Gentry School Board approves selling seats in Pioneer Stadium
GENTRY — The school board on Aug. 20 approved a number of personnel changes and approved a parent request to sell stadium seating with the profits going to support Gentry’s football and cheerleading programs.
The board gave approval to a plan of parents to sell seating in Pioneer Football Stadium for the current football season and to use the profits from the sales to benefit Gentry’s football and cheerleading programs, including the banquet which follows the season.
According to Cindy Philpott, McKee Foods Corp. will donate the purchase price of 50 high-back seats to be attached to the bleachers in the stadium for the program. She said 39 of those seats have already been sold, pending board approval. She said the price this year for the reserved seats was $25 because the seats won’t be installed until into the season. She said parents were looking at a price of $50 per seat next season.
The board approved the resignations of Whitley Holland and Nancy Qualls from food services and the transfer of Linda German to the manager position at the middle school and high school cafeteria. It also approved the resignation of Jeremy Mabry as an agriculture teacher at the high school.
The board approved the hiring of Lauren (Scott) Van Devender, Jeff Nix and Bob Hollaway as maintenance helpers; Cindy Martin and Laura Shimer as cafeteria workers and Timothy Heaton as a special education paraprofessional; Jenae Fairchild as an agriculture teacher at the high school; and Courtney Kruger as a third-grade teacher.
The board recognized numerous teachers and staff members for their achievements in regard to student test scores and in work accomplished for the school district in a variety of departments, including the maintenance department for its work to complete regular summer tasks and to move into the new intermediate school classroom facility.
A full listing of those recognized is included in school board materials on the school district website.
Jason Barrett, transportation and maintenance director, updated the board on progress with school facilities, including the addition of cameras and a locked entrance to each campus for added security. Instead of people being able to walk into the buildings, once school has started doors will be locked and they will have to stand in front of a camera and be admitted via an electronic unlocking device controlled inside the school offices.
The board voted to hold off on applying for a FEMA safe room grant until the current construction projects are complete and the district can better assess its financial position in regard to new projects.