The school board met Monday night, on the first day of the final nine-week period of school. With spring in the air and Covid in retreat, the meeting carried a feeling of optimism.
High School Principal David Gilmore described a “busy, busy, busy” time at the high school, with students excelling in extracurricular areas and preparing for coming tests. Gilmore said the boys’ basketball team was undefeated in conference and won their district and regional tournaments. The team made it to the second round of state playoffs.
Soccer season has begun, and the team has three matches this week, including at home on Thursday evening. The new soccer field has been a real asset, and the field has lights.
An EAST Lab competition in Hot Springs will include a team of seven from the high school. Another 13 students will take part in skills competitions. With so many extracurricular possibilities, Gilmore said the school continues to try to balance those offerings with hard work in the classroom.
Middle School Principal Cindy Holt also described preparations for ACT Aspire testing in April. Students have also been busy with peripheral activities, including band, choir, chess, and track.
Principal Clare Houser said the elementary school has a goal of 100 percent response on upcoming parent-teacher conferences, and extra days and times are scheduled to give parents opportunities to meet with teachers. Conferences can take place in person or by Zoom, and the school is also experimenting with student-led conferences. Houser said students are reading “Dog Days,” along with elementary students across the state. A recent family literacy night was a success and likely to be repeated. Some elementary students will also attend the EAST conference, and teachers are helping to address deficiencies in advance of standardized testing coming in April.
The school calendar for the coming year had been approved, but a legislative decision provided the board with a reason to change the calendar. The previous start date, Aug. 22, was the earliest date allowed by law. The current legislative session modified that standard, allowing schools to open a week earlier. Eureka Springs will start classes on Aug. 15 and finish the first semester before the Christmas break. The change will also mean that the year will end on May 26, not June 2.
New state rules
The Arkansas School Boards Association releases policy recommendations annually. The board adopted those policy changes, including a provision that makes all school personnel mandated reporters for suspected child abuse. Previously, only teachers were mandated reporters. The changes also give the school board more time to fill a vacancy created by the death of a member.
School bus on the way
The school district has tried to purchase a new bus every year, to keep the fleet current. The board voted to buy a new bus for $115,000, although it will not arrive until summer. Electric school buses are coming, but they will have a hefty price tag of $450,000. Supt. Bryan Pruitt said the school will apply for a grant for a pilot program using the electric buses. He said he had initially questioned whether electric vehicles will handle this terrain, but they will recover some energy going downhill.