A new welding program at Watson Chapel High School could create a much-needed pipeline for new workers to Central Moloney Inc., whose CEO is a graduate of the school.
Chris Hart offered his assurance to the Watson Chapel School Board on Monday that the longtime Pine Bluff transformer manufacturer would go "all in" in launching his alma mater's new course of study.
"We've been a major employer here in Pine Bluff since 1949," Hart said. "We're a company with a $35 million payroll, and several of that was paid in bonuses to every single person who is part of the Central Moloney family. Despite the fact that we take care of family, it's getting harder and harder to find people who want to come join us."
The board approved the start of a welding program and the partnership with Central Moloney in April. Superintendent Andrew Curry said WCHS graduates who complete the welding program would be given hiring preference at the company.
Central Moloney made news in January by announcing a new facility in Bay County, Fla. The Pine Bluff headquarters and facility will remain open.
"We're looking to expand beyond Pine Bluff into Florida, but this is still my home," Hart said. "This is still where I graduated from, and I'm not quite ready to give up on it yet."
No educator had approached Hart about starting such a program until high school Principal Henry Webb and Curry visited with him, Hart said.
"We have committed to doing everything we can, 100%, to fund this program," Hart said. "We would do $100,000 worth of equipment and upgrades to the facility. We would provide the staff needed to do this, and we will provide the material, PPE and anything else to get this program off the ground."
Curry said the district is considering other potential course-of-study partnerships with Jefferson Regional Medical Center and Evergreen Packaging.
BARNES PROMOTED TO HEAD COACH
Jevon Barnes was promoted from assistant high school boys basketball coach to head coach.
Barnes, 30, a three-year starting point guard at Watson Chapel (2007-10), replaces Marcus Adams, who was named head coach at Conway High School last week. Barnes has worked in the district since January 2015, starting as a volunteer assistant coach under Matt Busch and Marcelle Goins and then becoming a junior high assistant under Goins before moving up to Adams' staff in 2018.
"This is a dream come true," Barnes said. "My dream was to always be a head coach at my alma mater. I've known Coach Adams since I was in junior high. I learned a lot from him. I was grateful for him to allow me to be a part of his staff, sit under him and learn, and then take over his junior high staff. It's been great. Nothing but a blessing."
Barnes was an all-state performer in his junior and senior years, leading Watson Chapel to conference championships both seasons. The Wildcats reached the state semifinals in all three of his varsity seasons.
The Wildcats will have a large number of returnees from the 2021-22 team that finished second in the 4A South Region for the second year in a row.
"I'm actually excited to work with these guys," Barnes said. "We've been going to team camp and working well. Our goals are to win our conference, be one of the best teams in the city and win the state championship. We've got great guard play and some key guys."
Curry said he believes Barnes is the right person to build on the success the Wildcats had under Adams.
FAMILY'S TRANSFER REQUEST DENIED
Watson Chapel board trustees voted 3-2 against allowing a family to transfer a student to the Woodlawn district, where two of the student's siblings attend.
The request, which Curry said was made after the May 1 deadline, did not sit well with trustee Goldie Whitaker.
"We keep allowing people to come in and petition us," she said. "Every board meeting, just about, we have allowed people to go to Woodlawn. I am not for raising the enrollment at Woodlawn and Chapel's enrollment is dying. There is something wrong with this. I can see if you moved to Woodlawn; I don't have a problem with it. But as long as you stay in Watson Chapel School District, I think you should support this district."
Alan Frazier, who along with Christopher Dutton voted for the transfer, said he didn't want a hardship created by siblings going to separate school districts but said he hated to lose any student from the district.
IN OTHER DISTRICT BUSINESS ...
• Two teaching and learning technical services coaches will be hired from the Arkansas Public School Resource Center for $35,000 each.
• American Concrete Concepts will replace flooring at the high school for $105,001. The polished concrete flooring will cover 16,010 square feet and feature five logos -- two of them 10 feet-by-10 feet and the others 3 feet-by-3 feet.
• Jenkins Memorial Center and Industries will provide educational services to district students at a yearly cost of $18,046.23.
PERSONNEL MOVES
Barnes' promotion and Adams' resignation were among six transactions involving Watson Chapel coaches the board approved Monday.
Former head football coach and athletic director Jared Dutton resigned as a secondary teacher and baseball coach. Greg Easter resigned from coaching duties, but will remain as a WCSD employee.
The district approved the hires of Jerry Baldwin as an assistant football coach and elementary teacher and La'Travius Hill as an assistant girls basketball coach; Marcus Bishop as a transportation secretary; Mildred Crane as a special education paraprofessional; Tanesha Curl as a behavior intervention specialist; Henry Dabner and Kalan Davis as bus drivers; Sharron Donaldson as a cafeteria worker; William Hall as a student summer technology worker; and Stephanie Hayslip, Briana Higgins, Crystal McKinley and Jequetta Monk as elementary teachers.
Bus driver David Rodgers and custodian Dwayne Walker turned in letters of retirement. The board accepted resignation letters from Cecil Cannon and Dustin Moffitt as secondary teachers (Moffitt was also a coach); Kelli Clement, Deana Hulse, Sharon Rasberry, LaDonna Reed and Amanda Tidwell as elementary teachers; and Janie Horton and Felicia Lee as bus drivers.