Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Emmet awaits decision; receives $111k grant

It's a waiting game for the Emmet School District.

Dr. Gene Ross, Emmet superintendent, told the Emmet School Board, at its Feb. 2 meeting, the Arkansas Department of Education would be deciding the district's fate Monday, Feb. 9. Emmet has applied to become a charter school, focusing on agriculture.

"I feel we have an excellent chance," Ross said. "We put our charter school application in last fall, but the Department of Education doesn't need a reason to approve or deny it."

In other business, the board discussed and adopted becoming part of the Oracle Internet Academy. Frank Henson, Emmet High School principal, said this program wants schools to teach its software programs. These programs, he added, are used in many businesses today and would be upper level AP courses for the students.

The programs, he said, are designed to help students get jobs as well as AP and college credit. The company would give the district $111,000 for software and training, while Emmet's part would be about $1,500. "We may be able to get this paid through the Perkins Fund," Henson said.

The Oracle Internet Academy is for students ages 16-19 taking and completing four computer courses using Oracle software during their junior and senior years. The courses are: data base fundamental; data base programming; introduction to JAVA; and advanced JAVA.

Information from the company states the annual maintenance cost is $500, and class sizes of 13-18 are recommended for the course.

In his report, Henson said there are 126 students enrolled at EHS, with awards given to 60 students in January.

Trips were approved for the seventh grade gifted and talented students go to a quiz bowl competition, the 10-12 grade Quiz Bowl team was approved a trip to Murfreesboro. Other events going on at EHS, he said, include the PTO raising money for its projects and the junior class selling items to raise money for the Junior-Senior prom.

Henson said the juniors are wanting to have the student/faculty basketball game again this year as a fundraiser.

A field trip to Hot Springs for the art class was also approved.

Floyd Pollock, Emmet Elementary principal, said there are 167 enrolled in the primary school.

Honor cards were presented to students in grades 6-12, he said, by the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce.

He reminded the board Emmet is hosting the 7A South District Basketball Tournament Feb. 16-21.

In his report, Ross said when the school built the tornado shelter the covered walkway was removed because the district had been told it could cause problems. However, when it rains, students are getting wet going to the classrooms in the shelter.

The board approved spending up to $3,500 to put a new covered walkway up to protect the students from the elements. The walkway, Ross said, wasn't included in the federal grant the district received to build the shelter.

He told the board charter schools get preference for the percentage of students on the free and reduced lunch program. Emmet, he said, had 168 on this program, and it could help the district with its application to become a charter school.

Emmet received a grant for $50,000 for comprehensive school reform. Ross said he was told 100 schools applied for this grant and only 50 were approved, Emmet being one of them. This money can only be used for school improvements.

Emmet Board President Steve Otwell said he had received information about HB1160, which would "do away with numbers for consolidation." He said the bill did set minimum standards for districts, and schools would have to be inspected and correct all problems with the physical plant.

But, it was learned Friday, Feb. 6, this bill was buried by Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.