Home-schooled could participate in activities

— The Gravette School Board is in the process of approving its policy for homeschooled children to participate in extracurricular activities such as band, sports, fine arts and otherspecial groups or clubs. The district’s governing body approved the policy on its first reading at last Monday night’s meeting. Final action is expected at the next meeting of the board.

According to Act 1369 of the recent Arkansas Legislative session, thepolicy lists the criteria which must be met for the student to participate in the chosen activities.

Students must be residents of the district, must meet test score requirements, are required to register for one course in the district’s school classes, must attend theclass (beginning no later than the 11th day of the semester), must attend practices and are subject to the district’s normal criteria of behavior. Complete information is available at the administrative offi ce.

In other action at the meeting which was heldat the high school commons, the board approved a change order for additional electrical work at the annex building which is being remodeled. That building is located just south of the administrative offi ce.

Also approved were:

Sharing a middle school teacher, Kristen Wages, with the Decatur School District, a policy continuing from last year.

Seeking bids for furniture for the Alternative Learning Complex.

Final approval for purchase of a 71-passenger school bus at a cost of $95,781.

Continuing the district’s agreement with the Ozark Guidance Center.

Arkansas SchoolBoard Association contract renewal policy.

No executive session employee contract renewal action was required but, after action taken at a special meeting held Aug. 15, the board recommended hiring Heather Gabriele as first grade teacher, Autumn Phillips as kindergarten teacher and Cynthia Kirkpatrick as special education teacher. Also recommended was the hiring of three child nutrition workers, three bus drivers and a bus technician.

The board also approved two student transfers to Bentonville district and okayed one transfer to Gravette from Bentonville.

Community, Pages 8 on 08/28/2013