Hope Public Schools

HOPE – Long time Hope Public Schools custodial services supervisor Maurice Henry was named director of facilities and transportation here Monday night by the HPS board.\r\n

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Henry has been employed by the HPS since 1982, after graduating from Hope High School in 1981, then, receiving certification in industrial maintenance at the former Red River Vocational-Technical Institute in Hope, the predecessor to the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana.\r\n

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He began working in the school district bus garage, prior to transferring to the grounds maintenance department, and finally into the custodial services department, where he became department supervisor and has served for the past 29 years.\r\n

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“I have been with the district under seven superintendents,” Henry said. “The Hope Public Schools has been good to me.”\r\n

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He has been active on the state and national level professionally, serving as president of the Arkansas School Plant Managers Association in 2007 and was elected president of the National School Plant Managers Association in 2012.\r\n

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Henry holds an Arkansas State Facilities Director Certification, and he has served as vice chairman of the Arkansas Public Employee Retirement System for 10 years, as well as a member of the State Fire License Protection Board.\r\n

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“The biggest thing that I’ve seen change over the years is the state mandates,” Henry said. “The state wants to make sure we use state money wisely for a safe and adequate environment for the kids; there is more accountability.”\r\n

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He will assume duties July 1 upon the retirement of Steve Bradshaw, former head of the department.\r\n

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Henry is a native of the Fulton area, married to Gracie Henry for 27 years, and the couple has three adult children, Floyd, of Louisiana, Maurice Jr., of Camden, and Shantae, of Hope.\r\n

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Locally, Henry is the pastor of Corinth Baptist Church and serves as a Hempstead County Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy.\r\n

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Amber Keener will transfer from administrative secretarial duties at Clinton Primary School to replace Gail Grant as administrative secretary in the facilities and transportation department. Grant retires June 30 after 37 years of employment by the district.\r\n

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The school board also acted Monday night upon a number of other personnel matters including certified employment of:\r\n

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--Colonel Scotty Lewis as Hope High School Air Force JROTC instructor.\r\n

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--Julie Gladden as HHS band director.\r\n

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--Brandon Ellis as junior high band director.\r\n

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--Jesse Osorto as Clinton Primary School music teacher and assistant band director.\r\n

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--Kathry Winer as CPS special education teacher.\r\n

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--Terri Callaway as classroom teacher at the BMP campus.\r\n

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--Cathleen Collins as technology teacher at Beryl Henry Elementary School.\r\n

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--Christy Hart as HHS librarian.\r\n

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--Al Williams as sixth grade science teacher at BHE.\r\n

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--Karen Ply as Yerger Middle School/HAPS technology teacher.\r\n

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Certified employment resignations and retirements included:\r\n

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--Frances Hendrix, HHS science.\r\n

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--David Headrick, HHS math.\r\n

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--Teena Bell, retiring as YMS literacy teacher.\r\n

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--Bridgett Glover, HHS social studies.\r\n

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Classified employment approved Monday included:\r\n

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--Joyce Bryant, secretary to BMP principal.\r\n

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--Jesse Henry and Whitney Hoglund, BMP campus paraprofessionals.\r\n