Fort Smith Metro News Briefs: Charter school progress, and ‘Serious Fiber’ in downtown Fort Smith
Following are recent news brief items from the Fort Smith metro.
Innovation Academy
The Fort Smith Public School District is another step closer to opening a charter school primarily for military families connected to the foreign pilot training center at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith.
The district’s goal is to open the Global Innovation Academy in the fall of 2027, the district’s school board was told during a May 18 meeting.
The school will be a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) elementary charter school, housed at Bonneville Elementary School. The charter allows the district to provide non-approved curriculum and allows the district to hire non-licensed teachers. The charter school is initially estimated to have between 30 and 50 students.
A state committee approved the charter during a May 21 meeting, moving the charter to consideration by the State Board of Education.
“The Arkansas Department of Education Charter Authorization Panel approved the Global School of Innovation Charter School with a 6-0 vote,” said Addie Reith, communications specialist with the district. “The next step will be in July. In July, the Arkansas State Board of Education will vote on the panel’s recommendation to approve. The Arkansas State Board of Education may vote without a presentation, or they may ask the district to come to that meeting to present as well. We will be informed if that is the case.”
The focus on Singapore math and Mandarin language education will support the expected arrival later this year of military members and families from the Republic of Singapore. Ebbing was selected in March 2023 by the U.S. Air Force to be the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program pilot training center supporting F-35 fighter planes purchased by Singapore, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Finland, and other countries participating in the program.
Singapore’s F-35 fighter jets are expected to arrive at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith in late 2026, with the country’s F-16 fighters set to arrive in the summer of 2027. Up to 400 personnel are to be stationed in Fort Smith when all Singapore planes arrive.
Serious Fiber
Serious Fiber, the first business selected through the Commerce Collective retail incubator program managed by Main Street Fort Smith, is now open at 409 Garrison Ave., in downtown Fort Smith.
Owned by Navy veteran and fiber artist Crystal Bedney, Serious Fiber is a specialty yarn and fiber arts shop offering hand-dyed yarns, spinning fibers, tools, supplies, and classes for knitters, crocheters, spinners, and fiber enthusiasts of all skill levels.
Serious Fiber is the inaugural business to launch through the Commerce Collective, a program created by Main Street Fort Smith to help entrepreneurs test and grow retail concepts in a downtown storefront environment. The program provides selected business owners with access to affordable retail space, business support resources, mentoring, and opportunities to build a customer base while contributing to the vitality of downtown Fort Smith.
The Commerce Collective was developed to activate vacant storefronts, encourage small business development, and create new shopping experiences that attract residents and visitors to downtown. Following a competitive application process, finalists presented their business concepts before a selection committee, which ultimately chose Serious Fiber as the program’s first participant.
“Seeing Serious Fiber open its doors is an exciting milestone not only for Crystal, but for the Commerce Collective program as a whole,” said Amanda Hager, executive director of Main Street Fort Smith. “The goal of this initiative is to help entrepreneurs take the next step toward establishing a successful brick-and-mortar business while bringing new energy and unique retail experiences to downtown. We invite everyone to stop by, meet Crystal, and discover the creativity and community that Serious Fiber has to offer.”
Therapy Pathway
The Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) School of Physical Therapy recently announced a new admissions pathway for licensed allied health professionals interested in pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree.
The Licensed Allied Health Professional Pathway was developed to recognize the education, clinical training, and patient care experience allied health professionals already bring to the healthcare workforce, according to ACHE.
The program allows eligible qualified applicants to apply to the ACHE Doctor of Physical Therapy program without completing additional prerequisite coursework beyond anatomy and physiology with laboratory requirements.
“Licensed allied health professionals play a critical role in patient care across diverse settings,” said Dr. Dana Kahl, dean of the ACHE School of Physical Therapy. “This pathway recognizes their expertise and provides an opportunity to expand their clinical impact through advanced education.”
To be considered for the pathway, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree, complete anatomy and physiology with laboratory coursework totaling eight semester hours, and maintain an active professional license regulated by a recognized governing body.
The new application cycle opens June 15, 2026.