Richard Mann, high school history, speech and drama teacher, told the board on April 11 that several students from lower socio-economic group for whom English was not their first language had dropped out of high school in 2015 to enter the workforce. He has been part of a group of faculty members who studied what the schools could do to reverse this, and learned the best way to approach this would be to start at the pre-school level helping kids with language and reading skills. He said those who dropped out had not achieved a high enough reading level to stay engaged in studies. Another hurdle for students whose parents work is simply transportation to and from school and activities.
Lynda Miller, fifth grade literacy and social studies teacher, said some fifth graders participated in what she called a living wax museum. The students researched a particular historic individual, compiled a report and gave a speech to the class dressed as the subject of their study. The list of speakers included Hillary Clinton, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Benedict Arnold, Donald Trump and more.
Elementary school Principal Clare Lesieur said the Community Center Foundation is hosting an after-school program in the elementary school cafeteria, and parents have mentioned how beneficial the program has been. Lesieur said she appreciated efforts of the Foundation in starting the program that will eventually move the Community Center site.
She said students have been on field trips to the Walton Arts Center, Crystal Bridges and the Amazeum. Cinco de Mayo festivities are in the works, and Möm and Pöp, a musical duo, performed for the kindergarteners. Lesieur said her teachers perform pre-testing early in the year to see where intervention is needed before the requisite standardized testing at year’s end. She said they would compare results of early testing and the standardized tests to gauge effectiveness of the intervention.
Board business
- The board approved both the Licensed Personnel Policies and the Classified Personnel Policies for 2017-2018. Treasurer Pam McGarrah stated the minor changes came from the Arkansas School Board Association, and changes had been approved by the Personnel Policies Committee.
- The board also approved the Licensed Salary Schedule for the next school year. Pruitt said it included no raises, but he hoped to provide a bonus for teachers because they do not get what they deserve. He said he hoped the district would be able every other year to consider a boost in the salary schedule, but during the next school year he intended to ask the board to give teachers a one-time bonus.
- Also approved was extending the contract with PCMI, the service which provides substitute teachers for the district.
Next meeting will be Tuesday, May 9, at 6 p.m.