Springdale School Board member resigns

SPRINGDALE — The School Board is seeking a new Zone 5 representative following the resignation of a longtime member.

Danny Dotson stepped down to allow his son-inlaw to accept a position in the School District’s Maintenance Department, according to Superintendent Jim Rollins.

Board policy states the district shall not hire a board member’s relative for compensation of more than $5,000 unless the state Department of Education commissioner has granted approval, and such a move shall be made only in “unusual and limited” circumstances.

Dotson, 69, was elected to his first term in 2005. He ran unopposed that year and again in 2010 and 2015. His current five-year term expires next year.

Rollins brought up the subject at Tuesday’s board meeting and expressed appreciation for the time Dotson served. District enrollment grew from 15,660 to about 22,000 during Dotson’s tenure, a 40 percent increase.

Dotson submitted his resignation Feb. 27. The remaining board members have until March 29 — 30 days from the date of resignation — to appoint Dotson’s replacement for the rest of his term. That person may run for re-election in May 2020.

Zone 5 covers most of the eastern half of the School District. Anyone interested in applying for the position must live in the zone; they may apply by submitting a letter of interest or a resume to either Rollins or Kevin Ownbey, the board president.

The board agreed Tuesday to meet March 27 to choose a replacement from among those who apply.

“News of the vacancy has begun to spread across the community,” Rollins said. “I’ve had some excellent names forwarded to me today.”

Dotson’s resignation is the second the board has had to deal with in the past year. Kathy McFetridge served for 27 years before leaving in July for an appointment to the state Board of Education.

In other business at Tuesday’s meeting, the board unanimously approved paying $400,000 for 1.56 acres adjacent to the district’s support services facility on East Emma Avenue. The property, owned by Cecil Phillips, includes three metal buildings containing about 9,200

square feet, said Jared Cleveland, deputy superintendent for personnel and facilities.

The district will move its Technology Department and its laundry service to the site, Cleveland said. The Technology Department is housed in the Archer Learning Center on East Meadow Avenue, a facility the district agreed to sell in December, leaving the department without a home.

Equipment vital to the district’s technological infrastructure is housed at the center. Moving all of it while minimizing disruptions to the buildings will be a logistical challenge, said Paul Miller, technology director.

“That’s why we wanted to rush and get something in place so that we know where

we’re going to plant the flag for the data center to move to so we can start that process,” Miller said.

In personnel news, Rollins announced Shannon Tisher, principal of the Tyson School of Innovation, will become the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and innovation beginning July 1.

Tisher has a master of arts degree in teaching and an education specialist degree from the University of Arkansas. She started with the district as an English teacher at Springdale High School. She’s also been an instructional facilitator at Har-Ber High School, an assistant principal at George Junior High School and an assistant principal at Har-Ber. She served four years as principal at Southwest Junior High School before becoming the School of Innovation’s principal last year.

Tisher will assume a central-office position that will be left vacant by Kathy Morledge, the assistant superintendent for teaching and learning for preschool through grade seven. Morledge is retiring this summer after 12 years with the district and a total of 45 years in education.