See larger photos below.
The Benton School Board will hold a Special Board meeting Monday, December 9th at 6:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Professional Development Center at 211 N. Border St. There will be a separate Public Meeting on Tuesday, December 10th to discuss the rezoning of the school district’s middle schools.
Read more below
Agenda
I. Call to Order
II. Establishment of Quorum
III. Pledge of Allegiance
IV. Panther Pride
A. Certificate of Board Membership – Dr. Kim Anderson
B. BHS Volleyball – Scott Neathery
C. BJHS Volleyball – Scott Neathery
D. Spooktacular Invitational 4th Grade Chess Tournament Winner – Anne Felan
E. District Testing Coordinator – Stacy DeFoor
V. Academic Update
A. Testing Information – Stacy DeFoor
VI. Reorganize Board
A. Election of President/Disbursement Officer
B. Election of Vice President/Alternate Disbursement Officer
C. Election of Secretary
VII. Consent Agenda
A. Reading of Previous Minutes
1. 11/11/2024 – Annual Report to the Public for 2023-2024
2. 11/11/2024 Regular Board Meeting (document below)
benton school board minutes 111124.pdf
3. 11/19/2024 Special Board Meeting – minutes not available yet
B. Financial Reports (document below)
benton schools budget report for board ending 113024.pdf
C. Approval of Aramark Invoice – August and November 2024
VIII. Action Items
A. Proposed Benton School District Calendar for 2025-26 – Dr. Larry Smith
Proposed Benton School District Calendar for 2025-2026
PPC and CPPC have both met and discussed the proposed calendar for next school year. They had members serve on a calendar committee consisting of members of both groups, and the attached calendar was developed for review and approval.
–
Summer of 2025 3 District Defined Days for Professional Development (Dates are Flexible to Meet Needs)
July 4th – 4th of July Holiday School Closed
August 4, 5, and 6th – District Defined Day Teacher Inservice
August 7th – District Defined Day Teacher Workday
August 11th – District Defined Day Elementary Meet and Greet (12:00-6:00 p.m.) – Secondary Closed
August 13th – Begin 1st Quarter
September 1st – Labor Day Holiday- School Closed
September 23rd – Secondary Parent/Teacher Conferences (2:30-7:15 p.m.) 1 hour and 15 minute early dismissal all campuses
October 6th – School Closed
October 14th – End 1st Quarter (43 Days)
October 15th – Begin 2nd Quarter
October 23rd – Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences (2:30-7:15 p.m.) 1 hour and 15 minute early dismissal all campuses
October 24th – District Defined Day Teacher Inservice (School Closed for Students)
November 24-28th – Thanksgiving Holiday School Closed
December 19th – End 2nd Quarter (42 Days)/End 1st Semester (85 Days)
December 22nd- January 2nd – Christmas Holiday School Closed
January 5th – Begin 3rd Quarter
January 19th – Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday School Closed
February 12th – Secondary Parent/Teacher Conferences (2:30-7:15 p.m.) 1 hour and 15 minute early dismissal all campuses
February 13th – District Defined Day Teacher Inservice (School Closed for Students)
February 16th – Presidents Day Holiday School Closed
March 11th – End 3rd Quarter (45 Days)
March 12th – Begin 4th Quarter
March 16th – District Defined Day for Secondary CAPS (Secondary Students will attend CAPS Conferences at Scheduled Times/ Elementary Schools are Closed)
March 19th – Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences (2:30-7:15 p.m.) 1 hour and 15 minute early dismissal all campuses
March 23-27th – Spring Break School Closed
April 3rd – Good Friday Holiday School Closed
May 21st – End 4th Quarter (44 Days)/End 2nd Semester (89 Days)
May 22nd – 1st Snow Make-Up Day (If Necessary)
May 25th – Memorial Day Holiday
May 26th – 2nd Snow Make-Up Day (If Necessary)
May 27th – 3rd Snow Make-up Day (If Necessary)
May 28th – 4th Snow Make-Up Day (If Necessary)
May 29th – 5th Snow Make-Up Day (If Necessary)
This calendar includes a minimum of 174 days of teacher/student interaction at 370 minutes per day for a total of 1073 hours (five hours of which will be utilized for early out days for Parent/Teacher Conferences), two parent/teacher conferences, 10 district defined days including required Professional Development, and 5 Snow Make-up Days if needed.
B. Proposed Updates to Board Policies 4.5, and 4.5F – two policies to be adjusted regarding School Choice, due to changes in legislation effective Jan. 2025. – Dr. Larry Smith
https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=6302000&AID=31819&MID=1280
C. Proposed Update to Board Policy 3.79 – Attendance Compensation for Licensed Personnel – Dr. Larry Smith
https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=6302000&AID=31818&MID=1280
IX. Department Reports
A. Athletic Report and Presentation – Scott Neathery
Salt Bowl Revenue:
$72,500
Saline County Shootout:
Saturday, Dec. 13 @ Benton Arena
Girls 6pm, Boys 7:15
BHS/BJH Cheer
BHS and BJH Hosting Benton Competition- Saturday, Dec. 14 @Benton Arena
BHS State Competition- Friday, Dec. 20, 2:15pm, @ OZK Arena Hot Springs
Winter Sports Participants
BHS Boys Basketball- 15 players
BHS Girls Basketball- 15 players
BHS Swim team- 18 swimmers
BHS Wrestling- 28 wrestlers
BHS Bowling- 23 players
B. Secondary Education Report – Craig Dupuy
benton schools report 113024.pdf by Shelli Poole
C. Elementary Education Report – Stacy DeFoor – https://secure.smore.com/n/50e6d
D. Transportation Report – Mason Woolbright – https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=6302000&AID=31798&MID=1280
E. Public Relations Report – Jennifer Bradley – https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=6302000&AID=31802&MID=1280
F. Technology Report – Brian Lowrance – https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=6302000&AID=31803&MID=1280
G. Facilities Report – Paul Tudor – https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=6302000&AID=31830&MID=1280
H. Child Nutrition/Food Service Report – Stacy Adams – https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Meetings/Attachment.aspx?S=6302000&AID=31804&MID=1280
I. Bright Futures Report – Shameka Christon
Bright Futures served 269 food bags and 35 boxes for November. We delivered 65 boxes of cereal and 70 jars of peanut butter to BMS. The demand for Hispanic food bags continues to increase. On average, we serve 22 Hispanic food bags for our ESL students.
We partnered with HP, Ringgold, and MVE to host our Feed A Panther food drive. 1333 food items. 601 food items were collected by Ringgold and were donated to their on-site resource room. All other food items were donated to our food pantry.
BF assisted students in the following ways:
Clothes: 75 students
Eye Glasses: 2 students
For the month of December, we will host our Christmas Event to assist families in need of Christmas gifts. We will also host a shopping spree event.
Volunteers collectively worked a total of 75 hours in the closet and community for the month of November.
J. Security Report – Greg Little
• Working with OEM, and local Law Enforcement Agencies to make things standard throughout all the schools in the county for issues dealing with First Responders.
• Continually checking interior and exterior doors throughout the district for functionally and to also make sure everyone is keeping doors locked when students are present.
• Working on the School Safety Assessments.
• Monitoring each campus to see what can be improved on for security and safety.
• Working on aerial photos of each school and facility for information for First Responders as well as school staff.
• Renumbering all buildings, doors, windows, and parking lots throughout the district.
• Updating the Rave System.
• Researching new security software.
• Working with 911 on new maps.
K. Special Education Report – Angela McWhorter
Status report for the Special Education Program (11/09/24)
Completed Items:
● Team of 6 going to the Arkansas Transition Summit on Oct 16-17
● ARMAC Roster update
● Unified Golf Tournament at Long Hills
● Transition Class toured Pulaski Tech
Current Items:
● current special education numbers: 688
● Current number of students in the referral process: 52
● Monthly Sped PLCs
● December Cycle Reporting to DESE
● DLM Assessment for fall ends Dec 20th
Planned Items:
● 504 District Manual Update
● Graduation/Job Fair
X. Superintendent’s Report
A. Board to Board Transfers
B. ACT 189
C. Dates to Remember
● Tuesday, 12/10/24 – Public Meeting for Rezoning of Middle School – PDC – 4:30 – 6:00pm
● Wednesday, 12/11/24 – Friday, 12/13/24 – 71st ASBA Annual Conference – Marriott Hotel and StateHouse Convention Center
● Friday, 12/13/24 – School Board Luncheon – Benton Junior High – 11:30 am
● Friday, 12/13/24 – HSBB – Home – Bryant – 6:00 pm
● Tuesday, 12/17/24 – HSBB – Home – El Dorado – 5:00 pm
● Thursday, 12/19/24 – Lifetouch Pictures – PDC – 2:30 through 5:30 pm
● Monday, 12/23/24 – Friday, 1/03/25 – CHRISTMAS BREAK – Schools Closed
● Friday, 12/27/24 – Monday, 1/04/25 – HSBB – King Cotton Classic – Pine Bluff – TBA
● Friday, 1/10/25 – HSBB – Home – Hot Springs – 5:00 pm
● Monday, 1/13/25 – Benton School Board Meeting – 5:30 pm
● Tuesday, 1/14/25 – HSBB – Home – Pine Bluff – 5:00 pm
● Thursday, 1/23/25 – SWIM – Home/Rivercenter – 3:30 pm
● Friday, 1/24/25 – School Board Luncheon – Caldwell Elementary – 11:30 am
● Friday, 1/17/25 – HSBB – Home – Lake Hamilton – 5:00 pm
● Tuesday, 2/4/25 – HSBB – Home – Texarkana – 5:00 pm
● Friday, 2/7/25 – HSBB – Home – White Hall – 5:00 pm
● Monday, 2/10/25 – Benton School Board Meeting – 5:30 pm
XI. Executive Session (If needed)
XII. Personnel Recommendations/HR Report – Dr. Larry Smith
XIII. Adjournment
Browse the list of all the events in Saline County, at www.mysaline.com/events.