Purcell visits Gravette Schools

Jim Purcell, right, Director of the Arkansas System of Higher Education, with, from the left, State Senator Kim Henden, Jim Hendren, member of the Gravette school board, and Superintendent of Schools Andrea Kelly.

Jim Purcell, right, Director of the Arkansas System of Higher Education, with, from the left, State Senator Kim Henden, Jim Hendren, member of the Gravette school board, and Superintendent of Schools Andrea Kelly.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

GRAVETTE - Jim Purcell, Director of the Arkansas System of Higher Education, visited the Gravette Public Schools last Friday as a guest of State Senator Kim Hendren.

Hendren is a member of the Senate Education Committee.

Purcell, who is an appointee of Governor Beebe, also met with school officials including school board member Jim Hendren and Andrea Kelly, superintendent of Gravette School District.

While touring the high school facilities complex last Friday, Purcell discussed theissues regarding the relationship between public schools and higher education, with an emphasis on curriculum.

Kelly noted that “with the availability of scholarships as a result of the lottery, discussions regarding making higher education more accessible, the retention of students and attempts to increase college graduation rates were dominant issues of the meeting.”

The director noted “the orderliness of the transition of the students while in the hallways and during lunch, as well as the friendly, professional interaction with the instructors and between the instructors and administration,” Kelly added.

School News, Pages 11 on 11/24/2010