Board discusses use of athletic facilities, ticket sales
GENTRY — The school board on Aug. 17 approved the resignation of Brittany Ritchie as the primary school nurse and the hiring of Ginger Duncan to serve as the intermediate school nurse due to the transfer of Deborah Allred to the primary school.
Also approved by the board was the hiring of Rebecca Young as the intermediate child nutrition manager, Gail Quattlebaum as a cafeteria worker, Indamae Moore and Tim Richardson as evening custodians.
The board heard and accepted the retirement announcement of Larry Cozens, the middle school principal, effective June 30, 2021.
It was reported by Terri Metz, district superintendent, and Angela Dennis, district athletic director, that ticket sales to school athletic events in Pioneer Stadium would be limited to 540 on the home side and 130 on the visitor side. Metz said that, after band members and cheerleaders are accounted for, the district would have only 440 to sell. Parents of participants would have the first option. The possibility of selling tickets online was discussed to prevent the use of cash at the ticket booth and to keep people from driving to attend only to find that no tickets were available.
The board heard reports related to school sports and the use of school facilities by the Gentry Youth Organization, as well as the Boys & Girls Club of Western Benton County.
Due to restrictions placed on the school district by the Arkansas Activities Association, the school district will not be able to make Pioneer Stadium and concession stand open to the GYO sports programs but will make the football practice field and the large grassy area in front of the primary school available for games and practice.
The restriction in regard to the stadium came because there are insufficient time and manpower to disinfect the stadium facilities after Friday night games for use on Saturdays by the GYO.
Board member Melissa Holland asked if there was not some way to open it up to the area youth, saying that the GYO sports program is important to local youth.
Terrie Metz said the school district was doing all it can by providing use of the practice field and the lawn of the primary school. To do more, would jeopardize the school district’s sports program, and mention was made of groups that are monitoring and reporting violations of covid-19 restrictions. She pointed out that new plans of action and rules were being received by the school district on a daily basis.
It was reported that the Boys & Girls Club is interested in keeping its program open because of its benefit to the community. The organization will split the locations based on grade level. Children will be sent out of the building for pickup rather than having parents enter the building.
Jason Barrett, director of operations for the school district, reported that staff members have been provided several masks, including a face shield, and that all campus offices will have clear counter barriers and hand sanitizing stations.
He said the school would have water bottle fill stations to avoid the use of water fountains and said that signage would be used to regulate foot traffic in hallways and common areas. Barrett said custodians would be scheduled to work earlier in the day to help the daytime cleaning staff and that there would be sanitizing spraying nightly.
Board members asked what would happen if a student or a teacher tested positive for the coronavirus. Metz said the school district would look at who the infected person had close contact with at the school for 15 minutes or longer and would ask those exposed to self-quarantine.
Metz reported staging areas added to the offices of school nurses on each campus to isolate anyone with symptoms of covid-19 from others coming to the nurses’ offices.
It was reported by Christie Toland, assistant superintendent, that approximately 31 percent of Gentry’s students had signed up to be a part of the Pioneer Virtual Learning Academy. As a result, some teachers were assigned to teach the online classes and some classes will be recorded for online students.