Food finances turned around

Growth continues to drive decisions by the Pea Ridge School Board which approved the creation of eight new positions in addition to hiring 13 teachers and aides, transferring six teachers and aides to different positions and accepted resignations of five teachers.

Kevin Ramey was hired as the new athletic director and Crosby Tuck was hired as a new assistant football coach.

Board members praised the work of Julie Ferguson, food services director, her staff and assistant principal Keith Martin for turning around the financial status of the food program. For many years, the food program ran at a deficit and was supplemented from the general fund.

"We have increased to a $108,000 ending balance at food service," Martin told the board Monday night. "We won't have to borrow anything."

"We applaud Julie Ferguson," Rick Neal, superintendent, said. "If you remember when we were robbing the till of $150,000 for food service. What she has done is phenomenal."

"We were told that would never happen," recalled Jenny Wood, board president.

In other business, the board:

• Added new positions of kindergarten position, first grade teacher, a Middle School teacher, three instructional aides, an SPED aide and an SPED teacher.

• Hired Brittney Blair, Intermediate SPED; Lauren Jones, primary counselor; Susan Coble, Intermediate secretary; Candra Troby, Intermediate aide; Crosby Tuck, assistant football coach/teacher; Joanna Barker, SPED teacher; Meranda Wilkerson, SPED aide; Mary Hall, new SPED aide; Kevin Ramey, Athletic Director/teacher; Malinda Adams, HR clerk; Amber Corbin, new Middle School teacher; Jaquanna Lambert, Intermediate teacher; and Alexandria Vaught, new Intermediate aide.

• Transferred Beth Ash from second grade to kindergarten; Beth Stein, Middle School teacher to 1/2 time master teacher/ 1/2 time teacher; Ronda Hall, 1/2 Intermediate teacher and 1/2 time Middle School teacher to full-time Middle School teacher; Talina McDonald, Middle School SPED aide to Middle School instructional aide; Roxanne Enix, High School English to ALE director; and Megan Bryant, Intermediate aide to Middle School SPED aide.

• Accepted the resignations of Londa Kever, high school teacher; Amanda Mayher, part-time Primary teacher; Julia Candland, Middle School teacher; LaDonna Penner, scholarship coordinator; and David Wentz, high school teacher.

General News on 04/13/2016