Reminder: Weekly summer meal delivery begins tomorrow!
Meals should arrive to those who signed up between approximately 11 and 1... it may take a week or two to get the times lined out just perfectly! If you don't plan to be home, please be sure to leave a cooler out and visible so the food can be left inside.
We look forward to seeing you tomorrow!
Meals should arrive to those who signed up between approximately 11 and 1... it may take a week or two to get the times lined out just perfectly! If you don't plan to be home, please be sure to leave a cooler out and visible so the food can be left inside.
We look forward to seeing you tomorrow!
For the past 12 years, over 100 Izard County High School students have successfully completed the Biomedical pathway, preparing them for several post-secondary education options in the field of nursing. We are excited to announce that this program has officially leveled up! Rachel Faulkner, Amanda Brewer, and Ozarka College will team up to offer IC STEM students 11 college credit hours in our updated BioMed program, beginning this fall semester!
Rachel Faulkner has 36 years of experience teaching public education. She holds an MSE in Biology from Arkansas State University and a BS in Biology from Lyon College. Mrs. Faulkner said, "I've been teaching the Biomedical Science classes since 2014 at Izard County and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience of hands-on learning in the forensics and medical fields. These classes give our students a great insight into, and solid foundation for future careers in medicine.” Mrs. Faulkner will teach Human Body Systems (BIOL 2214 Anatomy & Physiology I and Lab) and Medical Interventions (HIT 1303 Medical Terminology).
Amanda Brewer will teach Principles of Biomedical Science (BIOL 1204 Body Structure & Function). Mrs. Brewer has taught for 21 years in public education and holds an MSE in Biology from Arkansas State University. She said, “While I am new to the Biomedical Science program, I’m incredibly excited to teach Biomedical Science as a concurrent credit course and give students the opportunity to explore real-world healthcare and science careers while earning college credit. It’s inspiring to help students build the skills, confidence, and curiosity that can shape their future paths in STEM.”
“Students who complete this sequence will earn 11 hours of Ozarka college credit,” said Ozarka College president Dr. Josh Wilson. “With just one additional credit hour, they would also qualify for a Diploma of Merit (12+ credit hours) under the new ACCESS legislation.”
For additional information, please contact Izard County STEM School at 870-258-7700 or email: rachel.faulkner@iccougars.org.
Huge congratulations to our Junior 4-H State Champion Livestock Judging Team! 🏆🐄🐑🐐
We finally got to celebrate this incredible group today with a pizza party sponsored by Crawford Cattle Company and Heritage Roots Insurance. Kaitlin Crawford Hair & Make-Up also sponsored thank-you gifts for assistant coaches Whitley Smith and Maddie Tanner. We appreciate the support shown to our students and program!
This talented team was the High Point Team in Cattle, Sheep, and Goats and won the overall state championship by an impressive 69-point margin! Their hard work and knowledge of the livestock industry truly paid off, and we could not be more proud of them.
Team members include:
• Charleigh Barnes
• Carleigh Selph
• Grayson Grothe
• Faith Crider
• Sadie Crawford
We are excited to watch what the future holds for these students and know they will continue doing great things in the livestock industry. Great job, team! 👏🐾
We finally got to celebrate this incredible group today with a pizza party sponsored by Crawford Cattle Company and Heritage Roots Insurance. Kaitlin Crawford Hair & Make-Up also sponsored thank-you gifts for assistant coaches Whitley Smith and Maddie Tanner. We appreciate the support shown to our students and program!
This talented team was the High Point Team in Cattle, Sheep, and Goats and won the overall state championship by an impressive 69-point margin! Their hard work and knowledge of the livestock industry truly paid off, and we could not be more proud of them.
Team members include:
• Charleigh Barnes
• Carleigh Selph
• Grayson Grothe
• Faith Crider
• Sadie Crawford
We are excited to watch what the future holds for these students and know they will continue doing great things in the livestock industry. Great job, team! 👏🐾
Contact Kish Pool to register for this Sunday's IC Bass Fishing Tournament! Also, sponsors are invited to join us for dinner at weigh-in. Thank you for your support!
We are excited to announce that Izard County STEM High School has been awarded a $115,944 ADE Division of Career and Technical Education Grant in the area of Plant Sciences!
This grant will allow us to add Greenhouse Management to our Plant Sciences curriculum, enhancing students’ understanding of ecosystems, food production, and bioengineering.
This is the fourth ADE Division of Career and Technical Education Grant that Izard County STEM High School has received in the past three years. These four grants have totaled $189,491 and have included the areas of Animal Systems, Robotics, Computer Science, and Plant Systems.
Just another way we put our students first every day!
#CougarNation
This grant will allow us to add Greenhouse Management to our Plant Sciences curriculum, enhancing students’ understanding of ecosystems, food production, and bioengineering.
This is the fourth ADE Division of Career and Technical Education Grant that Izard County STEM High School has received in the past three years. These four grants have totaled $189,491 and have included the areas of Animal Systems, Robotics, Computer Science, and Plant Systems.
Just another way we put our students first every day!
#CougarNation
Great news to share!
The Izard County STEM School District is excited to announce that we have been awarded an $11,000 No Kid Hungry Grant to help fund free summer meals for all of our students!
For the past seven years, our district has delivered 5 free breakfasts and 5 free lunches each week, all summer long to students—and this summer’s deliveries begin May 21.
A special congratulations and thank you to Cafeteria Manager Joann Shrable for her hard work on this grant and her continued dedication to feeding our students!
Every student. Every day. Whatever it takes!
The Izard County STEM School District is excited to announce that we have been awarded an $11,000 No Kid Hungry Grant to help fund free summer meals for all of our students!
For the past seven years, our district has delivered 5 free breakfasts and 5 free lunches each week, all summer long to students—and this summer’s deliveries begin May 21.
A special congratulations and thank you to Cafeteria Manager Joann Shrable for her hard work on this grant and her continued dedication to feeding our students!
Every student. Every day. Whatever it takes!
BIG NEWS!!
Huge congratulations to our Elementary and PreK STEM team on earning STEM designation through 2029!
Izard County Consolidated School District remains the ONLY PK-12 Model STEM District in the state of Arkansas — an accomplishment that reflects the innovation, dedication, and hard work happening in our classrooms every single day.
From our youngest learners in PreK to our elementary students exploring hands-on, real-world learning opportunities, this recognition highlights the incredible commitment of our educators, staff, and students to excellence in STEM education.
We are proud to continue leading the way in Arkansas and thankful for the teachers and administrators who make these opportunities possible for our students.
Congratulations, Cougar Nation! 🐾
Huge congratulations to our Elementary and PreK STEM team on earning STEM designation through 2029!
Izard County Consolidated School District remains the ONLY PK-12 Model STEM District in the state of Arkansas — an accomplishment that reflects the innovation, dedication, and hard work happening in our classrooms every single day.
From our youngest learners in PreK to our elementary students exploring hands-on, real-world learning opportunities, this recognition highlights the incredible commitment of our educators, staff, and students to excellence in STEM education.
We are proud to continue leading the way in Arkansas and thankful for the teachers and administrators who make these opportunities possible for our students.
Congratulations, Cougar Nation! 🐾
Congratulations to IC STEM Coordinator, Courtney Selph, for being named 2026 Ozarka College Alumni of the Year! We are so proud of you, Mrs. Courtney!
Read more about this honor, here: https://www.ozarka.edu/index.cfm?template=campusnews_view&uuid=07E76B40-1422-B139-DA3AC6E7B11ACF1A
Congratulations to one of our middle school teachers, Mrs. Courtney Sanders, and her family for being named 2026 Izard County Farm Family of the Year! Courtney and her husband, Nathan, are the parents of ICC alumnae, Lilly Felton and Dayka Lock, as well as current 9th grader, Xander Lock. Congrats to all of you!
Additional information about this honor is available here: https://arfb.com/news/2026/apr/30/2026-county-farm-families/?fbclid=IwdGRjcARwaOBjbGNrBHBo1GV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHjkBZHmwvaTlhYIQiRcRg2cAmQVSERwdkXjRlz8AQvu46201r8IeUiqpILwN_aem_FHWXF2QjGVkIRgRHcfTmig
On Tuesday, May 12 at 6:00 PM, we will honor the accomplishments, hard work, and dedication of our 2025-2026 Cougar athletes during our Athletic Banquet and Awards Ceremony.
All athletes in grades 7-12 and their families are invited to attend as we recognize the memories, milestones, and successes from this school year. We look forward to celebrating together!
📍 High School Cafeteria
🗓 Tuesday, May 12
⏰ 6:00 PM
Go Cougars! 🖤🤍
All athletes in grades 7-12 and their families are invited to attend as we recognize the memories, milestones, and successes from this school year. We look forward to celebrating together!
📍 High School Cafeteria
🗓 Tuesday, May 12
⏰ 6:00 PM
Go Cougars! 🖤🤍
The Cougar Choir participated in the Music in the Parks Festival today! Music 🎶
They performed this morning at Ozark High School in Ozark, MO and then spent the rest of the day at Silver Dollar City! They brought home the 2nd place trophy for their division 🏆 and Destiny Wisecarver was recognized and awarded for her amazing solo! 🎤
We're excited to offer another opportunity for your family to join Cougar Nation! Learn From Home - Stay Connected - Be an Izard County Cougar!
Congratulations to our very own STEM Coordinator, Courtney Selph, on being selected to serve on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Teacher Leader Council for the 2026-2027 school year!
This is an incredible honor and a testament to Mrs. Selph’s passion for education, conservation, and creating meaningful learning experiences for students. As a member of the council, she will collaborate with educators from across Arkansas to help shape conservation education, provide feedback on curriculum and resources, and promote outdoor learning opportunities for students statewide.
We are so proud to see Mrs. Courtney representing Izard County STEM School and helping inspire the next generation of Arkansas conservationists. Congratulations, Mrs. Selph — this opportunity is so well deserved, and we can’t wait to see the impact you make! 🌿🐾
This is an incredible honor and a testament to Mrs. Selph’s passion for education, conservation, and creating meaningful learning experiences for students. As a member of the council, she will collaborate with educators from across Arkansas to help shape conservation education, provide feedback on curriculum and resources, and promote outdoor learning opportunities for students statewide.
We are so proud to see Mrs. Courtney representing Izard County STEM School and helping inspire the next generation of Arkansas conservationists. Congratulations, Mrs. Selph — this opportunity is so well deserved, and we can’t wait to see the impact you make! 🌿🐾
We are proud to announce that our district has been awarded a $550,000 Arkansas 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant!
This three-year grant from the Arkansas Department of Education is designed to support community learning centers that provide enrichment opportunities during non-school hours in the areas of reading, literacy, math, and science.
The grant will allow our district to continue providing K–8 academic summer school programs, as well as before-school and after-school academic support throughout the school year.
A special thank you goes to Elementary Principal Eve Hatman, 21st Century Grant Coordinator Allie Pepper, and STEM Coordinator Courtney Selph for their hard work in writing the grant and for consistently going above and beyond for our students.
This is just another example of how we continue to put students first!
We’ve loved celebrating our amazing teachers all week long! To wrap up Teacher Appreciation Week, we are enjoying Sonic drinks and cheesecake bites today as a small thank you for all you do each and every day for our students and school. We appreciate you more than words can say!
Happy School Nurse Day! 🩺💙
Today we celebrate the caring and dedicated professionals who keep our students healthy, safe, and ready to learn each day. From offering a comforting smile to handling everything from scraped knees to serious concerns, our school nurse plays a vital role in our school community.
Thank you to Nurse Tanna Brashear for your compassion, expertise, and commitment to the well-being of our students and staff. We appreciate all that you do!
At the top of the Class of 2026, we’re proud to recognize our Valedictorian — Whitley Cheyenne Smith!
Whitley has made an incredible impact at ICHS through her leadership and involvement. She has served as Vice President, Junior Advisor, and President of FFA, is a Beta member, and was named a State AGFC Cooking Champion—just a few highlights of an outstanding high school career.
When reflecting on her time at ICHS, Whitley shared that her favorite memories come from her many FFA and 4-H trips, where the experiences and relationships created a true sense of family and community.
She credits Mrs. Stroud and Mrs. Faulkner as two educators who made a lasting impact on her life. Whitley said:
“Mrs. Stroud helped me discover what kind of leader I am and introduced me to so many of my interests. Mrs. Faulkner pushed me to take classes and try things I never thought I could do.”
After graduation, Whitley plans to attend college and work toward becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic, with the goal of specializing in the equine industry.
Her advice to younger Cougars:
“Study hard and make it last, because it will be the ride of your life.”
Congratulations, Whitley! Your leadership, dedication, and passion set the standard—we are incredibly proud of you!
Whitley has made an incredible impact at ICHS through her leadership and involvement. She has served as Vice President, Junior Advisor, and President of FFA, is a Beta member, and was named a State AGFC Cooking Champion—just a few highlights of an outstanding high school career.
When reflecting on her time at ICHS, Whitley shared that her favorite memories come from her many FFA and 4-H trips, where the experiences and relationships created a true sense of family and community.
She credits Mrs. Stroud and Mrs. Faulkner as two educators who made a lasting impact on her life. Whitley said:
“Mrs. Stroud helped me discover what kind of leader I am and introduced me to so many of my interests. Mrs. Faulkner pushed me to take classes and try things I never thought I could do.”
After graduation, Whitley plans to attend college and work toward becoming a Doctor of Chiropractic, with the goal of specializing in the equine industry.
Her advice to younger Cougars:
“Study hard and make it last, because it will be the ride of your life.”
Congratulations, Whitley! Your leadership, dedication, and passion set the standard—we are incredibly proud of you!
We’re proud to recognize another exceptional leader from the Class of 2026 — Akynna Brinlee Nielsen, Salutatorian!
Akynna has been deeply involved during her time at ICHS, participating in BETA, FFA, FBLA, EAST, ICSS Show Team, ICSS Livestock Judging Team, and Track. Her leadership stands out as she has served as BETA and FBLA President, FFA and 4-H Reporter, and an EAST Student Champion.
When reflecting on her time at ICHS, Akynna shared that some of her favorite memories come from school trips, where she enjoyed spending time with others outside of the classroom.
She credits Officer Brett and Mrs. Stroud as two of her biggest influences, saying they consistently pushed her to step outside of her comfort zone, believe in herself, and grow into a more confident and determined person.
Looking ahead, Akynna has big plans. She plans to attend Ozarka College to earn an Associate of Science in Agriculture, before transferring to the University of Arkansas to pursue a degree in Agricultural Education—continuing to grow her passion for agriculture and leadership.
Her advice to younger Cougars: “Don’t let other people’s opinions affect you!”
Congratulations, Akynna! Your leadership, drive, and accomplishments set you apart—we’re incredibly proud of you and can’t wait to see what’s ahead!
Akynna has been deeply involved during her time at ICHS, participating in BETA, FFA, FBLA, EAST, ICSS Show Team, ICSS Livestock Judging Team, and Track. Her leadership stands out as she has served as BETA and FBLA President, FFA and 4-H Reporter, and an EAST Student Champion.
When reflecting on her time at ICHS, Akynna shared that some of her favorite memories come from school trips, where she enjoyed spending time with others outside of the classroom.
She credits Officer Brett and Mrs. Stroud as two of her biggest influences, saying they consistently pushed her to step outside of her comfort zone, believe in herself, and grow into a more confident and determined person.
Looking ahead, Akynna has big plans. She plans to attend Ozarka College to earn an Associate of Science in Agriculture, before transferring to the University of Arkansas to pursue a degree in Agricultural Education—continuing to grow her passion for agriculture and leadership.
Her advice to younger Cougars: “Don’t let other people’s opinions affect you!”
Congratulations, Akynna! Your leadership, drive, and accomplishments set you apart—we’re incredibly proud of you and can’t wait to see what’s ahead!
We are pleased to share the hiring of Jennifer Murphy as our curriculum coordinator for the 2026-27 school year! Jennifer Murphy has served in K-12 Arkansas education for 30 years at the school, regional, and state levels supporting literacy instruction.
"I am excited to continue my work with the educators and students at Izard County Consolidated School District to support them in literacy instruction best practices," said Mrs. Murphy. "My mantra is 'Be Intentional. Be Demanding. Be Supportive.' and these words are what I strive to keep in mind when working with both students and teachers."
Mrs. Murphy's goal is always to support teachers in effectively nourishing students for success academically and beyond, and we can't wait to see her do so at our school!
"I am excited to continue my work with the educators and students at Izard County Consolidated School District to support them in literacy instruction best practices," said Mrs. Murphy. "My mantra is 'Be Intentional. Be Demanding. Be Supportive.' and these words are what I strive to keep in mind when working with both students and teachers."
Mrs. Murphy's goal is always to support teachers in effectively nourishing students for success academically and beyond, and we can't wait to see her do so at our school!
Let’s recognize another hardworking senior from the Class of 2026 — Sabastion O. Robbins!
Sabastion has represented the Cougars in Football and Basketball, competing and contributing on the court and the field throughout his high school career.
When asked about his favorite memory, Sabastion shared that his junior basketball season stands out as a highlight of his time at ICHS.
After graduation, he plans to attend Southeastern Illinois College and continue working toward his future goals.
Congratulations, Sabastion! We’re proud of your dedication and wish you the very best in the next chapter!
Sabastion has represented the Cougars in Football and Basketball, competing and contributing on the court and the field throughout his high school career.
When asked about his favorite memory, Sabastion shared that his junior basketball season stands out as a highlight of his time at ICHS.
After graduation, he plans to attend Southeastern Illinois College and continue working toward his future goals.
Congratulations, Sabastion! We’re proud of your dedication and wish you the very best in the next chapter!
