Watson Chapel School District

Congratulations to the following 2024-25 WCJH Cheerleaders and Steppers! Cheerleaders: Aubrey Bearden Rhilee Bishop La’Kyah Buckner La’Mia Buckner Jordyn Ellison A’Niylah Green London Heard Janesa Jackson Kaylie Pulling Ta’Lyn Shelton Chassidy Terrell E’Miya Watkins Steppers: Alizah Brooks Christopher Harris Ka’Niya Parker A’leigha Parks Faith Smith Kamariya Savage Dariyen Williams Desirae Williams Deyonna Williams

WCSD will hold a special board meeting on Thursday 3/28/24 at 6:00pm.

Watson Chapel Cafeteria's Fruit of the Month for March was Mangos!! Both our students and our staff loved them. They are a healthy snack choice but many people don't know how to prepare them. Mangos have a large seed in the center that you need to cut around. If you squeeze a mango and it gives slightly, it is ripe. Unripe mangos are very firm and sour/tart. Ripe mangos are the sweetest.

March is Music in Our Schools Month!! We proudly present Watson Chapel Choir Member Allahni Branch and her exciting trip to Carnegie Hall in New York City, New York! On February 7-11, our Watson Chapel High School Choir Member and Honors Performance Series (HPS) Honor Choir Finalist, Allahni, and her companions, participated in the Honors Performance Series (HPS) International Honor Choir event. This was a well organized activity! Allahni enjoyed her first flight on an airplane from Little Rock’s Clinton National Airport to Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, and on to New York’s JFK International Airport. She was accompanied by Her Mother Joye Branch, her grandmother Jessie Clemmons, her choir director Janet Johnson, and Mrs. Johnson’s husband Rev. Dr. Daniel W. Johnson. Day 1, February 7, was a travel day. Once at JFK, we were met by a representative from HPS named Rita. We rode the HPS Shuttle to the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel. Once we arrived, we had a finalist and family member check-in with the HPS Staff. Afterwards we headed out for dinner on our own. Day 2, February 8, the finalists had rehearsal at the hotel, and the families were guided to the subway for a trip to Lower Manhattan to visit the 911 Memorial, Ground Zero, the 911 Reflection Pool, the Oculus, Central Park, St. Joseph’s Church, Wall Street, The New York Stock Exchange, Radio City Music Hall, The National Museum of History and Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Statue of Liberty. Day 3, February 9, the finalists rehearsed and the families rested in some, but by 10:40 we were given an opportunity to sit in on the choir rehearsal for 30 minutes! What great music they made! At 11:30, we walked 5 blocks to the historic Carnegie Hall for a guided tour! That night, we attended a Broadway musical called Hades Town with our finalist (while some groups attended Hamilton or Wicked). We visited Rockerfeller Center and went to the Top of the Rock for a look at NYC at night!!! Spectacular City!!!!!! Day 4, February 10, was Concert Day! By 12:45 p.m. we gathered downstairs to be meet the shuttle bus to Carnegie Hall! The concerts began at 2:00 p.m. first the Orchestra, then the Treble Choir, and finally the SATB Honor Choir. Our finalist shined bright with the 184 singers from 44 states and 4 countries! They sang like angels, conducted by the awesome and amazing Dr. Jeffery Ames! After the concert, we boarded a big yacht for the Celebration Concert Cruise down the Hudson River with spectacular views of New York City and the Statue of Liberty!!! Day 5, February 11, was our travel home day. We are thankful for the Honors Performance Series and the Carnegie Hall New York experience. The HPS staff and team made us feel like family. We thank Delta Airlines for safe and timely flights, we thank those who supported Allahni, and most importantly, we thank God for providing perfect weather, safety, and the opportunity to participate in the Honors Performance Series in New York City. #singingcats #newyorknewyork #WCfamily

47 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE!! The Watson Chapel JROTC Program for Accreditation (JPA) was conducted on March 13, 2024. Representatives from the United States Army Cadet Command 5th Brigade from Fort Sam Houston, Texas conducted the inspection. The inspection included two formal briefings by the cadets and a review of cadet portfolios, Instructor portfolios and interviews with cadets concerning JROTC curriculum knowledge. It also included an In-Ranks inspection as well Color Guard and Drill. This level of inspection is performed every 2-3 years and determines if the school will continue to have an accredited JROTC program. Our students did an outstanding job scoring at 97.25 % earning the designation “Honor Unit with Distinction”. This award goes to units who held a very high standard, and puts the Watson Chapel JROTC program as an excellent program in the state and the nation. Watson Chapel JROTC has over 47 years of excellence! Watson Chapel JROTC is led by MAJ Small and Sergeant First Class Stocker. Thank you for EXCELLENT leadership!! #JROTCCATS #EXCELLENCE #WCfamily

Parents, Please join us tonight for some important information. #makingadifference #WCfamily

Be Pro Be Proud Draft Day Event: Thank you Mr. Whimper, Mrs. Sampson and Mrs. Dismuke for taking our WC scholars to an event that will shape their lives! Mr. Whimper is Watson Chapel's College and Career Coach. Mrs. Sampson and Mrs. Dismuke are English teachers at Watson Chapel. They are making a difference!! #investinginfuture #careers #WCfamily

Be Pro Be Proud Draft Day Event Watson Chapel was among several state-wide high schools that participated in the Be Pro Be Proud Draft Day on March 12th at the Pine Bluff Convention Center. The Be Pro Be Proud Draft Day event matches regional employers with graduating seniors for real interviews while providing Career and Training Exploration in the Career Expo for underclass students. The primary goal of the event focuses on building tomorrow’s workforce and taking students from high school to being hired. Central Moloney, Incorporated was the presenting sponsor for the event. In addition to Central Moloney, other companies such as Union Pacific Railroad, Riceland Foods, Inc., Baldwin and Shell Construction Company, Reynolds Construction Company, Mondi Group, Hampton Inn Hotels, Lexicon, Dassault Falcon Jet and Doggett Freightliner also participated in the event. #hireWC #BeProBeProud #WCfamily

Wildcat Warriors! Congratulations to Kayden Rowland (8th grade), Leo Toney (6th grade) and Janesa Jackson (7th grade) for being chosen Wildcat Warriors! They were honored at the WC Board Meeting last night. They are pictured with WC Junior High Asst. Principal, Mrs. Mauldin and Superintendent, Mr. Tom Wilson. Keep up the great work!! #PBIS #ROAR #WCfamily Photo credit: I.C. Murrell and the PB Commercial

Congratulationis to Mrs Tonya Sterling! Our Coleman Elementary School Nurse was chosen as the WCSD Wildcat Warrior for March! She was presented with a certificate and a free lunch from Leon's Catfish and Shrimp Restaurant. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the WCSD. Honoring Mrs. Sterling are District Nurse Kimberly Williams and Superintendent Mr. Tom Wilson. #WCfamily Thank you Leon's Catfish and Shrimp Restaurant! Photo credit: I.C. Murrell and the PB Commercial

March is Music In Our Schools Month! We are extremely proud of our very own musicians in the Watson Chapel Wildcat Golden Wave Band and our Wildcat Singing Cats Choir!! In celebration of Music In Our Schools Month and Women’s History Month, March 1, 2024, was a perfect time to welcome the Marian Anderson String Quartet to visit the music appreciation classes at Watson Chapel Jr. High School. This was an up close and personal experience with the musicians. Students were invited to participate by performing with the quartet. It was very interesting and engaging, and the music was very beautiful and exciting. Students asked and answered questions about the music they heard. Two students (Zoe Coleman and Kenneth Chambers) played along on the violin! Choir Director, Janet Johnson states, "I am thankful for the partnership with Ms. Katherine Williamson from the Chamber Music Society of Little Rock for bringing the Marian Anderson String Quartet to Watson Chapel. We look forward to partnering with the Chamber Music Society again! Happy Music In Our Schools Month and Happy Women’s History Month!! " The Marian Anderson String Quartet musicians are: Prudence McDaniel (cello), Deidra Lawrence (viola), Marianne Henry (1st violin), and Nicole Cherry (2nd violin). #singingcats #music #WCfamily

Do you know that March 4- 8th is National School Breakfast Week? All Watson Chapel students eat breakfast at no charge. Our breakfasts include breakfast grains, fruit, fruit juice and milk every day.

The Watson Chapel Combined Choir scored a composite Level 2 Excellent rating on their stage and song performance, and a Level 3 on their sight reading. A word from Choir Director, Janet Johnson: "We were not recommended for State Festival this year. That’s ok. The music we made together today and knowing we did our best makes us successful. We received lots of positive and constructive feedback from the judges to help us going forward. There’s always room for improvement. It’s the biggest room in the house, right? I just want these Wildcats to keep singing," Great Job Wildcats! #singingcats #onecat #WCfamily

Inclement Weather Makeup Day Plan: Days 1 & 2 will be made up on Wednesdays. Students will NOT be dismissed early on Wednesday for the remainder of the year. Days 3 & 4 will be made up on May 29-30.

Congratulationis to Mr. Chance Baughman! Our Network Administrator was chosen as the WCSD Wildcat Warrior for February. He was presented with a certificate and a free lunch from Leon's Catfish and Shrimp Restaurant. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the WCSD. Honoring Mr. Chance Baughman are Asst. Superintendent Dee Davis and Technology Coordinator Jennifer Howington. #techcats #WCfamily Thank you Leon's Catfish and Shrimp Restaurant! Photo credit: I.C. Murrell and the PB Commercial

Wildcat Warriors! Congratulations to Kingston McBride (fourth grade) and David Sterling (fifth grade) for being chosen Wildcat Warriors! They were honored at the WC Board Meeting last night. They are pictured with Asst. Superintendent Dee Davis and Coleman Dean of Students Ora Reynolds. Keep up the great work!! #PBIS #ROAR #WCfamily Photo credit: I.C. Murrell and the PB Commercial

Congratulations to our own Jayden Carroll (9th)! His performance at this weekend's 5A South Jr Regionals in Quiz Bowl earned him recognition as an All-Tournament player, one of the top scoring individuals of the day. If you see him or his teammates, congratulate them for a job well done! Go Wildcats!! Pictured: Braydon Skinner, Kenya Bell, Jayden Carroll, Madison Bagby #quizbowl #smartycats #WCfamily

Watson Chapel's PPC is asking for your input regarding our upcoming school year's calendar. We are considering a change from the Traditional Academic Calendar to an Early Start/Year Round Calendar and need your feedback. Please help us make the best decision for our stakeholders by clicking the link below and filling out the survey. The survey can also be found on our website if you are unable to access the link. https://forms.gle/YxT1YzYkEgYRRNvy6

Please see the attached letter from WCJH principal regarding the upcoming NAEP assessment on January 30.

In November 2023, we had the privilege of serving at the Arkansas Foodbank located in Little Rock, AR. Many of the students who attended the November volunteer shift wanted the opportunity to give back to the Foodbank. Thank you Watson Chapel High School FCCLA members for having a heart for service in your community and surrounding areas.