FARMINGTON -- Farmington Middle School will use a two-year, $70,000 grant to purchase technology and new curriculum, for additional tutoring and to provide staff training and professional development.
Julia Williams, principal, shared about the grant at Farmington School Board's July 27 meeting.
This was the first meeting for Farmington School District's new superintendent, Jon Laffoon. Board members welcomed him to the district, and Laffoon responded that he was looking forward to serving.
Williams gave credit to former teacher Andrea Ward for her research and work on the grant. Ward has left Farmington for an administrative position at West Fork School District.
The SOAR grant, which stands for Successful Outcomes for Arkansas Readers, comes from the Arkansas Department of Education.
Williams said the school will purchase new Chromebooks for around $15,000. The laptops will help provide electronic devices to students for virtual learning, Williams said.
Teachers and paraprofessionals will receive training in dyslexia intervention and a reading program called Phonics First. This professional development will cost about $1,300.
Another $25,000 will be used to purchase an approved curriculum and for training for R.I.S.E. Arkansas or Reading Initiative for Student Excellence. The statewide reading initiative started in 2017 to boost reading levels for students in third-eighth grades.
In addition, the school will pay five teachers a $500 stipend to tutor English as a Second Language students after school.
The teachers will first receive professional development before working with the students. The training will help those students but also will be "great" for all students, Williams said.
"This will hopefully serve a niche group we haven't been able to help with," she added.
Williams said applying for the grant was a lesson for her for the future.
"There are funds out there we can apply for and receive. I'm super excited to have this," Williams said.
In action items, the board approved a technology recommendation to purchase 10 replacement projectors and 10 document cameras for $18,317.
It also approved transfers for students who have requested to either leave the district or come into the district. Of those approved, 18 students are leaving Farmington and 25 students are transferring into Farmington.
In other news, Laffoon reported the district ended the 2019-20 school year with a balance of just over $1 million.
The past few years, the school has had to transfer money from its construction fund because of the scheduling of bond debt payments. The district then later made a transfer back to the construction fund as revenues came in. Laffoon said he wants to work toward not having to make those transfers in the future.
Athletic Director Beau Thompson, who now has a second title - district communications director - said the bleachers at the old high school football field will be dismantled and reassembled at the high school baseball complex. With more seating space, Farmington High will be able to host tournaments, Thompson said.
For personnel, the board approved recommendations to hire the following certified staff: Austin Lewis as a junior high teacher and junior high football coach; Anna Johnson as a junior high teacher and junior high volleyball coach; Courtney Green, Williams Elementary speech pathologist; Kristian Cartwright, virtual instruction coordinator/Project Lead the Way.