District employees to get $500 bonus

The School board voted to purchase 1,100 new Chromebooks.

All contracted employees of Siloam Springs School District will be getting a $500 bonus in December.

School board members voted to approve the one-time bonus during their Nov. 10 school board meeting.

Terry Raskiewicz, chief financial officer for the district, reported that she has analyzed the district’s budget for the 2016-2017 school year and determined the school could afford the bonuses, which will cost approximately $350,000.

“We feel it’s a wonderful way to reward employees,” she said.

All contracted employees will get the same bonus, regardless of the number of days they are contracted to work, or whether or not they work full- or part-time. Employees who work in more than one position will only receive one bonus, Raskiewicz said. Temporary employees, substitute teachers and other non-contract employees will not be eligible for the bonus, she said.

School board member Chuck Hyde said that he was glad the bonus will be substantial enough that employees will feel the impact.

“I think that’s a great thing,” said Brian Lamb, school board president. “I’m glad we have the financial ability to do that.”

In other business, school board members approved a low bid of $244,599.41 from CDW-G for the purchase of 1,100 Asus Chromebooks. CDW-G is a company that specializes in selling technology products to government entities such as schools, and state and local governments. A total of five technology companies bid to provide the computers, with SHI providing the high bid of $269,927.14.

Purchasing the Chromebooks will bring the district a step closer toward attaining a ratio of one device per student for grades two through 12, according to Jamie Henderson, district technology coordinator.

The school began purchasing the less expensive Chromebooks in 2013 and working in the cloud through Google Drive to meet guidelines for online testing. In

2014, the school expanded its goal to have enough devices to test an entire grade of students at one time, Henderson said. In addition to being used for testing, the devices are integrated into classroom activities.

Henderson said that almost every district in the area either already has a ratio of one device per student or is making plans to achieve that ratio.

Advantages of Chromebooks over other types of devices are that they are inexpensive, more durable than laptops and fast — booting up in only six seconds, Henderson said. They are universally preferred by students and teachers over other types of devices such as iPads and laptops, she said.

Each building will decide at a later date how the devices will be managed, Henderson said. Students in the lower grades may leave them in the classroom, while others may carry them from class to class and charge them in carts at school. Students in upper grades may be allowed to carry them home and charge them, she said. If the devices are carried home, the school may investigate insurance options for parents to cover the expense of repairs.

Out of 1,600 Chromebooks that were initially purchased, only five have been permanently broken, she said.

“Our kids are good at taking care of devices and our teachers are as well,” Henderson said.

The district’s annual report to the public was also presented during the Nov. 10 meeting by Kristi Wiggins, curriculum and federal programs coordinator, and Charlotte Earwood, student services and school improvement coordinator. The report included information about the district’s progress towards its goals and objectives, and accreditation status, as well as information about federal and state categorical funds, and the Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan.

The school board took the following additional actions;

• Accepted the resignation of Rose Cheek-Willis, coach and health teacher.

• Hired Krissi Beeks, Intermediate School special education teacher; Charlotte Wood, Middle School eighth-grade science and physical science teacher; and Houston Pruitt, health and physical education teacher, and coach.

• Approved two emergency sick leave requests.

• Approved the transfer of one student from the Decatur School District to the Siloam Springs School District.

• Approved the transfer of one student from the Siloam Springs School District to the Bentonville School District.

• Approved the transfer of one student from the Siloam Springs School District to the Gentry School District.