When the Eureka Springs School Board met Monday evening, one issue dominated the agenda. Would the new cafeteria serving the middle and elementary schools be ready for the start of school?
Supt. Bryan Pruitt delivered an optimistic timeline for completion of the construction project saying the clean-up crew had begun work earlier in the day and the architects had a walk-through scheduled for July 17. Board members have scheduled a walk-through on the morning of July 18.
Pruitt said everything is in place except the tables, and the tables have been purchased. All the kitchen equipment is in place, and Pruitt told the board that the school district is expected to take over the cafeteria on July 21.
The first day of school is August 13.
All A’s
Pruitt shared detailed breakdowns of the scoring system that awarded grades to school districts across the state. The high school, middle school, and elementary all received “A” grades. Within the 19-member cooperative of schools in north central Arkansas, only Valley View matched those scores. New letter grades will come out in October.
Also, teachers within the district received a total of $41,000 in merit pay, based on growth in test scores.
In other business:
- Elementary teacher Jessy Denton was named Alternative Learning Environment Teacher of the Year last week. “She’s worked hard for that,” Pruitt said, pointing out that some of her methods have been recommended at a statewide level.
- The district was one of five in the state to win an award for bus safety. Pruitt said he was “very proud of that,” and explained that the award measured factors like driver safety and inspection of buses.
- The board approved policy changes recommended by the Arkansas School Boards Association. The student handbook will reflect the school’s bell-to-bell cell phone prohibition. Students will be expected to keep their phones in their backpacks, with some very limited exceptions. The district will have a graduated list of punishments for violations, beginning with confiscation.
- The legislature has made repeated changes to the length of school board members’ terms. The latest decision from Little Rock will create six-year terms.
- Another legislative decision will require the creation of a public-comments period at each meeting. Those wishing to speak will be asked to arrive early and sign up. Speakers must be registered voters in the district or have students in Eureka Springs schools. The board can limit the number of speakers per meeting to 10, with no negative comments about staff or students.
- The legislature now requires schools to grant 12 weeks of maternity leave for teachers. The state will reimburse the cost of substitute teachers. Pruitt said the district will have to make a concerted effort to fill those vacancies with substitutes who can maintain a classroom’s educational progress.
- Cybersecurity has become increasingly important, and the state now requires school districts to hold any deliberations about cybersecurity in executive session. Previously, only decisions of hiring and firing could be held in executive session.