Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

New member appointed to Gurdon School Board post

By Jeremy Langley

The Gurdon School Board once again has a full slate of members after board members voted to fill the empty zone 10 position during its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 11.

Valerie Baker was approved unanimously by board members after being recommended by board member Gina Robbins. The zone 10 seat was vacated in November when newly elected member Jon Capps resigned to accept a teaching position in the district. Capps was elected in September.

Baker will serve until the annual school election in September. At that time someone will have to be elected to fill the remainder of the term. Baker is eligible to seek election to the position.

Also during the meeting, the board addressed a complaint which had been voiced concerning the grading system at Gurdon High School as it pertains to athletic eligibility. According to GHS Principal Lenard Gills, parents for one GHS student think the school's system is unfair.

Gills said that like many schools in the state, quality points are used to determine a student's grade point average which then determines a student's eligibility. Quality points are earned based on grades. An A earns a student four quality points, a B earns the student three quality points, et cetra, he said. The school's computer then figures the GPA.

"That's what we have always followed," he said. "The machine will calculate for us. It gives us each student's GPA by semester and cumulative GPA."

Gills provided board members with copies of the high school handbook and Arkansas Activities Association handbook which set the eligibility guidelines. Under the guidelines, students who do not meet the required 2.0 GPA can become eligible by enrolling in and attending 100 minutes per week of a supplemental instructional program. The AAA handbook says that to continue eligibility through the supplemental instructional program, the student must show improvement of at least one tenth of one point in his GPS.

Gills said the student in question did not raise his grade by one tenth of one percent and was, therefore, declared ineligible.

The board took no action on the complaint, agreeing that the ineligibility of the student should stand.

The board granted a request from the Gurdon High School Beta Club for funding. Club members and sponsors addressed the board concerning their request. The group said members of Beta are selected based on high academic standards, and that some members are not able to participate due to club related fees. About 31 students participate in the club which has a total of more than 350 volunteer hours for the community, one sponsor said.

The board agreed to grant the club $1,000.

Also during the meeting, the board:

- Heard ex-officio reports from Gurdon Primary School, Cabe Middle School and Gurdon High School;

- Approved the financial reports from November and December as well as the minutes from the board's November meeting;

- Heard updates on district construction projects; and

- Heard a report on school-related issues being discussed in the Arkansas General Assembly.