PRAIRIE GROVE -- The Prairie Grove School Board spent more than three hours in an executive session Monday night but board members did not make any comments or take any action after reconvening in public session.
The board first elected officers for the year, with Shawn Shrum remaining as president. Other officers for the next year are vice president J.C. Dobbs and Bart Orr as secretary.
Afterward, a motion was made shortly after 5 p.m. to go into executive session. The board returned to its regular meeting about 8:30 p.m. and continued with its published agenda for the evening.
Tuesday, school Superintendent Allen Williams said he asked for the executive session to bring a personnel issue to the board's attention.
He declined to elaborate but said, "It turned out to be a misunderstanding. From my perspective, it could have been a serious issue."
Dobbs, on Tuesday, said board members discussed personnel hires that were already on the agenda and discussed one other personnel issue. No action on the separate personnel issue is planned, Dobbs said.
"At this time, we feel it's closed," he added.
Personnel hired Monday night or staff transferred to other positions include: Stephanie Miles as an instruction facilitator; Ben Marcom and Addison Scroggins as elementary teachers; Jalynn Willcutt as an elementary instructional facilitator; Melanie Nations as elementary gifted and talented teacher.
The board accepted resignations from two teachers: Jared Hall from the high school and Charity Ruley from the elementary school.
In its regular meeting, Board members approved bonuses for certified and classified employees.
Certified employees will receive a $1,250 bonus for the 2017-18 year. The bonuses plus benefits will cost Prairie Grove District $250,000, said Allen Williams, superintendent of schools. Classified employees will receive a bonus of 3.2 percent for a total cost of $60,000, including benefits.
Williams said bonuses for all employees will cost $310,000.
In other action, board members approved opening up a second pre-K class for the 2018-19 school year, contingent on the school receiving final approval of a grant from the Arkansas Better Chance program.
Williams said he understands Prairie Grove has been approved for $72,900 but wanted to wait to move forward after he receives a letter notifying him of the grant. The grant would be used to pay the costs of a certified teacher and a teacher aide position or other costs related to the new classroom.
Jonathan Warren, co-principal of Prairie Grove Elementary School, said the school would not have a problem filling the class. Warren said more than 45 children have registered for the program and the school has a waiting list. The first pre-K classroom was created three years ago.
The Board approved other expenditures as recommended by district staff.
The Board agreed to purchase a new 2017 nine-passenger Chevrolet Suburban for school use for $43,449, including a leather seating option. The vehicle will come from Suburban Chevrolet in Owasso, Okla.
The high school's intercom system, which is more than 15 years old, will be upgraded for $21,000 by Professional Cabling.
The board also approved purchasing nine replacement copiers for $35,292 from AAA Business Machines. Williams said the district began purchasing copiers several years ago, instead of leasing the equipment, and staff believe it's been less expensive that way.
"We're able to get more use out of them, compared to when we purchased them," Williams told board members.
In other business, the board agreed to create two new teacher aide positions as needed for dyslexia interventions and approved a recommendation to set the district's ending balance at $1.5 million for its operating fund, with any amount over that to be transferred to the building fund at the end of the fiscal year.
General News on 06/20/2018