Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Resource officer considered for Gurdon School District

Gurdon Public School may place a resource officer (uniformed police officer) in the school.

The school board members present at the August school board meeting held Tuesday, Aug. 20 approved superintendent, Bobby Smithson's recommendation to seek a grant opportunity.

The grant was brought to Smithson's attention by Clark County Prosecuting Attorney, Henry Morgan.

Morgan, working with the Arkadelphia Public Schools placed, with grant assistance, two uniformed resource officers in the high school and junior high school.

Smithson said, "I never thought I would see the day... but we are at that point." He continued to impart the importance of placing the right person in the position to work with the students.

Board members present, Billy Tarpley, David Williams, Jim Otwell, and Jesse Runyan, discussed the cost to the district, if any, and continued with the meeting.

The gates and barriers, to bar large trucks and over-the-road trailers from using the schools parking lots, will be fabricated by the school's personnel.

The board voted to follow Smithson's recommendation to purchase the supplies and have the school's personnel complete the assembly. The gates would be reportedly placed on the three driveways facing Highway 67. Gates and/or over head barriers, described as akin to the ones on the Wal-Mart parking lot in Arkadelphia, will be placed in the two driveways entering the high school parking lot.

Smithson said he had spoken with a key local truck and trailer business in the area. Their employer assured Smithson their employees had been asked to refrain from using the driveways. He was informed the majority of drivers using the parking lots were from out of state.

The school and students have lost landscaping plants and materials which have been destroyed by several truck/trailer drivers, one of which was caught (stuck) in the driveway the next morning.

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency inspected the school's underground tanks. They failed to passed inspection. The tanks were immediately drained and locked. Wednesday, Aug. 21, temporary skid' tanks were installed. The construction on the new tanks will begin Sept. 3.

During the executive session of the meeting, the board hired Charla Renfro to fill the position of primary school's media specialist.

The board accepted the resignation of Carlita Escalante from the district's nursing position.

Coach Todd Lewis was promoted to head track coach and assistant football coach. Coach Brandi Kirpatrick will be working with junior high and senior high girls basketball. Both were approved for stipend increases with increased workloads.

The board discussed briefly the computers and a multitude other supplies purchased for the school district by the 21st Century Prime Time Program under the direction of Jean Smithey. As Smithey was unavailable, the board hopes to hear more at the next meeting.

The board reviewed and approved the budget for the upcoming school year, 2002-2003.

Smithson said with an increase in the estimated budget he had hopes of three new expenditures.

First item would be the possible purchase of a bus. Second item would be a cost of living increase. The third item would be an additional person placed in the administration of the high school to help with the increased workload due to testing increases.

Smithson and the board already had a person in mind for the position.

There was comment made to continue to maintain the 10 percent contingency fund.

Discussion covered the appointment of Otis Duncan (pending his acceptance) to represent District Zone 9.

Student insurance will continue to handle the insurance coverage for the school. The Arkansas School Board Association's fee was voted on and approved for payment.

The decision to seek rental space for the use of the Alternative Learning Education No. 2 students was approved. The Therapeutic Family Services currently provides the classroom space for these students and the district's assigned educator, Linda Hulan.

Under recommendation from Dr. Mike Kelley, counselor for the ALE No. 2 students and professor at Henderson State University, said "These students are too easily distracted and need to be housed separately from ALE No. 1 and In-School Suspension students."

The decision to rent space, over constructing a new building or renovating the previously used old' vocational building, was based on the intentions of moving the choir and/or band into the auditorium still in the blueprint and fund-raising stages. In the future, there's a possibility of providing the current band hall and choir rooms for ALE No. 2 use.