Posted on March 16, 2017
El Dorado News Times
By Brittany Williams
This article was published March 16, 2017 at 5:00 a.m.
By Brittany Williams
Staff Writer
STRONG — The Strong-Huttig School Board approved the use of its football field for a semi-professional game at its meeting Monday.
“It’s a semi-pro game between the Arkansas Steelers and some team from Oklahoma. It’ll be at 6:30 and the guy didn’t give me an admission price,” district superintendent Jeff Alphin said.
The Arkansas Steelers will play the Southwest Grave Diggers at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 18 at Strong High School, according to the Central Football League’s website.
Strong High School improvement specialist Shirley Kyle and Gardner Strong Elementary School principal Dr. Wendell Colen gave updates on the students’ progress on ACT Aspire interim testing.
“Both said that we had shown growth, but they were still continuing to work with the students to make sure that we have enough growth to meet our goals with the ACT Aspire,” the superintendent said.
Bulldogs who showed growth on the third interim test will be rewarded, he said. Gardner Strong students will receive ice cream sundaes and soda, and SHS students will have a popcorn party.
Act 246 of 2017 requires school districts to increase minimum salaries for teachers. It increases the starting salary minimum from $30,122 to $31,400 for a licensed teacher with a bachelor’s degree.
“Each school district in the state shall have in place a salary schedule with at least the following minimum levels of compensation for a basic contract,” it reads.
According to a column released by the Arkanas House of Representatives, it increases the minimum amount by $400 for the next school year and school districts can pay more but not less than the minimum amount set by the state.
To reflect the mandated increases in Act 246, board members approved a new salary schedule for licensed, or “certified” employees, Alphin said. The board approved to keep the classified salary schedule the same for the 2017-2018 school year.
The board approved eight student transfer petitions, six to El Dorado and two to Parkers Chapel. Board members also accepted the resignations of custodian Connie Smith and paraprofessional Sandra Ward.
The Strong-Huttig School Board’s next meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. Monday, Apr. 17 in the Strong High School Library.