New play equipment approved
A sixth nursing position was approved by the School Board with the funds to be paid for by ARMAC and not out of the general fund.
School superintendent Keith Martin said there is a nurse on each campus, but there is a need for a director of nursing, a position Stelli Litchfield is not performing in addition to serving as the nurse at the Middle School.
“Mrs. Litchfield is the director of nursing and the Middle School nurse. She’s stretched very thin right now. This will allow for excellent care for our students and our district and for more services offered for our students,” Martin said. The funds will come from Arkansas Medicaid Administrative Claiming funds.
Board members also heard a report on how funds from the school safety grant were being spent including having more controlled access which involves taking back all exterior door keys and making external doors more secure.
“This way we can track who is in and out of the building and limit who has access to the building,” Martin said.
New playground equipment will be installed at the Primary School thanks in part to private donations, according to Primary School principal Darrah Bennett. She said the equipment cost $132,783.47.
“We did have a donation and we’re super thankful for that and for the district coming around,” Bennett said, adding that the playground equipment selected from Davis Playgrounds has space for 183 children. ARMAC funds will also be used to purchase the equipment as its primary purpose is health and wellness.
In other business, the board:
• Approved resignations from Taylor Jackson, counselor, Jr. High; Lanya Baysinger, teacher, Jr. High; Kristen Johnston, teacher, Jr. High; Dan Childress, athletics only, PRHS; Andrea Ricketts, teacher, Intermediate; and Nichole Cole, teacher, Middle School;
• Approved resignations from Laura Draper, nurse, Primary; and Carol Griffin, paraprofessional, Jr. High;
• Approved hiring Garland Titsworth, maintenance, district; and Maria Jimenez, evening shift custodial;
• Approved position changes for Cian Douglas, seventh-grade head basketball/track; and Bryan Rooney, ninth-grade head girls basketball;
• Approved out-of-state trips for FFA/Agricultural Dept. for March 29, 31, to a judging contest at Miami, Okla., and April 6 to Warner, Okla.;
• Approved an out-ofstate trip for DECA April 21-26 to Orlando, Fla., for international competition; and
• Approved the 2023-24 calendar.