Thanks to Mother Nature’s kindness, students in the Eureka Springs School District will be getting an earlier start to summer break.
With only four banked days needed because of winter weather, the Eureka Springs School Board voted at its monthly meeting Monday, April 13, to revise the district’s schedule with the last day of classes for students now being Tuesday, May 19.
“The way our calendar was, we have a non-traditional calendar, and we go 15 minutes early every day,” superintendent Bryan Pruitt said. “So we banked enough time that we had seven days built in by going the 15 minutes early. We only used four snow days this year, so we had three days that we could dismiss early.
“…So, we’re going to dismiss three days earlier and now will get out on May 19.”
STIPEND CHANGE
The board approved a revised stipend policy that will give staff members who coach or lead extracurricular activities a bump in pay each time their regular salaries are increased, Pruitt said.
“We’re changing over the format from just a dollar amount in the past,” he said. “We’ve now changed that to an index. Now, every time we add money on to the salary schedule they get money on their index for their stipend.
“That way, every year, they’re not coming back to us saying their stipend isn’t enough. … It’s a win-win for them, and I think everybody was really pleased with that.”
The change will cost the district a little more, the superintendent said.
“It’s a good thing for [the teachers] and it’ll cost us a little more money, but then again, with expectations that come along with those things, they need to be paid,” Pruitt said.
OTHER ITEMS
The board approved adding an index to the certified staff schedule to allow the full-time hiring of Elizabeth Weber as a new speech language pathologist.
Most of those employed in similar roles are hired as contract labor, Pruitt said, but Weber wanted to be a regular school employee “because she wanted benefits.”
So, with board approval, Weber will come in at a $70,000 salary, the superintendent said.
“Those specialists like that, they can demand that dollar amount,” Pruitt added.
The board also approved officers with Chris McClung again elected as president, Jayme Wildeman as vice president and Gayla Wolfinbarger as secretary.
“Then we kept our meeting date and time the same as in the past, the second Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m.,” Pruitt said.
Principals from the three schools gave reports to the board, including an update on current activities.
SkillsUSA students are currently competing in the state competition in Hot Springs, and the district is ready for state-mandated ATLAS testing next week, Pruitt said.
“We’ve prepared all year, and hopefully the students will perform well,” he said.
Other updates for the board included spring sports, including baseball, track and soccer, and a recent FFA state contest.
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