PEA RIDGE — Without the personnel to staff an in-school athletic hour for cheerleaders, Pea Ridge school administrators could not schedule time during the school day for cheerleading practice.

During a special meeting Tuesday morning, School Board members heard from school administrators that the staff has been looking for a cheerleading coach since March.

“It’s hard to find certified staff that want to do it,” said Sue Terry, principal at Pea Ridge Middle School.

“We’re at a standstill. I don’t think you’re wanting us to hire other people,” superintendent Mik Van Dyke said to the board. “We have a great (cheer) program, we’re going to try all we can to not let it go backwards.”

Courtney Hurst, coach of the high school cheerleading squad,resigned her position at the end of last school year.

Nikki Van Dyke, coach of the junior squad, is taking a one-year leave of absence from the district.

Without hiring a new coach, the district currently has two options.

Jamie Bunting, a special education teacher at the middle school, was hired with the understanding she would coach cheerleading as well. She currently coteaches six hours per day and has one resource hour and a prep period. If there are no special needs children requiring extra time in resource, she would have a free hour to coach cheerleading.

Heather Phillips, a second grade teacher, was hired as a teacher but has extensive cheerleading and coaching experience. She does not have a free hour during the day, however,as in the primary school the teachers remain with their classes until school lets out at the end of the day. To be bumped up to junior high cheer coach, she would need to meet with the squad before or after school.

“If special ed numbers were such, (Bunting) could spend seventh hour with the junior and senior cheerleaders ... I don’t see that being very productive working with both squads,” Terry said, adding the district needs to be sure they are meeting the needs of special education kids because that’s what Bunting was hired as first.

“They did a lot after school (last year), just like athletics,” Terry said.

Currently the squads meet and practice wherever space is available, from the high school gym to the lobby or cafeteria at the middle school.

The board agreed it seemed the only likely scenario is to have the squads meet before and after school.

Ramsey said he thinks the schools should at least get the students a regular place to practice at that time of day so they can begin and get out on time.

“We want them to be athletes, but we also want to educate them and get them home,” he said.

“Both Bunting’s and Phillip’s qualifications are broad and immense, we are lucky to have those two ladies,” Clark Tyndall, board member, said.

Currently, both track and cross country athletes meet before and after school.

The board will meet again at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 15, for its regular meeting.

News, Pages 1 on 07/07/2010