Dragon Strong Community
Superintendent's Update - April 28 New Dragons!
Welcome our new Dragons!
Dear Dragon Community,
As we wrap up this school year, we are also busy preparing for the next school year. Some members of our faculty are reaching the career milestones of retirement, while others are going in different directions with role or career changes. As we build systems to ensure high levels of learning for all, we adapt and adjust, which means some new roles for some of our team, and new Dragons join the team.
We appreciate the investment each team member has made in our schools and with our teams, and we wish them the best.
As we welcome new members into our organization, we also welcome them into the community. When we extend a contract to our new employees, we give them "20 square feet" of the organization. This is a metaphor to symbolize the importance of their leadership and how they use and manage within their own space as part of the greater whole. Besides having the credentials, these candidates demonstrated their skill and commitment to owning their own "20 square feet" as leaders in their classroom, roles, and departments.
Please help these new Dragons see and experience why Mountainburg is such a special place to live, work, and teach.
Sincerely,
Dr. Debbie Atwell
Superintendent
New Roles for Administration
Mrs. Cristee has had the opportunity to intern for the principal role under Mrs. Howard's leadership and will step into the role as principal for MHS. Her dedication to the school and community, and her commitment to lead MHS into high levels of learning is Dragon Strong.
Coach Mike McDonald will step into the role of Student Performance Specialist for Middle School and High School, and continue to coach boys basketball. He will lead the behavior teams, oversee student activities and organizations, student discipline, and lead the student leadership in R Factor.
Amanda Howard - Middle School Principal
I am thrilled to turn my sole attention and energy towards the great work we are doing in with our 5-8 students and programs. I'm proud of the team we have become, and excited to continue the journey of innovative, brain-based strategies in the classroom and developing physical activity and leadership outside the classroom.
I feel very blessed to start my third year as an administrator at Mountainburg Middle School Brain Academy, and to be part of a team that is willing to do whatever it takes to assure high levels of learning for ALL students!
Courtney Cristee - High School Principal
Michael McDonald - Student Performance Specialist & Boys Basketball Coach
New Athletic Director & New Coaching Roles
Coach Zac Dean will assist with SR football, lead the JR football team as Head Coach, coach the SR girls basketball team one final season, and assume the role of Head Football coach and Athletic Director at semester.
Coach Paige Jones joins the Dragons to lead the 7th-grade girls, JR girls, and assist with the Jr Boys and Sr girls basketball. In 22-23 she will assume the role of SR girls head coach.
Zach Pense will assume the role of head baseball coach, and Little League Director for baseball and softball in 21-22. He will be assisted in baseball by Randy Hoelscher.
Zac Dean - Athletic Director & Football Coach
Paige Jones - Basketball Coach
I am married to Darren Jones. We have 3 children, Carsyn-21, Kelton-14, and Camdyn-8. My hobbies include fishing, working puzzles, and attending my children's events and activities. I am looking forward to becoming part of the Dragon family. I like the idea of coming to a smaller school and developing relationships with the faculty and students that will last a lifetime. Of course, being closer to Dairy Dream and mountainburgers is an added bonus!
Zach Pense - Baseball Coach
Randy Hoelscher - Assistant Baseball Coach
assistant baseball coach. I look forward to continuing the successful
tradition Coach Harrell, Coach Pense, and Coach Hamilton have built over
the past decade!"
New Opportunities to Support Literacy & Math
We are excited to provide more support for literacy and math from professional development, coaching, and classroom support for teachers, to new Critical Reading and Critical Math courses for students.
We are super pumped about the new courses, Critical Reading, that Mr. Blakney will be leading at MHS!
Travis Blakney - Critical Reading Courses
Sarah Walker - Instructional Facilitator, MMS & MHS
New Team Members
As faculty and staff retire or change jobs, we welcome these new Dragons to the team and community!
Johnny Allen - Maintenance Assistant
Melissa Seratt - Transportation Secretary
As a 17 year employee of Mountainburg Schools, I have had several roles and have worked with some of the most amazing, hard-working, and dedicated professionals I have ever known. I feel beyond blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from and be a part of such an amazing team.
I am looking forward to my new role as Transportation Secretary with heartfelt enthusiasm. I am confident that the skills that I have gained during my employment with the district will serve as an asset to the transportation team.
Crystal Jenkins - Paraprofessional, Elementary
I am originally from Van Buren but have lived here locally for the last twelve years. I have been married to my husband, Aden, for seven years and we have one daughter. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Arkansas Fort Smith.
When my daughter started preschool, I decided to return to the workforce. This past fall, I started working as a substitute teacher through ess South Central at Mountainburg Elementary School. When the position of Paraprofessional became available, I immediately applied. I am so excited for this opportunity to be employed at a great school in an amazing community.
Cheryl Price - Special Education Teacher, Elementary
Lisa Faulkner - Special Education Teacher, Middle School
My name is Lisa Diane (Pense) Faulkner, and I have accepted a position teaching Middle School Special Education for the 2021-22 school year as Mountainburg Dragon. I graduated from Mountainburg High School in 1982. After high school, I got married, and had a family (3 beautiful girls). I graduated from Arkansas Tech University in 1994 with a B.Ed. After graduating from college, I taught Kindergarten through third grades at Winslow and Mountainburg for a total of thirteen years. I graduated from Harding University in 2013 with a K-12 Special Education degree. I have been teaching Special Education at West Fork Middle School for the past 8 years. While I have been away from Mountainburg, I have met many new people, made a lot of new friends, and I have worked with many students that I will miss seeing every day. I have also gained two son-n-laws and 5 grandchildren! Even though I will miss teaching at West Fork, I am so excited to be returning to Mountainburg to be a Dragon again! It will be like coming home and having a reunion with old friends.
Cynthia Johnson - Science Teacher, Middle School
I will return to Mountainburg Public Schools as your 7th & 8th grade Science teacher. No matter how far away I’ve been, I’ve always bled true blue! I am so excited to return and not only be a Dragon again but help raise the next generation of Dragons.
Jordan Blackman - Math Teacher, Middle School
After graduating from Bible college in Oklahoma and working in marketing for a few years, I decided to return home to pursue my passion for teaching! I am absolutely thrilled to be working in Mountainburg and I look forward to serving our students and community in any way that I am able!
Leading Dragon Strong
- Honor our History through Values and Traditions
- Build our present through Teamwork and Collaboration
- Create our future through Creativity and Innovation
Dr. Debbie Atwell is serving her third year as superintendent. She and husband Roger are MHS graduates, life long residents of the community, and are owned by dogs Woodrow & Sadie.
Email: debbie.atwell@mountainburg.org
Website: www.mountainburg.org
Location: 129 Hwy 71 SW, Mountainburg
Phone: 479-369-2121