PEA RIDGE — Finding a new superintendent for the Pea Ridge School District will be a joint effort of school and community leaders following a decision by School Board members to hire Dr. Paul M. Hewittt as a co-advisor to Dr. Roland Smith, interim superintendent.
“When I was hired, there were two major duties - policy and selection of superintendent,” Smith reminded the board. “I’d like to employ Dr. Paul Hewitt to serve as a consultant with the board to co-lead a search for the next superintendent in accordance with the wishes of the board.”
Hewitt is an assistant professor of educational leadership in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education and Health Professions, University of Arkansas.
“If you were agreeable ... andafter talking to him, in trying to reflect your wishes, create a citizens’ advisory committee and a teacher and staff committee to revise your requirements for the position. Again, we work for you,” Smith said.
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Ann Cato, board member, said.
The motion was made by Rick Webb,seconded by Jenny Wood, to hire Hewitt, who is scheduled to be in town today meeting with school personnel and Thursday meeting with community members.
The board also agreed to remove the superintendent position from the salary index as it is an at will employee position.
“I’ve talked with former superintendent Marvin Higginbottom and Paul Hewitt ... they recommend doing this so you can use the current marketplace to find the new superintendent for the future of Pea Ridge,” Smith said.
“We need to do this and add anassistant superintendent to that.
That takes care of everybody from now on. Everybody else is under fair teacher dismissal act,” Webb said, explaining that as the school grows, it will become necessary to hire an assistant superintendent.
The oldest building on the campus has been saved even as others were razed to make room for new construction. That building - alternately referred to as the old S.E.E.K. building, the shop building, the old lunchroom - will provide meeting space and hopefully, eventually house a museum featuring school heritage.
The board approved leasing the building to the Pea Ridge Historical Society. Margaret Cheek and Jerry Nichols appeared before the board to request the use of the building.
“We want it to be an asset to teaching history,” Cheek said.
“We do want to be an asset to the school presenting community and school heritage.”
“We want to keep our children in our community aware of the history of their own community,” she continued.
Nichols said he hasn’t been able to identify the exact date of the origin of the building, but knows it was the lunchroom when he attended school there.
He graduated from PRHS in 1956.
Smith told the board that the advise of the school’s attorney, Rudy Moore, was that the school district could not “subsidize” a tenant so the school must charge the society the amount ofthe insurance, making the rent $10 per month.
In other business, the board:
◊Elected Joshua Ramsey as president of the board; Darin Wright as vice-president; Ann Cato as secretary andJenny Wood as disbursing officer.
◊Approved the addition of an introductory program of Realty Check into the fifth grade.
◊Approved a new custodial/maintenance position for half-time custodial work and skilled in a trade with initial responsibilities in the new multi-purpose facility building.
◊Approved an additional stipend of $500 for the webmaster, Julia Candland, for work outsidethe school day to keep the web site current in accordance with state requirements.
◊Approved a stipend of $500 for the advanced placement coordinator, currently Melinda Stewart.
◊Approved correcting the shape of the sign at the downtown intersection to the shape of Arkansas.
◊Heard a report of the improvements planned for the old gymnasium with new bleachers andstaying within the original budget.
News, Pages 1 on 11/02/2011