you mentioned, but in turn it is probably the highest to live in.

I would definatley look at maumelle. There seems to be alot of young families moving into the area. Conway schools are probably the best out of the towns you mentioned, however I've never heard of any "all spanish schools". Spanish, however, is required for graduation now in Arkansas.

LR schools are pretty rough, but not too bad but it sounds like you would like to live outside of LR anyway.
I can tell you more specifics about the towns if you like, but many have been covered in previous threads on this board.

[ArkansasTraveler]

Originally Posted by woopig_sooie

Spanish, however, is required for graduation now in Arkansas.

http://www.homeedonline.com/pophsgrad.html (broken link)
STATE OF ARKANSAS
PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

21 units of credit must be earned by a student in grades 9-12 in order for that student to be entitled to graduate from an Arkansas public high school. These same standards apply to students who want to participate in the Home Ed graduation. Of the 21 units, 18 must be comprised of academic credit as stated by the following: (1 unit = 2 semesters)

* English - 4 units to be taken in 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grades
* English Language Arts - 1/2 unit (English, Journalism, Grammar, or Communications)
* Oral Communications - 1/2 unit
* Social Studies - 3 units, including:
o World History - 1 unit
o US History - 1 unit
o Civics or Government - 1/2 unit
* Mathematics - 3 units, including:
o Algebra - 1 unit
o Geometry or its equivalent - 1 unit
o All students must take a math course in grade 11 or 12 and complete Algebra 2.
o 1 unit from the following options (Transitions to College Math, Pre-Calculus, Trigonometry, Statistics, Computer Math, Algebra III or Advanced Placement Math).
o Effective for the graduating class of 2009: 4 units of mathematics will be required.
* Science - 3 units (4 units for special, more rigorous Smart Core), including:
o Physical Science - 1 unit
o Biology - 1 unit
o Chemistry - 1 unit
o Physics - 1 unit
* Physical Education - 1/2 unit
* Foreign Language - 2 units (2 consecutive years of same language recommended for college entrance)
* Health and Safety - 1/2 unit
* Fine Arts - 1/2 unit (art, dance, drama, music)
* Technology - 1 unit
* Career Focus - (homeschool students can do electives instead of career focus)
* Electives - any additional units

It is important to note that high school graduation requirements and college entry requirements may not be the same. For college entry, the more academic and upper-level classes taken, the better. Those students who are interested in going to college would benefit from 4 units of social studies, science and math, and at least two consecutive years of foreign language. Only courses actually taken during grades 9-12 can be transcripted.


http://www.arkansas.gov/search/arpor...tion&Submit=GO

4. Foreign Languages (A minimum of 2 units of the same language must be offered)

LEVEL I FOREIGN LANGUAGE 1
LEVEL II FOREIGN LANGUAGE 1

One can even take Hawai'ian pidgin and learn how to say HOWZIT Braddah - thats Aloha to you white folks. No level II, we all on one level.

[watts]

Thank you both for the info! I am looking forward to visiting in a few weeks to get a feel for the areas I mentioned in my first post. I'm really liking Maumelle.

[woopig_sooie]

I thought the same thing, but my coworkers have been telling me that Little Rock schools are requiring their kids to take spanish or at least some form of foreign language. Maybe I misunderstood them.

[watts]

BTW ~ How exactly does one "call the hog"? My girlfriend in Dallas (who went to college in Fayetteville) told me that I need to learn how to do that before moving. lol She told me but I forgot. Seeing your name "Woopig Sooie" reminded me.

Can we still be Vikings/Twins/Wild fans publicly or do we need to hide it? *wink*

[JeffAtkins]

learn how to call the hogs...

http://www.houstonnutt.com/tradition3.htm (broken link)

I've been here 18 years and haven't memorized it yet.

[woopig_sooie]

Originally Posted by watts

BTW ~ How exactly does one "call the hog"? My girlfriend in Dallas (who went to college in Fayetteville) told me that I need to learn how to do that before moving. lol She told me but I forgot. Seeing your name "Woopig Sooie" reminded me.

Can we still be Vikings/Twins/Wild fans publicly or do we need to hide it? *wink*

Just go to a game sometime and you'll learn in 2 minutes! Random Hog calls have even been know to occur in bars on Dickson St, gas stations, Wal-Mart, etc...

Not alot of Vikings fans here, but there are alot of Green Bay fans. You'll find yourself in a hostile crowd if you're at a Green Bay bar sporting those purple garments. Just kiddin.... Wave your flags and support them openly. We have alot of Texas fans living in LR, and they may get a little verbal harrasment every now and then, but nothing too bad....

Baseball: it's pretty much St. Louis or The Cubs.

[anjoe]

Also, There is Sheridan that is South of Little Rock. Lots of places close to Little Rock. Good luck!