Absence control on personnel advances
A proposal for reining in teacher and administrator absences in the Pulaski County Special School District won support last week from the state-controlled district's Community Advisory Board.
The proposal, which centers on assigning points for absences and tardies, will now go to Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key for final approval for use in the 2016-17 school year. Key acts in lieu of a school board in the district, which has no locally elected board.
The "Absence Control" plan calls for every tardy, part-day absence or early departure from work to result in the assignment of a half-point. A full day absence will generate one point although, at the discretion of the superintendent or his designee, an absence of two or more consecutive days may be considered a single absence meriting one point. Failure to notify supervisors of an impending absence can also generate a full point.
Employees who rack up seven or more points in a school year will be subject to progressive discipline, starting with a verbal reprimand and, upon receiving 10 points, termination.
An employee can receive points and be disciplined for absence even through the employee has available sick-leave or personal-leave time.
District Superintendent Jerry Guess said the policy is needed in light of the fact that 1,300 teachers and administrators took 13,974 days of sick leave in 2014-15 and 12,887 sick-leave days in the just-ended 2015-16 school year. Additionally, employees took 1,800 personal-leave days out of a possible 2,600 days this past year, he said.
The Certified Personnel Policies Committee of district teachers and administrators unsuccessfully sought a more relaxed point system for tardies.
Department's Freno now its top counsel
Lori Freno, deputy general counsel at the Arkansas Department of Education since 2013, will become the agency's general counsel, effective Friday, succeeding Kendra Clay, who has accepted a job with the Springdale School District.
In her new role, Freno will head the Education Department's office of legal services, which monitors agency compliance with state and federal laws, manages litigation and advises the Education Department staff and the state Board of Education on laws, rules and policies.
Freno has a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Akron and a law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Prior to working at the Education Department, Freno worked for 15 years in the Arkansas attorney general's office for four different attorneys general. Earlier in her career she worked for two years as a general attorney for the Panama Canal Commission in the Republic of Panama.
Education Commissioner Johnny Key announced the appointment last week: "Ms. Freno has extensive legal experience, having practiced law for more than 25 years both in private practice and representing state and federal agencies. During her career, she has litigated cases before state and federal courts at all levels, including the United States Supreme Court. She is an excellent choice for ADE general counsel."
Freno and her husband, James Engman, a faculty member at Henderson State University, have lived in Arkadelphia for 20 years.
Superintendent off to resource center
Ken Rich, superintendent of the Salem School District for the past dozen years, is joining the Arkansas Public School Resource Center staff as director of finance services.
Rich earned an undergraduate degree and a master's degree, plus 27 hours toward his specialist degree, from Arkansas State University. He has 27 years of experience in education as a superintendent, a principal, an assistant principal, a teacher and a coach.
He replaces Bobbie Davis, who will continue to work with the center as a consultant and an assistant on special projects.
The center supports and advocates for rural public schools and charter schools.
Metro on 06/26/2016