GRAVETTE -- Members of the Gravette school board preceded their May meeting with a reception honoring John Edwards, who is retiring after 15 years of service, and a community forum explaining details about the May 22 school election, the proposed millage increase and proposed projects to be funded.
The board also broke with tradition and held its executive session, to discuss resignations and employment contracts, before the main board meeting. When members convened in regular session, they voted to accept the resignations of Kristen May as pre-K aide, Bill Harrelson as head football coach/teacher, Sara Reyes as middle school English teacher, Joy Kim as ESL migrant clerk, Teresa Ford as custodian and Harris Steele as bus driver.
They voted to extend employment contracts to Lynn Johnson, gifted and talented teacher; Andrea Nall, dyslexia interventionist; Karen Cervenka, self-contained classroom resource teacher at Glenn Duffy Elementary; Jeff Gravette, assistant superintendent; Ashleigh Horn, fourth grade teacher; Candice Carney, fourth grade teacher; Brenda Ratliff and Traci Rutledge, junior high co-cheerleader coaches.
Dennis Kurczek, business manager, gave the April financial report, including detailed reports of all fund balances. "I don't have a crystal ball," he concluded, "but based on trend, I am hopeful we will have a surplus" at year's end.
Richard Page, superintendent of schools, gave a brief report on the millage forums that had been conducted in Bella Vista, Hiwasse, Sulphur Springs, Maysville and Gravette. He said it had been a busy end-of-school period and announced the selection of "Teachers of the Year" at each school. Teachers of the Year include Dana Betz, pre-K teacher, Glenn Duffy Elementary; Lori Hirsch, fourth-grade teacher, Upper Elementary; Coach Duke Mobley, P.E. teacher/football coach, Middle School; and Carla Hicks, math teacher, Gravette High School.
Board members voted to approve the special education assurances, assurances that federal money received by the schools will be spent as intended.
Members conducted the first reading of the student handbook. It was noted that some faculty names needed to be changed, and member Hope Duke stressed the importance of remaining consistent throughout the school year, not starting out enforcing rules strictly at the beginning of the year and getting lax near the end, and of having policies consistent throughout the schools.
Adoption of the 2018-2019 school board policies was tabled until the June meeting. Members asked for more time to consider proposed changes marked in red and optional policies.
School choice applications were approved as presented, with 16 students transferring into the district and eight transferring out. Superintendent Page noted it was good that there were more students coming in than going out of the district.
A representative of the NWA Trailblazers attended the meeting and presented maps showing a proposed trail the group wants to build in Bella Vista and its location in relation to property the school district owns. He presented two options, splitting the district's current lot or swapping it for another lot. Board members voted to swap the current lot for another .22 acre lot on Sunset Drive.
Members voted to approve allowing Sheila Roughton, food service director, to seek bids from food vendors for supplying food and paper goods for the Child Nutrition Program during the 2018-2019 school year.
Superintendent Page made a recommendation that the board approves employing a full-time speech specialist for the district rather than the current practice of contracting for the services of part-time speech specialists. After a brief discussion, the issue was tabled in order to allow time to further investigate exactly what the cost savings might be.
A discussion was held regarding the Boys and Girls Club use of school facilities. Superintendent Page reported that a writers camp would be held through June 24, but the district had no commitments for summer programs beyond that date. He said the district had reapplied for the 21st Century grant and, if it is approved again, funds might be available for further summer programs. Board member Jay Oliphant recommended allowing the Boys and Girls Club to use school facilities during the summer since it no longer has access to its former meeting place in the civic center while renovations are being done there. Oliphant says research shows that students regress more during the summer months if they have no access to enrichment opportunities.
Mandy Barrett, upper elementary principal, acknowledged that the need was there for summer opportunities, but she cautioned that it is important to keep summer programs meeting at the school under school control. Richard Carver, school maintenance department supervisor, mentioned also the need to do maintenance, such as floor refinishing, on school buildings in the summer. The recommendation was made to contact the Bella Vista Boys and Girls Club, since it is also in the Gravette school district, and inquire whether it might be able to accommodate Gravette Boys and Girls Club members in its programs.
General News on 05/30/2018