The Watson Chapel School Board trustees unanimously approved a transfer of $500,000 from the building fund to the operating fund for future remodeling projects at Coleman Intermediate School.
The remodel of the fourth- through sixth-grade campus will begin with an update of the gymnasium floor, which the board also approved. In a presentation, district Superintendent Andrew Curry also suggested other projects such as new coverings for duct work on top of the roofs and cross-street awnings to connect grade-level buildings.
The board was also met with good news on the district's recent performance on the Renaissance STAR tests. Watson Chapel schools surpassed its district-wide student growth percentile goal of 65% in reading by 3.4 percentage points.
Edgewood Elementary (grades 1-2, 65.2%), Watson Chapel Junior High (grades 7-9, 75.8%) and Watson Chapel High (grades 10-12, 75.9%) all surpassed the goal. Coleman posted a 56.3% mark and L.L. Owen Elementary a 57.7% mark.
Among reading interventions, students in grades K-12 receive additional assistance for a designated period of time during the class day.
In math, the district showed 69% growth, beating its goal by 4 percentage points. Watson Chapel High had the most growth at 81.6%, followed by Coleman at 67.2%, Watson Chapel Junior High at 61.2%, Owen at 60% and Edgewood at 50%.
WILDCAT WARRIORS
Sixth-grader Maximus Jackson finished second place in the regional Spelling Bee, and secondary students Xandria Johnson and Laila McClain worked on Upstream Art storm drain paintings. For their efforts, all three students were honored as March's Wildcat Warriors.
Xandria is a seventh-grader. Laila, a senior, also painted a mural in the 300 hallway at the high school.
Pine Bluff Council Member Joni Alexander also displayed one of her paintings on a giant poster, as did Xandria and Laila.
Tiffany Jackson was honored as one of two employees of the month for implementation of Education Rising and the recruitment of future teachers. Career counselor Carl Whimper was the other honoree.
HIGHER SALARIES
Starting pay for a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree at Watson Chapel will now begin at $38,000.
The board approved a raise in teachers' salaries for the 2022-23 school year.
Salary for a teacher with a doctorate will range from $43,900 for a first-year employee to $58,275 for someone with at least 25 years of experience.
IN OTHER DISTRICT BUSINESS
Pine Bluff State Farm agents Kevin Bonnette and Aaron Loetscher donated $2,000 to the district toward teacher supplies.
Personnel Policy Committee chairman Frankie Hemphill recommended to the board an increase in the attendance bonus to $2,500 for teachers who miss no more than seven days of school per semester. Currently, teachers receive an incentive of $2,000 for not missing more than nine days per semester. A formal proposal has not yet been brought to the board for a vote.
The board authorized a redrawing of school board zones in compliance with state law following the 2020 Census. The trustees received maps of the current zones that confirmed three of the zones had a population change of 5% or more, and district attorney Whitney Moore informed the board the next step is to have new maps produced with election zones "that reflect the level of population balance required by the 'one man, one vote' principle of the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause."
Election Day for available seats on the Watson Chapel board is Nov. 8. The filing period is Aug. 3-10.
The district invites stakeholders to provide public comment on the American Rescue Plan for Continuity of Service (Ready for Learning) and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER, plans in preparation for updates to be made available by April 15 on the district website. Public comments may be offered at: forms.gle/YeEp2U9RpjbxK68KA.
The ending balance for the district through February was $11,855,766.76. The district received $1,929,922.90 and spent $1,308,935.64.
PERSONNEL MOVES
Superintendent Curry received letters of retirement from bus driver Jerry Mack, curriculum director Kristy Sanders and elementary teacher Cindy Tietz, and letters of resignation from secondary English teachers Denesha Evans and Chandra Hicks Lasley, and elementary teacher Sherita Thomas.
The district has hired Brad Burl as elementary art teacher, Synthia Massey-Gray as secondary English teacher and Jonathan Oxner as assistant football coach and core subject teacher, all as of the 2022-23 school year.
Senior Laila McClain, seventh-grader Xandria Johnson and Pine Bluff council woman Joni Alexander receive giant photos of their storm drain paintings during Monday's Watson Chapel School Board meeting. (Pine Bluff Commercial/I.C. Murrell)