GRAVETTE — Following an executive session at its last meeting, the Gravette School Board approved contracts for the 2011 fiscal year for superintendent of schools Andrea Kelly and building principals: Zane Vanderpool, Glenn Duffy Elementary; Jay Ensor, upper elementary; Mitchell Wilber, middle school; and Jo Ellen Hastings, high school.

Also rehired was Duane Thomas, assistant principal at Gravette High School, as well as all of the district-certified instructional staff as recommended by building principals.

Action on classified staffwill occur at a later meeting.

The board approved three projects, including purchase of an amplification system for all classrooms in the school and MAC books. The bid price was $177,000.

Approved were bids of $22,680 by Arkansas Glass and Mirror to replace the front doors on the upper elementary building and $68,840 by Built-Well Construction for replacing ceiling tile and grid at the middle school. The projects will be paid from stimulus funds the district received.

The board authorized Kelly to seek bids for pavement overlay for parking lots at the competitive gym,the old gym and the Glenn Duffy Elementary building.

Jake Haak, business manager, informed the board the assessed valuation for the school district increased 2.37 percent for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The assessed valuation is $267,875,810, up from $261,665,290 for the preceding year.

The three-year reassessment of county property is now in process and valuation information for the 2011-2012 year will be watched closely because of an expected decrease in property values.

Salary Comparisons

Haak also presented the board with a salary analysis comparing Gravette with other county and area schools.

Of the 238 schools in Arkansas, Gravette’s starting salary with a bachelor’s degree, $39,500, ranks sixth in the state.

Only Springdale, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and West Memphis rank higher. The Marion, Cabot, Greenwood and Siloam Springs districts round out the top 10. Six of the top ten schools are in this twocounty area.

The starting salaries for Benton County schools include Bentonville at $42,240; Decatur, $31,100; Gentry, $32,800; Rogers, $41,300; Siloam Springs, $38,100 and Pea Ridge, $35,050.

News, Pages 7 on 03/30/2011