Vision spurs Neal on

PEA RIDGE — A servant leader, that’s how Rick Neal sees himself.

Neal is scheduled to take over as school superintendent July 1.

He has been the principal of Pea Ridge High School for the past seven years.

“I’m a servant leader. My leadership style is very simple. I want teachers, administrators, parents, community to have input on someof the decisions; I think the more collaborative it is, the better it becomes.

“Our teachers in the past have helped build the schedule. They’ve increased the curriculum. And we’ve provided those opportunities for them. Our administrators will have the opportunity to grow, to increase program and build up their buildings.

My job is to support them in getting them what they need. What they’re doing is best for kids.

“I’m very approachable, I have an open door policy,” Neal said.

“The reason I feel that I was the right choice for Pea Ridge compared to the remaining candidates is my familiarity with all the activities and all the culture of the local community,” Neal said recently. “I feel the School Board recognized that I have a passion and a love for Pea Ridge and a vision for the district and where our school needs to be in the next few years.”

Neal was selected unanimously by four School Board members after an intensive search and 20hours of executive session during which seven candidates were interviewed. The position was first offered to Dr. Michael Murphy of St.

Clair, Mo., who accepted, then declined after being offered a significant raise by his current School Board.

Although he has not been a superintendent, Neal believes he is the right person for the job.

“I am a small town person,” said Neal, 50, a native of Lincoln and graduate of Lincoln High School. “I understand the culture of a small town and how the school is important to everybody in the community.

That’s my background.”

Neal, whose undergraduate degree is in kinesiology, earned a master’s degree in educational leadership.

He is currently 12 hours away from an educational specialist degree. He said he will have his district level license in June.

He began his educational career in Siloam Springs as the head junior high basketball coach and teacher, where he worked from 1984 until 1990. He was athletic director and head senior basketball coach at Lincoln until 1999. Nealthen coached and taught at Gravette High School. He was hired as principal of Berryville Middle School, where he worked until 2004. He then worked one year as principal of Cabot Middle School North before being hired in 2005 as principal of Pea Ridge High School.

“I have a unique opportunity to take a district and advance even further than we are right now,” Neal said. “The high school isn’t anything like it was when I came. It has advanced academically in two phases - in the career/tech area and in the advanced placement area. In the AP program, we currently give 265 tests.

There will be 172 students tested in AP courses this year.

“Our career/tech programs have grown from three to five programs of study and our test scores have increased anywhere from 27 to 40 percent.

“I have to think that I have to set the expectation and the accountability and the vision of where we want to be. I feel like I’ve provided that opportunity with the help of some great teachers,” Neal said.

Vision

A two-prong vision spurs Neal forward.

“We currently at Pea Ridge schools are not ready for the technology advancements leading to common core. We have to plan and over a three-year period get ready to do on line testing and our infrastructure has to support those online tests.

We have two very capable tech people spread over four buildings with over 700 computers across the district. Our focus is going to have to change toward technology more than it ever has before,” Neal said.

The second part, Neal said, is having students ready for college and/or careers.

“My focus will be on allowing all students a good education, getting kids ready for career and college with a major emphasis on career and that involves improving our core curriculum programs,” Neal said.

“I’m looking forward to that relationship (as superintendent) with the city and community.,” Neal said.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a three-part series on Neal and his vision for the Pea Ridge School District.