GF board approves after-school discipline program for frequently tardy students

Green Forest High School students who have repeated issues getting to class on time now have a quicker way to get back in good graces.

They’ll just have to do a little manual labor first.

At its Nov. 14 regular meeting, the Green Forest School Board approved a new after-school discipline program to help the backlog of students with multiple tardies.

“What we had found was we have a select group of students who are accumulating excessive amount of tardies, just not getting to class on time,” Green Forest Superintendent Matt Summers said. “And … they’re going to in-school suspension for that. So, trying to unclutter in-school suspension, we’ve created the after-school disciplinary program.”

Summers said students who are part of the program will sign a contract, as will their parent, and the program will be held from 3:20 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. each school day. “One day of after-school discipline program equals three days of in-school suspension,” Summers said. “Students are going to be raking leaves or pine needles, picking up trash, sweeping out rooms or buses, just manual-type labor that beautifies the campus or helps the building or buses.”

Two supervisors will oversee the students in the program and will be paid $35 per hour, Summers said.

“No other disciplinary situations are allowed to earn the time off other than the tardies,” he said. “So, you’re not going to be in in-school suspension for, say, fighting, and then go rake leaves after school and be free and clear.

“We found that many students were backlogged on tardies and it’s backlogging seats available in in-school suspension, so we’re looking at a different approach to see if that will work.

“It’s a novel idea. We’re going to look at it for the remainder of this year. If we like it, we’ll add it as a part of policy next year.”

NEW BUSES

The school board also approved $244,895.37 to be spent on two 2024 diesel school buses. One will be a regular standard bus and the second will be a “trip” bus with an underneath storage or luggage compartment.

“We’re being told by our school bus providers that if we don’t place that order now, we may not even get them in September or October of next year … we’re used to picking those up in July,” Summers said.

Summers said the school district typically purchases two new buses each year.

“And then if a large school district like Rogers, Bentonville, Springdale, somebody like that sells off some of theirs that are in really good shape, never been on a dirt road, and we can pick those up reasonably …. and reasonable is under $10,000, we may pick up a few along the line, but those are few and far between,” he said.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other board action, a Parent and Family Engagement program aimed at helping families with limited English proficiency learn technology the district offers was given the OK.

“Bottom line, these will be after-school parent and technology meetings with the three translators there and our federal programs director helping parents log in to our website, knowing the ins and outs of our website, the ability to go online and see their child’s grades, to see their attendance, to see possibly assignments that aren’t completed or that they have a zero in,” Summers said. “We’re looking at probably two of these meetings, one right after Christmas in January, weather permitting, and then another one about the nine weeks change in the spring.”

The board also approved numerous requests for fundraisers including the band and the boys cross country team, which recently won the Class 3A state championship.

“Our boys team is raising money to buy their state championship rings, so that’s exciting,” Summers said.

In other business, board member John Bailey was selected as Green Forest’s representative on the Arkansas School Boards Association.

“ will be our representative to attend the meeting in Little Rock and to vote on issues for the district and to also be the liaison that gets all of the contacts, emails and other information that comes out from that organization,” Summers said.

The board also approved a series of personnel changes, including the resignations of Yesica Hernandez and Sosalynnna Laidren as special education paraprofessionals.

Also approved were the hirings of Melissa Swofford (floating route driver), Alonso Sinay (tutor), Ronda West (tutor), Brett Davis (technology technician), Rhonda Grady (custodial department) and Roselyn Wilson (custodial department).

The board also unanimously approved Summers’ recommendation of the expulsion of a high school student for the remainder of the school year.

The next board meeting will be Monday, Dec. 12, because of the holiday break.