Students at Eureka Springs schools have completed four weeks of work, and at the Sept. 11 school board meeting three principals said the opening weeks have flown by.
Elementary Principal Clare Haozous said the after-school program began last week. She also mentioned student activities including Cub Scouts, soccer, and more. Students have undergone an array of assessments, including some one-on-one evaluations. The assessment process will help group students for instruction and remediation. Third-grade students will perform at Pioneer Days in Berryville on Sept. 22, with a preview of their Hedgehopper program. Family Night was scheduled for Sept. 12, with a variety of information for parents.
Middle School Principal Caen Dowell said the student population stands at 190, down about 20 from last year. He attributed most of the decline to an unusually large eighth-grade class last year. Dowell also described some assessment efforts, and steps to identify students needing additional remediation. Middle School progress reports were due out the day after the meeting.
High School Principal David Gilmore said academics and extracurricular activities have kept his students involved. A new state requirement for community service will begin with ninth-grade students. Progress reports will let students know where they stand halfway through the marking period.
Rick Mann, who handles IT issues for the district, described a server failure and efforts to work around the problems. He also said he has had trouble finding local contractors to work on the school’s large air-handling units. The affected units are 13 years old, but they should last 20 years, so the money spent on repair should be recovered with more years of service.
In other business:
- The school board has approved student transfers in the past, but that responsibility will be delegated to Supt. Bryan Pruitt. The LEARNS Act requires schools to process student transfer requests monthly. The board has previously followed Pruitt’s recommendations regarding transfers, so delegating the authority will streamline the process. Pruitt said he will keep the board informed about transfer numbers in and out of the district.
- The board approved an annual statement that federal funds are being spent properly.
- A financial report for the past year and a budget for the coming year were approved. Pruitt said all departments were consulted in budget preparation, and priority was given to anything with a potential impact on student success. Pruitt complimented Treasurer Pam McGarrah for her work. “Pam’s done a great job on the budget, and we’re financially sound,” he said. McGarrah noted that the district has lost some funding sources, but increased property assessments have translated into increased tax revenue for the schools.
- In response to a question about teacher salary schedules, Pruitt said the Personnel Policies Committee will draft recommendations. The LEARNS Act required a starting pay of $50,000 for teachers, but that temporarily created a situation with new teachers making as much as veteran teachers who had worked their way up the salary schedule.
- The board tentatively scheduled a campus walk-through for 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 6. Pruitt promised to keep the session to less than an hour.
- Several members of Boy Scout Troop 67 attended the meeting in uniform. This is the only active troop in the county, and Cub Scout Pack 67 is the only Cub pack active.