Cabot Schools Earn AR GEM Recognition & $422,066.74 in Reward Funds

Nine Cabot schools have been named Arkansas GEM Schools for outstanding student achievement and academic growth, with Cabot schools earning a combined $422,066.74 in reward funds.

This year marks the first release of Arkansas GEM School awards by the Arkansas Department of Education. The program recognizes schools demonstrating outstanding results in academic achievement, academic growth, and sustained improvement.

Several Cabot schools earned recognition in multiple areas, including overall achievement and growth as well as achievement and growth in specific content areas.

The nine Cabot schools receiving Arkansas GEM School recognition are Cabot Freshman Academy, Cabot High School, Cabot Middle School North, Eastside Elementary School, Magness Creek Elementary, Mountain Springs Elementary, Northside Elementary School, Stagecoach Elementary School, and Ward Central Elementary School.

Six of those schools also earned a combined $422,066.74 through the Arkansas School Recognition Program:

Arkansas awarded $7 million statewide through the School Recognition Program to schools demonstrating exceptional performance in student achievement and growth. The program provides financial awards to qualifying public schools based on student performance and academic growth.

The Cabot School District is extremely proud of our students, teachers, staff, and administrators for these accomplishments. These recognitions reflect the hard work taking place in our classrooms every day and the continued commitment to helping every student grow and succeed.

Schools receiving recognition funds establish a committee to determine how the funds will be used. In previous years, Cabot schools have invested recognition funds in additional technology, educational equipment, and instructional materials.

The recognition comes as the Arkansas Department of Education also released school and district letter grades. The Cabot School District earned a B, a rating earned by 115 Arkansas school districts, or 45.28 percent of districts statewide.

We are Panther Proud of all of our schools. Every building continues to work diligently to support student success, while recognizing there is always more work to do.

With continued dedication and teamwork, we will keep pushing forward, striving for excellence, and doing what is best for every student, every day.