School district financial advisors will refinance two bond issues at one time, saving $22,000, according to information provided to school board members during Monday night’s meeting.
On the recommendation of Superintendent Rick Neal, the school board approved a resolution authorizing First Security Beardsley Public Finance to combine the projects. By refinancing the bonds, the school district will lower the annual payments but not extend the length of the bonds.
Approval came at the end of a detailed and lengthy financial review provided by DannyLovelady, vice president of Beardsley Public Finance. Lovelady walked board members through how Arkansas school funding and finance works. He also assessed the district’s financial condition.
“Your balances are good, your budget is in good shape,” Lovelady said.
Board members also approved a resolution calling for the federal government to end a plan to reduce school funding by 8.2 percent - a national total of $1.2 trillion - because of the impact it will have on education.
Approval came with little discussion, after the board read the resolution and supporting documentation.
School safety became a recurring theme when Primary School Principal Keith Martin and School Resource Office Mitch Brown addressed the board.
Neal praised Martin for taking on extra duties by coordinating the district’s safety plans.
“He has worked very hard and I want to thank him publicly,” Neal said.
Martin told board members that lockdown drills have been performed on all campuses, and that he’s worked with Brown and the police chief to review all procedures. He noted that with the Intermediate School being a newly opened renovated campus, there were some problems, which are being fixed.
Other actions Martin cited are bus evacuation drills, tornado drills,fire drills and bus-driver training.
Brown outlined how he worked with the high school drama department to create skits that highlight the effects of bullying. Those were performed for all grades at the high school. After hearing about the skits, the administrators at the Middle School asked for those students to view the skits. After modifications to make the skits age appropriate, the middleschoolers watched the skits.
News, Pages 1 on 11/14/2012