The celebration of 150 Years of Fayetteville Public Schools kicked off on Thursday, March 18 at the regular meeting of the Fayetteville Board of Education.
“We are very proud of our designation as Fayetteville School District #1,” said Dr. John L Colbert, Superintendent of Schools. “As the first public school district granted a charter by the State of Arkansas, we have always accepted that responsibility to be a leader and innovator in public education in Arkansas. In our first 150 years, so many extraordinary educators have taught tens of thousands of outstanding students, and those students have made major contributions in Fayetteville, in Arkansas, and around the world. We stand on a strong and proud tradition of excellence, and we have great expectations for the future of Fayetteville Public Schools.”
A 150th Timeline that features significant moments in the history of the district has been created and is viewable online. The timeline will be a work in progress through the fall. If former students, parents of former students, or former staff members have old photos they would like to contribute to the timeline, those can be emailed to fpsdeptofcomm@fayar.net.
FPS students have also created artwork to commemorate the 150th celebration. The artwork will be available to view online, and selected pieces will be displayed around Fayetteville in the coming weeks.
Additional events to celebrate the 150th milestone include bike trail rides, historical education, and opportunities for alumni and friends to share their memories of Fayetteville Public Schools. A complete list of events will be posted on the district’s website.