Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

District in good shape financially; but programs need bailing out

Financially the Gurdon School District is in good shape, so much so, plans for more construction were suggested to the Gurdon School Board for the 2004-2005 year.

Gurdon Superintendent Bobby Smithson said the district is having a good year financially if everything stays like it is. Revenue should start coming in soon, though none is received during January and February from the state.

However, all wasn't rosy, as Smithson said the district will have to bail out some of the activity funds, as they are in the red. These accounts for Gurdon High School include the band ($2,513), football ($9,516), yearbook ($12,066), gate receipts ($2,264), track ($859), tennis ($349), cheerleading ($122), baseball ($149) and softball ($260).

At Cabe Middle School, he said, the only activity account in the red is the Beta Club ($109), but a planned fundraiser should get it back in the black.

The proposed construction, he said, includes two classrooms at Gurdon Primary School ($80,000), lighting the baseball field ($90,000), a sign for the athletic complex ($36,000) and bleachers for the baseball field ($50,000). Other items suggested included purchasing a new bus ($63,000).

Smithson said the district has the funds to buy the bus and would prefer not using the revolving loan program as Gurdon has two such loans already. The district's debt service payment has been reduced to $87,243, this was done when the district refinanced its bonded indebtedness last year.

Overall, these items would cost $406,243. With the new estimated revenue, according to figures from the district, less the salary increases, the district should have $410,288 for these project.

The new sign for CMS and the athletic complex, Smithson said, is a two-line matrix version. It will be 10.5 feet wide and about 14 feet tall. Information can be placed onto the sign via electronic signal.

One of the things Smithson said he liked about the new laws passed by the Legislature at the recent special session concerns school funding. Once the state sets the figures, this is the amount of money districts will receive, and if it isn't enough, the state would be responsible for finding the funds elsewhere.

Smithson said the district had to adopt a new salary schedule and informed the board the Arkansas School Board Association's plan includes 15-year step increases, but, he said, teachers must be hired for five additional days, and the extra time must meet state salary requirements.

He said the district's Personnel Policy Committee is working on this problem. However, the numbers the PPC comes up with must comply with the state schedule.

Smithson said his first thought was to go with 17-steps, but there are several teachers in the district with 20 years experience or more who have their bachelor's degrees.

The state schedule, with the 15-year step increases at $450 each for teachers with bachelor degrees begins at $27,500 for a person right out of college, and ends up at $34,250. For those with master degrees, the range goes from $31,625 to $39,125. The step increments for those with master degrees is $500 annually, though.

The figures presented to the board for Gurdon with the 15-year plan, started and five extra days, begins at $28,500 for a person with a bachelor degree out of college and ends at $35,690. Those who have masters would see the schedule run from $33,000 to $40,500.

According to information provided to the board, the 2003-2004 salary fund for the district is $2,976,548, while the state mandated schedule would be $3,147,311, or $170,075 more than the district is currently paying. But, with state mandates plus five days, this figure is raised to $3,250,647, or an increase from the current amount of $274,099.

Smithson said the district can do nothing until the state releases its budget figures, but this may not happen until the middle of July. However, he added, all teachers have been hired back for next year.

Pat Talley, with the PPC, said the committee has a lot of work in front of it, as it's working on correlating the old and new policies and is working on the calendar for next year.

She said Norma Jones, a representative with the Arkansas Education Association (AEA), has stated the extra five days mandated by the state must be paid for separately, and not from the extra money coming from the state.

In the past, she said, 65 percent of money coming to school districts went to salaries, and it is hoped the same percentage can be used on salaries under the new program. Regardless, she added, the district must get the salary schedule up to the state minimum.

Talley also addressed the board concerning a hiring policy the PPC submitted in December. She said it was discussed by the principals but no action was taken. Under the proposal, a committee including teachers would be involved in the hiring process. The board approved the policy.

On the topic of policies, Smithson said all of them have been done for next year with the exception of personnel, and it's hoped this area will be completed by the board's April meeting.

Following an executive session, the board rehired all principals for the district and extended Smithson's contract another year.