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Springdale’s School Of Innovation Opens To Students Monday

SPRINGDALE (KFSM) — Just in time for the new school year, Springdale’s School of Innovation students will be starting classes in a brand new buildin...

SPRINGDALE (KFSM) -- Just in time for the new school year, Springdale's School of Innovation students will be starting classes in a brand new building.

Prior to that, for two years the School of Innovation held classes at the Jones Center. The new building, which will open to students Monday (Aug. 15), is on Hylton Road, south of Highway 412.

The new School of Innovation was constructed in about year, which is the fastest any Springdale school has ever been built, according to school district spokesman Rick Schaeffer.

The school is different from the other schools in the district, and many other schools in the state, because it focuses on a personalized learning model. Schaeffer said that means a student who is great at math, but not so great at science can complete their math at an accelerated level and take their time with the science courses.

Students will also have the opportunity to take college courses along with their high school courses, so they can graduate with an associate degree from Northwest Arkansas Community College. All students will also leave with internship experience.

"We expect our students to be real-world-ready to graduate," Principal Joe Rollins said. "That includes that internship piece, the college experience and then some of the computer skills that they will take with them just by being part of the process here."

Rollins believes, by combining all those aspects, School of Innovation students will be the most marketable students to come out of the Springdale School District.

The school operates like a charter school, which means is free to attend and bus transportation will be provided by the district. Schaeffer said students do have to go through an application process to be accepted into the School of Innovation.

There will be 600 students in the new building. They will start classes in the northern wing of the school while construction continues on the southern wing of the building, which will allow the district to add more students in the future.

The school district will also be opening a new elementary school Aug. 15. Linda Childers Knapp Elementary is located on Oriole Street, behind Kelly Middle School and near the School of Innovation.

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