Haas Hall Academy could be headed to Fort Smith

Fort Smith could be the newest location for one of Arkansas' best public high schools by 2023.

Haas Hall Academy has proposed a Fort Smith location in the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Research Institute Health & Wellness Center. The proposal was originally on the state's Charter Authorizing Panel for review Dec. 15, but it has been moved to January.

If approved, the new school will welcome 100 students per class grades 7-12, who are chosen through a random lottery system.

The school will be located on the fourth floor of the RI/HWC and the first classes will start in August 2023. Students will have access to the research facility as well, said Kyle Parker, Chief Executive Officer for ACHE.

"We want all of these schools to teach a STEAM curriculum, where arts gets fully integrated into all of their curriculum and learning because we know that it promotes wellness," Parker said.

Fort Smith would be the fifth Haas Hall Academy location in the state, with the others located in Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville and Rogers.

The 2021 U.S. News & World Report list ranked Haas Hall Academy in Fayetteville the number one high school in the state and 50th overall high school in the nation. The Bentonville location was ranked second in the state and 80th in the nation.

Abbi Ross is the business and features reporter at the Southwest Times Record. She can be reached at aross@swtimes.com or on Twitter at @__AbbiRoss

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Haas Hall Academy could be headed to Fort Smith