Panel Hires New Staff

PRAIRIE GROVE SCHOOL BOARD STILL SEEKING TO FILL TWO POSITIONS

PRAIRIE GROVE — The Prairie Grove School Board hired a new middle school assistant principal, three new certified teachers and filled a new high school math and science teacher position at its July 15 meeting.

Two positions still have to be filled: a high school physical education and health teacher position and a new position for a reading interventionist at the intermediate school. The P. E./ health opening is to replace high school softball coach, Chris Collins, who recently resigned to move closer to his wife’s family.

The board spent about 45 minutes in executive session discussing the personnel changes. Allen Williams, school superintendent, said some of the personnel recommendations were made after the board packet had been sent out and he wanted to give board members information about the candidates.

“I hate to hit them cold with a name at a board meeting without giving them some background,” Allen said after the meeting.

The board approved hiring the following: Shayne Taylor as middle school assistant principal, Tara Lynn Smith for high school biology and chemistry, Kathryn Kennan for primary and intermediate music, Matthew Pohl for assistant band director and Thao Huynh as the new high school math and science teacher.

Taylor is replacing Matt Morningstar, who accepted an assistant principal’s position with the Fayetteville School District. Williams said Taylor previously worked for the Prairie Grove School District as an assistant principal at the high school and then at the middle school before leaving to work for the Springdale School District.

Williams gave board members a handout that shows all the personnel changes for the 201314 school year.

The handout shows 17 resignations from certified personnel for the year.

Some of these are retirements. Others decided to stay home with their children and some are taking different positions within the school district. In some instances, teachers resigned to move closer to family or to teach in a larger school district.

“This probably looks like it’s worse than it is,” Williams said, noting Prairie Grove had very little movement in personnel the past two years.

Under classified positions, 14 people resigned their current positions. Several have their teaching certifications and have accepted teaching positions, either at Prairie Grove or other school districts.

“If we continue to hire good teaching aides and if they are certified, chances are, we’ll hire them or someone else will,” Williams said.

In other business, the board decided to wait on its plan to make improvements to the football stadium until after the 2013 football season.

Williams recommended the delay, noting if the school district started the project now, the work would not be finished until the season is almost over. Williams said he did not think the inconvenience of the construction would be worth it, if the district only got to use the new facilities toward the end of the season.

The school district is planning to replace the public restrooms, concession stand and ticket booth with new facilities.

The project will include a new entry way and new fencing.

Board member Eric Walker suggested that the school go ahead and bid the project so work could begin as soon as the football season is over.

The board also voted to retain Charles Harwell with Cypert, Crouch, Clark and Harwell law firm in Springdale as the school district’s legal counsel. The district’s former legal counsel, Rudy Moore, died recently. Harwell said he has 31 years of legal experience and his firm has many years of experience representing school districts in northwest Arkansas.