School officials are preparing for the changes ahead as the district continues to expand. Two new positions for the school district were approved by the Pea Ridge School Board Monday night after a 30-minute executive session.
School superintendent Rick Neal asked for, and received the position for a junior high principal and a literacy specialist for kindergarten through sixth grade.
With the pending construction of the new high school, school officials are preparing for the reorganization of the grades across the soon-to-be five campuses which will include seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grades in the junior high school which will be housed in the current high school building. Tenth- through 12th-grades will be in the new high school.
The reconfiguration will not happen until the 2020-2021 school year, but Neal said school officials are preparing the leadership for the reorganization.
During his monthly report, assistant superintendent Keith Martin said the food services account has a balance of $286,000 which will be drawn down with the purchase of new cafeteria equipment for the new High School and the Intermediate School. He praised the work of food services director Julie Ferguson and her staff.
"They do a wonderful job of keeping our children fed and keeping everything in the black," Martin said, adding that Ferguson is working on plans for the free lunch program for the summer.
Keln Taylor, technology director, following e-Rate procedures, presented contracts for services explaining that it "helps pay for some of our networking and internet based on free and reduced lunch accounts."
Board members approved the contracts presented from Unite Private Networks LLC, NextStep Innovation and White River Services.
In other business, the board:
• Hired Tony Travis, assistant principal, Junior High School;
• Accepted resignations from Casie Perkins, Intermediate teacher; Linda Shelley, SPED aide; and Alisha Caperton, Primary teacher; and
• Accepted the retirement of John Fisher, maintenance;
• Approved the 2019-2020 School District Calendar; and
• Approved rehiring administrative staff including Charley Clark, James Rappe, Dana Tabor, Amy Carter, Karla Thielemier, Leslie Moline, Jessie Hester, Mindy Bowlin, Tracy Hager, Sue Stacey, Kevin Ramey and Jamie Woods.
General News on 03/13/2019