Band council attends school board meeting

Photo by Susan Holland The four members of the Gravette Band Council attended the November Gravette School Board meeting and led the Pledge of Allegiance to open the meeting. They are Wesley Hearne, freshman representative, left; Brooke Brasel, sophomore representative; Micah Wallace, junior representative; and Kaylea Turner, senior representative. Kaylea displays one of the new instruments the band recently received.
Photo by Susan Holland The four members of the Gravette Band Council attended the November Gravette School Board meeting and led the Pledge of Allegiance to open the meeting. They are Wesley Hearne, freshman representative, left; Brooke Brasel, sophomore representative; Micah Wallace, junior representative; and Kaylea Turner, senior representative. Kaylea displays one of the new instruments the band recently received.

GRAVETTE -- Members of the Gravette High School band council attended the November regular meeting of the Gravette School Board and led the pledge of allegiance to the flag to open the meeting

The four students on the council are Wesley Hearne, freshman; Brooke Brasel, sophomore; Micah Wallace, junior; and Kaylea Turner, senior. Band director James Hendrix also attended and displayed trophies band members won this year.

Trophies displayed were: ASBOA Region 6, Superior Rating; Northwest Arkansas Invitational, 2nd place in Class B; Northwest Arkansas Invitational, 8th place in finals; War Eagle Classic, 3rd place in Class B; War Eagle Classic, Best Marching in Class B; Elkins Invitational, Grand Champion -- 1st Place Overall; Elkins Invitational, Superior Rating; Elkins Invitational, Outstanding Woodwinds Overall; Blackhawk Invitational, 2nd place in Class AAA; Blackhawk Invitational, Best Percussion in Class AAA.

Business manager Bill Hayford gave the financial report for October and reported expenditures were down about 13 percent from October of 2014. He said it was a good month except for a higher than normal electric bill. Hayford said budget meetings with the various schools would be held before Thanksgiving break.

Richard Page, superintendent of schools, reported a pep rally would be held Thursday preceding the Lions' playoff game at Pulaski Robinson Friday night. He also announced a coop meeting with a special education emphasis would be held Dec. 7 and next month's board meeting would be on Dec. 14. Page requested that the board decide on a location for the spring graduation. Board members then voted to hold the graduation ceremonies at Lion Stadium with John Brown University as a backup location. A change to the backup site should be announced by Wednesday preceding graduation.

Richard Carver reported the facilities committee had been holding monthly meetings and had compiled a list of items of concern. Board members voted unanimously to seek bids for new carpet in the performing arts center and replacement of some cabinets in the middle school art room. A tour of the elementary school will be held in the spring to consider possible replacement of the flooring in the elementary gymnasium.

High school principal Jay Chalk reported that students in grades 3 through 10 would be required to participate in ASPIRE testing and eleventh graders may participate in ACT testing free in March 2016. Chalk also presented the school's desire to request three waivers for the proposed charter school. Board members voted to request a place on the agenda for the January state board of education to request the waivers. Gravette schools will ask for a five year period of accountability to the state board and continue with CTE standards for teachers of vocational subjects at the satellite center.

Transportation director Richard Carver reported one bid had been received for an additional bus. Board members voted unanimously to accept the bid of $90,785 from Midwest Bus Sales for a diesel bus. The vehicle is a demonstration model and consequently is about $6,000 less than a new one, Carver said.

Board members reviewed the board goals and voted to accept them with slight changes, including moving the budget to be received in September. Board goals include having student ACT test scores exceed the national average, and board member Jack Skillett asked for reports to include individual ACT scores in the areas of science, social science, math and English.

After a short executive session, board president reconvened the meeting in regular session at 7:30 and members voted to hire Deryl King as a bus driver and Jerri Berry as a cafeteria aide.

General News on 11/18/2015