Stuttgart School Board Meets

The Stuttgart School Board met Wednesday, March 18 at the Administration Building. They began the meeting with Board Re-Organization, however, the officers remained the same. Jennifer Payton as President, Sarah Murry as Vice-President, Candace Prine as Secretary and Rebecca Seyller as Disbursement officer.  

The student showcase was from SJHS where students worked on projects, one of which was a podcast where students portrayed forest rangers being interviewed about chronic waste disease in deer. The name was Two Cool Guys and those who participated were Mason Jacobs, Kevin DeLa Cruz, Hudson Daniels and Rhett Brown.

Licensed PPC, represented by David Tollett, said they were making policy recommendations to 3.8 and 3.11. They hope to have it for board review in April.

Classified PPC had no one present to speak. The Superintendent’s report beginning with Data goals by Leondra Williams was next. Williams spoke on the new LEARNS act requirement about third graders being able to read at grade level before being promoted to fourth grade. Currently, based on interims in December, they have identified four students at level four; four at level three; 36 at level two and 64 at level one. The 64 at level one have had parent communications, tutoring, being taught kid by kid, and the teachers looked at data from last year. They have a portfolio with state data, progress everyday, assessments, Bird time, beginning of the year, mid-terms and end of year assessments. If nothing changes there will be 14 who would not qualify to be promoted. On May 26, state will open for summer school. Williams hopes to receive data within the next 48-72 hours and it will show what they need to do to level up. Ten to fourteen students need summer school.

Williams also said that some students who are at levels two through four are showing the writing score is bringing them down a level. They need a writing time also. At PAE they have changed how they are doing their tutoring by having Math over two consecutive days and ELA over two consecutive days. Every student gets Bird time. In third grade they receive 120 minutes. 

The glimmers of hope, according to Williams, are there are 20 kids going to enrichment groups in kindergarten and 17 of those are at 2nd grade level.

Currently several teachers are in Master Teacher Training from 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. They are planning to put first and second grades in Master Teacher classes also.

Moving on, Spring Break is to be held March 23 -27. Volleyball Coach assignments only,  Hannah Spencer, Volleyball Coach assignments only, all these are effective end-of-year, Shawnda Coffman, Custodian effective April 17 and Christopher Worley, Food Service Worker effective March 10. Retirements effective end of year are Shari Taylor, Occupational Therapist and Cindy Dickson, PAE teacher and Wiletta Blood, Custodian effective March 31.

New Employees are Paige McKenzie, Admin. Asst., effective March 11, Kenedie Kinley, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) effective March 16 and Brittany Davis, Custodian, effective March 30.

Congratulations were made to Teachers of the Year; for SHS Sarah Strabala, SJHS Morgan Walters, Meekins Sara Schroeder and the District Teacher from PAE is Meredith Jeter. Look for a more in-depth article on these teachers in future editions of the Era-Enterprise.   

The Salary Schedules for 2026-2027 school year for licensed and classified salary schedules were approved with Superintendent Jeff McKinney’s recommendations for Licensed PPC, stipends and longevity bonuses. There will be a $50 step, per step, stipend, a $500 increase for 21-24 years and $1000 increase for 25 years plus. Classified will receive the same $50 step per step stipend; $500 longevity 21-24 years and $1000 for longevity 25 plus years.

He recommended deletion of Policy 3.1 number 5 regarding attendance incentives. 

PPC Policy recommendations will have final adoption in April. They are still reviewing 3.8 and 3.11.

Angie Sherman spoke on the Student Handbook Change 5.17 Honor Grad requirements for 2027-2029. Sherman discussed the difference between Merit and Distinction graduates. She had a flyer that was from the Arkansas Department of Education with Pathways Leading to Diplomas with Merit and Distinction. More on this at a later date.

Before adjourning the board approved minutes from the previous meetings and the financial statements.