FCSD to rename basketball site Dwight Lofton Mustang Arena
Board agrees to purchase new buses, offer retention bonuses to staff
Mustang Arena is being renamed in honor of longtime Forrest City boys basketball coach Dwight Lofton, who recently passed away.
Members of the district’s board of directors on Tuesday agreed unanimously to a recommendation from Superintendent Dr. Tiffany Hardrick to rename the facility the Dwight Lofton Mustang Arena.
“Unfortunately, our community has been mourning the loss of one of our longtime teachers and coaches, Mr. Lofton, our basketball coach,” Hardrick told the board. “There has been a lot of conversation as to how to honor him and celebrate him. One of the ways I think we can do that is by naming Mustang Arena in honor of him, his work and his legacy and rename Mustang Arena to Dwight Lofton Mustang Arena.”
Also during Tuesday’s meeting, the board agreed to construct a new industrial arts building on the high school campus, purchase several new buses and to offer retention bonuses to staff.
Hardrick presented the board with the design of the new industrial arts building, saying the project will cost about $1.7 million, of which the district will be responsible for about 45% of the costs, estimated at about $765,000.
The project was approved by the facilities division of the Arkansas Department of Education.
“We have received approval from the ADE to be able to move forward with the agriculture building using partnership funds,” said Hardrick. “This project is time sensitive. It was approved 16 months ago and it has to be under contract by the 24th of this month.”
The board agreed to allow the district to proceed with the project and ask its attorney, Brad Beavers, to work with others involved in the project to finalize the contracts by the deadline.
Hardrick reviewed federal funding the district is receiving through the CARES Act and proposed ways to spend some of those funds.
She said the district is seeking approval through the ADE to purchase seven new buses with the funding from Summit Bus in North Little Rock. The new buses will cost $817,704.11.
Hardrick explained that the purchase should be allowed through the federal funding because the buses would allow fewer students to be transported at one time.
“In our plan, we want to add additional buses to the routes because of the number of kids on a bus at a time, and we anticipate more kids returning to school. We have some communities that are pretty saturated,” she said.
The board approved the purchase contingent on the ADE’s decision as to whether or not they can be paid with CARES funding.
The district will also offer current employees an opportunity to receive a bonus if they decide to remain in the district. CARES money would be used to pay the bonuses, Hardrick said.
“One thing we can do under additional pay is to address recruitment or retention challenges in light of the pandemic. One thing we saw during Covid was increased retirements and people choosing to resign,” said Hardrick in proposing the bonus plan, which would be based on employee evaluations.
Forrest City High School and the Forrest City School District celebrated the graduating class of 2021 Tuesday with its annual Decision Day festivities. The pep rally atmosphere included plenty of music and fun for students from across the district and the community. Seniors were celebrated as they announced their decisions for continuing their education, regardless of whether it is college, technical school or the military. The event kicks off the annual senior activities which will include prom this week, followed by the senior breakfast, the senior walk, class night and graduation, which is scheduled for May 21. Employees with highly effective evaluations will be paid $1,500, those with effective evaluations will receive $1,000, and those with evaluations noted as progressing will receive $500. The bonus would only be paid if the staff member returns for the 2021-22 school year, and would be paid in September.
“It’s getting harder to recruit staff, especially in the Delta,” said Hardrick. “What we’re saying is if you’re already here, we want to retain you and we don’t want you to decide to retire or resign, even in the face of Covid. We want you to think twice about retiring. If you’re willing to come back for another year, you will receive the bonus.”
Bonuses approved by the board in March to compensate staff for dealing with the pandemic is scheduled to be paid on April 28, Hardrick told the board.
The board also agreed to purchase new football uniforms TIMES-HERALD – Forrest City, Ark. for the senior and junior high teams from Southwest Sporting Goods in Arkadelphia at a cost of $20,692.81 for the senior high program and $8,910 for the junior high team.
On a related matter, the board approved the purchase of an industrial strength washer and dryer for the athletic department at a cost of $18,731 from Central Laundry Equipment in Ward.
The board agreed to purchase a second set of laundry equipment for the district’s clothes closet to serve homeless and other students in need. The location of the clothes closet has not yet been determined. This equipment will be purchased with funds from the district’s Title programs.
The board also approved a salary schedule for bus drivers and hired three new teachers.
Michael Flores was hired to teach history; Bernita Gordon will work with ELA, and DaNisha Cooper was hired to work in special education.