Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School Board hires six paraprofessionals to meet standards

Gurdon School Board adopted a plan to meet school improvement standards Tuesday involving the hiring of six paraprofessionals for at least the remainder of the school year.

Superintendent Bobby Smithson told board members the plan is approved by the Arkansas Department of Education for supplemental services, targeting Cabe Middle School and Gurdon Primary School.

Providing supplemental services is mandatory because of Cabe Middle School being on the states school improvement list for the second year.

Smithson said, "This plan satisfies the supplemental services requirement in order to meet standards. It has been approved by Mr. Parrish, a State Department of Education Specialist."

The School Board went into executive session and hired four paraprofessionals for Gurdon Primary School and two for Cabe Middle School.

Administrative Secretary Susan Hurst said the paraprofessionals to work at GPS are: Diana Jones, Janell Forthman, Brittany Rogers and Leigha Wesley.

The paraprofessionals to work at the middle school are: Lori Pyron and Kristin Jester.

As to how this change will be financed, Smithson said the six paraprofessionals would have cost $34,200 to employ the rest of the school year, had they started Feb. 1.

However, the Board approved them to start on Jan. 23, at Smithsons recommendation. This early start will cost approximately $2,520 more.

In addition, the Middle School will get $22,800 "to buy predominately equipment to improve technology."

Revenue available from Title I is: $25,555. From Title VIB is $62,030. Therefore total available monies are $87,585.

After starting the paraprofessionals early, this leaves approximately $28,065 to use for another project.

At Smithsons further recommendation, that money will be used on high school equipment, also mostly involving computers, software, "Elmos, and other technological equipment to improve teaching results."