Vilonia Pathways Academy
Vilonia Pathway Academies (VPA) serves students in grades K-12. VPA is a district conversion school sponsored by the Vilonia School District. As an FY2020 APSRC CSP subgrantee, VPA received $625,000 in November 2020.
The mission of the Vilonia Pathways Academy (VPA) is to provide high levels of learning through differentiated pathways that promote academic success while (1) providing a rigorous, standards-based, core curriculum embedded with crucial workplace soft skills, (2) preparing all students to live as responsible, productive community members through service learning; and (3) expanding opportunities through a commercial construction pathway.
CREATION OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
The district established strong partnerships with six strong foundational industry partners: Nabholz, Kinco Constructors, University of Arkansas Little Rock (UALR) Construction Management, Nabco Mechanical & Electrical, Weaver and Bailey, and Associated Builders and Contractors of Arkansas. Through the support of these partners, the charter is successfully providing students with innovative, hands-on field experiences that promote a rigorous, engaging curriculum, embeds soft skills, and connect the students to the application of knowledge while exposing them to career possibilities in the commercial construction industry.
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has partnered with the Vilonia Pathways Academy Conversion Charter, the first-of-its-kind charter school in Arkansas, to create a concurrent program in which students can gain an associate degree in construction science while in high school.
WORKPLACE READINESS
On the Job
Weaver-Bailey was proud to host students from the Vilonia Pathways Academy to our headquarters in Conway. Students were able to learn what it takes to be a heavy equipment operator and experience some of our new drone survey technology. Special shoutout to Riggs CAT for letting us borrow some of their heavy machinery and UACCM for bringing their heavy operator simulator. We had a blast and are so proud to be a sponsor of Vilonia Pathways Academy!
INDUSTRY INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Vilonia Pathway Academies has established a comprehensive program of study allowing students to receive Career Technical Education completer status in the state's first Commercial Construction pathway utilizing industry developed curricular materials.
The strong career exploration and guidance embedded into the Commercial Construction pathway combined with available concurrent credits leads to an Associate of Science in Construction Management and both level 1 and level 2 non-degree construction certificates in partnership with UALR.