We’re excited about the programs we have lined up for this year. It’s fun to build relationships with retired teachers in our region and to continue learning about our schools and communities. Below is a list of our programs scheduled for this year. Photos below are from Jill Thompson’s excellent Oct. 8 program. This post is intended for the October 23 retired teachers’ session on programing.

Thursday September 11th we will meet in Fort Smith with Fort Smith Retired Teachers

Wednesday October 8^th  Jill Thompson jithompson@alz.org Program Director for the Alzheimer’s Association here in Arkansas. 

Wednesday November 12^th Mike McSpadden to discuss his book, Only One Airedale: An Integration Story

Wednesday December 10^th (no presenter needed) 

Wednesday March 11, 2026 Alma Agri program – Kisia Holland & Grace Hewat / Location: Alma High School Agri Building 

Wednesday April 8, 2026 Monarch 61 Project – Wellness  info@monarch61.com Nicole Walton, Executive Director / Location: 105 N 28th St. Suite D, Van Buren, AR 72956

Wednesday May 13, 2026 Current trends in assessment – Jami Ann Balkman, Alma School District

Recommendations for planning and scheduling programs:

• Schedule far in advance 
• Make a letter that includes details of the flow of your meetings and then customize it based on who you’re contacting. 
• Time:
• Topic:
• Audience:
• Meal schedule and presentation length. 
• Determine logistics and tech needs.