photos by Kevin McKinnon

Legal questions about seizing student cell phones and fining students for using cell phones caused the Prescott School Board to table action on approving changes to its middle school and high school handbooks during their Tuesday night meeting.

Superintendent Robert Poole, High School Principal Jeff Farris and Dean of Students Willie Wilson explained the problems that cell phone usage by students was causing on the middle school and high school campuses. Wilson said that some students were texting during class and even passing test answers with their phones. 

McRae Middle School Principal Kathie Janes wasn't available at the meeting, so Superintendent Poole reviewed changes for that school. Poole said upon the second occurrence of students caught with a cell phone, the school would seize the phone and give the student three days of I.S.S.(in-school suspension). The student's parent would be required to come to the school to retrieve the phone.

High School Principal Farris said the first occurrence of a student caught using a cell phone on his campus would result in the school seizing the phone until the end of the semester, unless picked up by a parent who would pay a $5 fine to retrieve the phone. The second occurrence would be the same, except the parent would have to pay a $10 fine to retrieve the phone. On the third occurrence the fine would become $15, then $20 for the fourth occurrence. The student would also receive three days of I.S.S. for the third and fourth occurrences, with a possibility of expulsion on the fourth occurrence. Dean of Students Wilson said the fine money would be used to pay for an outing for high proficiency students.

School board member Darren Neal questioned the legality of the school seizing the phones and the use of the fine money. Wilson said similar practices are underway at El Dorado High School and Arkansas High in Texarkana. But Neal, who is a Sargent with the Arkansas State Police said he would like to know if it was legal to seize the phones. 

School Board President Patricia Blake tabled the changes to the middle school and high school handbooks until the legality questions could be answered.

School Board Vice President JoBeth Glass had also questioned whether the policy would be enforced if approved as she said she believed the current ban on cell phone use on the high school campus was only selectively being enforced. She said she had seen students using cell phones on the campus in view of faculty and had heard of teachers permitting phone usage in class at times.

Another part of the proposed handbook changes that came into question during the school board meeting was that of the school's dress code. Glass told Principal Farris that if the school board votes to enact tougher dress codes they want to know that they will be enforced as she didn't believe the current dress code was being enforced. Farris said it was difficult for teachers to enforce the dress code, comparing it to enforcing speeding violations on the highway when everyone's speeding. Sargent Neal told Farris it was not like enforcing speeding and he believed it could be enforced.

School board member Clark Crellin wanted changes made to the policy of giving students In-School Suspension for the first occurrence of insubordination. Crellin said he felt like the students should receive a warning before being suspended. Dean Wilson said he didn't have a problem making that change.

Superintendent Poole said a special school board meeting would be called for action on the handbook changes after he gets a chance to email the school board members more information on the proposed changes, which also include changes to the school's policies on homecoming and the Mr. and Miss PHS pageants, as well as possibly banning students from participating in commencement that violate the rules on how the Senior Class Wills and Prophecies are read on Class Day.

The School Board did approve handbook changes for the elementary school which included a change in the way parents pick their kids up early from class. From now on, parents will come to the school office where they will be given a slip of paper to take to the child's classroom and present to the teacher before the student is dismissed. Elementary Principal Kimberly Grimes says too many parents were showing up just before the end of the school day to pick up their child to avoid the car line. In the past the school office would just use the intercom to ask the teacher to dismiss the student. The board hopes the new policy will cut down on the number of parents coming in to pick up their child early.

The lengthy school board meeting also included a presentation by Ray Beardsley of First Security - Beardsley Public Finance. He presented the board with the annual district financial review. Superintendent Poole says this presentation helps the school plan its budget each year.

Becky Rains, the state coordinator for E-Rate, the program that provides discounts to assist schools in obtaining affordable telecommunications and Internet access, addressed the board to explain how the service works. The program is funded through a Universal Service fee charged to companies that provide interstate and/or international telecommunications services. The Prescott schools receive money each year from E-Rate. Poole says this presentation was requested to help the school in its budget planning.

The School Board voted to accept policy updates from the Arkansas School Board Association, and voted to pay $2,850 for another 3-year membership in the organization.

Two School Choice applications were acknowledged from students in the Blevins School District. This brings the total number of students attending Prescott Schools through the School Choice plan to 29 for the upcoming school year. 

The board approve its annual license fee to Microsoft for $12,103.92 and $21,009 to PLATO Learning Services.

The expulsion of students Travis Glenn and Jonathan Campbell were approved by the School Board.

The board agreed to hire Angela Winfield of the Southwest Arkansas Educational Coop to handle the duties of LEA supervisor for Special Education. The contract for the services will cost the school $35,000 a year, which Superintendent Poole says is $10,000 less than the school was paying to have a full-time employee in that position. Board Vice President Glass expressed her concerns that Winfield may not be able to devote enough time to handle the responsibilities at the Prescott Schools. Poole said the Coop had guaranteed the duties of the job would be taken care of.

Following an executive session, the board hired Amber Turner as Food Service Manager and Adam Hastings as Physical and Earth Science teacher for the high school. The School Board voted to advertise to hire three cafeteria workers and one bus driver. The resignation of Amy Harris as Special Education teacher was accepted.

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