Three retired teachers returning to FC School District

Three people who previously retired from teaching are planning to return this year to classrooms in the Forrest City School District, taking advantage of a $ 7,500 signing bonus approved by the board during its July meeting.

Meeting in a brief special session Tuesday evening, the Forrest City School Board approved hiring 13 people, both certified and classified, as district officials prepare for the beginning of the fall semester on Monday, Aug. 15. Teachers will begin work on Monday, Aug. 8.

On Tuesday, the board approved a recommendation from district superintendent Dr. Tiffany Hardrick to hire retired teachers Bertha Rogers, June Jenkins and Joyce Cottrell to teach at Central Elementary School. Linda Smith, a retired bus driver, was also rehired by the board.

The other employees approved Tuesday include: Terry Boone, interim principal at the junior high; Manassass Sanks, music teacher; Jarvis Palmer, physical education teacher at Central; Mary Reeves, special education teacher at the junior high; William Mosby, music teacher; Malora Etherly, in-school suspension aide at the high school, and Genethel Brown, Jannie Northern and Brittany Shelton, child nutrition associates.

Board members also accepted the resignations of four employees, including Jennifer Rhoades, pre-K teacher; Ahmed Alkaabi, high school teacher; Shawn Terrell, junior high principal and Stephanie Myers, special education at the junior high.

The personnel list was approved on a vote of 6-to-0, with members Annie Norman, Evette Boyd, Sandra Taylor, Evetta Whitby, Patti Long and Roy Hamilton supporting the recommendation. Board member Larry Devasier, who retired as a physical education teacher from Central Elementary, recused from the vote.

Long asked if the district advertised to fill the positions.

“After the board meeting, people started calling and we started making calls,” Hardrick responded.

“I see some good ones on here,” said Devasier.

“Me too,” responded Long, who is a retired FCSD principal.

Long asked how many special education teachers still need to be hired.

“One or two at the most,” said Hardrick. “We’re almost there.”

During the July meeting, Hardrick told board members the nationwide teacher shortage is impacting the FCSD, but noted the district is not as short on staff as other districts. At that time, she said the district needed to fill five positions.

The bonuses will be paid through the district’s Title 2A funding. In addition to the signing bonuses for retired teachers, the district is also offering teachers a $ 2,500 bonus if they continue working in the district after their first year.