Nevada School District

09/03/2026

Way to go, Mrs. Norwood! 💙

🌟 **SWAEC MENTOR BRAG!** 🌟

Our **Mentoring Specialist, Tyler Linton**, gets to see some pretty awesome mentoring happening across our region—and we think it deserves a little bragging! 🙌

This shoutout goes to **Mrs. Taylor Norwood at Nevada High School!** 💙⭐ Taylor recently created and shared a Parent Communication Log to help fellow mentors and novice teachers across SWAEC.

Sharing what works and helping others succeed—that’s what mentoring is all about. 👏

Way to go, Mrs. Norwood! 🌟

09/02/2026

Roots & Wings
Stories of the Blue Jay
Featuring: Sonya Ingram-Thomas - Class of 1995

Dr. Sonya Ingram-Thomas shared an honest and inspiring message about refusing to let a test score—or someone else’s expectations—determine her future.

After earning a 15 on the ACT, Sonya was told that she probably would not succeed in college and should go straight to work. Although she considered herself an average student and struggled with test anxiety, she knew that one score did not reflect her true ability or measure the size of her dreams.

Sonya became a first-generation college student at Southern Arkansas University. While attending college, she worked to help ease the financial burden on her parents and completed remedial courses before earning her bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She continued her education, earning master’s degrees from Arkansas Tech University and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Most recently, she accomplished a lifelong goal by earning her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Liberty University.

Today, Dr. Ingram-Thomas serves as the Director of Career Pathways at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana, where she has worked for 19 years. In this role, she helps students overcome financial struggles, family responsibilities, self-doubt, and other barriers that can stand between them and a college education. “My goal is to help them see that those barriers do not have to define their future.”

She offered our students some important practical advice: take the ACT seriously, take it more than once, apply for scholarships early, and never be afraid to lean on family members, friends, teachers, and mentors for support.

“I share my story because I want every student—especially those from small towns—to know this: your background does not limit your future. A single test score does not determine your potential. Where you start does not decide where you can go. I am living proof that being from a small town does not deter dreams. With determination, hard work, and belief in yourself, anything is possible. Never let anyone else decide what you are capable of achieving. Your story is still being written, and it can be extraordinary!”

We are incredibly proud of Dr. Sonya Ingram-Thomas and grateful that she took the time to share her story with today’s Blue Jays! Her journey is a beautiful example of how the roots planted in a small community—faith, family, and determination—can give us the strength to grow beyond every expectation and the wings to carry our dreams farther than we even imagine.

We have more ~ Stories of the Blue Jay ~ on the way. We'd love to share yours, too. E-mail your story, photo, and/or video to [email protected].

09/02/2026

Miss Moss’s kindergartners hit the hopscotch court to practice skip counting by 1s, while Mrs. Cole’s 3rd graders leveled up their skills with multiples of 3. Our Nevada Elementary students are mastering this week's math word of the day: multiples!

08/31/2026

📣 MATH WORD OF THE WEEK AT NEVADA ELEMENTARY! ✖️✨

Happy Monday, Nevada Elementary families! It’s time to boost our math vocabulary! This week, our students are diving into the word: MULTIPLE! 🧠💡

What is a multiple?

A multiple is the product you get when you multiply a number by any whole number. For example, the multiples of 3 are 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and so on! Think of it like skip-counting! 🔢

Why is Math so important?

Math isn't just about worksheets—it’s a superpower for life! Understanding foundational math concepts like multiples helps our students build critical thinking skills, master multiplication and division, and learn how to solve real-world problems with confidence! 💪⭐

🏡 2 Easy Ways Parents Can Help Practice "Multiples" at Home:

1️⃣ **The Snack-Time Skip Count 🍎 Line up snacks like pretzels, berries, or crackers in equal groups (for example, groups of 4). Have your child count them by skipping: "4, 8, 12... look, those are multiples of 4!"

2️⃣ Grocery Store Multiples Hunt 🛒 Next time you’re shopping, look at items sold in packs! If juice boxes come in packs of 6, ask your child: "If we buy 1 pack, that's 6. What if we buy 2 packs? 3 packs?" They’ll quickly see that 6, 12, and 18 are all multiples of 6!
Pictured is Mrs Cisneros’ math class pointing to our word of the week! Stay tuned for more students sharing “multiple” ways to explore our math word of the week.

08/31/2026

Congratulations to the Nevada Jr. Lady Jays Volleyball Team on WINNING the Silver Bracket of the Southwest Classic Junior High Volleyball Tournament at Garrett Memorial!

Congratulations also to Raelyn Sampson on being named MVP!

We are so proud of you girls. Keep working hard.

08/31/2026

P*e wee practice Tuesday, 9/1

3rd/4th boys 6-7
5th/6th boys 7-8

Sunday no practice due to Labor Day weekend

P*e Wees Thursday, 9/3 @ Emerson

5:00 3rd/4th girls
5:30 3rd boys
6:00 4th boys
6:30 5th/6th girls
7:00 5th boys
7:30 6th boys

08/31/2026

08/26/2026

Roots & Wings
Stories of the Blue Jay
Featuring: Logan Moss - Class of 2019

Logan shared his video from an impressive setting—in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

In this short clip, he explains his work as an Associate Director of Public Policy for NASDA, the path that led him there, and what his role involves. He also offered students some motivational advice about discovering their interests and pursuing their passions.

Logan provided valuable insight into planning for the future, including typical salaries for similar careers, the importance of considering the cost of living, and other practical factors teenagers may not always think about when exploring career options.

During high school, Logan was very active in both FBLA and FFA, attending and competing at national conferences with each organization. He ended his video by sharing his favorite NHS memory—attending the FFA National Convention in 2017.

“That was a really great experience for me. It was the first time I ever got to really think about what agriculture looks like on a global scale—outside of just my area of Arkansas and outside of the South. I began to look at issues that face the entire country. FFA really opened my eyes to what agriculture looks like domestically and abroad.”

Since graduating from Nevada, Logan has traveled across the country through his work. At the time he recorded the video, he was also preparing for a trip to Africa, where he would speak about the U.S. agriculture and food system.

We are incredibly proud of Logan and all he has accomplished since leaving Nevada High School. From a small school in southwest Arkansas to the steps of the U.S. Capitol—and now sharing his knowledge around the world—he is a wonderful example of how far a Blue Jay’s wings can carry them. Thank you, Logan, for remembering your roots, giving back to your school, and inspiring today’s students to dream big.

We have more ~ Stories of the Blue Jay ~ on the way. We'd love to share yours, too. E-mail your story, photo, and/or video to [email protected].

08/25/2026

P*e Wee Practices

Tuesday 8/25
3/4 girls 6-7
5/6 girls 7-8

No boys practice Thursday due to home volleyball game

Sunday 8/30 (times pushed back an hour)
3/4 girls 1-2
5/6 girls 2-3
3/4 boys 3-4
5/6 boys 4-5