Board Renews Superintendent's Contract, Approves Raise

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Snow covers the entrance area to Prairie Grove High School’s new basketball gym. School Board members voted to use bricks along the sides of the entrance, instead of a rough concrete. The entrance also will have a ramp to the left for handicapped accessibility.
LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Snow covers the entrance area to Prairie Grove High School’s new basketball gym. School Board members voted to use bricks along the sides of the entrance, instead of a rough concrete. The entrance also will have a ramp to the left for handicapped accessibility.

Prairie Grove School Board members have renewed employee contracts for administrators for 2015-16 school year and approved a new base salary of $125,000 for Superintendent Allen Williams.

Administrators for next school year include all current principals and assistant principals: Principal Ron Bond and Assistant Principal Joey Sorters at the high school, Principal Reba Holmes and Assistant Principal Shayne Taylor at the middle school, Principal Jonathan Warren at the intermediate school, and Brenda Clark, elementary school principal.

The board approved administrators' contracts at its Feb. 16 meeting.

Williams' base salary will increase from $120,000 to $125,000, effective July 1, based on action by board members at their Jan. 16 meeting. Williams also will receive a $25,000 longevity bonus at the end of June, per his contract when he was first hired by Prairie Grove School Board.

Board President Jerry Coyle said the longevity bonus was a part of Williams' contract to entice him to stay with the district. Prior to Williams, Prairie Grove had gone through several superintendents during a short time span.

Coyle said the board did not discuss giving another longevity bonus for the future.

"We felt like he met that obligation," Coyle said. "We're very happy with him."

The $5,000 raise was approved to show the board's confidence in Williams' leadership, Coyle said.

"In my opinion, he's a financial wizard," Coyle said recently. "Our audits come in good and he keeps a good handle on finances, especially with the construction going on. He's very conservative and we appreciate that."

Coyle also noted Williams communicates well with board members, administration and staff.

"We think he's a good fit for us."

The board extended his three-year contract another year through June 30, 2018.

Williams said he has stayed with Prairie Grove five years because it is a great place to work.

"My daughter is in the school district. From a parent's point of view and a student's point of view, it's been great," Williams said. "I have a great working environment and a strong supportive board."

Williams said friends will ask him about working for Prairie Grove and his response: "I tell them Prairie Grove is the best kept secret in the state. I enjoy it here."

In other action Feb. 16, the board approved the entrance to the new high school gym for about $97,000 and approved a change order for the ceilings in the locker rooms and hospitality room for around $25,000.

Vol Woods, assistant superintendent, said board members opted to have a brick entrance to the new competitive basketball gym, instead of rough concrete, to give it a nicer look. Brick also will be used for a handicapped ramp into the building.

Board members also accepted a low bid of $128,273 for a new 84-passenger school bus from Midwest Bus Sales and voted to spend $10,000 to replace a bus engine.

A request to build an agriculture barn on 10 acres behind the high school was postponed until the March meeting to gather more information on costs.

General News on 03/04/2015