Today, we celebrate the incredible work of speech-language pathologists who help students find their voice, improve communication, and build confidence every day. A special thank you to Amy Rucker for your dedication, patience, and expertise. You make such a positive impact on our students' lives, helping them overcome challenges and reach their full potential.
Your support goes far beyond speech therapy — you help our students thrive academically and socially. We appreciate you more than words can express!
Let’s take a moment to recognize the amazing speech-language pathologists, especially Amy Rucker, for all the hard work and care they provide.
We would like to remind you that the Viola High School Graduation Ceremony will take place on Monday, May 19, 2025 at 6:30 PM in the High School gym. Please come out and support our graduating seniors!
Attention Incoming 3rd Through Outgoing 6th Graders!!
Mechanically Challenged will be hosting the 4th Annual Balloon Warfare Robotics Camp in just a few weeks! Informational flyers should be going home with elementary students today. Camp will take place June 9–13, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with the final day extended until approximately 1:30 PM. Join us for fun coding challenges, exciting balloon warfare, and team competitions as Mechanically Challenged mentors guide students in building and coding a balloon-popping machine. Expect mayhem, prepare for fun, and learn to code and cooperate at the same time! Winner takes all!
The event will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel on Thursday and Friday. Spectators are welcome! All of this is free and includes a snack! Sign-ups and registration will begin promptly at 8:30 AM on Monday, June 9, in the High School Science Lab. For more details, contact Mrs. Cooper at the High School.
Please welcome Mason Bryan to the Longhorn family. He is originally from West Plains, Missouri, and is a graduate of Missouri State University with a degree in Agricultural Education.
He's excited to step into the classroom and share his passion for agriculture with our students. His goal is to help them discover the many possibilities in Agriculture, whether it’s through hands-on learning, field trips, contests, or conventions.
Outside of school, he and his wife, Caitlin, operate Bryan Farms. When he's not teaching or working on the farm, you’ll likely find him enjoying time in the hunting woods. He is looking forward to the year ahead.
Meet our K-12 Special Education teacher!
Kaitlin Lamborn is delighted to join the Longhorn community as our new 10th-12th English teacher
She and her son Kylan recently moved back to the area after living in Northwest, Arkansas for several years. She has loved reconnecting with friends, family and the special blessings of small-town communities.
She believes that rural schools offer unique opportunities for students and instructors to optimize engaging, student-centered learning.She is so excited to join Viola’s team of collaborative instructors who share a student-first mindset in all they do.
Coming from a long familial line of Longhorns, she and Kylan are thrilled to carry on the family tradition and join the Viola Alma Mater.
Kaitlin says, "Thank you for welcoming us into your family—we are so happy to be here!"
Biology students recently completed a fetal pig dissection, providing a hands-on opportunity to explore mammalian anatomy in detail. This activity helped students deepen their understanding of body systems—such as the circulatory, respiratory, and digestive systems—and how they function together in a complex organism.
In addition to reinforcing classroom content, the dissection experience opened doors to discussions about various science and health-related career paths. Students gained insights into fields such as veterinary medicine, surgery, pathology, biomedical research, and forensic science. Engaging directly with anatomical structures allowed students to visualize real-world applications of biology, potentially sparking interest in future careers in healthcare or biological sciences.
Mrs. Gardner’s class dove into an engaging STEM activity by designing their own food trucks! Each team designed a unique food truck, created a themed menu, and built a custom display box to bring their vision to life. There were so many great projects! Everyone did a great job!
🏆 1st Place: The Cookie Cartel – Vivienne Pingel & Oakley Riddle
🥈 2nd Place: Rick’s Pickle – Ayrianna Allen & Savannah Galloway
🥉 3rd Place: C&L’s Tacos – Carl Osterkamp & Levi Robers
The 2024-2025 Viola High School Senior and All-School Academic Awards Assembly will be held on Friday, May 16 at 9:30 AM. We encourage the public to attend so we can honor the achievements of our graduating class of 2025. We will also be recognizing the achievements of our 7-11 grade high school students who have worked hard this school year.
Sadie Gill will be joining Viola Elementary for the 2025–2026 school year. She recently relocated to Salem from Missouri and is very excited to become a part of this community. Sadie holds a master's degree in teaching Family and Consumer Science and has also earned certifications in elementary and special education.
"I truly believe children are a blessing , and I'm passionate about creating a safe, supportive, and engaging environment where every student can thrive and reach their full potential. "
Outside the classroom, Sadie enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends. Some of her favorite activities include going to the river, playing cards, and taking road trips.
More photos from the million word reading goal trip!
Students who met their million word reading goal this year spent today, roller skating, hiking the Grand Gulf, and exploring Mammoth Spring State Park. We had a blast! (Mrs. Guffey is worn out.) --part 1
Big News, Viola!
We’re thrilled to announce that Viola Schools is partnering with SchoolEats for the 2025–2026
school year! From fresh, flavorful meals to fun food events, student taste tests, and
hands-on nutrition programs like What’s Cooking — School Eats is here to bring more variety,
more energy, and more HEART to your cafeteria.
New support. Bigger possibilities.
Let’s dig in, Longhorns!
Meet our newest first grade teacher!
Please welcome Kelli Young to the Longhorn Corral!
Kelli will be teaching high school math. She is originally from Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, and graduated from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro with a Bachelor of Science in Education in Mathematics.
Kelli is passionate about helping students build confidence in math by fostering a supportive and engaging classroom environment. She enjoys finding ways to connect mathematical concepts to real life and loves watching students grow in their problem-solving skills.
Outside of school, Kelli enjoys spending time with her family and two cats. She also loves painting, reading, and traveling. She has explored the country from coast to coast, and is always eager to discover new places.
We’re looking forward to a great year and are excited to have Kelli Young as part of the VHS staff!
Students in 9th grade English chose from a range of projects to demonstrate their understanding of Romeo and Juliet and presented their projects today! The most popular choice was a diorama as featured in these photos. (Part 2)
Students in 9th grade English chose from a range of projects to demonstrate their understanding of Romeo and Juliet and presented their projects today! The most popular choice was a diorama as featured in these photos. (Part 1)
Viola School District is excited to announce the opening of the Viola Little Longhorn preschool program. This program will be on campus. We look forward to partnering with NADC Headstart. This will allow us to serve even more families in the community and surrounding areas.
Some of the members of the Viola High School Book Club went to Mountain Home last week to visit the Baxter County Library and a local bookstore. Students spent time together, discussed books, and made plans for future Book Club activities, including a summer reading challenge that will be announced soon. We hope to continue to grow strong readers and an overall love for reading. 📚
High School students Hunter Belvedresi, Meredith Deane, and Landyn Denwalt have earned the opportunity to attend the National Beta Club Convention in late June 2025 held in Orlando, Florida, after placing in various academic competitions at the state level. Representing our school at the national level is a significant honor and a valuable experience for these students, promoting leadership, academic excellence, and community involvement. The total cost for travel and lodging is estimated at $4,500. While we are planning several fundraisers to help cover expenses, we are also seeking donations from our community and supporters. Contributions can be mailed to Viola High School Beta Club, PO Box 380, Viola, AR 72583, or you can call (870) 458-2323 for more information. Your support will help make this incredible opportunity a reality for these deserving students.
