The Stuttgart School Board met Tuesday, October 13, for their regularly scheduled meeting. President Napoleon Davis asked if the certified PPC had anything to report. A representative from Certified PPC said they had met and elected new officers. Kristen Wilson will serve as president for the 2020-2021 school year. There was nothing to report for the Classified PPC.
PAE elementary principal Pam Dean reported they had Solution Tree visits and covered Instructional Expectations and Teaching Standards not Activities.
“We had a flu clinic on the 5th, we had CPI training, which is a non-violent crisis intervention,” said Dean.
Tutoring begins in November. Currently there are 594 students on site and 49 virtual.
Meekins Midde School Principal Matt Euler said, “On October 2, we had our House Reveal Day.”
Euler also said they had a flu clinic as well, started tutoring last Tuesday and they are starting the Japanese club next week which is going to focus on learning to speak and write Japanese, as well as learn about the Japanese culture. All other clubs will also start next week. The literacy team met with Solution Tree also about teaching standards.
Euler said, “The flu clinic was a success, we had 80 students and most of the staff receiving shots and Nurse Jane said nobody cried.”
Amy Marek, SJHS Principal said, “We had our first day of tutoring and had about 18 kids.” Their flu clinic was also a success. The ACT Interims are next week. They have 35 virtual students.
“We will do Parent-Teacher Conferences in three ways, in person, a phone call or by email,” she said.
SHS Principal Jeff McKinney began his report by discussing the passing of a student this week and counselors were available for students and staff.
“Last week we had a great Homecoming, considering the pandemic. Ricebirds are 5-0 and are traveling to Clinton on Friday and hope to be 6-0.”
Teachers are also meeting with Solution Tree. Red Ribbon week will be October 26-30. They will also be doing Parent Teacher Conference in three ways.
“I want to take the time to thank you for your support. We are finishing the first nine weeks on Monday. This will be my first nine weeks here. I can’t tell you how much the support of you, the teachers and staff at the High School means to me,” said McKinney. “What a great staff we have.”
Parent Teacher Conference will be October 27 and 29, all day on the 27th and 3:30 on the 29th.
Superintendent Rick Gales said student enrollment as of October 1 is 1,565 which is more than it has been in recent years.
The Region 9 School Board meeting will be October 29 via Zoom. The Annual SBA conference will be in Little Rock this year and will be held virtually on December 9, 10 and 11.
Board member Jennifer Payton asked if virtual students had been surveyed on how well they like it.
Gales responded, “Not yet.”
The Board then voted to keep Carla Gipson as their SBA delegate.
Board member Bryan Hancock asked if they had looked at the level of the students who are left to having one of our teachers teach them and if there was a significant difference in the costs.
Gales responded that with the number of students that have dropped out they actually have a positive balance with the virtual class so that they won’t have to pay any additional monies next semester.
The Board then voted on resignations, on a transfer, and on buying a teachers’ conference period.
A representative of Beardsley Financial was present to discuss the refunding of bonds. This is due to rates going down. This will result in a $378,951 savings over the life of the bond. This figure is an estimate because they will not know the actual figure until the day of sale. The districts debt to service is eight percent. They passed a resolution to reflect this.
The Board then voted to approve the minutes from their last meeting.
Gales then explained the negative figures on the financial statements being there because of the virtual academy expense.
