Gentry School Board approves choir trip
GENTRY — After hearing a variety of pieces by the high school jazz band and the high school choir, the school board, at its Dec. 17 meeting, approved a choir trip to San Antonio for later in the school year.
According to Casey Jones, the high school and middle school choir director, about 46 students are expected to go on the trip. He said about $100 per student would be paid by the booster club, with each student paying about $200 for the trip. Jones said students would tour the city and perform two times, once at the Alamo. He said the cost of one bus and driver could be covered by the choir’s budget.
The board chose to keep the school board election on May 21 for the upcoming board election unless the Arkansas Legislature moves it to the general election date in November.
The board also approved on a second reading policy changes allowing electronic funds
transfers and placed a number of changes on first reading which bring the district in compliance with a model policy provided by the state. Terrie Metz, district superintendent, said she would continue to bring policy changes to the board for approval in blocks until the model policy was pretty much being used in Gentry School District. She said the model policy is so much easier to navigate and more user-friendly.
A memorandum of understanding was approved with Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale to provide an instructor for specialized industrial maintenance classes to be taught in the Gentry School District for both high school students and others in the community. Also approved was the purchase of equipment with money donated for the purchase by McKee Foods. According to the arrangement, the school district will provide classroom space — in a building adjacent to the Intermediate School Campus — for an industrial maintenance training classroom in which McKee Foods employees, Gentry students and others could receive training and certifications in various fields related to industrial maintenance and electrical systems.
Metz gave the board members a packet of materials which included her self-evaluation for the year. Board members will review that and evaluate her job performance at its January meeting.
Jason Barrett updated the board on the second phase of the intermediate school construction project — the removal of the old wing buildings and the building of sidewalks, a parking lot and green space. He said the Phase 2 project was nearing completion with concrete poured, walkways and landscaping underway and some painting and touch-up work to be completed in the spring when warmer weather arrives.
After an executive session, the board approved the hiring of Misty Curran as a paraprofessional on a one-year-only contract. A request for a personal leave of absence for the second semester was denied in order to prevent setting a precedent.