Gravette board honors transportation department, approves 2018-2019 budget

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Richard Carver (left), Gravette public schools transportation and maintenance department supervisor, poses with his secretary, Melissa White, and bus technicians, Jason Curtis and Chad Whitehead, at the August meeting of the Gravette school board. White displays the 2018 Safest Fleet Award that Carver accepted for the department at the Arkansas Association of Pupil Transportation banquet in Hot Springs July 17. This is the second year the school bus fleet has earned the award.
Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Richard Carver (left), Gravette public schools transportation and maintenance department supervisor, poses with his secretary, Melissa White, and bus technicians, Jason Curtis and Chad Whitehead, at the August meeting of the Gravette school board. White displays the 2018 Safest Fleet Award that Carver accepted for the department at the Arkansas Association of Pupil Transportation banquet in Hot Springs July 17. This is the second year the school bus fleet has earned the award.

GRAVETTE -- Staff of the Gravette schools transportation department led the pledge of allegiance to the flag to open the Aug. 20 meeting of the Gravette school board. Board members recognized Richard Carver, school transportation and maintenance department supervisor, his secretary Melissa White and bus techs Jason Curtis and Chad Whitehead for receiving the 2018 Safest Fleet award from the Arkansas Association of Pupil Transportation. Carver attended the AAPT banquet July 17 in Hot Springs to accept the award. This is the second year the Gravette transportation department has earned this award.

Dennis Kurczek, Gravette schools business manager, gave the July financial report. Board members held a special meeting Aug. 16 to review the 2018-2019 budget. The proposed budget was presented at the board meeting and members voted unanimously to approve it. Kurczek said some adjustments may need to be made before Sept. 30.

Richard Page, superintendent of schools, gave the superintendent's report and outlined the next steps in the facilities project. He reported an enrollment of 1,875 students in school that day. Page said the district is pursuing grant monies to help fund equipment for the career center.

Clay McGill and Michael Spaeth, principal architects with BiLD Architects, spoke to the board. McGill said they are ready to present building plans to the board for review. Spaeth informed board members about the middle school and vocational school sprinkler systems. Spaeth said he had met with the fire chief and satisfied his concerns. BiLD architects have met with Northwest Technical Institute to finalize the career center program. A meeting was set for Tuesday, Aug. 28, to review the architects' plans. After final approval on the plans, the firm will begin design work.

Superintendent Page reported that board member Jay Oliphant, who was unable to attend, has suggested the board have an appraisal done on property the school is considering buying. Tracy Moorman, board president, suggested that, rather than doing an appraisal, a comparison of prices on similar property be obtained.

Student transfer requests were approved as presented, one from Gravette to Bentonville, one from Gravette to Siloam Springs and one from Gravette to Springdale.

Daniel Rice, technology director, presented a proposal for purchase of Chromebooks. Board members voted to approve the purchase of 60 Chromebooks and two carts from Insight in the amount of $18,491.21, with funds to come from Title V monies. These will be used in the sixth-grade math department.

Board members voted to authorize the sale of $10,000 in Gravette School District construction bonds, Series A, dated Aug. 1, 2018, and approved documents pertaining to the sale prepared by Friday, Eldridge and Clark Law Firm. A second series of bonds will be sold in January.

Board members adjourned into executive session shortly after 7 p.m. and reconvened the regular meeting at 7:44 p.m. They then voted unanimously to accept the resignations of Aaron Whitten, paraprofessional; Carmen Moore, bus driver; and Tonya Cowan, paraprofessional. All resignations are effective immediately.

Board members voted unanimously to approve three employment contracts for the 2018-2019 school year. They approved hiring Jacoby Rieff as a special education paraprofessional, Janet Greer as a special education paraprofessional and Robin Capps as a cafeteria cook/cashier. They also voted to approve the resignation of Melinda Griffin as student council sponsor, effective immediately.

Community on 08/29/2018