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Jacksonville board, Little Rock Air Force Base sign STARBASE memorandum to reopen local STEM program
Summary
The board and Little Rock Air Force Base formalized a memorandum of agreement to reopen STARBASE in Jacksonville, bringing DOD-supported fifth-grade STEM programming back to the district and expanding hands-on science and career-awareness opportunities for students.
The Jacksonville North Pulaski School District and Little Rock Air Force Base signed a memorandum of agreement Wednesday to reopen the Department of Defense STARBASE program in Jacksonville, officials said.
Superintendent Dr. Ola framed the partnership as a renewed investment in local scholars and statewide STEM opportunities. "The Jacksonville North Pulaski School District is proud to partner with the Little Rock Air Force Base to reopen STARBASE," Dr. Ola said, calling the program a way to "strengthen opportunities for our scholars, schools, and communities." (Dr. Ola)
Colonel Katrina Smith, identified in the record as the 19th Mission Support Group commander at Little Rock Air Force Base, described the event as a milestone and said the MOA will formalize community support and program operations. "We're gathered here for a milestone event, with the signing of this memorandum of agreement," Colonel Smith said. (Colonel Katrina Smith)
STARBASE is part of a national DOD outreach network designed to serve fifth-grade students through hands-on instruction in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the presenters said. The base and district said the program will provide curriculum-aligned activities, career awareness and sustained classroom partnerships for Jacksonville students and others across Arkansas.
District officials thanked staff and community partners who helped relaunch the program and said the partnership will include local coordination with the district's curriculum and instruction office. The board joined dignitaries at the table to sign the agreement and unveiled a new logo marking the program's return.
Next steps identified in the presentation include operational planning with base staff, scheduling of student cohorts for the STARBASE curriculum, and continued liaison work by the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. No implementation dates beyond the agreement signing were specified in the presentation.
