Board officers elected; term lengths drawn

In the first meeting of the School Board with three new members, officers for the board were selected and new board members drew lots for term lengths.

Elected board president was Mindy Cawthon and vice president was John Dye, the two board members who have previously served. Both Cawthon and Dye were nominated.

Dye said he has served as president before.

Cawthon said she has only missed one meeting in three years.

Cawthon was elected with votes from Sarah Saragusa, Jessica Branham and herself. Both Dye and Yager voted for Dye.

Dye and Saragusa were nominated for vice president. Dye was elected vice president.

The remaining votes were unanimous with single candidates for each position.

Sarah Saragusa was elected secretary. Jessica Branham was named disbursement officer. Adam Yager was named legislative liaison.

Each board member also drew lots for terms as this was the first year Pea Ridge School District was divided into zones with board members elected from each separate zone. Their terms will alternate and a board member will be elected every year, ultimately providing a five-year term per board member. Terms for board members are:

• Zone 1, Adam Yager, one-year term;

• Zone 2, Jessica Branham, three-year term;

• Zone 3, Sarah Saragusa, fouryear term;

• Zone 4, Mindy Cawthon, fiveyear term; and

• Zone 5, John Dye, two-year term.

In other business, the board approved:

• Student handbooks for the 2022-2023 school year;

• Resignations of certified personnel Dustin Smith, ALE, Primary School; Matt Pohl, music, Intermediate; and Ashley Wishon, agriculture, Jr. and Sr. High;

• Resignations of classified personnel Tyranny Ray, nurse, Jr. High; Brittney Sprinkle, paraprofessional Middle School; and David Holiman, network administrator, technology;

• Hiring certified personnel Chris Shelby, band director, PRHS; Jennifer Shields, ESL teacher, District (new position); Allison Strange, English teacher, PRHS; Alexandra Mann, theater teacher, PRHS; Maidson Grigsby, kindergarten, Primary; Joseph Pope, history teacher, Jr. High;

Amanda McCandless, science/social studies, Middle School; Joana Ayala, science teacher, Middle School; Brian Davenport, health, Jr. High girls basketball, Jr. High; Jennifer Hahn, special education, Middle School; Michelle Hutchins, school based mental health, district (new position); Kacie White, occupational therapist, student services; Heather Thompson, music teacher, Intermediate/ Middle School; Cian Douglas, teacher, coach Jr. High girls basketball assistant, Jr. High, PRHS, ALE; Jaci Smith, teacher, Primary ALE; and Kimberly Yates, teacher, Middle School;

• Adding an occupational therapist;

• Hiring classified personnel Valerie Maddocks, instructional aide, PRHS; Robyn Power, registrar, Primary; and Brandon Moseley, instructional aide - ISS, Jr. High; and

• Transfers of certified personnel Elzie Fields, volleyball assistant coach, PRHS; Mindy Ferguson, auxiliary/GT teacher, Middle School (new position); Shaye Brouse, 1/2-time SPED teacher/ 1/2-time SPED aide, PRHS (needed because of additional students); and Leslie Evans, SPED instructional facilitator TOSA/MTTS, district; and

• Allowing 14 students to transfer in from Bentonville and Rogers and one to transfer out.