GRAVETTE -- Jodi Moore, a candidate for Gravette school board, led the Pledge of Allegiance to open the July meeting of the Gravette School Board.
Bill Hayford, business manager for the school district, presented the financial report for the month of June and preliminary figures for Title 1, Title 2 and Title 6-B funds. He said he was working on finalizing figures for end-of-year closeout on July 31.
Richard Page, superintendent of schools, reported the new trophy case for the high school was scheduled for delivery that week. He also updated the board on the additional math course the board requested to begin in the 2017-2018 school year. He said a technical math course has been approved to be offered to vocational students next year and this course, to be taught by Barrett Buck, can serve as the fifth math course.
Page reported on a vocational meeting held July 6. He said work was being done on rewriting the grant for project managers of workforce development. He said he expected the workforce board would include school administrators as well as representatives from area businesses and industry. He reported Rogers has joined other schools in support of an area vocational facility and there has been much support from the Walton Family Foundation for expansion of career education opportunities. He feels NWACC might also be a funding contributor. Board president Jay Oliphant pointed out that Page had recently made a trip to Washington, D.C., to talk with legislators and encourage them to support HR 2123, Strengthening Career and Technical Education.
Representatives of Nabholz Construction Company gave an update on the progress of the Upper Elementary addition. The interior is ready for final painting, and plumbing fixtures along with floor covering are to be installed the following week. Projected completion date for the interior work is Aug. 1. Exterior work is expected to extend into the second week of August. Since block planned for the exterior of the library wall cannot be delivered for some time, board members voted unanimously to approve using split face block on the outer library wall.
Taos Jones, assistant high school principal, gave a presentation recommending the hiring of an in-school suspension supervisor. He said ISS counts for more than 39 percent of disciplinary actions at the high school, so he feels the numbers show a need for such an employee. He recommended using a classified building aide to fill the position. Board members voted unanimously to accept Jones' recommendation and approve the hiring of an ISS supervisor who would serve as a substitute teacher when not needed for ISS. The former health classroom will now be used for the ISS classroom.
Board members voted to approve five student transfer requests, three transfers into the district and two transfers out.
Norman Mitchell, athletic director, presented the athletic participation handbook for 2017-2018. Board members voted unanimously to accept the handbook as presented.
Sharla Heltzel, assistant superintendent, presented the board goals for 2017-2018. She said there were only a few changes from the goals presented at the previous meeting. Board members voted to adopt the goals after changing three years to four years (and next year to five years) for the full-time equivalent and re-assigned time report.
Richard Carver, custodial department supervisor, gave a presentation recommending the hiring of an additional night custodian. With the addition of the upper elementary addition, he said there would be 268,000 square feet of buildings to clean and, with only six people on the night cleaning crew, an additional custodian would be needed. Board members voted unanimously to hire an additional night custodian.
Carver, as transportation department supervisor, also presented bids for asphalt for paving the upper elementary car-rider lane and the parking lot at the administration building. Hutchens Construction Company was the low bidder for the paving jobs at $11,865 for the paving at the upper elementary and $15,594 for the administration building parking lot. Board members voted unanimously to accept Hutchens' bids for both paving jobs.
Board members voted unanimously to approve the 2017-2018 board report and decision calendar with the stipulation that the Full Time Equivalent and re-assigned times report be extended to four years and then to five years.
After a 40-minute executive session, board members returned to regular session. Votes were then made to accept the resignations of Robin Leonard, technical director; Joy Shephard, special education teacher; Julie Whitehead, bus driver/child nutrition worker; and Deryl King, bus driver.
Board members also voted to hire Karen Mallard as a special education paraprofessional and Rhonda Dunivant as a cafeteria worker/cashier.
General News on 08/02/2017