Wilbur D. Mills Education Service Cooperative

Last week, WDMESC partnered with Economics Arkansas to offer a fantastic professional development opportunity at Christmas at the Warehouse in Des Arc! 🎄 Paul Guess, owner and current Chamber of Commerce President, shared his inspiring entrepreneurial journey and how he’s bringing fresh ideas and exciting events to Des Arc. It’s a privilege to see local leaders shaping the future of their community! #yourBESTsolution

A big thank you to Economics Arkansas for partnering with WDMESC to provide an incredible professional development opportunity at The Local Spark in Conway last night! 🌟 Educators had the chance to learn from a former teacher about the power of entrepreneurship while also investing in their own human capital. #yourBESTsolution

Yesterday, high school students from Hazen and Jacksonville North Pulaski had the unique opportunity to visit the co-op and participate in the UAMS Find Your Future live-stream event! Students explored various hospital careers, including physical therapy, sonography, respiratory therapy, medicine, and nursing. They gained hands-on experience learning about intubation, taping an ankle, and even dissecting a sheep eye. This immersive event provided valuable insights into the diverse roles within the medical field and sparked inspiration for future healthcare professionals. #yourBESTsolution

Are you an OT, PT, SLP? Then take a look at this! #yourBESTsolution

That’s a wrap on Cybersecurity Awareness Month! We’ve covered phone safety, wire fraud, family online safety, and disinformation. As we close out, here’s a quick recap of some key takeaways: https://www.wizer-training.com/hubfs/SAMK-2024/w5-cyber-awareness-wrap-up-ms.pdf #StayWizer!

Are you an OT, PT, SLP? Then take a look at this! #yourBESTsolution

CyberPatriot Program Contest Extended Until November 15th! Due to an overwhelming response from Arkansas teachers preparing their students for CyberPatriot certification, the quiz system experienced a high volume of users, temporarily preventing access for some. We’re happy to announce that testing will resume on November 1st, and to accommodate everyone, we’ve extended the contest deadline to November 15th. This gives you extra time to participate and ensure you are entered into the contest. Miss the deadline? Don’t worry—students can still pursue CyberPatriot certification after the contest ends, as the program will continue beyond this date. #yourBESTsolution

High school students from 9 of our districts participated in a free ACT Prep session with CW Prep yesterday. Excited to see how their scores improve!

Week 4 of Cyber Security Awareness Month Taylor Swift for president? Oops, it’s a deepfake… Fake images and videos can mislead, damage reputations, and sway decisions - like who you vote for. Advanced tech makes spotting fakes tough. If something triggers strong emotions, that's a sign to PAUSE and investigate. Check out this quick guide for tips on spotting fakes: https://www.wizer-training.com/hubfs/SAMK-2024/w5-deepfake-guide-ME.pdf #StayWizer #SecureOurWorld

It's week 3 of Cyber Security Awareness Month Boost Your Kid’s Day: Fun Ways to Balance Online Time! Encourage healthy online habits for your kids by setting screen time limits, establishing “screen-free zones”, and promoting breaks with outdoor play and sports. Watch these videos to learn how to limit screen time on iPhone and Google Family Link. iPhone: https://www.wizer-training.com/hubfs/SAMK-2024/w3-parental-controls-iphone-ME.mp4 Google Family Link: https://www.wizer-training.com/hubfs/SAMK-2024/w3-parental-controls-google-ME.mp4 #StayWizer #SecureOurWorld

Don't miss out on the CyberPatriot competition! The teacher with the most student certifications will win an exciting prize package. Right now, Ashdown is leading the charge—let's see who can catch up! Contact joann.womack@scscoop.org for more information on CyberPatriot.

In honor of cybersafety, we are excited to announce a special contest aimed at promoting cybersecurity awareness among our students and staff. The teacher who secures the highest number of completed CyberPatriot certifications will win an exclusive prize package! How to Earn a CyberPatriot Certification: Complete the CyberPatriot training program. Achieve a score of 80% or higher on the CyberPatriot exam. Upload your certificates to the Arkansas CyberPatriot database. In addition, students have the opportunity to earn volunteer hours by helping elderly members of the community improve their cybersecurity awareness. It’s a great way to give back while boosting your own knowledge! Let’s work together to boost our cybersecurity knowledge and make this month a success! For more information about the program, visit the CyberGenerations website, or contact joann.womack@scscoop.org.

Exciting times at Wilbur D. Mills Education Co-op yesterday! 7th-12th grade GT students from 6 districts joined forces for a thrilling game of Global Domination! This fun-filled event focused on strategy and team building, fostering collaboration and critical thinking.

This is week 2 of Cyber Security Awareness Month! Why is it important to protect yourself against wire fraud? Unlike losing credit cards, banks usually won’t refund it if YOU were the one who transferred the money. 😱

 When sending money STOP & verify any request through a different, trusted communication channel first. View this quick guide for more tips, and share it with friends and family to keep them safe: https://www.wizer-training.com/hubfs/SAMK-2024/w2-6-Ways-To-Avoid-Wire-Fraud-ME.pdf #WireFraud #Scams #Scammed #StayWizer #FinancialCrime

Welcome to Cybersecurity Awareness Month! This week, we're talking about phones! Mobile devices are gateways to some highly sensitive info, like photos of your driver's license.

 Are you giving invasive apps too much access? Watch this and find out: https://www.wizer-training.com/hubfs/SAMK-2024/W1-Never-Accept-Default-Settings-ME.mp4 #StayWizer #SecureOurWorld

Education meets opportunity! This morning, our advanced learning specialist Jennifer Park had the privilege of attending a groundbreaking partnership announcement. First Arkansas Bank & Trust is joining forces with Jacksonville High School through the Academies of Central Arkansas! This collaboration promises to open new doors for JNPSD students, bridging the gap between education and real-world experience. We're thrilled to see local businesses investing in our youth's future!

WDMESC HIPPY Field Coordinators Kelly Ramey, Stephanie Heidelberg and Crystal Weatherford representing at the White County Local Leads Kickoff Meeting in Searcy.

Today, WDMESC GT Coordinators planned for the year and participated in the DESE statewide zoom.

WDMESC Dyslexia Specialist, Lauren Ussery, spent the day working with other cooperative dyslexia specialists from across the state today. Working and learning together allows us all to grow and better help others.

WDMESC kicked off the new school year at our back-to-school staff meeting last week. We’re excited to continue supporting our districts throughout the year!