Prairie Grove Gives Annual Report To Public

The annual report to the public for Prairie Grove School District was presented by school Superintendent Allen Williams at the School Board's Oct. 17 board meeting.

The district's goals for 2016-17 include implementation of Arkansas state standards for math and language arts, increase participation in Advanced Placement classes at the high school, implement new science standards for grades 5-8 and to continue to upgrade and maintain facilities.

The annual report included results from spring testing.

For the ACT Aspire tests, given to grades 3-10, district-wide, 74 percent of students scored proficient in English, 49 proficient in math, 46 proficient in reading, 43 percent proficient in science and 37 proficient in writing.

For the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills given to first- and second-graders, 66 percent of first-graders met or exceeded goals for language arts and 73 percent for math; 62 percent of second-/graders met or exceeded goals for language arts and 66 percent for math.

At the high school, a total of 220 students enrolled in Advanced Placement classes last year and they took 399 AP tests. For the spring, 46 percent scored a 3 or higher on the tests, compared to 35 percent statewide.

For 2015-16, 150 Prairie Grove 11th-grade students took the ACT test in spring 2016 and the average composite score was 20.4, compared to 18.8 statewide.

The district's 2015-16 financial report shows the district started the year with a $2.3 million beginning balance. Total revenues received during the year and total expenses were about $15.6 million.

Enrollment, as of Oct. 1, was 1,909 students, compared to 1,881 on the same day last year. Of the total, 43 percent qualify for the free and reduced lunch program.

The district has completed several major construction projects: a new high school basketball arena, an elementary school addition and a safe room.

Future plans are to remodel the primary annex to serve as a workforce education facility, construct band seating at the football field, improve the connection of buildings at the middle school campus, install sidewalks connecting elementary and middle schools and provide additional high school parking.

The district's safety and security plan includes having a school resource officer; all employees and students trained using the district's response to active intruder situations, called ALICE or Alert Lockdown Inform, Counter and Evacuate; an emergency action plan where there is a flip chart by every phone that is also given to each employee; updating asbestos plans; maintaining fire alarm systems.