Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Board creates band stipend

The fact that theres a shortage of teachers in some fields is not news to the Prescott School Board. But Prescott Superintendent Hyacinth Deon told board members during the June meeting that the shortage is likely to begin hitting school districts where it hurts most - the pocketbook.

Deon said districts that offer stipends will be more apt to recruit educators in those specific fields. With that in mind, the board voted unanimously to approve a $3,500 annual stipend for a band director and a $2,000 stipend for assistant band director.

Asked why the a stipend is necessary, Deon replied, Because all our neighbors do.

Gurdon Superintendent Bobby Smithson said Gurdon pays a stipend of $4,536 for the head director, but doesnt offer a stipend for assistant.

Deon said that people in the hard-to-serve areas, including music, special education, math, science and foreign languages are becoming more difficult to recruit and retain. She said that special education teachers are typically staying in the field only a few years before asking for transfers.

In the case of Prescotts band directors, Brad Martindale announced earlier this year that he was leaving in favor of a job out-of- state. There have been three applicants for the directors position and the board voted unanimously to hire Carl McCraney Jr. for that spot. McCraney has been working at the assistant high school band director at Malvern, according to Deon.

The board also filled the McRae Middle School counselors position. In a 5-0 vote, board members approved Deons recommendation to hire Denise Rogers of Arkadelphia. Rogers is a graduate of Bismarck High School and has recently been employed withat Ouachita Schools, a small district outside Arkadelphia.

In other business, Deon told the board that three students - one from Nevada School District and two from Spring Hill - have requested transfers to Prescott. July 1 is the last date to apply for enrollment in a district other than the one in which a student resides.

Deon said the home school districts may deny the applications for transfer if the move upsets the racial balance at those schools.

Deon told the board that the district has received $9,000 from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission by way of the county. The money can only be spent for specific purposes. Nevada County Extension Agent Melissa Beck recently told the Nevada County Quorum Court that Deon had pledged to send the sixth grade class to an outdoor seminar that includes hands-on lessons in Responsible Environmental Stewardship Quest.

Im very excited about it, Deon said.