GRAVETTE -- Dylan Gruver and Drew Hendren, members of the Gravette High School football team, led the pledge of allegiance to the flag to open the November meeting of the Gravette school board. They were congratulated for their success as football players and for their academic achievements.
Brandy Estep and Kelly Majdon spoke to the school board regarding the rewards policy in the Gravette Middle School handbook. Both are parents of GMS students and expressed concern that students who are sick and miss school but have a doctor's note should not have the absence counted against them for rewards trips.
Duane Thomas, GMS principal, explained that students are allowed to miss four days and still be eligible to go on rewards trips. He said this policy was instituted to promote good attendance because "you can't educate if you're not in your seat."
Board member Hope Duke said she liked the incentive program but felt, if the student had a doctor's note, an absence should not count against them.
Jack Skillett, another board member, said he felt it would be appropriate for the faculty and administration to review the policy.
Bill Hayford, business manager, gave a financial report. He reported that tax dollars were short right now but that the deficit should be made up next month. He said utilities payments had been down this year and that foundation dollars would increase by $67 per pupil and $69 per pupil in the next two years.
Shannon Mitchell, high school counselor, presented the graduation report. She explained how the graduation rate is calculated and the difficulty of trying to track some students who "fall off the map." She said the state average graduation rate is 85 percent and Gravette's rate was 83.02 percent in 2015.
Jay Chalk, high school principal, presented the vocational report. He said Gravette administrators had attended the Nov. 4 consortium meeting at Bentonville West High School and discussed the Benton County Career Center and what programs each district would offer. Discussion was also held about how to market career center programs to potential students.
Chalk reported on the Northwest Arkansas Workforce Summit and quoted a statement made at that meeting about career center efforts: "Innovation at the local level will be the driving force more than any state or federal mandate." He reported an advanced machine course was still unofficial but an application was submitted on Oct. 1. He said $125,000 worth of computer-aided design equipment has been donated by Rogers schools. A second instructor will be needed but plans are to ask for state help in paying the second instructor.
On Nov. 10, Chalk, Shannon Mitchell and school board president Jay Oliphant met with the president of New Technology about making the HVAC program a one-year course rather than the current two-year course.
Principals from each Gravette school presented their AdvancEd priority solutions to the board.
Representatives of BiLD Architects were present and a facilities report was given. Three options were presented for reworking the upper elementary library. After a lengthy discussion, board member Hope Duke made a motion, seconded by Heather Finley, to request a more detailed cost estimate on Options 1 and 2. The motion passed unanimously.
A motion was made by Tracy Moorman, seconded by Hope Duke, to approve the metal exterior for the maintenance building. The motion was approved unanimously.
In other business, Robin Leonard, technology coordinator, reported three bids had been received for purchase of 50 HP Chromebooks for Glenn Duffy Elementary School. A motion was made by John Edwards, seconded by Hope Duke, to approve the purchase of 50 HP Chromebooks, management licenses and two mobile carts from CDW at a cost of $12,862.10. Purchase will be made with monies from federal funds. The motion was approved unanimously.
A motion was made by Tracy Moorman, seconded by Heather Finley and approved unanimously, to raise the salary for bus technicians and change their contracts to 245 day contracts effective immediately. Another motion was made by Hope Duke, seconded by Jay Oliphant and approved unanimously, to try an incentive bonus for bus drivers for the spring semester. Incentives will be based on attendance.
No action was taken on establishing board goals.
A motion was made by Jack Skillett, seconded by John Edwards, to accept Gary Rowland of Bella Vista as a member of the facilities committee. That motion failed with a 3-3 vote. Hope Duke, Heather Finley and Tracy Moorman opposed it.
Members moved into executive session to discuss personnel matters. After returning to regular session about 45 minutes later, they voted to accept the resignation of Pat Ramsey, special education teacher at the upper elementary school, effective Nov. 11, and to employ Beverly Watker as a bus driver on a long route with pay at $59.67 per day. Both motions were approved unanimously.
General News on 11/30/2016