EROS — The Ozark Mountain School District Board of Education met in regular session July 18 at the Bruno-Pyatt Elementary School campus. Business included approval of several personnel moves following a 15-minute-long executive session.
The board:
• Hired Jordan Hall as an elementary teacher at Western Grove Elementary School.
• Hired James Smith as career coach for Ozark Mountain High School. Board member Allen Glidewell recused himself.
• Accepted the resignation of Christy Watson as a paraprofessional at Bruno-Pyatt Elementary School.
• Approved the reassignment of Janice Burkitt as a paraprofessional from Ozark Mountain High School to Bruno-Pyatt Elementary.
• Approved the contract revision for Rhea Freeman.
Several housekeeping matters were addressed in advance of the start of the new school year. Those chores included adopting changes to the student handbook (including the Arkansas School Board Association's midyear policy updates), accepted the slate of petitions for transfer of students, accepted the propane bid from Scott Petroleum and approved the Proposed Budget for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year. The board approved the psycho-educational evaluations purchase agreement.
The board and Superintendent Jeff Lewis discussed the greenhouse project and the decision was made to allow Architecture Plus to begin the process of developing the required engineering plans and for Phoenix Construction to act as the construction manager. As such the company will serve as a consultant and develop bid specifications for the structure.
The board entered a memorandum of understanding with the Pyatt School Alumni Association allowing it to maintain school trophies and awards the former school district collected prior to consolidation. The items will be secured for public exhibit at the Pyatt Community Building.
The Alumni Association recently observed the 50th anniversary of Pyatt schools' merger with the Bruno School District during the 1974-75 school year. Members of the 1974 graduating class were recognized at the annual school reunion held in the community building.
Other items of discussion with no action taken concerned the state legislature's changing school funding policies, possible construction needs at the Eros and Western Grove campuses and grants recently received by the district.
The board moved its September meeting to the 24th, at 6 p.m., at the Western Grove campus cafeteria.
