01 Mar 2025 Extraordinary extracurriculars
By Jessica Duff
For families new to Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD), registration for the 2025-2026 school year will open on March 10. Beyond advanced academics and competitive athletics, PCSSD offers many extracurricular opportunities for its students. These clubs and activities allow students to make their mark through developing a hobby, honing a skill or trying something new. Across the Maumelle feeder, there are a wide variety of extracurricular activities and clubs, and each school has different opportunities for its students based on the interests of students and staff.
At Maumelle Middle, teacher librarian Traci Matthews and sixth-grade English language arts teacher Rebecca Kirtland co-sponsor a Book Club for interested students. Students meet every other Tuesday to discuss books of their choice, make crafts and work on puzzles. Matthews has high hopes for her students’ time in the club. “I hope they learn about different genres that may be new to them, I hope they make new friends, and most importantly, I hope they feel welcomed and know they are always in a safe environment in the library,” she said.
Dylan Thompson, an advanced placement world history teacher at Maumelle High, sponsors the school’s Quiz Bowl team. In Quiz Bowl, students compete in teams against students from other schools to answer academic-focused trivia questions as fast as possible. Question subjects include math, literature, science, history, sports, the arts and more. Thompson shared what makes Quiz Bowl a great opportunity for students. “Quiz Bowl is important for students because many of our extracurricular competitions are athletic in nature, and not all of our students are athletes,” he said. “I think Quiz Bowl helps normalize this and gives another group of students an outlet for their competitive natures. It is also another place for students to truly be themselves. Kids get to express themselves, and I think that is amazing.”
The Technology Student Association (TSA) at Maumelle High allows students to compete in more than 50 competitions, lead as chapter, state and national officers and serve their local communities through service projects. Club adviser Sherri Keesee, engineering teacher and Career and Technical Education Department chair, shares the value of extracurricular options like TSA. “TSA allows students to apply what they’ve learned in class to a novel project that they have interest in, which often leads to them doing their own research and learning, giving them a leg up in their chosen career fields,” she said. Students develop projects in fields like architectural design, board game design and technology problem solving.
A group of TSA students is currently working on a unique community service project to help a foster dog who was hit by a car and no longer has the use of her back legs. Weighing in at only 3 pounds 2 ounces, doggy wheelchairs on the market are too heavy for her to maneuver. To help, these students are designing and printing a 3D model doggy wheelchair.
PCSSD is proud to offer a number of unique extracurricular activities and clubs for students across the feeder. You can find a full list of extracurricular opportunities on each school’s website.
About PCSSD
Pulaski County Special School District spans more than 600 square miles in Central Arkansas and requires highly skilled and passionate personnel to adapt educational policies and personalization to 26 schools. Every school is accredited by the Arkansas State Board of Education. PCSSD has served schools across Pulaski County since July 1927.
PCSSD is committed to creating a nationally recognized school district that assures that all students achieve at their maximum potential through collaborative, supportive and continuous efforts of all stakeholders.
