Summer school program puts extra focus on science

This year’s summer school program in the Forrest City School District will focus on STEAM in an effort to better prepare students for state testing. STEAM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. FCSD Superintendent Dr. Tiffany Hardrick called the program “new and improved.” “We definitely want to incorporate an extra science component now that science is 33% of the state assessment,” she said. The summer program, for students in kindergarten through eighth grades, will be held on the Central and junior high campuses from June 9 through July 7. The district will also offer its course recovery program at the high school. During last week’s Forrest City School Board meeting, the board approved the list of employees for the program and set the payment schedule for summer workers, which is slightly lower in two categories that previous years when the district was able to use ESSER funding to offset the costs. “For summer school rates, we no longer have ESSER, which was great at one point, but we don’t want to go back to the original rate,” Hardrick told the board. This year, certified staff or those who qualify under a waiver, will be paid $40 an hour. Last year, the board approved paying those employees $60 per hour. Those who have 60 or more college hours will be paid $35 an hour, down from $40 per hour last year, and those with 60 college hours or less will be paid $30 an hour, which is actually higher than the $25 per hour these employees received last year. High school students hired to work in the summer programs will be paid $15 per hour. Hardrick presented the board with a list of staff members for the summer program. “A lot of the components of our programs will still exist with our enrichment academic trips we do on Fridays. We’re just going to have an intentional instructional academic focus on STEAM and not just literacy,” said Hardrick. “This looks like a pretty good staff to me,” said board member Larry Devasier as board member Annie Norman asked for an executive session to review the employee list. Board member Evetta Whitby did not participate in the executive session due to having a relative on the employee list. The board returned about 10 minutes later, after which it voted 5-1 to approve the list with Norman casting the lone no vote and Whitby not voting. Norman said she voted against the list because she previously asked that priority be given to Forrest City staff or students. “A few months ago, I stressed that we hire our staff. I know you hired other staff that are not FCHS graduates or workers in the Forrest City School District. If they’re still on our contract list I don’t understand why we did not hire them. That is why I am not approving this list,” said Norman. “I just wanted that to be noted.” On facilities, Hardrick told the board that Wellness Center 3, which is a conversion of the junior high gym, has been turned over to the district for occupancy. The athletic awards ceremony on Monday night was the district’s first event scheduled for that space. “You all will have an opportunity to see the space at that time,” Hardrick told the board. Hardrick also presented the board with a proposal to replace the floor at the Dwight Lofton Mustang Arena which was damaged when a pipe burst. “Back when we had the bad weather there was a pipe that burst on the back side of the arena, so that’s why you see the buckle in the floor because the pipe burst underneath it,” said Hardrick. She said an insurance adjuster approved the district for a new floor, which will cost an estimated $118,160, of which the district will be responsible for paying its $5,000 deductible. Hardrick said the adjuster recommended the district use Gym Masters of Searcy to replace the floor. Even though Hardrick said the matter did not require a board vote, board president Sandra Taylor called for one. “Dr. Hardrick, I know it’s $5,000, but since it’s dealing with money, why don’t we go on and vote on it,” suggested Taylor. The board voted unanimously to replace the floor. Graduation was held Friday night at Sam Smith Stadium for the Class of 2025. Norman asked how many seniors would graduate and how many would have to take course recovery this summer in order to receive a diploma. Hardrick said 146 graduates were scheduled to walk at the commencement and four seniors would have to attend both summer school terms in order for earn a diploma. On another personnel matter, Hardrick said the district is hoping to hire two more students to work in its IT department and two more to work in its agriculture department, making a total of four positions for each department. Those students will earn $15 an hour for their work, which is expected to start in July. In other business, Norman asked if the all of the classrooms in the district have cameras. “Yes, they are supposed to have a working camera in every room. I can double check and do a full assessment over the summer to make sure we have working cameras,” said Hardrick. Norman also asked how many teachers are on waivers through the Arkansas Department of Education. “I know we had 40 on waivers at one point,” she said. Hardrick said due to changes in the law, the district will have to submit an application for each employee to obtain a waiver that will be good for three years. During that time, the employee will be required to show “adequate progress” toward certification. “What I like about that is that it follows you so if you’re in Forrest City for three years you can’t go to another school district and start that three years over,” she said. “We have a lot of staff that have been working very hard this year that were on that list and now have provisional licenses – a lot,” said Hardrick. “Then, we have some who all they need to do is pass the Praxis because they’re education majors anyway. The rules are changing and people are working really hard toward certification.” “You said we have some teachers getting certified. Are any getting certified in English?” asked board member Sadie Blackwell. “For the first time ever we did not have any English spaces, first time ever, so yes, we have actually six certified and we will now have an 11th grade English teacher,” said Hardrick. Norman mentioned Virtual Arkansas and how classroom facilitators receive a report each week showing the students who are having trouble in those classes. “We’re paying a facilitator and Virtual Arkansas, but we still have students failing. Something is not right there,” said Norman. “If you’re going to have a teacher in there making a first-year teacher salary, then they need to be held accountable for our kids failing.” “My take on that, Mrs. Norman, is the principals doing the evaluations of those teachers are holding them accountable with those evaluations,” said Devasier. “At the end of the day, our principals have done a pretty good job evaluating our teaching staff.” “Have you reviewed the evaluations?” Whitby asked Devasier. “You said they’ve done a pretty good job.” “I know our scores are up, so undoubtedly somebody is teaching,” said Devasier. “I wasn’t saying that to be sarcastic or smart. I was just asking had you seen the evaluations since the high school is not,” said Whitby referring to the scores at the high school. “That’s why I was asking.” Norman also questioned payments to a pair of consultants Kendrick Walker and Kendra Lawson – the district hired before state testing was administered. “We had some science coaching sessions right before state testing to try to boost science scores so we went and found people who specialize in science and gave them short-term contracts to help boost the scores,” said Hardrick. “One worked nine days and the other six.” Whitby asked Hardrick if anything could be done about the air conditioning at the junior high. “I submitted for partnership and got approved to get a new unit. I can bring that to the next meeting,” said Hardrick. Before adjourning, Norman asked for another executive session to discuss personnel, at which time board member Roy Hamilton left the meeting. After the brief session, the meeting adjourned.

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