Pea Ridge requests to move to new calendar

PEA RIDGE — Like other school districts in Northwest Arkansas, Pea Ridge is asking the state to allow it to move to an alternative calendar to make up for instruction time lost due to inclement weather.

The School Board approved Superintendent Keith Martin’s request to apply for a waiver to the state Department of Education to use the revised academic calendar and inclement weather calendar during its Feb. 12 meeting.

Martin said the alternate calendar will allow the district to continue with the same end date for the 2023-24 school year by counting hours instead of days. The district has used five snow days this year, and by counting hours, it will allow for seven days that do not have to be made up if needed, he said.

The board also approved Martin’s request to apply for a waiver for the start date of school for the 2024-25 school year to be Aug. 14.

“We’ve polled the teachers and the community,” Martin said. “The teachers are in favor. We’re just asking for permission to present the request to the state.”

Martin said the change will allow the district to balance out semesters.

The School Board also approved five additional staff positions for the 202425 school year.

Martin said a review of enrollment data and staffing revealed the need for additional staff to meet state Division of Elementary and Secondary Education standards for accreditation. The positions added are:

• A health/health science teacher at the junior high

• A math/science teacher at the high school

• A counselor at the junior high

• An alternative learning teacher in the secondary ALE program

• A K-12 English for speakers of other languages teacher

• A K-12 gifted and talented teacher