$25,000 state award to be split among staff at Berryville High

The Berryville School District recently decided how to disburse nearly $25,000 it received as a reward for high school students testing in the top 10 percent statewide in student growth in math and literacy.

At its monthly regular meeting held Monday, Dec. 15, the school board approved a recognition committee’s recommendation to award the money to the high school staff who were employed in the 2024-2025 school year when the testing took place, according to superintendent Owen Powell.

“We were awarded $24,966, finishing in the top 10 percent in growth in math and literacy,” Powell said. “There’s several different things you can do with the money. One of those things is to give it to your staff, a one-time bonus.

“We put together a committee consisting of a teacher, a principal, a parent and the superintendent, and the committee decided to give that awarded amount to the high school faculty.”

Powell said the teachers who were directly responsible for the testing result each will get a $500 bonus.

“Then, we felt like the entire high school staff, because they all work together and are all responsible to an extent for helping with that growth score, they will get $320,” Powell said. “This was based off the 2024 data, last year’s scores, as anybody will get it that was on last year’s faculty that is still with the school.”

It’s rewarding to be able to give the bonus to the staff, Powell said.

“I just want to say I’m super proud,” he said. “A lot of hard work goes into that. The growth scores are where it’s at because it’s not really where you start; it’s where you end it. We’re doing a good job with growth, and I’m just really proud of those teachers and the whole faculty who plays a part.”

A Nov. 24 email to Powell from Louis Ferren of the Arkansas Department of Transportation announced Berryville’s award money.

“One or more buildings in your district have received a financial award through the Arkansas School Recognition Program,” Ferren wrote to Powell. “The program provides financial awards to public schools with student achievement that is in the top 10 percent on the state-required assessments in grades 3 through 10 and public schools with student academic growth that is in the top 10 percent.”

School awards should be expended by June 30, Ferren wrote.

In personnel decisions by the board, the resignations of elementary teacher Suzanne Drew and custodian Jeff O’Dell were approved. Also OK’d were the hires of special education paraprofessional Tavi Ellis and bus route driver Andrew Killingsworth.