Strong-Huttig School Board fills in vacancies
STRONG — The Strong-Huttig School Board approved updates to the district’s technology plans, a student transfer and appointed two new board members at its last meeting.
Prior to the board’s meeting, the school district held a Title I meeting. After a quorum was established, board president Cindy Smith recognized the district’s leadership team for its effort in preparing for it Waiver Petition that was presented to the Arkansas Department of Education last week.
According to the ADE State Board of Education’s agenda, The Strong-Huttig School District had fewer than 350 students in the two years immediately preceding the current school year.
Consequently, Ark. Code Annotated 6-13-1603 requires the District to be consolidated with or annexed to another school district unless the State Board grants the District’s petition for a minimum school district size waiver pursuant to the code.
According to a previous report by the Arkansas DemocratGazette, to receive the waiver, district leaders must assure the Education Board that the school district is not in academic, financial or facility distress, nor is it on probation for violating state accreditation standards. Because the state board deemed that the Strong-Huttig School District met its requirements, it will not be consolidated.
The school board unanimously voted to appoint Terri Dollar to represent Zone 1 and James Poole to represent Zone 7. The board will reorganize and elect board officers at its November meeting. District superintendent Jeff Alphin said that Dollar and Poole expressed interest to the board members directly.
“They just put the names out and voted on them. They were the only two that we had to express any interest,” Alphin said. “We put it out on our website and it was in the last report in the paper that we had the vacancies.”
Board members also approved updates to the district’s technology plans, which include its information technology and data disaster recovery plans.
“Those were recommended by the state audit department and basically it was just a security update to make sure we’re in compliance, doing everything correctly.”
The Strong-Huttig School Board also accepted a third grade student from El Dorado through a Petition of Student Transfer.
After an executive session, the board decided to hire an elementary paraprofessional through SubTeach USA, an Arkansas-based company that provides substitute teachers.
“We’re going to allow SubTeach to fill a position for the remainder of this year,” Alphin said. “It may not be for the remainder of the year. That’s why we’re going through SubTeach.”
The Strong-Huttig School Board’s next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m Monday, Nov. 21 in the high school library. Brittany Williams may be contacted at 870-862-6611, extension 131 or by email at bwilliams@eldoradonews.com.