New Alma superintendent Kevin Hesslen is preparing to welcome students back to class on August 12, 2026. This marks a new beginning for Hesslen, who joins Alma Public Schools after more than three decades with the Greenwood School District, where he served as an assistant superintendent.
Academic Progress and Challenges
Hesslen met with new teachers on Friday morning and expressed his excitement about Alma’s academic progress. He noted that test scores are up at the intermediate school, primary school, middle school, and high school. However, the district faces enrollment challenges related to school choice, with a 1.3% decline in enrollment last year, resulting in a loss of about 40 students.
Hesslen views the competition created by school choice as an opportunity for improvement, stating, ‘The competition, that’s a good thing. It makes us all better.’ Safety remains a top priority for the district’s 3,000 students and over 400 teachers and staff members. The Alma Police Department is located across the street from the high school, and each district building has a school resource officer.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
