Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Good Report Given To Emmet School District

A report from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education showed no Emmet students needing to take remedial classes in college.

This was the report given to the Emmet School Board Monday, Oct. 2, by Superintendent Dr. Gene Ross.

He said the report is made annually, and no students graduating from Emmet High School were required to take any remedial classes when they went to further their education.

On the heels of this, though, Dr. Ross informed the board there is a problem with head lice in the school system, but it's nothing serious, he said.

Complaints had been made about the district's policy on head lice, but it has since been revamped to be more in line with that of the Arkansas Department of Health.

If a child at school is found to have head lice, he said, their parents will be called. Before the child can return to class, they will be checked for lice again.

If it proves to be a recurring problem, the child won't be allowed to come back to school until all of the nits are gone.

Those found with head lice, he said, will be separated from other students to keep the problem from spreading.

Board president Jack Faulkner said all children should be checked for lice, and it's costly to get rid of them.

Pamphlets, he said, can be sent home with children detailing the problem of head lice.

This tends to be more of a predicament in the elementary school than the high school, he said.

Ross told the panel work on the playground had been finished with the help of a $3,000 grant. Gravel and cross ties were put down on the playground.

Most of the vocational equipment is in, he said of the home economics building.

In addition, he said, all drivers for the Emmet district have passed their required drug tests. Random testing will be done on them throughout the year.

Dr. Ross told the board it's not known what will happen when the Lakeview School District lawsuit is settled.

This suit claims the state's funding formula isn't fair, while the attorneys involved are seeking what some claim to be exorbitant fees for their services. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is contesting the attorney fees in the case.

However, Dr. Ross said depending on how the judge in the case rules, the funding formula will have to be redone, and it could result in forced consolidation of smaller schools.

Right now, he said, the formula is more favorable to the Emmet district than it's been in years.

Of the Lakeview district, he said, "They're cutting their throat and ours."

Floyd Pollock, Emmet Elementary School principal, said there are 182 students enrolled on the primary side.

SAT-9 tests were completed for students in grades 5-7-10 recently, with the other students to take them in the spring.

Emmet High Principal Shade Gilbert requested, and received, a trip to a Women's National Basketball Association game at the Alltell Arena in Little Rock for the Emmet Lady Eagle basketball team.

The girls will take the trip Saturday, Oct. 28.

Emmet, he said, was invited to participate in Career Day with the Prescott School District on Oct. 25 from 1-3 p.m. The board approved letting high school students attend this event.

The district's cheerleading policy was also updated at the meeting. The changes include cheerleaders missing three practices without an excuse having to meet in conference with the sponsor and principal. If they're late during a home game, they have to run after the game ends as punishment; and they must ride the bus to away games unless there are extraordinary circumstances.

The board approved matching the recent increase in its match for dental insurance for those employees carrying it. At this time, 15 teachers have dental insurance on the school's policy.

Fund raising efforts also were examined by the panel. In 1993, a law was passed prohibiting students selling items door-to-door without a parent or guardian with them.

Emmet, Dr. Ross said, is too small to have many fund raisers in as they put a burden on those in the community.The board changed the fund raising policy requiring those wishing to have fundraisers to first go to the principal involved and superintendent. Then the board will have final say on whether or not the event is approved.

Immediately after changing the fund raising policy, the board approved allowing the cheerleaders to sell items at school only for school spirit.

Faulkner said the fundraisers need to be supported and publicized so people will know about them.

As this was the first meeting of the board after the September school election, a reorganization is required by law. However, no changes were made in the status of the Emmet School Board.

Jack Faulkner remains board president, with Clint Walser being vice president and Glenda Fulton secretary.