The May 21 groundbreaking of the new Watson Chapel High School was not the first day contractors went to work on the new campus, scheduled to open in 2026.
Weekly construction reports from Lewis Architects Engineers revealed the work done thus far on the site of the former junior high school campus, which was demolished last November after 78 years in existence. Retiring Superintendent Tom Wilson handed a copy of the reports to board members at Monday’s monthly meeting.
The engineers reported May 14 slab and foundation demolition was in progress. That was followed by foundation demo, concrete debris crushing and undercutting and an investigation of damage to a gas line on May 21. An earthwork contractor, according to one of the reports, discovered the 2-inch line at the south end of the site that apparently was not marked but damaged during an undercut operation.
On May 28, undercutting and hauling off at the south end was reported. An earthwork contractor was said to pump out standing water in excavated areas after rain.
The most recent report from June 4 reveals pumping excavations and sidewalk removal, as well as relocation of an HVAC unit.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Cafeteria and wellness updates
Students will continue to eat for free in the WCSD this coming school year, but board members had to approve a different reimbursement program Monday in hopes of retaining a large amount of meal reimbursement income.
District Child Nutrition Director Paula Bailey requested the board to accept a provision that would allow students to eat at no charge, but the federal reimbursement would depend on student meal eligibility due to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, foster care, runaway, migrant, homeless and income statuses. In a letter to the board, Bailey said she anticipates the meal reimbursement would be higher by including the income-based eligibility than by remaining on community eligibility, which she requested last month.
“The Child Nutrition Unit at DESE [Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education] contacted me and said, ‘You might want to look a little closer at those numbers,'” Bailey said of previous estimations. Under the community eligibility option, the WCSD would have lost about $300,000 in reimbursement, she told the board.
“While we are doing really well with our foodservice funds, [it’s] not enough to cover that much of a loss,” Bailey said.
If the WCSD remains financially sound using data from the applications, Bailey informed the board, the district will continue to feed students at no charge in subsequent school years. Otherwise, the WCSD will have the option to return to standard application collection and meal charging for 2025-26.
In other district business …
A member of the Bailey Education Group, a consulting firm for the WCSD, gave an update on district operations.
“The district staff has been very open to working with us,” said Ivy Pfeffer, a former DESE official now working with the Bailey Education Group. “And we don’t take that lightly.”
Pfeffer said Bailey representatives are working with district officials on staffing issues, as well as staying on top of master and student schedules, which she said are in good shape. The Arkansas State Board of Education placed the WCSD on two-year accredited probation last fall after problems with class scheduling revealed standard violations related to student record-keeping.
Wilson announced the district is now only required to submit a report on its improvements from the violations for each state board meeting, a change from district leaders having to meet before the board.
Pfeffer said some “areas of concern” were found in a state Education Department report on the district’s special education services, but she did not specify those areas. She mentioned a Bailey rep was working with the district to mitigate the problems and lessen the risk of any future findings by the department.
Among the next steps Pfeffer revealed, a transition plan for the new superintendent will be developed. Board President Goldie Whitaker, who was absent Monday, said last week she anticipates the board will hire a new superintendent by the end of this month.
Board members also approved a clean audit for the district.
Financial report
During May the district received $1,626,584.59 in revenue and spent $1,963,067.64 in non-activity funds. That left an ending balance of $10,776,182.63.
Personnel moves
The board accepted resignations from behavior interventionist Kalan Davis, secondary teacher LaShonda Gammel, elementary teacher Julia Shults and speech pathologist Heather Gilbert West.
New hires include secondary art teacher Rashaud Armstrong, elementary teacher Christian Barnes, dean of students Brad Burl, secondary teacher Montae Green, paraprofessionals Rakiah Harris and Kyler Rouse, and part-time elementary counselor Julie Taylor.
Previously approved employment recommendations for special education parapro Ruby Fitzpatrick and secondary art teacher Rashawn Penister have been rescinded.