Finance officer sets
retirement in 2015
Bill Goff, chief financial officer for the Pulaski County Special School District, will retire at the conclusion of the 2014-15 school year, Superintendent Jerry Guess said last week.
A former assistant commissioner for fiscal and administrative services in the Arkansas Department of Education, Goff moved to the district position in October 2011, just after the district was taken over by the state Department of Education for fiscal distress.
Guess credited Goff last week with helping to improve the district's financial situation.
"He has truly righted the fiscal ship -- taking a strained financial situation and making the district ready for its next steps, which include the loss of [state] desegregation funding and the separation of Jacksonville from PCSSD."
Guess also said that Goff has been an advocate for improving the conditions of district facilities, as well as putting emphasis on newer and safer transportation.
"He has a keen understanding of technology, and its importance to the district, and that has been a priority for him as well," Guess said.
County district sees
2 principals resign
The Pulaski County Special School District has had two recent principal resignations.
Rebecca Guthrie has resigned as principal at Maumelle High School. Leslie Ireland, an assistant principal at the school, has been named interim principal. Bill Barnes, a retired principal in the district, will serve as an assistant principal at the campus on an interim basis.
Additionally, Lourdes Goodnight, the principal at Jacksonville Middle School, is resigning from that post, Superintendent Jerry Guess said.
LR's Suggs is sued
over files request
Rep. John Walker, D-Little Rock, filed a lawsuit last week against Little Rock Superintendent Dexter Suggs in Pulaski County Circuit Court.
Walker in the lawsuit states that Suggs violated the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act by not producing requested district documents and materials in the three business days provided in law for a response to a records request. The lawsuit filed by Austin Porter Jr., on Walker's behalf, asks the court to order the defendant to produce the requested materials.
The lawsuit stems from a Sept. 29 request by Walker for all emails, text messages and other written communication to staff members since July 1, 2014, and for all contract extensions, pay increases, stipends and extra pay authorizations for school-improvement specialists, instructional specialists, math facilitators, literacy facilitators and any other staff person from July 1 to present.
Walker also asked for all pending employment offers made by Suggs and the current organizational chart for the district.