Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive |
Action Affects StudentsPublished Wednesday, February 18, 1998 in the Nevada County Picayunefrom State Sen. Mike Ross Arkansas high school students will be affected by actions taken last week by the State Board of Education and the State Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Board of Education voted to maintain the current requirement that students pass three mathematics courses to graduate. Board members had considered, but eventually rejected, proposals to increase the graduation requirement to four math courses. They also considered, but did not adopt a proposal to require that high school students take one math course in their senior year. The math requirement is part of the single core curriculum that high schools must offer. Last year the legislature enacted a law establishing a single curriculum, rather than two separate curricula. High schools had offered a college preparatory and a technical curriculum, and some legislators wanted schools to offer only one core curriculum. They said that students who take technical classes are at a disadvantage if they later change their mind and want to go to college. Besides the math courses, the curriculum requires that high school students pass four units of English, half a unit of oral communications, three units of social studies, three units of science, half a unit of physical education, half a unit of health and safety and half a unit of fine arts. Students are to choose a career focus as well. They also should learn computer skills. Although the board voted not to expand the math requirement, board members and educators pledged to make sure that math courses are academically rigorous. The Higher Education Coordinating Board, which also met recently, raised its math requirements for unconditional admission to a state- supported college or university. The action means that high school students must pass at least four math courses for unconditional admission. Students who are admitted conditionally must maintain a 2.0 grade point average in their freshman year, and they may have to take certain required courses. The math requirement will be phased in, so that students will have to complete four units before entering college in 2004. Extracurricular Activities The Board of Education also voted to allow some school districts to offer supplemental instruction for extracurricular activities. State regulation prohibits students from activities if their grade point averages fall below 2.0, which is equivalent to a C. However, students with low grades may participate in activities if they take at least 100 minutes a week of supplemental instruction. The supplemental instruction must be taught by a certified teacher, and ordinarily must be taught outside the regular school schedule. Districts must apply for a waiver if they intend to offer the supplemental classes during the school day. Revenue Report A report on state government revenues, which are an indication of the economic health of Arkansas, included some good news. Net revenues for January were up 6.5 percent from January of last year. For the first seven months of the current fiscal year, net revenues are up 4.9 percent over the same period of the previous fiscal year. The fiscal year began on July 1, 1997. Since then gross general revenues have been $1.94 billion. Jay May a 6ft 3 a high school senior at Sparkman High School signed a letter of intent to play football at the University of Central Arkansas. Jay was selected All District 5-A South, All State, Outstanding Lineman 5-A South and named to the 1998 AHSCA All Star Team. Those present for the singing were his coach Jody Frazier and members of the 1997-98 Sparkman Senior Raiders. The Raiders were 5-A South Co-Champions and Class A Semi-Finalists finishing 12-2 and ranked number 3 in Class A. Bernice and Bennie Freeman were crowned Valentine King and Queen February 13, 1998 for the contest at the Gurdon Adult Center. Harrell and Geneva Everett were the runner-up couple. Money raised totaled $1,500 and will be used for the Center. Ashlea Stewart of Prescott is a member of the 1997-98 Southern Arkansas University Riderette basketball team. A 6-foot, 1-inch red shirt freshman, Stewart played at Prescott for coach Cecily Butler. She was All-District, All-Region, All-State, was an All-Star nominee, captured the Wolverette Award and was also All-District in track and field. Stewart is majoring in kinesiology with a minor in health at SAU, where she served as a trainer for the Gulf South Conference champion football Muleriders. Ashlea's parents are James and Linda Stewart of Prescott. Search | Nevada County Picayune by date | Gurdon Times by date |
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