Sound system, weights, more bought for school

PEA RIDGE — Continuing to prepare for the move into the new high school facility, School Board members approved the buying equipment for the gym and auditorium, accepting low bids from Legend Fitness, Commercial Audio Systems and Sideline Interactive.

Legend Fitness will outfit the weight room for $41,526.

Commercial Audio Systems will provide audio systems for the arena, theater, band and music room for $252,619.

Sideline Interactive will provide scorers’ tables for the new arena for $23,864.

The board met by Zoom, adjourned for an executive session requested by board member Mindy Cawthon to discuss personnel, then reconvened to act on personnel.

The board also thanked Rick Neal, outgoing superintendent, for his service and contributions to the school and community. Neal, whose resignation is effective June 30, had two weeks of vacation, so the Monday board meeting was his last official act, he said.

In other business, the board:

• Accepted the resignation of Micaela Easterling, Pea Ridge Middle School teacher, and Whitney Patton, Pea Ridge Primary School instructional aide;

• Hired Chris Shelby, Pea Ridge High School history teacher; Warren Brey Cook, Pea Ridge High School football coach/virtual teacher; Alexis Lipscomb, district speech/language pathologist; Angie Day, district special education TOSA/IF; and Amanda Hollman, Pea Ridge Primary School self-contained teacher;

• Hired Bertha ‘Alicia’ Martinez, district evening custodian supervisor; Gloria Linares, district evening custodian; and Stelli Litchfield, Pea Ridge Middle School nurse; and

• Transferred Joe Stewart from Pea Ridge High School detention supervisor and Beth Stein to assistant principal of Pea Ridge Junior High School.