Long-time teachers retire

A dozen Pea Ridge School District employees took advantage of a one-time offer to School District teachers, administrators and classified staff who have a minimum of 20 years of service credit with the Arkansas Retirement System or the Arkansas Employees Retirement System and a minimum of five years of service with Pea Ridge Schools.

At a regulat School Board meeting, Board members approved severance package approvals from:

• Larry Bruce Walker, PE/coach, years in District: 34;

• Douglas Duvall, High School/Social Studies, years in District: 17;

• Cherie Fisher, High School/Science Teacher, years in District: 21;

• James Ortiz, High School/Math, years in District: 11;

• Judy Greene, High School/Registrar, years in District: 6;

• Cynthia Snow, High School/Instructional Aide, years in District: 30;

• Izetta Osmond, High School/Sped Teacher, years in District: 5;

• Danny L. Martin, Bus Driver, years in District: 6;

• Dorcas Duvall, fifth grade/Math, years in District: 17;

• Janis Sutton, Counselor/Intermediate, years in District: 11;

• Faye Oaks, Custodian/Intermediate, years in District: 26; and

• Sarah Stokes, CTE/STEM/Grants, years in District: 8.

School assistant superintendent Keith Martin explained that employees had requested a means to help long-term employees in the "transition to another chapter of their lives.

"We feel this plan offers that opportunity for our faculty and staff and at the same time improves the financial climate of the Pea Ridge School District."

The plan provides for the benefits of the severance plan to be paid out into equal payments over five years. The pay includes applicable sick leave. The amount is $50,000 for teachers; $60,000 for administrators; and 100 percent of their 2017-2018 base salary, not to exceed $25,000, for classified personnel.

In other business, the board approved:

• Creating new positions for a second-grade teacher, maintenance and network administrator;

• Hired Dena Hamilton, Heather Payne and Elizabeth-Ann Lee, teachers for Intermediate School; Nicolas Hall,High School math; Gena Grubbs,High School U.S History/AP US History; Blake Rudolph,High School math; Amanda Cruikshank, Middle School social studies; Adrienna Purdy, SPED teacher; Melanie Sams, Intermediate teacher, and Sarah Engel, Intermediate counselor;

• Transferred Matt Easterling from eighth grade health to High School social studies; Melissa Woods from SPED to second grade teacher (filling new position); Mindy Bowlin, assistant principal to Intermediate principal; and Amy Carter, Intermediate principal to Staff Development and accountability;

• Accepted resignations from Jennifer Small, food service, and Robert Blaenz, bus driver;

• Tabled contract of Patrick Thompson, SPED speech pathologist;

• Accepted resignations (effective end of 2017-2018 school year) of Erika Bjorn, High School para-professional; Jennifer Castle, Middle School SPED teacher; Joanna Barker, High School SPED teacher; Kasey Snow, para-pro High School SPED; and Alex Baldwin and Joanne Campbell, Intermediate teachers;

• Approved non renewal of contracts for Russell Winfield, High School math teacher, and Lincoln Carlton, PRMBA teacher.