GRAVETTE — Financing for renovations of Gravette Middle School and construction of two ball fields on the high school campus was finalized at a meeting of the District 20 School Board Thursday night. The board approved the sale of $1.5 million second lien bonds at 4.5 percent interest.

This added to funds from refunding/refinancing existing bonds in a measure voters approved in February. An additional $800,000 in the district’s building fund and a $1 million one-time refund from the state allows the project to be completed without an increase in the district’s 37.2 millage rate.

Project construction bids, expected to total about $4 million, will be opened May 31. A meeting of the board Facilities Committee is scheduled June 5 to consider the bids for a recommendation to the board.

Other actions by the board at the meeting included:

◊Approved School Choice applications for 19 students to transfer to Gravette, 16 from Bentonville, 3 from Gentry.

◊Approved changes in school handbooks.

◊Discussed plans for property in Hiwasse owned by the school district. No action was taken.

◊Added three steps to the certified salary schedule and one to the classified salary schedule, with no other changes in salary structure. The starting salary for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree and 0-1 year’s experience remains $39,500 and increases incrementally by years ofservice and educational attainment. Classified salaries are based on job descriptions and years of experience.

◊Accepted resignations of the following teachers: Jeff Gravette, Paula Wood, Rachel Galloway and Julia Coffman, and also several classified employees, approved transfers for two teachers, approved employment contracts for four teachers and one classified employee. The duties/contracts for three employees were also adjusted.

At the start of the business meeting, a public hearing was held concerning the District’s Acceptable Use Policy and Internet Safety Policy. Arkansas law requires the Board of Education to adopt the policies to prevent bullying and cyberbullying. Both policies were approved.

Community, Pages 11 on 05/30/2012