People want choice

Responding to new state guidelines for School Choice, Pea Ridge School Board members approved two resolutions changing the district’s transfer policies during the regular School Board meeting Monday night.

The first resolution limits the transfers out to 3 percent of the third-quarter average daily membership. The second resolution adopts the School Choice Act of 2013 for the purpose of an exemption for one year.

“It’s such a huge movement in education right now,” Rick Neal, school superintendent, told board members during the work study session Saturday. “People want choice.”

Neal made the analogy to the old “Ma Bell” phone system and the current system whereby customers have choices. He said people have multiple choices now - homeschool, virtual school, Christian or private schools and charter schools - in addition to public school. And he said each situation is different in how the money flows.

“What we face as a public school ... public school is fighting school choice. We can either fight it or embrace it. I want to embrace it. Why? If we don’t, we will lose ... we’re blessed here in Pea Ridge, Ark.,” he said, explaining that property tax stays in the district, but other moneys may “follow the student.”

Another change is that provisions have been made statewide in allowing homeschool students to participate in extracurricular activities with certain restrictions. He said that is an emotional issue, but one he wants the board members to consider.

“Right now, we’re America’s top high school. We can’t do what we’ve always done. My vision is to add a career/technical school,” Neal said. “How are we going to meet the needs of the students and still compete. We all compete. Education is in the same facet.

“We’ll be at 1,800 kids when we start this fall.

We’ve already got 15 School Choice applications,” Neal said.

“We’re providing a service ... we’ve got to think along the lines of the big picture,” he said.

“Businesses that are successful, differentiate themselves. They stand out. We need to. Our kids need something here,” Ann Cato, board member, said Saturday responding to Neal’s comment about a career/technical program.

Board members also approved moving forward with plans to build new classrooms on the Middle School as soon as possible and add an auditorium and classrooms to the high school next year. Neal told them the financing is available.

Neal said inclement weather had slowed progress on the new football field, but contractors still believed it could be finished in time for the 2013 season. He said turf may begin to be placed as early as June 1.

In other business, the board:

◊Recognized master teachers: Josh Johnson, lead master teacher, Crystal Marquez, Tracy Hager, Paige Billis, Quentin Snoderly, Leslie Moline and Malinda Stewart.

◊Accepted the resignation of Randi Jo Hutchison-Kelso, high school counselor.

◊Amended contract for Vicki Roberts, ESL instructor, from full- to half-time.

◊Accepted resignation of Mike Harrod from coaching duties and Lara Cooper from teaching at the High School.

◊Approved transfers for Jennifer Miller from FACS to high school counselors;

Shannon Brown from Intermediate teacher to Intermediate media specialist; Josh Johnson from Intermediate teacher to ALE coordinator/lead master teacher; Charlie Clark from high school JAG teacher and head basketball coach to ALE teacher (English, social studies, JAG, world history, U.S. history); Trent Loyd from middle school math teacher, basketball coach to high school teacher and head varsity basketball coach; Cindy Snow from food service supervisor to Food service manager; and James Ortiz from middle school math to high school math.

◊Hired: Keln Taylor, network administrator; Jamie Studer, special education para-pro; Ronda Hall, instructional aide, library;

Heath Neal, teacher, assistant senior boys basketball and head junior boys basketball; Rudy Sanchez, teacher, assistant senior boys basketball coach and head junior boys basketball coach; Kilee Luthi, family consumer science teacher;

Aurelian Sennett, high school biology/chemistry teacher; and Steve Taylor and Roland Moore, bus drivers;

◊Approved contracts for Megan Hussain and Nick McCurry, teachers.

◊Approved transportation requests from Dede Brock for third-, fourth and fifth-grade trip to Roaring River State park;

from Jessica Woods for a Middle School trip for volleyball team for volleyball camps to Washburn, Mo., and to Rolla, Mo.

◊Approved purchase of two buses - one 70-passenger and one for Special Education - for a total cost of $181,780.