WCSD to allow test exemptions for fall
Students in the Watson Chapel School District who earn exemptions from semester exams do not have to take those at the end of this semester, Superintendent Tom Wilson clarified.
Exemptions from semester tests became a topic of confusion among staff members and students, according to high school Personnel Policy Committee chairwoman Frankie Hemphill. She brought the matter to the district board at Monday’s regular meeting, requesting that all policy changes go through “the proper channels” before being issued as directives. Wilson later guessed that the request was in reference to the semester exam issue.
Exemptions were in flux after the Arkansas Board of Education in October placed the WCSD on probation for accreditation violations regarding student record-keeping. One of the main issues that led to the sanction was incorrect class schedules issued to students that were not resolved until the fifth week of the school year, resulting in a loss of instruction time for affected students. In-person instruction time is a focal point of the LEARNS Act that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law earlier this year.
“I talked to state department people, and I felt the same way [our teachers do] — they watched their days and they made certain grades, and now they can’t be exempt? I thought that needs to start the second semester,” Wilson said. “The ones who aren’t exempt, they need to be in school all day, and that’s what we’re going to do for three days. Exemptions are still in place.”
It has not been determined if exemptions can be earned during the second semester, Wilson said.
“We’re going to discuss that and we’ll decide at the end of the year,” Wilson said, referring to 2023. “We’ll have a planning committee on it. We’ve got to have the seat time and instruction time. Once we get out of our probation, we’ll have room to spare.”
Any further violations by the WCSD through the 2024-25 school year could result in further action by the state board, up to and including state takeover.
Semester tests are scheduled
for Thursday through next Tuesday. Students may be exempt from a test if an A is earned for the class and no more than four absences during the semester have been taken; a B is earned and no more than three absences have been taken; or a C is earned and no more than two absences have been taken. Students will be released for the winter break at 1:30 p.m. next Tuesday.
NO STIPEND
Hemphill also requested in her PPC report that lead teachers be granted a $500 stipend per year, but Wilson did not go for it.
“I’m going to make something very clear, and I’ve said this from day one I’ve been here,” the second-year WCSD superintendent said. “We’ve got to lower our salary expenditures instead of increase them. It seems like we’ve increased, increased and increased in the past, and now we’re caught up with the loss of students, which is starting to affect our finances.
“I want to get back to where we can offer Christmas bonuses. I love offering Christmas bonuses. I love to give a raise, but we can’t. We gave $2,000 to teachers. We gave 5-6% increases for classified employees. So, we did that. I think in the future, and seeing how the LEARNS Act comes with the money, it’s going to be important to see where this money comes from in the future.”
The WCSD received $2,434,075 of revenue in November and spent $1,461,327 in non-activity funds. That left an ending balance of $12,736,093.
AWARDS
The WCSD board received an Outstanding Board Award from the Arkansas School Boards Association.
Coleman Elementary students Bella Henderson and Ma’Carley Rodgers were named Wildcat Warriors for December. Rod Austin in the transportation department was named a staff Wildcat Warrior for the month.
PERSONNEL MOVES
The board accepted resignations from special education paraprofessional Jerry Cobb, elementary teacher Elizabeth DeArmond and paraprofessional Sheila Mixon. Quanece Jones has been hired as a cafeteria substitute.