UACCM, Greenbrier Public Schools Enter Agreement

 

Officials from Greenbrier Public Schools and the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) gathered in the Greenbrier High School Fine Arts Center on Monday, July 31 for an announcement and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing solidifying the new Greenbrier High School-UACCM Core+ Impact Academy Partnership.

The MOU agreement expands the previous concurrent enrollment opportunities for Greenbrier High School students, allowing them to significantly advance their pursuit of college credits through the completion of the Arkansas General Education Core or an associate degree.

The ceremony featured remarks from both institutions, including a welcome from Greenbrier High School Principal Travis Barrentine. Greenbrier School Board President Greg Oaks spoke of the district’s forward thinking and noted that the partnership aligns with the district’s core beliefs. Greenbrier Public Schools Superintendent Scott Spainhour emphasized those core beliefs – that children come first, and leadership and accountability are keys to success. Spainhour said based on those values, the Greenbrier and UACCM partnership “just feels right.”

UACCM Chancellor Lisa Willenberg discussed the college’s commitment and its guiding principle of student success. She stated, “This opportunity is a great pathway for Greenbrier students, and we are here to not only meet your expectations, but to exceed them.”

Greenbrier Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Kelli Martin provided a brief summary of the past few years of the district and college partnership, including the two institutions’ partnership with the Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes that allowed GHS students to attend the UACCM Career Center’s programs. Martin stated the Greenbrier officials discovered UACCM’s Dr. Larry D. Davis Workforce Training Center was a treasure so close to Greenbrier, and the partnership expanded to concurrent credit and general education degree classes.

UACCM Vice Chancellor for Academics Dr. Richard Counts gave a brief explanation of the Core+ Impact Academy and noted that this fall there will be 55 individual college-level academic courses in 24 unique subject areas taught by Greenbrier High instructors on the GHS campus. Counts stated that the GHS instructors teaching concurrent classes must have a master’s degree in their field or 18 graduate hours in the subject they are teaching. Counts praised Greenbrier High for having over 20 of their instructors qualified with that credential.

Greenbrier High School student Chanley Wood addressed the group stating that she has been pursuing her concurrent credits through UACCM in order to complete the general education courses that will allow her to complete an Associate of Arts degree simultaneously with her high school diploma. Wood said, “I’m so thankful I can get my degree early through this program.”

UACCM Vice Chancellor for Student Services Darren Jones then expanded on the details of the 2+2 partnerships available as well as the Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. This scholarship offered by the UA System’s flagship institution allows eligible students who earn an Associate of Arts degree at UACCM to transfer as a junior to UA-F and continue to pay UACCM’s in-county tuition rate.

Attendees at the ceremony included several members of the Greenbrier School administration and board, teachers, students, and UACCM officials.

The agreement is pending a final approval from the Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas System.