Career preparation was focus of school board planning meeting in Gravette

GRAVETTE -- Strategic planning for career preparation facilities was the main focus of a recent Gravette school board planning meeting. Three guest speakers addressed the board during the evening: Senator Jim Hendren, Marshall Ney and Bob Robinson.

Senator Hendren, a former member of the board, told the current members about grant money available from the state and Workforce Development grants offered by community colleges. He said state funds are about $5 million and Workforce Development funds are about $17 million. The key to obtaining either type of grant, he said, is being able to present a good, solid program of career training with a good business plan. He suggested partnering with Northwest Arkansas Community College if possible. He also suggested consulting with advisers in charter school development in Little Rock if a charter school was being considered. He pointed out that recent legislation allows regular schools to get some of the same waivers available to charter schools.

Marshall Ney, a lawyer specializing in education law and a former member of the Bentonville school board, suggested that Gravette go ahead and plan a career program without waiting for other area schools to participate. After a plan is in place, other schools could be invited to join. Ney told of an ALE (alternative learning environment) career facility and program shared by Bentonville, Rogers and Springdale schools and suggested board members contact Mike Malone of the Northwest Arkansas Council to visit with them about future labor needs in the area.

Board members voted unanimously to appoint a committee to explore alternative uses for the school district owned property that formerly housed the bus barn and the property in Hiwasse which had been leased to the Hiwasse Volunteer Fire Department. Bob Robinson, Gravette city council member, told the board that the city is interested in the bus barn property but it is still undecided about how it might be used. He also noted that the Hiwasse property still houses some fire equipment although the Hiwasse Volunteer Fire Department is nonexistent since Hiwasse was annexed into the city of Gravette. Jack Skillett, Jim Singleton and Jay Oliphant were chosen as members of the committee to study other uses for these properties.

Marshall Ney told board members about two instances in Bentonville where the school district partnered with the city of Bentonville to develop district owned property. The first was a tennis facility near Memorial Park which is also used by students and the second was a community center on the southwest side of town which includes a pool for swim team practice. The school district did not sell the land to the city but a perpetual lease agreement was signed.

School superintendent Richard Page told board members he thought a nursing program which would allow students to be certified was a very good possibility. He suggested it be housed in a part of the annex building. He also said he and high school principal Jay Chalk were planning a trip to meet with officials in Little Rock and tour career programs in Conway, Paris and Fort Smith. He invited any interested board members to join them.

Bill Hayford, business manager, presented a preliminary budget review. Potential new positions and policy proposals were discussed. Board members were told that the state now requires a dyslexia interventionist and that another special ed paraprofessional would probably be needed next school year. Board members expressed interest in modifying the salary schedule for the food service supervisor and agreed to meet the next week to review revised budget projections.

General News on 04/22/2015