Gentry school board rehires classified staff
GENTRY — The Gentry School Board approved offering new contracts to its classified staff at the May 15 meeting at Gentry High School. Also approved were resignations from assistant superintendent Judy Winslett (see article in last week’s Eagle Observer); Gale Carriera, a retiring special education teacher; Amada Valdez, third grade teacher; and William Catron, bus driver. Bryanna Jaramillo, a kindergarten aide this year, was hired to teach art in the high school next fall.
A salary of $105,000 per year was approved for Terrie Metz when she begins her new job as district superintendent on July 1.
The board approved two policy changes on their second readings. One allows home-schooled students living in the district to participate in the school district’s interscholastic activities. The other allows home-schooled students in the district to enroll in an academic class in the school system. Policies on their first reading included one that changed the Common Core designation to Core and another which would allow husband and wife employees of the district to share sick leave with their spouses. In a related issue, the board allowed Randy Barrett to transfer a portion of his unused sick leave to his wife at his retirement, with the balance to be sold back to the district.
Series 17 Construction Bonds were approved by the board in the amount of $3.1 million. Five bids were received for the bond sale, with the lowest interest rate being 3.195732 percent offered by Ross, St. Claire and Associates. The bond sale was set to close on May 25, with $3.007 million being left after expenses for school-district construction projects. The additional bond funds were needed to supplement bonds guaranteed by the voter-approved millage increase last fall because of a rise in costs of construction.
In a related issue, the board was notified that the new classroom facility to be built on the intermediate school campus will receive state assistance funding, though work on the multipurpose building there was declined. The extra money from the Arkansas Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation may make it possible for the district to complete additional work on its list of approved projects, including some utility upgrades and improvements at the high school.
It was reported to the board that construction funds will be deposited in an FDIC insured account with Grand Savings Bank until they are used for the project because the bank offered a higher interest rate than the Arvest account which had been used.
The board approved a required biennium budget for the school district, with salaries projected at $9.2 million and the overall expenditures at $17.15 million.
Meal prices will increase next school year by 10 cents for students and 25 cents for adults in the food service agreement approved by the board.
The board also approved giving lifetime athletic passes to retirees of the district.
Following a presentation by students Courtney McCollum, Cali Stephens and Whitney Cochran, the board approved allowing next year’s prom to be held off campus at the Cypress Barn in Siloam Springs. The prom has been held there for the last two years.