Special board meeting results in personnel changes
GRAVETTE — A special meeting of the Gravette school board was held Tuesday evening, June 4, to consider the resignation of Gravette Upper Elementary principal Mandy Barrett.
Several parents were present and spoke in support of Barrett’s continued employment.
Jeanelle Harris said her children support Barrett and she represented a community of people who love and support Barrett and have seen the love she has for her students. She stated that Barrett’s leadership has impacted her family.
Cecile Smith also spoke in support of Barrett. She stated that she has never seen a principal who loves her students like Barrett does. She said students who may not have a good home life can count on having Barrett’s love and support.
Melissa Flippo said she was very upset about Barrett’s resignation and that her children were going to miss her. She said students are changed by Barrett, as well as individuals in the school and the community. She said it was a shame that there are those who do not put children first as Barrett does.
Melanie Nichols said she understood the pressures and issues the board deals with. She said she believes the job of board members is to balance those things for which they are responsible. She said she wanted to make sure this issue isn’t just about Barrett but about the students as well. She believes the district should place the best administrators in each building for the students and she believes Barrett is one of the best.
Tracy Moorman, board president, thanked everyone for coming out to support Barrett and said he did not disagree that she is an excellent principal. However, the board has been presented with a resignation and that is the issue.
Board members moved into executive session after hearing these parents’ concerns. They returned to open session after two and a quarter hours of deliberation.
After Moorman reopened the meeting, board members voted to approve the transfer of Jeff Gravette from assistant superintendent of curriculum to high school social studies teacher after the 2019-2020 school year. School superintendent Richard Page thanked Gravette for his work during the past year. He said Gravette is a good individual and he wishes him well in the next role he is assuming.
Board members also voted to approve the resignation of Coach Doug Greenwood, football coach, and Nancy Greenwood, first-grade teacher, effective at the end of the current year.
Mandy Barrett, upper elementary principal, withdrew her resignation and no board action was taken on this item.
Tracy Moorman directed Superintendent Page to set up a committee composed of himself, the principals of each school and one board member to start the search for an assistant superintendent of curriculum. The top three candidates will be brought before the board for interviews.