A Brief History Of Glenn Duffy Elementary School

— Gravette School District is a rural district nestled in the northwest corner of Arkansas. It includes approximately 150 square miles. The district serves several small communities and surrounding areas of Gravette including Sulphur Springs, Hiwasse, Maysville and western parts of Bella Vista. Student enrollment for the district is approximately 1,820. Some students are highly mobile between Gravette and other surrounding cities. Gravette schools are just minutes from Bentonville, Rogers and Siloam Springs in Arkansas as well as Noel and Anderson, Missouri. These areas often provide employment opportunities and affordable housing.

The Glenn Duffy staff respects the school’s history while instructing and molding the children of its future. The first school in the Gravette area was the Cromwell school started in 1878. Due to growth, compulsory education, consolidation, schools were relocated from one side of town to another. Throughout the early 1900s, buildings were added to accommodate students and new programs such as home economics and athletics. Addition of elementary schools, cafeterias and other programs escalated sharply after World War II and in the late 1900s.

Citizens in the school district passed a millage for a new school in 1974 after two previous attempts. The school was erected in 1975 and named after the superintendent. Over the years, the school has been expanded to about twice the original size. A physical education gym is the most recent addition and was completed in 1008. Mr. Glenn A. Duffy, Sr. served as superintendent for 29 years and retired in 1977. He often visited schools and continued to be an active community leader and advocate for educational opportunities within the area. Mr. Duffy passed away in January of 2010 and is distinguished as one of Gravette’s most respected and honored educators.

Glenn Duffy Elementary is the instructional foundation level of Gravette School District. The school currently serves approximately 443 pre-k through second grade students. Glenn Duffy’s motto is “Believe and Achieve” while the mission has been recently revised to the following statement: “Partnering with parents and the community, Glenn Duffy Elementary offers a diverse learning environment which fosters mutual respect and encourages students to achieve their utmost potential.”

Our students come from a variety of economic backgrounds with 50 to 60 percent of students eligible for free and/or reducedlunch. The student population is somewhat diverse as 86% are Caucasian, 6% are Hispanic and 4% are Native American. The remaining 4% of students are reported as Asian, African American or Pacific Islanders. Teacher education levels range from bachelor degrees to master level degrees in areas of reading, counseling of administration. Teacher experience ranges from one to over thirty-five years of classroom teaching. The school also participates with local colleges and universities to provide future educators with opportunities to observe, learn and practice quality instructional techniques.

Glenn Duffy teachers, parents and community partners are proud of the school and are committed to making our school one of the best in the state. With great pride, we work together to provide opportunities for children to be successful and prepared for a future in today’s changing world.

Opinion, Pages 9 on 02/17/2010