New facet to school sought

Pea Ridge may have a new facet of the school if superintendent Rick Neal receives approval for a charter school - the Pea Ridge Manufacturing and Business Academy - from the State Department of Education. Neal addressed students at Pea Ridge High School recently and explained the possibilities inherent in the program.

“I’ve watched students leave the district and have no place to go,” Neal, who formerly served as the high school principal. “This is about options, about choice, about giving you an opportunity in life.”

Neal said the charter school will help students get jobs for more than minimum wage both while in school and upon graduation thus allowing them to either enter the work force or earn enough money to pay for college while working.

“Don’t wait for your future; live it now,” was the theme of the presentation.

Neal said statistics show that not all students who enter college finish often because of the costs.

“We have teachers in the district still paying o◊student loans.

You will have the same problems.”

Looking at a room full of juniors, Neal asked: “How many work at McDonald’s and Sonic right now?” A few raised their hands. “How many work at the grocery store?” Neal said that putting the math to earning $7.25, $7.35 or $7.40 an hour compared to $10 to $15 an hour shows how important it is to provide training for students to have skills to help them get high wage, high demand jobs. He said he wants to see students from Pea Ridge graduate earning more than minimum wage and said it’s di◊erent for a 15-year-old than for an 18-yearold, who should earn more and have better skills.

“Right now your life is involved with two things, what time is ball practice and when am I getting out of here. You better be thinking about what am I going to do when I graduate,” he said.

Neal said he hopes to have the charter school in place by the end of the summer and provide a “rapid pace” program for the students who are now juniors. He said the schedule will be fl exible providing time for athletes, as well.

“The jobs you train for in the conversion charter school may not be where you stay as a career, but will allow you to pay as you go through college, and allow you to pay as you go,” Neal concluded.

News, Pages 1 on 12/04/2013