Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Smithson's contract renewed, board discusses special election

Gurdon School Board members renewed Superintendent Bobby Smithson's contract and gave him a good evaluation at Tuesday, April 15, meeting of the Gurdon School Board.

No new topics were discussed as Smithson updated the board and audience of the school reorganization issue and the special school election to be held on May 20, 2003.

Smithson said, "We are in the process of meeting all the requirements to hold a special election on May 20, 2003. It is very important that our patrons know the issue in this election.

"They must approve this proposal or their property taxes will be increased 12.1 mills by the Clark County Quorum Court. What they are voting on is not a tax increase, but a refinancing of three bond issues. The time for paying them off will be extended by four years. Our debt service payment will be reduced approximately $133,000 each year as a result of this action."

Smithson said as far as an update on legislative action, there wasn't much to report except the proposed Wal-Mart Bill had failed in the House on Monday of this past week. Otherwise most of decisions on plans would come in the fall if then and hopefully would fail.

Smithson did report the legislature addressing funding for school districts.

"There will be no increase in funds until they meet this fall. There may be an additional reduction before this fiscal year is over on June 30. The public school fund has already been reduced $30 million dollars. We estimate our funding will be reduced from $50,844-$62,980. We have not received a print out reflecting this reduction," he said.

Smithson reported on actions being taken to meet proposed new standards.

"The proposed new standards for each school district to offer 60.5 units each year has not been reduced by the governor. Attempts to compromise this proposal has failed to date. We actually won't know the new standards until the fall. I believe the 60.5 units will be reduced. To what level, I have no idea. No other state adjourning Arkansas requires more than 50 units. No explanation is given when people ask why our number is ten plus units above the states in our area," said Smithson.

School districts must offer advanced placements (AP) courses in four basic areas of Math, Science, English and Social Studies; plus two additional areas.

"We have registered four teachers, in each side of the basic areas, to attend a workshop this summer in order to be qualified to teach AP courses. We have paid their tuition of $450 for each teacher," said Smithson.

School districts must also offer three classes in six different clusters for workplace education.

"We have three teachers currently working in this area. We are trying to evaluate each teacher's schedule in order to meeting this proposed new standard. We will need additional courses taught at Arkadelphia from OTC and Malvern the new Southwest Technology Center. We will transport students each day who wish to attend these classes."

New requirements for foreign languages will make it necessary to offer a second Spanish and make the district attempt to offer a second foreign language by distance learning.

Bonnie Ross presented the board with a new proposal to give the board more control over fund raising entities such as band boosters, football boosters and such.

The board made no decision on the proposal at this time, but will consider it at the next month's meeting.

Board member Cheryl Reed expressed her opinion by saying, "I am a part of the band boosters and I do not like this idea. We have always taken care of ourselves and I don't understand why we should change it."

Central Office Manager Betsy Hurst said, "It would make things easier on me if we in charge and knew more about what people were calling about. Many people will call us to see if a fundraiser is legit or not and if I don't know what he fundraiser is, and then I can't tell them."

"Well then you should give them a name of whoever is in charge of that fundraiser," said Reed.

"Well if I don't know who it is then how am I supposed to tell them," said Hurst.

"I think you can handle finding out, it is your job these people in charge are school personnel," Reed said.

However, Denise Ezell with the Gurdon Band Boosters contacted the Gurdon Times on Wednesday morning to express her concerns over the proposal.

"I have been involved with band boosters for a long time and I am in no way in agreement with this proposal. This will do nothing but hurt us," said Ezell.

The board will discuss the fundraising proposal at next month's meeting.