School Supt. Bryan Pruitt acknowledged positive Eureka Springs test scores, but reminded school board members that testing “is not the most important thing we do here.” At the March 10 board meeting, Pruitt said the district will be judged on the basis of those scores, which are “an indicator that our kids are excelling.”
The board looked at comparative results for the 19 schools in the same educational co-op as Eureka Springs, and results for this district were among the top four, along with Valley Springs, Bergman, and Harrison.
Elementary Principal Clare Haozous said snow days made a short month even shorter. Interim Atlas testing showed growth over last year’s testing. Haozous said 43 students in the lower elementary grades are received additional tutoring under a state grant. Other students in grades four and five also receive tutoring, primarily centered on reading and writing. The students will face another round of Atlas testing at the end of April.
Middle School Principal Caen Dowell also discussed improving test scores and noted that the district is among the top 20 in the state for growth. Dowell said EAST Lab students are showing their projects in Hot Springs.
A month ago, the middle and elementary schools held a joint lockdown exercise, and Dowell said it “went very well.” He explained that the city’s police officers are immediately notified in case of a lockdown alert, and they also have information about where the alert came from. Dowell said the school holds lockdown practices regularly, and teachers have adjusted to the routine.
At the high school, Principal Jacob Hayward said soccer and baseball seasons have begun. He said the soccer teams have already had some competitive matches, and he described “a lot of athletic talent and determination.” The school has not had a baseball team in some time, but more than 25 students signed up for the program.
The marking period concludes at the end of this week, and spring break follows the next week. Teachers and administrators have been studying data from the interim Atlas tests to prepare for the next round of testing.
In other business:
- The board approved policy updates recommended by the Arkansas School Boards Association. Those topics included board governance, licensed and classified personnel, fiscal operations, and parent involvement.
- With three board positions scheduled for re-election this year, only the incumbents filed for the election. With no new millage request, that means the district will not have to pay for a May election date. Each of the candidates will have to file one vote with the county clerk. Those board members are President Chris McClung, Candace Spaulding, and Rusty Rusterholz.
- The board voted for a resolution stating that federal funds are spent correctly, under the General Education Provisions Act.