Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Blevins School Board sets budget for 2004-2005

A budget of $2.67 million was approved by the Blevins School Board at a special called meeting, Monday, Aug. 30.

Donnie Davis, Blevins superintendent, said to reach this figure, the year end balance was taken, with anticipated revenue from the annexation added and Emmet's final balance brought forward, less the salary and operating funds.

The consolidation incentive money totaled $907,000, Davis said, with Emmet bringing $1.15 million forward. Overall, when everything was said and done, the legal balance for the budget is $2.67 million, though a lot of the funds are categorized, he added.

The Board had to meet in special session and approve the budget as it was due Sept. 1. The budget was electronically transmitted to the state to make the deadline.

Carla Singleton, Blevins elementary principal, said there are 271 children in K-6 at Blevins, with 226 in high school giving the district a total of 497 in Blevins alone.

This is an increase of 27 students from the end of the 2003-2004 school year.

Singleton recommended hiring a third first grade teacher to help handle the work load and keep the district below the mandated student-teacher ratio. The aides, she said, could be moved around to provide room for the third teacher.

Five people were called about the position, she said, with three being interviewed. Singleton recommended Andrea Loyd for the position.

Loyd has been teaching at Pediatric Specialty Care in Arkadelphia. Singleton said based on Loyd's background and references she would be good in the job.

Loyd said she has been teaching four and five year olds at the Arkadelphia facility, and 12 of the 13 students in her class have behavioral problems.

She was hired to teach first grade at Blevins.

Frank Faulkner tendered his letter of resignation, stating health reasons as why he was resigning. Faulkner was Emmet's athletic director, taught seventh and eighth grade science, health and driver's education. The resignation was accepted.

The Board also approved Dr. Gene Ross being named co-custodian for Emmet's activity and lunch funds, so they could be managed at the Emmet campus.

Ross told the panel Emmet needed more band instruments. The school managed to come up with 10 as Blevins had trombones and trumpets. He said the low bid for band instruments came from Doug's Horn Shop at $5,668. The only other bid submitted was from Brook Mays Music at $5,673.

However, Ross said, Emmet originally purchased band instruments from Doug's to get the band started last year. When there was a problem, someone from Doug's came to Emmet, got the instruments, made sure they were repaired and returned. Doug's he said, offers a two-year warranty on its instruments. The Board went with Doug's.

Floyd Pollock and Kathleen Wicker were also approved as tutors for math and literature respectively. The tutoring will be done from 3-4 p.m. on a voluntary basis for students in grades 4-6.

Pollock told the panel there were 150 students enrolled at Emmet in pre-K through the sixth grade.

Frank Henson, Emmet High School principal, said there were 141 enrolled at EHS at the start of school, for a total of 291 students at Emmet overall.

Davis reminded the Board of a law passed permitting veterans to get their high school diplomas. He said there was an 83-year-old man, Doyne Davis, who lives in Saratoga who's grandson wrote and ask if the district would give him a diploma from Blevins High School.

Doyne Davis was a soldier in World War II. The diploma will be presented at a special ceremony September 22, with Gov. Mike Huckabee in making the presentation.

Billy Lee, BHS principal, said Clay Calhoun was in the same circumstance and his daughter called asking for a diploma. Calhoun left school in the 11th grade to fight in WWII.

Both diplomas were approved.

Shelia Honeycutt, president of the Emmet PTP program, said the organization would like to have a fence erected around the elementary playground, which is bordered on one side by a highway and a city street on another.

She submitted a bid of $4,387.08 for a five-foot fence made of 11 gauge wire. The fence plans turned in included three four-foot wide gates and one 10-foot wide gate for trucks. The bid submitted was from Don Letterman.

The Board agreed a fence was needed, but said more than one bid was needed. It gave its approval pending on an acceptable bid.