Board hears suggestions to improve Gentry test scores

GENTRY -- School board members, at their Oct. 21 meeting, heard a list of recommendations from Cheryl Braun, unsuccessful candidate for the at-large school board seat in the September school board election.

In her presentation, Braun made recommendations under four points, the first dealing with ACT and state test scores. Braun suggested the district superintendent set specific goals for achievement with incremental percentage increases each year, analyze the programs used in each school, bringing in outside facilitators to gather the information, and develop achievement plans for each school to make improvements.

She suggested that Gentry schools study the school of innovation plans of the Siloam Springs and Springdale districts and provide industrial training for Gentry students. She suggested a facilitator be appointed for the superintendent's advisory committee and that published meetings be held monthly. And, finally, she suggested that all issues be discussed openly at school board meetings, recommending that board members re-read the rules and policies of the Arkansas Department of Education for school boards, saying "it appears that all items are discussed prior to the meetings and decisions made before the meeting."

While not disagreeing with Braun's goals of improving Gentry test scores and giving Gentry children the best education possible, Gentry superintendent Randy Barrett pointed out that the school district and schools already had in place programs to do the things Braun was recommending, including the Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. He pointed out that the school district and all the schools were accredited by AdvancEd and that the accreditation team was returning in November for a comprehensive review of the schools and education plans. (A schedule of the AdvancEd visit on Nov. 9-12 was passed out to board members.)

Barrett said that the Gentry School District is not the Siloam Springs District or the Springdale District and no money is provided to execute special school of innovation plans, and some of the things which were part of other district's school of innovation plans are and have been in place in the Gentry District for some time. Barrett mentioned the fact that Gentry High School students are able to earn up to a year's worth of college credits while still completing high school.

In regard to test scores, Barrett said the district is always striving to improve scores but that the district is not doing badly. He said the district is at the average mark for ACT scores in Arkansas and slightly above the national average.

"We're not saying we've reached all our goals, but we are doing a good job," Barrett said.

Barrett objected to Braun's accusation of unethical behavior by the school board -- her alleging matters were discussed and decided outside of and prior to board meetings -- saying this board was a good group, if not the best, he has worked with during his time as superintendent in Gentry.

At the close of the meeting, numerous board members thanked Braun for bringing her concerns and suggestions to them.

In other business, transportation director Jason Barrett told the board the new bus route along Arkansas Highway 12 was in place for about two weeks with 65 student riders assigned to the bus. He said it has helped much with arrival times and that students no longer have to cross the busy highway to board or exit the bus.

Randy Barrett explained some expenditures for air conditioner repair at the high school and furniture needs at the primary school. He said, overall, the district is on course financially, with the goal of finishing the year with $1.5 million left in the operating funds.

The board approved a first reading of a change recommended by the personnel policy committee to pay the cross country coach the same stipend paid to other coaches since he coaches boys' and girls' cross country.

The board approved the resignation of Megan Welch as softball coach (she continues her other teaching duties), the hiring of Jordan Moses as primary school special education teacher due to an increase in the number of special education students, Natasha Jennen as special education aide in the intermediate school and Billy Glasscock as bus driver (step one).

The board also renewed appointments of Randall Bolinger as disbursing officer, Dani Cypert as alternate disbursing officer and Barrett as ex-officio fiscal and legal agent for the board.

General News on 10/29/2014