Breaking out of the box, students in Pea Ridge will be part of another first in the state as they design, work and run The Vault, a retail establishment selling Blackhawk paraphernalia, coffees and smoothies in the old downtown Pea Ridge Bank building owned by the city.
The building, on the southeast corner of North Curtis Avenue and East Pickens, was used by the city as the home of the library for many years and has most recently been used as a conference room. In a continued cooperative effort between the city and school, city officials will allow the school to use the building for the project.
The two entities are building a City Hall/school administration building on school property on Weston Street, splitting construction costs in half.
"We're going to restore it to the best we can," Casey Donson, teacher, said. She received a $41,000 grant that she is using to restore the building to a 1910-20 design. She said she is working with a company out of Eureka Springs on the coffees and smoothies and students will learn how to roast the coffee beans as well as make the coffees.
"We will work with the Blackhawk Foundation for the T-shirts and we are partnering with ceramics for the mugs," Donson continued.
"This will be the first off-campus school store with normal business operating hours," Donson said. "It will be the first of its kind in the state."
School superintendent Rick Neal said Donson has designed a tremendous business model for the project.
"This needs to be as real as it possibly can be," Neal said, explaining that students putting academic skills to practice and running The Vault will be a great experience for the students as well as an asset to the city.
"The kids will go down and work, take care of it, take ownership of it," Neal said.
Food lab
In addition to The Vault, the school received a grant of $44,800 for a full food lab and commercial kitchen, said Sherry Rickard, family and consumer science instructor.
"With the money from the state, we're taking out one of our kitchens and doing a complete commercial kitchen," Rickard said, explaining that students who work in the kitchen will be able to earn hours towards an associates degree in culinary arts.
Communications director
School Boared members approved Neal's recommendation to create a position for a communications director and named teacher Mark Laster to that position.
"One of the thins we want to accomplish," Laster said, is to create one central source for information. Referring to various forms of social media, Laster said he planned to create one district Facebook and Twitter account and possibly an Instagram account so if information goes to one, it will go to all three.
Laster, Donson and athletic director Kevin Ramey will work together on communications for the district. "We're building a team -- a triangle," he said of the three. "It will be a developing process and will really enhance the district and what we do well."
"We want to be positive and be proud of what we do," Laster said. He said it was essential to be positive, professional and to promote the school, staff and students.
"Parents who see happy kids are very thrilled with that," Laster said.
Donson, who will handle the technical aspects of communication, said the website will be redesigned.
In other business, board members approved:
• Hiring Lauren Taylor, MS SPED; Nathan Claytor, MS Science/coach; Angel Boney, Int. nurse and coordinator of nursing; Nathan Henry, HS English; Lisa Henry, second grade; Katelin Denny and Nikki See, Int. instructional aide; and Randon Webb, ALE instructional aide;
• Transferring Matt Wood from MS principal to HS principal; Leslie Moline, MS assistant principal to MS principal; Tracy Hager, Int. master teacher to MS assistant principal; Candice Carney, Int. teacher to Int. master teacher; and Larry Walker, girls' head basketball coach to strength and conditioning coach; and
• Resignations of Amy Polanowski and Karen Loewe, teachers; Jon Laffoon, principal; and Charlie Brewer, mechanic.
Renewed contracts of classified staff for 2016-17 school year.
General News on 05/11/2016