Pea Ridge School officials will seek approval from the Arkansas Department of Education for a charter school on the Pea Ridge High School campus. Their presentation is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday in Little Rock. Preparing for that presentation, Rick Neal, Jon Laffoon and Keith Martin spoke before the Pea Ridge School Board Monday night.
Neal told board members the group has 20 minutes to make their presentation. Martin said a 103-page document has already been presented, graded and returned to Pea Ridge school officials.
"Pea Ridge does an excellent job of preparing student for college readiness," Martin said. "We don't do as well in career preparedness ... The simple fact is that the majority of students are not prepared to earn a livable wage upon graduation."
"We are bolstering the economy," Laffoon said, "by training students in these careers. We've partnered with businesses to select our pathways."
In closing, Neal, holding a diploma folder, said: "I hand them (graduating seniors) a blank book. If you put that in the context of what I've been doing over the last 12 years, we've been handing a document based on hope and value ... we have the opportunity of adding value to it -- to give a value-added diploma for 100 percent of the students."
Neal said that certifications of work experience and college credits add value to high school diplomas. The Pea Ridge Manufacturing and Business Academy, a charter school within the high school, is unique, Neal said. He has researched the possibilities, including visiting similar schools in other states.
Joining the school administrators will be Kim Davis, president of the Northwest Arkansas Economic Council, and Dr. Alan D. Wimberley, chief learning officer of ResponsiveEd from Lewisville, Texas. Also expected to be present will be State Senator Cecile Bledsoe and State Representative Sue Scott, Neal said.
After a lengthy presentation prior to the board meeting from Wimberley, board members approved a contract with ResponsiveEd contingent upon the state's approval of the charter for curriculum and training of teachers for the academic portion of the charter school.
Special Education director Sue Stacey told Neal and the board of a student who was struggling in reading and math but who has excelled this past semester after learning of the charter school and the possibility of him attending it. "It's already having an impact," Stacey said.
In other business, the board:
• Extended superintendent Rick Neal's contract by one year (to June 2017) following an executive session during which board members evaluated Neal's performance;
• Honored the varsity cheer squad which won first place in state competition and senior cheer leader, Ty Conner, who was named to the All-State team;
• Learned that three of the four school will receive cash prizes for performance due to Student Achievement awards;
• Tabled bids received for video security of the football stadium; and
• Commended Danielle Gregory, assistant to the superintendent, for her work.
The next regularly scheduled School Board meeting is set for 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, preceded by a 5:15 p.m. study session.
General News on 01/15/2014