GRAVETTE -- A reception honoring retiring school board members and school employees was held preceding the board's regular meeting Monday, May 16, in the high school commons.
When the meeting began, Maribel Childress, superintendent of schools, presented plaques and lifetime passes to GHS activities to retiring board members Hope Duke, Jodi Moore and Jay Oliphant. Retiring employees Modella Dodson, Carolyn Middleton, Teri Finnell, Lisa Milton, Bo Moon, Ruth Kennedy, Kay Murray, Cindy Kirkpatrick, Jacki Reiff and Billy McClendon were given potted flowers.
Childress also introduced Classified Employees of the Year and each was presented with a trophy. Employees honored were Teri Finnell, Gravette High School; Heather Holland, Gravette Upper Elementary; Jennifer Knox, Gravette Middle School; Lori Miller, Glenn Duffy Elementary; and Kay Robbins, Transportation.
Members voted to accept the consent agenda which included accepting resignations and retirements, the rescinding of one retirement and consideration of expulsion recommendations.
Business manager Dennis Kurczek gave the April financial report, reporting that $476,000 in cash revenue was received during the month. He said the cost of natural gas has already gone 180% over budget for the year. Kurczek expressed his appreciation to board members for the work they do. He said an updated financial report will be presented in June, and he also gave a report on ESSER/ARP funds.
Board president Jay Oliphant reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the superintendent and of board members.
During the curriculum and instruction report, assistant superintendent Becky Sears and middle school librarian Mike Walker discussed library policies and noted the commitment school librarians make to provide students, parents and staff with high-quality educational materials. Sears said some books had been pulled from school shelves and some books are designated for parents and educators and are not available to students for checkout. There are provisions in policy, she said, that allow employees to make complaints on behalf of community members who have concerns about inappropriate materials on the shelves but do not have students enrolled in the school. Walker noted the current policy needs to be reviewed because it is difficult to define "vulgar" or "inappropriate" because these might be a matter of personal opinion and what might be inappropriate to one person might not be to another. He said when parents have expressed concerns in the past, teachers have talked with the patrons and dealt with the issues individually. Hope Duke said she feels "there is no replacement for good communication."
Jay Oliphant said board members rely on teachers and staff to exercise good judgment and feel they can be trusted to do so.
Superintendent Childress said, "Our librarians love their kids." Thus, they will continue to scan and review the policy as needed.
Kelly Hankins gave the ALE annual report and said she was very proud of the program and felt the district could have no more dedicated employees than those now working in the alternative learning program. She said 22 students were served at the high school. Eleven of those graduated, but nine rising seniors remain and all are enrolled in career classes for the 2022-2023 school year. She said students at Glenn Duffy Elementary are focusing on communication and problem-solving. Hankins said she continues to focus on improving the program and noted that when programs were up for renewal, all four programs were approved. She reported that welding students at the career center won two of the top awards in NWTI's regional competition.
Sheila Roughton, food service director, gave the food service annual report and outlined the growth of the program, with more meals being served as enrollment increases, revenue up over $2,000 and an expenditure of more than $291,000 for food service at the end of April. She said that the percentage of eligibility for free and reduced-price lunches has dropped considerably. She noted that supply chain issues had been worked out and said that $44,000 in supply chain assistance has been received which she plans to spend for milk. Roughton said the voucher to allow students to eat meals for free expires at the end of June and reported the Seamless Summer program begins on May 31. Finally, she reported there will be an equipment upgrade with new floors and paint at Glenn Duffy Elementary, where 182,000 and 191,000 lunch meals are being served.
Daniel Rice, technology director, gave the communications department's annual report. He said he feels there has been good growth in social media and use of the school website. Hope Duke said she believes there needs to be more patron engagement and she is concerned that patrons don't use such media if it is not updated frequently.
Superintendent Childress gave the April attendance report and the covid report and consideration of covid directives and mandates. She said she was happy to report that this would be her last covid report.
Board members moved into executive session at 7:14 p.m. for the purpose of discussing the employment of personnel and returned to open session at 8:55 p.m. No related action followed.
Under action items, board members voted to approve the policy changes as written, based on recommendations by the personnel policy committee.
Members voted unanimously that, upon Tracy Moorman's re-election to the board, he be moved into the vacant Zone 5 seat because he resides in Zone 5. Then the open position, to be appointed by the board on June 20, 2022, would be the at-large position.
Members voted to raise the price of meals for students and adult/guest meals and increase the milk price from 40 cents to 50 cents for staff and students. They also voted to approve the food service department soliciting grocery bids for the 2022-2023 school year.
The chief fiscal officer was given authorization to transfer cash as necessary between the operating and building fund accounts held at Arvest Bank so that the district's general ledger cash accounts reflect the balances shown by the bank. These transfers can only be executed through the Arvest Cash Manager website portal. This authorization will remain in effect through the end of the 2022-2023 school year.
Members voted to approve the Statement of Intent for the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Special Education, Local School District for IDEA part B (611) and (619) funds.
Members voted unanimously to authorize seeking bids for the purchase of new school buses for the 2023-2024 school year in June and to authorize seeking bids for the sale of three school buses, a Jacobsen 1900D 84" reel mower, and the Turfco top dresser.
School choice requests were approved for 20 students entering the Gravette school district and 11 students leaving the district.
Members voted to give approval for additional aide support for kindergarten teachers for the fall of 2022.
Members voted to extend Amanda Kelly's administrative receptionist and community services contract to include summer employment and to approve the voluntary transfers of Samantha Luther from her current GHS social students/head softball coach position to the position of GHS Spanish/head softball coach, Kristy Sanders from kindergarten teacher at Glenn Duffy Elementary to GDE pre-K teacher, and Sara Bolduc from Title I paraprofessional at Gravette Upper Elementary to Title I paraprofessional at Glenn Duffy Elementary.
Approval was given to hiring Heath Skaggs as a special education paraprofessional, Cassidy Pearson, Kimberly Weilnau and Edward DeMasters as special education teachers, Amy Sovine as GHS school nurse, Donna Ragland as a one-year-only ESSER funded reading specialist at Gravette Middle School, Addison Masters as middle school social studies teacher and assistant volleyball coach, Heather "Ally" Briggs and Hale Koellike as kindergarten teachers, Carly "Grace" Dougan as a two-year-only ESSER funded physical education teacher/assistant basketball coach at Glenn Duffy Elementary, Natalie Williams as a one-year-only ESSER funded reading specialist at Glenn Duffy Elementary and Preston Gibbs as Gravette school district athletic trainer. Members also voted to approve the salary schedule for school district athletic trainers.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND
Classified Employees of the Year at Gravette schools were honored at the May 16 meeting of the Gravette school board and each was presented a trophy. Classified Employee of the Year honorees pictured are Kay Robbins, Transportation; Lori Miller, Glenn Duffy Elementary; Jennifer Knox, Gravette Middle School; Heather Holland, Gravette Upper Elementary; and Teri Finnell, Gravette High School.
Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND
Retiring members of the Gravette school board were honored at the May 16 meeting of the board and each was presented with a plaque and a lifetime pass to Gravette school activities. A reception was held preceding the meeting honoring them, as well as retiring teachers and employees. Pictured are Jodi Moore, Jay Oliphant and Hope Duke. Oliphant has been serving as board president this year.