Prescott School Board

The Prescott School Board met on July 17th. After the meeting was called to order a School Board Member made a passionate statement is defense of the superintendent addressing point by point concerns which had been raised. Following is what the journalist captured. These issues included her record at the previous district which she worked. That district was said to be very happy with her work for them.

Declining enrollments was stated to be due to competition with private schools. Current times require excellence not simply on the field but also in the classroom. Hiring teachers without a license has been done for many years. As to teachers leaving the district nobody has been forced to leave. For the unity of the district the superintendent does listen to concerns raised.

District hires draw on multiple sources but also require candidate privacy.

The state is so concerned about the performance of public schools that data has to be presented at every school board meeting. Athletics and academics should go hand in hand.

The Board member said she wasn’t speaking for the board, but she stood by her statement. She further expressed concerns about the letters not being signed and those concerned not directly contacting Central. The Board member also mentioned the Superintendent having essentially worked as an Assistant Superintendent for 5 years without being criticized.  She served officially as curriculum coordinator but functioned at times as an assistant superintendent. and there were no letters of concern during this period.

There was a presentation by Fred Harris (with help from another staff member) the President of the Organization for Youth Education in Agriculture. OYEA has been in Prescott existence for 8 years and is kind of unique to the state. The last banquet raised $45,000. This is how feed is paid for. The next banquet will be on November 3rd at the Willows. OYEA bought a travel trailer and paid for it in two years instead of the budgeted 5.  Dr. Charles Looney, who is well renowned for his work in artificial insemination is helping out since his retirement from Southwest Research and Extension Center. OYEA has 15 eggs of which 4 have been used successfully impregnating all three cows.  Harris said OYEA has smoked summer sausage it produces.  There is a goal to finish the Farm Bureau yard. Students have been with the program for as long as 5 years. They currently have 10 kids. The animals they currently have are 1 hog, 1 calf, rabbits, 7 goats (which will be inseminated), 5 sows with 2 of them bred. They will be used for educational purposes as they get harder and harder to find. The 15 eggs were about a $10,000 donation. Dr. Looney is said to be the best embryologist in the world. OYEA is very unique and not just in the state. They have held three banquets and raised a total of $150,000.  OYEA needs more land.  The board thanked the staff of OYEA for their dedication.

Next was a 504 report by Mrs. Lisa Madden. She spoke about the importance of free appropriate public education provided accommodations that give students equal access to a quality education.  In response to the question if the teachers individually manage the 504s they were said to be centrally located. Unlike SPED a meeting isn’t required if the student is failing.  There are 45 504 students in the high school, 9 in the elementary and 40 in the Junior High.

A purchase order of supplemental ELA software for ages K-8 in the amount of $20,257 was approved. The money will come from the ELA fund.

The ASBA and district policy updates were discussed next. ASBA drug policy was said to not to just be for sports. It is a safety issue and can’t simply be a teacher who requires it. As to the discipline section with each school potentially having different policies flexibility was sought.  A drug test would be given if there was reasonable suspicion with the person giving it changed from certified to approved. This is due to the lack of certified people to give it. With a vote being needed on whether it should be changed to every student or staying with simply for extra-curricular activities the decision was made to table it until after the Executive Session.

The District Student Handbook was next. There were 10 pages for the Elementary Handbook with the addition of certain things to the student dress policy with pajamas, short shorts, high heels, doo-rags, and other items prohibited.  The issue of students coming in late was also addressed.  Climbing rails and running into or climbing chain link fence are all forbidden.  Disruption in the cafeteria was another issue addressed.  Participation in field trips was said to be a privilege with bad behavior precluding participation. This does not include tardies but rather addresses experience already had during field trips with misbehavior.  For school rules and discipline after three write ups a meeting is required between the parents, principal and a counselor.  For the academic grade a standard space report card instead of letter grades with a three-point scale. Level 3 is mastery, 2 is progressing and 1 not yet mastered, minimal.  One of the requirements of mastery is knowing 60% of high frequency words.  The section for behavior requires following the rules and behavior and maintaining self-control.  Students in 1-4 grades instead of K-4 a D or F on test, the test will be sent home for parents to sign and return it.  This is the year 3rd grade students can be retained if they are not reading on grade level. They must also pass Math. It has been heard that it will be tied to ATLAS. The question was asked if the state was projecting how many 3rd graders this will affect with the response being they are being very circumspect.  If a student is behind in 2nd grade the district will look towards summer school. The state will be requiring this action.  Prisons are based on 3rd grade test scores.

The district has missed out on a high Impact grant which amounts to thousands of dollars. The question was raised if resources could be pooled with other districts with the response that with the requirement of a specialist being there three times a week that was hard to do.

Proposal for the Junior High handbook included a reorganization and repeating items found in the general handbook which might be skipped over. Major updates include the academic integrity policy and attendance enforcement policy. Southwest Arkansas has a truancy issue. The cell phone policy is included. For infractions a desire to include guidance for success. All infractions should be done. The Junior High pledge should be put in the handbook as most don’t know it. Artificial Intelligence was dealt with.  Progress reports should address students being on the cusp of not getting into the next grade. Lack of clear communication was said to be the cause.  Dr. Burton spoke about his experience in Little Rock and everything being about systems there. Top infractions were put at the top.  Tardies were in the handbook but moved up.  A range was included from minimum consequences to maximum infraction.  Only someone in the file can sign a student out. Checking students out regularly is discouraged and they are counted as tardies.  The district isn’t responsible for personal property.  Students need to know that they can’t look at each other’s work and must work independently.  Detentions – recess can’t be removed but students can be told what to do – structured recess.  Behavior infractions go to 5th grade for Saturday School. Sometimes parents need to be inconvenienced.  The handbook would include the chain of command with parents able to suggest a solution. The dress code is the same policy with additional expectations.  The Saturday school will be done by the Junior High principal, Dr. Burton.  If there is a fight there will be an investigation. First those involved will be separated and witness statements will be obtained. The emergency send home clause gives time to investigate and to get more student involved in the process of sorting out what happened.  Junior High had over 400 infractions with a student population of only 200. Such a high number weakens the system.  Tommy Poole, the High School Principal spoke about requiring parking passes being obtained before students are allowed to drive onto campus.   Teachers must be notified about the student’s missing class. After 5 unexcused absences the parents must be notified and have a conference. After ten a Family in Need of Service must be filed and it turned over to the court. After 10 minutes the student will be considered absent if unexcused.  OSS will be 5 days up to expulsion.  Cheating and substance abuse were mentioned.  Friday or Saturday school the hours have been corrected.

For cell phones the state will require districts to send in their policy. Students cannot have the phone on them.  There hasn’t been a lot of success with pouches.  Cell phones for adults is only supposed to be used for instruction.

There was an Executive Session and afterwards the athletes and student handbooks were approved.

The board accepted the resignation of Shelby Burke as Cross-Country Coach.

Toby Cootes was accepted as Softball Coach for 2025-26.

A motion passed to appoint Ricky Colburn to fill the School Board vacancy.

The meeting adjourned.