Eureka Springs School Board met Monday night with a light agenda for the last meeting of 2018.
They approved a pair of student transfers and met the new speech parapro, Tina Elliot, who brings experience from Springdale. The remainder of the meeting focused on principals’ reports.
Counselor Rachal Hyatt filled in for high school Principal David Gilmore, and said Eureka Springs has earned high marks for student growth on the ACT Aspire test. The Office for Education Policy at the University of Arkansas rated Eureka Springs at seventh in the state for overall growth. “Only academies or charter schools did better in growth,” she said.
Hyatt also described the Naviance program, a college and career readiness program, which sets up a high school strategic plan for eighth-grade students. Students and their parents will set career goals and decide on appropriate courses.
The band and cheerleaders participated in the Christmas parade, and Hyatt said the band looked “amazing” in new uniforms.
In November, the Holiday Island Rotary presented a program to help eighth-grade students imagine their career choices.
A delegation of teachers from the elementary school reported on an intervention program to give struggling students extra help. Carrie Freeman described the program, in which teachers select “power goals” for students. Those who do not need the remediation go to enrichment programs, including computer coding.
Supt. Bryan Pruitt thanked Jim Nelson of Nelson’s downtown for giving every school staff member a $25 gift certificate. “This is a nice Christmas donation he makes to our staff,” Pruitt said.