Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Nevada district losing students

Since October 2003, the Nevada School District has lost 28 children, and at $5,600 a child, this adds up to a healthy amount of money the district will no longer be receiving from the state.

Rick McAfee, Nevada superintendent, told the Nevada School Board, at its March meeting, there would be some new money available under the Education Renewal Plan, which will cost Arkansans $384 million, but it won't be enough to offset the loss of students. The potential answer rests in how schools will be funded.

According to McAfee, the money coming in will basically be divided as it has been in the past, though the Arkansas Supreme Court has ruled this method inadequate. The Nevada district will be getting about $300,000 in new money under the plan, but with the student losses, the end result will be the district will see about $110,000 or $120,000, which won't cover the new salary schedule mandated by the Legislature.

"We have to find a way to make it work," he said. "I hope the masters find a way to make funding more equitable. Last year we had to cut five positions to stay financially afloat."

The situation will be put before the district's Personnel Policy Committee before the school board can vote on what to do.

In the past, he said, when a district lost money the state helped out with funds for three years to give it time to adjust accordingly. This, though, is no longer the case. The Lost Fund Program has been eliminated and, now when a district loses money, there is nothing for it to fall back on.

The state will be doing a facilities study, he said, examining the physical plants to determine the status of actual school buildings. "Nevada has a beautiful facility. The maintenance crews keep it in good shape. It's 15-years-old and we've had to do little in the way of major maintenance. Our students respect the building."

McAfee also presented results of the 2002-2003 audit report, saying it was one of the best audits the district has had in his 11 years as superintendent. "We'll get an extensive report later."

The one negative on the report, he said, was not enough people handled the money when it came in. "Most districts get this reported. It was a clean audit."

Sandra Browning, Nevada elementary principal, said students in grades 4-7 participated in a Civil War reenactment at Poison Springs.

Teachers in grades four, six and eight have been tutoring students after school, helping them get ready for the Benchmark and Iowa Basic Skills tests later this month. She said 65-70 students stay for the tutoring.

McAfee said it's important for students to be at school for the tests, as the tests must be completed. Students missing school during the testing period will have to take them during Spring Break. "Parents need to make sure their children are ready. The state department (Arkansas Department of Education) is looking hard at this area. It's unfortunate because it's just getting a portion of what the child does at the time."

Blake Epperson, Nevada high principal, said the 7AA Central district basketball tourney went well, with several people complimenting how the tourney was run. Both Nevada teams went to the regional tourney, but were eliminated early.

High school students, he said, are getting ready for the end of course literacy and geometry exams. Some teachers are using their conference time to help tutor students needing help in these areas. Additionally, students are working with one another to do well on these tests.

Materials are being gathered for the parent center and copies of worksheets and units will be posted so parents can see what their children are being taught.

Jim Cross, building and transportation supervisor, said everything is going well building-wise, but air conditioning season is here.

Cross recently attended a workshop on facilities to learn what will be looked for when the study being done comes to Nevada.

The board was presented with a salary schedule for 2004-2005 and school calender for the upcoming academic year, but no action could be taken until both are reviewed by the PPC.

McAfee said there is a problem with the calendar, as the state now says school can't begin before Aug. 19, unless Aug. 18 falls on a Monday, and those districts with distance learning labs will have to adjust their calendars to coincide with the state calendar.

The school uniform committee, he said, had been meeting and is trying to put something workable together as far as a school uniform for the 2004-2005 year. The uniform recommendations will be voted on at the April 15 meeting of the Nevada School Board, while the committee and PPC will meet for final recommendations on April 13.

One of the final actions taken by the board was to approve advertising for a vocal music instructor, as the state has mandated such a class must be offered. "We have to offer it whether anyone signs up for it or not," McAfee said.