GRAVETTE -- Members of the thespian group and Educators Rising at Gravette High School led the pledge of allegiance to open the Jan. 23 meeting of the Gravette School Board.
Jay Oliphant, a former board member, addressed the group and said he felt citizens now have their best opportunity to give input on education initiatives. He said all should be considering what they can do to make education in Arkansas better. He said students in the state should do better in reading and math. He encouraged all to communicate with state representatives Hope Duke and Tyler Dees and share their thoughts on improving education in Arkansas. Board members thanked Oliphant for coming and commenting.
Following Oliphant's presentation, the thespian group and Educators Rising members were introduced and honored by school superintendent Maribel Childress. Ethan Strecker. Madison Lovell and Skylar Hernandez addressed the board and told about their involvement in drama and their future plans. Addyson Lawson, Lauren Meenan, Addilynn Bates, Brooklyn Parker and Isabelle Cradduck, members of Educators Rising, explained their interest in becoming educators and said they were going to Glenn Duffy Elementary on Wednesdays and Thursdays and learning skills while working with students there.
Board members voted to accept the consent agenda which included approving field trips for both the thespians and Educators Rising to attend state competitions.
Also honored was Morgan Knuckles, upper elementary art teacher, recipient of a fall 2022 Superintendent's Innovation Grant award. Knuckles displayed a bobblehead of her dog and explained that making bobbleheads was a project of her third-grade art class. Students in her fourth-grade class made "dragon eyes." These projects were paid for with grant funds. Knuckles gave each board member a "seed of happiness." These "seeds" were distributed in appreciation for good deeds and had also been given to persons helping with the school lunch fund and donors to the school's food bank. Alisa Corke, another Innovation Grant award winner, was unable to attend.
Dennis Kurczek, business manager, gave the December financial report and the ESSER/ARP financial report.
Superintendent Childress gave an update on the safety and security position. She said she had met with the Gravette police chief and with the school resource officers and they were moving forward with securing a new SRO for the open position. She said they were waiting to finalize an agreement with the city since there had been no update since 2017 and there are now new state guidelines for school safety officers. She said they hope to have a new SRO to fill the vacant position by March.
Childress also gave the HIRED! Grant report and the second quarter goals report. The goals discussed were safety, staff achievement, personalization and partnership. She said reports showed classroom doors were found locked 99% of the time and when they were found unlocked it was usually by substitute teachers. Staff members are working on goals and 1,771 positive contacts were made with school stakeholders during the second quarter of school. More partnerships are being formed with both external and internal school contacts.
Childress gave the FTE report, showing staff responsibilities, and the board member training report. She said all school board members have met the requirement of nine training hours per year. She also gave a school board election report, including election information from the county and instructions for filing for a school board position. There will be two openings on the board, one at-large position and one for Zone 5. Board members Tracy Moorman and Brad Harris will be up for re-election. Persons wishing to run for a board position may file until noon on March 1.
In action items, board members voted to approve the construction bond payment with payment coming from the ARP/ESSER fund. Approval was also given to authorize Superintendent Childress to enter into the Arvest ePayables program for the district. Childress explained this will be a more efficient method of paying the district's bills and payments can be made more quickly.
Board members voted to extend the one-year contracts for ESSER and HIIRED! grant employees, funding them through June 2024. Members voted unanimously to hire Courtney Roughton as a pre-K aide and Timothy Scot Heaton as a special education paraprofessional instructional assistant.
Board members voted to accept the contract disclosure forms for Matt Croxdale and Chris Flynt. Approval was also given to the first reading of the January 2023 ASBA model policy changes/updates and to approving options 1, 2 and 3 of the 2023-2024 school calendar for consideration by the school faculty.
In other action, board members voted to approve adding six CSSOs (Commissioned School Safety Officers) for the 2023-2024 school year, with payment of $1,000 per person coming from general operating funds. Approval was also given to adding Conservation and Recreation Education as a course at Gravette High School beginning in the 2023-2024 school year if enough students are interested in taking the course.
Members voted unanimously to approve a monthly school board award to be given to an employee who goes above and beyond in attendance, attitude and actions. The cost of the award would be approximately $10, to be paid out of general operating funds.
Consideration of PPC stipend and index recommendations was tabled until the February meeting.
Board members moved into an executive session at 7:58 p.m. to discuss employment. No other items were discussed and no action was taken on any item. Members returned to regular session and the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Susan Holland/Westside Eagle Observer Members of Educators Rising pose for a photo after giving their presentation at the Gravette School Board meeting Monday evening, Jan. 23. Pictured are Addyson Lawson (left), Lauren Meenan, Addilynn Bates, Brooklyn Parker and Isabelle Cradduck. Three of these young ladies placed in recent competitions. They go to Glenn Duffy Elementary School on Wednesday and Thursday, learning skills as they work with children there.
Susan Holland/Westside Eagle Observer
Morgan Knuckles, art teacher at Gravette Upper Elementary School, displays a bobblehead of her dog. Making bobbleheads was a project of students in her third grade art class. Fourth grade students made "dragon eyes." The projects were funded through one of the fall 2022 Superintendent's Innovation Grants.