ARMOREL -- Arkansas Department of Education coordinator Hazel Burnett will meet with the Armorel School Board this fall to discuss the district's fiscal distress situation.
District superintendent Bruce Young said Monday night at the monthly school board meeting that the discussion will last about two hours. Burnett has been overseeing the district's situation since the ADE put the district on fiscal distress in May of 2010.
"Basically, what she's going to do is go through with the board and show you what to look for so you never have to be in this situation again," Young said.
Young said prior to the meeting, the district must prepare its 2011-12 budget.
"We need to have the budget done early," said Young. "She'll go over the budget, and from what I'm told, she's extremely thorough. Then barring any unforeseen problems, we should be released from fiscal distress."
Armorel finished the 2011 fiscal year with a $1.8 million ending balance. Young didn't have a specific date and time for the meeting but said it would be sometime in September.
Also at Monday's board meeting, the district approved the elementary and high school handbooks for the new school year. Updates included revisions to the school cyber-bullying policy, stating, "Electronic acts of bullying that results in the substantial disruption of the orderly operation of the school educational environment are prohibited, whether or not the electronic act originated on school property or with school equipment, if the electronic act is directed specifically at students or school personnel and maliciously intended for the purpose of disrupting school, and has a high likelihood of succeeding in that purpose."
Young also reminded the board of the state's new cell phone use policy around school zones which will go into effect on Oct. 1. The law prohibits drivers from using cell phones in school zones during school hours when children are present. It also prohibits cell phone usage in highway work zones when a worker is present. He asked that all parents use common sense when driving in the districts school zone.
In other news from the school board meeting:
-- Theresa Lawrence provided the board with results from the district's Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program. First- and second-grade students scored above 60 percent proficient/advanced in both literacy and math; third- through fifth-grade studentss scored above 80 percent proficient /advanced; and sixth-graders scored 80 percent above basic in each category.
The high school scored an overall score of 53 percent proficient/advanced in the subjects of biology, algebra and geometry, with the highest score coming in algebra with a 94 percent proficient and advanced.
-- Heard from Susan Dryer of the Arkansas Northeastern TRiO program.
-- Approved yearly TB testing for district food handlers and nurses.
-- Approved the hiring of Rebecca Wise as a contracted custodian.
-- Approved revised school calendar for the 2011-12 year.
-- Approved the certified and classified salary schedule for the 2011-12 school year.
The next board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12.
afitzpatrick@blythevillecourier.com