C.B. King Memorial School

06/24/2025

I know that today is graduation for many staff! Congratulations to all staff that are investing in themselves and seeking to become the best they can be for the children and families we serve. C B KING is proud of you for this milestone in your professional journey.

06/15/2025

C B King will be open on Thursday, June 19 but will close on Friday so families may have a long weekend to celebrate Juneteenth.

06/09/2025

Hey y'all! Happy June! As we approach the middle of 2025, I want to take a moment to reflect on our shared commitment to Arkansas's youngest citizens. Our work as early childhood professionals isn't just a career—it's a calling that shapes the foundation of our state's future.

The strength of our association lies in our connections with each other. When we share resources, experiences, and support, we create a powerful network that elevates the quality of care and education for all Arkansas children. I encourage you to reach out to fellow members, attend our regional meetings and annual conference, and participate in your local affiliate.

Research consistently shows that children thrive when surrounded by well-supported adults. By supporting each other professionally, we create more nurturing environments for the children we serve. Remember that self-care isn't selfish—it's essential for sustaining the energy and passion our work demands.

I invite you to join me in recommitting to our mission this year. Together, we can advocate for policies that recognize the value of early childhood education, implement best practices in our classrooms and centers, and ensure every Arkansas child receives the quality early experiences they deserve.

Share your stories with me at president@arkansasearlychildhood.org. Your voice and expertise matter tremendously.

Natasha Kile
President of AECA

06/08/2025

Teachers-

There's still time to register for the Effective Teaching Practices Summer Professional Development Series! 😎☀🏖

You don't want to miss the Encouraging Inquiry session, which will focus on ways that our environment and interactions encourage children's curiosity! Join us on either Tuesday, June 10, 6:00-7:30 (PDR # 76596) or Wednesday, June 11, 9:30-11:00 (PDR # 76597).

Email Marcy White at MWhite@AState.edu with your questions. We can't wait see you then! 😎

06/08/2025

There's still time to register for the Effective Teaching Practices Summer Professional Development Series! 😎☀🏖

You don't want to miss the Encouraging Inquiry session, which will focus on ways that our environment and interactions encourage children's curiosity! Join us on either Tuesday, June 10, 6:00-7:30 (PDR # 76596) or Wednesday, June 11, 9:30-11:00 (PDR # 76597).

Email Marcy White at MWhite@AState.edu with your questions. We can't wait see you then! 😎

04/18/2025

04/11/2025

03/01/2025

AECA is excited to announce our first keynote speaker for our annual conference! 🥳

Derek Clark is an inspiring motivational speaker and the author of Never Limit Your Life and the critically acclaimed I Will Never Give Up book series. Derek Clark spent 13 years of his life in the Alameda County foster care system and now shares his inspiring story of resilience and redemption throughout the world. Derek Clark knows first-hand the power of attitude in coping with adversity and overcoming hardship.

As a motivational speaker, Derek inspires youth and adults across this nation to never give up and to not let the past limit their incredible future. He shares his message of courage, hope and perseverance to help others find the strength to Never Give Up. When Derek speaks, it is from his passionate soul. He brings along his guitar to sing the journals of his life. He believes that music is one of the purest ways to touch and communicate with the hearts of the audience. His listeners will be ignited with passion and have the courage to take action and fight their fears. He will inspire and teach you to push yourself beyond your perceived limits. He believes it all comes down to a choice and taking responsibility for the direction of your life. He is proof that you don’t have to let adversity hold you down in life; you have a fascinating and inspiring destiny awaiting you.

You can find out more about Derek on his website here:

🔗iwillnevergiveup.com/

📅 SAVE THE DATE!
Our conference will run from Wednesday, October 8 – Friday, October 10, 2025. Make a note in your planners now to join us!

Follow our website page for more updates to come:

🔗 bit.ly/aecaconference

03/01/2025

There's still time to register for an Arkansas Children's Week workshop! There are 23 ACW workshops happening across the state throughout the month of March. We look forward to having you join us for one!

Weekday workshops 6 - 8 pm,
Saturday workshops 9 - 11 am
Please register at https://pdregistry.arkansas.gov/
Questions? Email chs@astate.edu

03/01/2025

How well do you know the Arkansas Child Development and Early Learning Standards? How do you use it to plan in your classroom? Learn more about this critical document in the Pre-K Standards: Arkansas CDELS training.

PKS meets from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on 4/7, 4/10, 4/21, 4/23, 4/28, 4/30 and 5/7. Registration for this course closes March 31st at 9:00 am or when all seats are full.

This course requires virtual meeting attendance on the dates/times listed. Be aware that there is take-home work associated with this course in addition to the class meetings.

To register for this course, go to http://ecep.uark.edu/online and select the red button that says "Register Now! LIVE Course".

Learn more about this course on PDR (pdregistry.arkansas.gov), Course ID # 74943.

02/22/2025

A great day to revisit Wil Wheaton's excellent takedown of Elon Musk from 2022;

I can not fathom the emptiness, the insecurity, the insatiable need for attention and validation, the staggering arrogance, the malevolence and total void of human experience that is Elon Musk.

He's the richest man on the planet. You can't go anywhere or do anything without interacting with something he's part of in some way. There are literal millions of people who uncritically worship him, in spite of overwhelming evidence that he's a do*****ag. Some number of them will come after me, as they come after anyone who points at their naked emperor.

They'll spend entire days going after me and people like me, slavishly serving a man who does not even know they exist. They are his army of fools, uncritically serving his every whim. And it still isn't enough.

He can have any material thing he wants, and he will never be happy or satisfied.
He has no real friends. Every single person around him is either a viper, a parasite, or both.

So what does he do? He bullies and threatens and harasses and trolls and behaves like the weak, scared, insecure child he has always been. That's a tragedy for him, but it's dangerous for us. He doesn't care what he destroys or who he hurts as he chases this existential thing he can not ever have.

You know the saying "hurt people hurt people"? He's a hurt person who is hurting our society, making people I care about less safe. The consequences of this one man's midlife crisis are global, and that terrifies me.