GRAVETTE -- The Gravette School Board at its April 21 meeting unanimously approved a salary increase for all certified, classified and administrative staff for the coming year. The $700 increase amounts to approximately 2.8 percent, according to superintendent Richard Page.
Board president Danny Alsup was absent. Jack Skillett presided and board members present were John Edwards, Jim Singleton, Susan Santos, Jay Oliphant and Dan Yates.
Other salary action included unanimously approving a .020 stipend to the musical director in years when a dramatic musical is scheduled; adding a half-time language arts teacher, a .355 time school nurse, a full-time assistant high school principal and an additional school resource officer (if agreeable with the city). All were approved, 5-1, with Oliphant voting no. The board voted 4-2 to pay all employees of the district their full contracted pay for four of the five days waived because of inclement weather. Opposed were Oliphant and Singleton.
Other action included congratulating HOSA students for their achievement and approving field trips for HOSA, FBLA and DECA to attend national competitions. A $100 award per student was authorized.
Following a 20-minute executive session, the board unanimously approved the hiring of Mandy Barrett as upper elementary principal and Debra Russell for special education. They also gave unanimous approval that all classified staff recommended be hired for the 2014-2015 school year. They accepted resignations from April Slaughter, Molly Greer, Tammy Harmon and Thomas Gourd and approved several staff transfers.
The board approved a summer school session to be offered at the high school from June 9 through July 2, Monday through Thursday.
Discussed were school board policies, and several changes by the Arkansas School Board Association were approved after a number of changes and corrections in the document are made.
Superintendent Richard Page presented a plan for District of Innovation discussion involving senior options to allow second semester seniors to attend higher ed classes. The board voted to present the document to the school staff for consideration and, if approved by 60 percent of the staff, to forward the document to the state for final approval.
Other actions included approving the 2012-13 legislative audit, okaying the three-year cycle of seeking bank account bids for the district operating fund, accepting a bid of $172,349.37 by Service Group 360 for custodial service for 2014-15, sharing the initial elevation plan for the proposed Bella Vista elementary school and floor plans for the high school addition, hearing an up-to-date attendance report, announcing new health insurance rates should be available by July 1, announcing a grant has been received to purchase Apple TVs for Glenn Duffy Elementary and announcing the district newsletter will be mailed within the next week or so.
General News on 04/30/2014