A 2025-26 salary schedule for certified staff in the White Hall School District was approved earlier this week in a regular board meeting.
In accordance with the Arkansas LEARNS Act, each teacher makes at least $50,000 per year. Increases for those with bachelor’s degrees and at least 10 years’ experience presently begins at step 11, with maximum presently at $61,000 for one with 21 or more years’ experience.
A teacher with a master’s degree and at least 22 years in the classroom can earn up to $63,750 or $64,800 with a master’s plus 30 graduate hours, and one with a doctorate and the same length of experience can make up to $65,900.
With the new schedule, WHSD Superintendent Gary Williams said, an additional step has been added for those with more than 22 years of experience.
“A lot of times, you end up terming out, so to speak,” Williams said. “You get so many years of experience than the salary schedule allows for, so they typically don’t get a raise. This adds another step. This will help reward teachers who have 22 years of service or better.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
For this school year, the district is rewarding each certified teacher with a $1,500 bonus and classified staff member with a $1,000 bonus, as the board approved.
NEW CALENDAR
The first day of the 2025-26 school year will begin Wednesday, Aug. 13. The first break for students will be Sept. 1 for Labor Day, with the first elementary parent-teacher conferences set for Oct. 7 and the end of the first grading term Oct. 10.
Other important dates:
Aug. 4-8 and 11-12, Oct. 31, Jan. 5, May 21 – Teacher professional development
Oct. 13-14 – Fall break
Nov. 24-28 – Thanksgiving break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 – Winter break
Jan. 6 – Students return to school
Jan. 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 16 – Washington’s Birthday
March 23-27 – Spring Break
April 3 – Good Friday
May 15 – High school graduation
May 20 – Last day for students.
DISTRICT ACHIEVEMENTS
Moody Elementary’s Tina Dulaney was named Southeast Arkansas Region Elementary Counselor of the Year for 2025.
“This distinguished award is presented annually to an exceptional elementary school counselor in our region, and Mrs. Dulaney’s recognition is a testament to her unwavering commitment to the students, families and staff of Moody Elementary,” a district memo reads.
National School Counseling Week was commemorated this week. Other counselors in the WHSD include Amy Allen, Lyequita Alsup, Lashona Crater, Kimberly Lambert, Eric Lunsford, Linsey Phillips, Tracey Powell and Lori White.
White Hall’s Future Farmers of America girls showcased Agri Mechanics projects at the first Girl Power Competition, hosted by Wilbur D. Mills and the Arkansas River Educational Service Cooperative (ARESC). Samantha Covarrubias won second place in the metal category with her repurposed barrel table and earned a $500 scholarship to Arkansas State University-Searcy, $100 prize money and a spot in the state event this month.
“Grace Kimbrell and Isabella Moore also did an amazing job,” according to the memo.
Fifty-one Future Business Leaders of America from the middle school attended the District 3 spring leadership conference at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Twelve of the club members from White Hall placed in competitive events: Constanza Madrigal, Sawyer Terry, Ariel Ridder, Kennedy Rogers, Kylie Raburn, Melody McCorvy, Alazha Ellis, Leighton Coleman, Hannah Harris, Easton Marshall, Valerie Mondragon and Kody McNeil.
High school FBLA students attended the District III Conference in Stuttgart, with some advancing to the state conference in April: Logan Guynn, Daniel Dominguez and Keylee Via. Aly Hobson was elected District III secretary.
District Spelling Bee winners competed in the Jefferson County Spelling Bee this week at the ARESC. White Hall’s district winners include: First place, Ty Baugh, fifth-grader from Hardin Elementary, $50 and a medal; second place, Anna Vy, seventh-grader from the middle school, $20 and a medal; third place, Rhett Smykla, fifth-grader from Gandy Elementary, $20 and a medal; and fourth place, Tristan Moore, fifth-grader from Taylor Elementary, $20 and a medal.
PERSONNEL MOVES
Administrative certified contract extensions, all effective next school year, were awarded to assistant superintendents Cedric Hawkins and Debbie Jones; communications director, testing coordinator and virtual Principal Jennifer Menard; Gifted and Talented Education Director Marybeth Passmore; elementary principals Lakendra Lovelady (Gandy), Jeff Glover (Hardin), Tim Atkinson (Moody) and Tammie Canada (Taylor); middle school Principal Les Davis, assistant principal Zachary Taylor, and dean of students and athletic director Mark Cantwell; assistant athletic director Daryl Patton; high school Principal Nathan Sullivan, and assistant principals Skip Carr and Angie Looney.
Certified new hires include high school special education teacher Tamara Clark (retroactive to Jan. 6) and Hardin interventionist Allyson Stuart (effective Feb. 17). A resignation for Hardin teacher Jessica Cheney is effective the end of the school year.
Classified new hires include Taylor paraprofessional Jessica Webb (effective Feb. 27) and Gandy self-contained parapro Florence Love (effective Feb. 12). A resignation for Taylor paraprofessional Sherry Caskey is effective Feb. 21.