GENTRY -- The Gentry School Board gave unanimous approval to a student council proposal to allow high school students to paint a design on their assigned parking spaces for a $20 fee which would go to the student council to raise money for the next homecoming dance.
Haley Hays, along with Abby Asencio, both Gentry sophomores, addressed the school board about the project using a PowerPoint presentation. According to the presentation, students would have to fill out an application to participate, submit a design plan, have parental approval and school approval. The paintings would have to be within the parking lines, and only specific acrylic water-based paint would be allowed.
Only students with a current driver's license and a vehicle would be allowed to apply, and seniors would have first priority.
All the painting would be done on a specific day, with no painting allowed outside that one day, according to the presentation. Students would have to buy their own approved paint and supplies.
Those without an assigned parking space could park in other unpainted spaces further from the school classroom facility.
At the end of the school year, the fire department would be able to wash off the paint with high-pressure spray from a fire hose, according to the presentation.
The school board unanimously approved the plan, but Coye Cripps, board chairman, asked if a paint test could be done to see how easily the paint washes off before all the spaces are painted.
The plan was to use existing parking spaces, though an additional parking area recently approved by the board could be included when it is complete. The parking lot addition will extend to the east of the current parking lot, leaving a green space between the parking area and Pioneer Lane similar to that in front of the high school building.
Hays and Asencio also presented a request to hold next year's junior-senior prom on April 22, 2017, from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Cypress Barn in Siloam Springs. The Cypress Barn was the location of this year's prom, and students and staff spoke well of the venue. The school board gave unanimous approval to the off-site location for next year's prom.
In other business, the board appointed members from the public and the board to the screening committee used in the hiring process of a new VoAg teacher to replace David Nelson, who is retiring at the close of the current school year, and a new boys' basketball coach to replace Sean Price, who submitted his resignation. The special screening committees are used in filling high-profile positions for the school district.
On the committee for the VoAg post are: Brae Harper, Terrie Metz, Sue Ann Chenault, Judy Winslett, Savannah Dickinson, Brittany Coffee and Gary Dunlap. On the committee for the boy's basketball coach are: Brae Harper, Larry Cozens, Paul Ernest, Toby Tevebaugh, Eldon Cripps, Cindy Philpott, Sean Haag, Duane Fox and Randall Bolinger.
New contracts for classified staff were also approved for the new school year. The board also approved the resignations of Sean Price as high school teacher and senior boys' basketball coach, Tim Fulks as a contracted bus driver, and Lance Nations as volunteer girls' softball coach. The board hired Kari Cantrell to teach high school English and Ayla Smartt to teach middle school and high school science. Also hired were Patrick Anderson and Kurtis Sharp as evening custodians, Brian Little and Scott McCollum as contracted bus route drivers. Patrick Shimer and Kelli Talvitie had two hours of contracted shuttle service added to their route driver contracts. William Catron transferred from transportation helper to contracted route driver, and Robert Savage transferred from a special education aide to a contracted route driver.
General News on 05/25/2016