HOPE – A former school board member and state legislator was named to the Hope Public Schools Board during an end-of-school business session Tuesday.\r\n
\r\nDavid “Bubba” Powers, who served on the board from 2004-2007 was unanimously appointed Tuesday night to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Zone 2 Representative Mildred Green.\r\n
\r\nPowers will serve until the next school board election in September, when he will be required to seek re-election should he desire to continue to serve on the board. He stated in his letter of intent his willingness to do so.\r\n
\r\nPowers will be installed as the Zone 2 board representative at the regular June session of the board on June 19.\r\n
\r\nPowers has served as vice president of the board, and has worked with youth throughout his professional career as the Eighth Judicial District-North Juvenile Intake Officer for the courts system. \r\n
\r\nPowers served three terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2007 – 2013, where he sat on the Aging, Children and Youth Committee, Arkansas Legislative Council, Joint Budget Committee, Joint Performance Review Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.\r\n
\r\n“I am fully aware of the many challenges facing K-12 public education,” Powers said in his letter of intent to the district. “It will be my honor to work with you and your Board members in trying to meet those challenges.”\r\n
\r\nThe board voted on the appointment after a 45-minute executive session in which it reviewed the letters of intent submitted through the office of Superintendent Bobby Hart. \r\n
\r\nGreen has served since first elected in September, 2010. She was serving as board secretary at the time of her resignation. Green and her husband moved to Tyler, Texas, to be closer to family members.\r\n
\r\nAlso Tuesday, the board accepted the retirement of Ira D. Love, assistant superintendent for federal programs and equity, after 37 years.\r\n
\r\nLove received a Bachelor of Education degree from Ouachita Baptist University in 1973, and a Master of Education degree from OBU in 1986. He taught social studies at Hope High School for 14 years prior to becoming assistant principal at HHS, and later was named assistant superintendent for federal programs and equity. Love is a native of Hope; he attended Yerger High School and graduated from Hope High School.\r\n
\r\nThe board also addressed a number of other personnel-related matters including the reclassification of two district administrative positions involving facilities and transportation, and district technology.\r\n
\r\nHart said both positions had been “traditionally” considered certified status positions, requiring Arkansas teaching licensure; but, that was by board tradition rather than state law. He said salary costs can be reduced for the facilities/transportation position by designating it as a “classified” position not requiring state licensure.\r\n
\r\nAssistant Superintendent for Facilities and Transportation Steve Bradshaw currently holds the position, and he will retire June 30. The job description for Bradshaw’s administrative secretary, Gail Grant, who will also retire June 30, was also changed to reflect the change in the senior position title.\r\n
\r\nThe technology position required a change in terminology to clarify the district technology coordinator as a non-certified position, Hart said.\r\n
\r\n“This is more cleanup than anything,” he said.\r\n
\r\nBoth changes will be reviewed through the district’s personnel policy committee, Hart said.\r\n
\r\nCertified resignations and retirements were accepted for Latoya Martin, Bradshaw, Alma Phillips, Nicole Rogers, Leslie Clements and Elessia Scott.\r\n
\r\nSummer school certified staff for Beryl Henry Elementary School was approved including Cleytus Coulter, Misty Gilbert, Bennie Lard, Paula Mack, Kimberly Green, Sandra Jones and Shirley Potts.\r\n
\r\nSubstitutes for BHE are Sonji Flemons, Jeanie Gorham, and Tena Jones.\r\n
\r\nClassified summer school staff at BHE includes Cathleen Collins, Kattie Flenory, and Corlis Stuckey.\r\n
\r\nIn other business, the board:\r\n
\r\n--Accepted the bid of Dwight Jones Agency for districtwide student activity medical insurance at a premium of $36,187.06 per year for two years.\r\n
\r\n--Accepted the bid of Moser Furniture, of Rogers, for Beryl Henry Elementary expansion furnishings at a cost of $47,950.05.\r\n
\r\n--Approved a facilities rental request for the Hope High School auditorium from Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ for Sept. 3 church services.\r\n
