Bond sale approved
Construction bonds for $1,600,000 have been sold as part of the process to finance the new high school. School Board members approved a resolution approving the bond sale to the lowest bidder, Raymond James & Associates for a rate of 3.599913 percent. Closing and transfer of funds is set for Jan. 31, according to Dan Lovelady, vice president of First Security Beardsley.
Lovelady reminded board members that in order to save interest, the bonds were split into two series.
“I’m very pleased … this turned out very well,” Lovelady said. “The timing paid off. We were fortunate it worked out so well.”
Jamie Woods, director of school counseling, told board members that the counseling department and staff had met and exceeded her goals for the first semester and that the school has a “beautiful partnership” with Youth Bridge and Ozark Guidance Center.
“I’m so proud that we’re starting to meet the mental health needs of our students,” Woods said.
She explained several different programs in which the counseling department is involved including Student Behavior Intervention plans, professional development for counselors and staff and ALE and student engagement inventory. Woods said her goals for 2019 include continued training for counselors, conscious discipline training, risk/ threat assessment school safety conference, growth of social/ emotional classes, behavior class/ social skills at the Middle School, additional counseling and mental health services, district and school crisis teams and training and an SRO mentoring program.
Board members agreed to extend the contract for superintendent Rick Neal for another three years and for assistant superintendent Keith Martin for another
two years.
Martin told the board the food service department has a $258,000 surplus.
In other business, the board:
• Hired Joshua Lovett, SPED aide, replacing Jana Decker; Lindsay Pardun, Intermediate teacher; Abby Crook, Primary teacher; Gloria Fingard, SPED teacher; and Gobby Thompson, Middle School teacher;
• Accepted resignations from Jana Decker, SPED aide; John Coghan, bus driver; and Sandy Wellesley, library aide; and
• Approved board to board transfers in from Gravette from Connor Pierce, and in from Rogers Breanna Trammell, Bryor Trammel, Braxton Trammell, Kiley Cruise, Kamden Cruise and Breeze Norvell.