Nevada buying new buses

By John Miller, 04/1/22 3:28 PM

ROSSTON – Soon, the Nevada School District will have one of the newest bus fleets in the state.

Superintendent Roy McCoy told the Nevada School Board, at its March meeting Thursday, the Arkansas Department of Education approved the district using ARPA funds to purchase two 2020 buses, stipulating the buses must be air conditioned. The buses, he said, will cost $77,000 each and hold 71 passengers. With this purchase, all buses in the district’s fleet will be air conditioned. Those buses without air will be used in emergencies. The fleet will consist of one 2017 model, five 2019 models and two 2020 models. The board approved the purchase.

On the other hand, because of the lack of options, the district won’t be purchasing a new vehicle for driver’s education. McCoy said this is due to the scarcity of state vehicles and the cost of new cars. Instead, the district will fit a Durango owned by the district to be used for driver’s ed, if it’s feasible. He said the district will wait and see if more vehicles become available from state purchasing or the cost of new ones drops.

The panel was informed the district purchased more cleaning and sanitation supplies. This McCoy said, is because the district received $51,000 in Covid-19 money on Feb. 1 with strict requirements on how it could be spent. As most of the requirements were for cleaning and sanitation supplies, this is how the money was used.

After a brief executive session for personnel, the board approved hiring all licensed and classified personnel for the 2022-2023 school year.

McCoy gave the board good news, saying the district will be getting several new students under the school choice program, adding the school could have 20 or more new students next year.

There will be an internet safety workshop for parents on April 12, and the prom will be April 15. This year, the meal for the prom will be catered. Normally, the district cooks for the students.

The board approved changing the calendar for next year after being informed it can move things back a week. In January, the board approved a calendar based on a new law requiring schools to open no sooner than two weeks before Labor Day. During the financial session, the legislature changed this to allow schools to open earlier. A vote was taken by the district’s Personnel Policy Committee, with the panel voting unanimously to open sooner. The first day of school for the Nevada District will be Aug. 15.