The Pine Bluff School Board approved a recommendation from Interim Superintendent Linda Watson to create a full-time grants writer and coordinator position during its regular monthly meeting Tuesday night.
“The district needs a full-time grants writer,” Watson said to the board. “I recently found out that the district did not apply for a grant it was eligible for. The deadline was May 7. We have five low-performing priority schools in the district and we need to have someone who can constantly be on the lookout for grants that will aid us in improving these schools. Whoever fills this position will be coordinating several grants at the same time.”
Board member Ellen Nichol asked Watson if there were people already working for the district who could fill the position.
“I don’t think we have anybody who can do this along with their existing duties,” Watson said. “We need someone who is a skilled writer to prepare these grants.”
Classified raise
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
In other business, the board approved a recommendation from Watson to provide for a raise of up to 50 cents per hour for classified employees depending upon how many years each has worked for the district.
“The minimum wage increased from $7.59 to $8.02 in the past two years,” Watson said. “When other minimum wage increases occurred, the district adhered to the increase without increasing or adjusting the salaries of the classified individuals who were already employed in the district to equal the 43 cent increase. So, I am asking the board to approve a raise of up to 50 cents per hour based on how many years they have worked for the district.”
Enrollment figures
Enrollment figures for the 2012-2013 school year will total 4,727 students, according to a report presented by Watson to the board. The number breaks down to 2,447 males and 2,280 females.
Computers for kids
The board approved a recommendation from Watson to prepare to sell old computers to the parents of district students.
“We are in the process of changing out some of our computers because some are outdated,” Watson said. “Computers that we are not using are being stored at a school. I believe we should clean these computers up and offer them to parents for $25 to bring computers into their children’s lives at home. I would like for those students who are on the free lunch program to get first priority.”
Lunch price increase
The board approved an increase in the paid school lunch price recommended by Watson in order to maximize the amount of money the federal government will reimburse to the district.
“Presently, we receive $2.79 reimbursement for free students,” Watson said. “Our reimbursement for paid students is only 28 cents, creating a shortage of $2.51. In order for our program to be self-supportive it is imperative that we implement the increase of 25 cents for lunches for paid students, which will increase the cost of paid lunches to $1.75. The district will have to increase the cost of lunches each year until we reach the federal reimbursement.”
Watson said that by law the price for reduced lunches cannot be raised.
Food service bids
The board approved bids for the food service department for the 2012-2013 school year, including Hall Produce Co. for produce; Pine Bluff Foods for staple items; Delta Pest Control for pest control; Brooks Grease Services for grease trap cleaning; Auto Chlor for ware wash; Flowers Bread for bread items; Sysco, Ben E. Keith, U.S. Foods and Tankersley for dry and cold food; Coleman Dairy for milk; and Port City for paper and cleaning products.
Personnel
The board approved a recommendation from Watson to make the hiring of existing district teachers as math coaches and science coaches contingent upon the hiring of qualified instructors to replace them.
“The board approved the creation of the positions of math coaches, science coaches and literacy coaches last month, but we need to have a stipulation that district teachers hired for these positions cannot move into them until we have teachers to take their places,” Watson said.
The board approved a recommendation from Watson to hire Beverly Ruthven as assistant superintendent of learning services and Bernice Martin-Russell as director of federal and state programs.
The board approved personnel recommendations including the hiring effective Aug. 6, of certified personnel Wanda Faye Andrews as a family and consumer science teacher at Pine Bluff High School, replacing Linda Callaway who retired; Lyequita Aslup, a fourth grade teacher at Southwood Elementary, replacing James Scott, who resigned; Jerry Bayliss, a social studies teacher at Jack Robey Junior High School, replacing Larissa Davis who transferred; Suzette Bloodman as a middle school assistant principal at Belair and Southeast Middle School, replacing Robert McGhee who retired; Latonya Sims Brady as a fifth grade teacher at Southwood Elementary, replacing June Vilches who resigned; Kamisha Davis as a first grade teacher at 34th Avenue Elementary School; Peter Fears as an eighth grade social studies teacher at Jack Robey, replacing Jason Scoggins who resigned; Crystal Fortier as a second grade teacher at Oak Park Elementary; Jean Herald as an English teacher at Pine Bluff High School, replacing Alexia Meeks who resigned; Elizabeth Jackson as a fourth grade teacher at Southwood, replacing Cornelius Barnes who retired; Dorothy McFadden, a science teacher at Jack Robey, replacing Alice Grabe who resigned; Kristy Payne as a kindergarten teacher at Greenville Elementary, replacing Mona Kearney who retired; Stephen Tomlin as a ninth grade civics/economics teacher at Jack Robey, replacing Kristin Irvin who resigned; Caren Vendetti as an AP social studies teacher at Pine Bluff High School, replacing Sylvia Blevins who retired; Steven Wallace as an English teacher at Pine Bluff High School, replacing Maria Blalock who resigned; Candace Wilson as a science coach; and Angelia Wittke as a fifth grade teacher at 34th Avenue.
The board approved the hiring of classified personnel Joyce Murray as an administrative assistant to the superintendent in the administrative center effective Aug. 20.
The board approved the hiring of certified new positions Jeremy Cegers as a math coach; Cathy Glover as a science coach; and Claudette White as a math coach.
The board accepted the resignations of certified personnel Angela Billingsley, a first grade teacher at 34th Elementary, effective June 29; Kelvin Gragg, director of federal/state programs effective July 11; Bridgette Harris, a fifth grade teacher at Oak Park Elementary, effective July 5; Mia Meadows, director of curriculum, instruction and professional development, effective July 6; and Chuneka Scott, math coach at Greenville Elementary effective July 5.
The board accepted the retirement of classified personnel Carmen Arreola as a secretary at Oak Park Elementary, effective June 22.
The board accepted the retirement of certified personnel Cornelius Barnes as a fourth grade teacher at Southwood Elementary effective July 6 and classified personnel Bruce Veazey, warehouse, maintenance and auxiliary services, effective July 1.
Financial report
The board heard the financial report from director of business and finance Pam Winkler.
For the month ending June 30 the district had a beginning balance of $13,360,394; current month receipts of $4,268,510; current month expenses of $5,533,749; amount available for operating of $14,391,545; and total balance for all funds of $18,264,676.