[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6562829,"mediaKeyId","3241868-a34c4bccd41ef0be68bf394447ea53e6","parentId",3241868,"title","Votes at a glance: Alma School District board approves school improvement plans, elects six‑year terms for board seats and confirms new hires","audioSeconds",3269,"startMs",2190000,"endMs",5459000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3241868-a34c4bccd41ef0be68bf394447ea53e6&start=2190&end=5459","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3241868-a34c4bccd41ef0be68bf394447ea53e6/thumbnail_2190000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6562829/Arkansas/Votes-at-a-glance-Alma-School-District-board-approves-school-improvement-plans-elects-sixyear-terms-for-board-seats-and-confirms-new-hires","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562829-bfe7588925c24db5623101d8113fd9cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150023&Signature=PuAIiZJtGLHjP2aQIbJMLtHI8aurHnTwSLs-bwHbnXK4F51CePInqIxAHVvg7Rhi1xdQoXIMf~0133KCzvdYWmtj1FY1-xOV~i-W5LbkpmLyOkRYalOKKdlJmnFuJStdyv3iXnRRFi4HwBUY0wh6O7YR~UIAavS-dapasWNUGa6Kgw2hs3UoUJf22JzXi4H1~9lZBnyO7lMRfiTs9M9XWrms-TX4K0-J8CrCz1y7l-li7qblYKT5TLZE~gAkczN67iJiwLdgcYl5svN5wnlU6IW8UB7yKZWq2Fg6tY-UXvPpBModO7vALGXi05jsm5~mAjwO~YxJ8MRNEsLZ7ZFw4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","ALMA SCHOOL DISTRICT","date","2025-05-05T19:07:37Z","article","The Alma School District Board of Education on Monday approved several routine and administrative actions, including school improvement plans to be submitted to the state, the district’s recommendation for six‑year board terms ahead of a March 2026 election schedule, and employment recommendations following an executive session.

Minutes and consent items
The board approved the April 10 meeting minutes by voice vote; a motion to approve passed without recorded roll-call tallies.

School improvement plans
Administrators presented school improvement plans and recommended approval for submission to the state. The board moved and seconded approval and adopted the plans for state submission.

Election timing and board term length
Superintendent Mr. Biggs and staff noted guidance coming from the state (ASBA and election authorities) indicating that a planned November election will not occur and that affected positions will be holdovers until March 2026. Board members discussed whether to declare four‑ or six‑year terms to stagger future elections. A motion and second were made to declare six‑year terms; the board voted in favor and the chair said the motion carried. The superintendent said he will notify appropriate authorities when timelines are finalized.

Executive session and personnel actions
The board moved into an executive session to discuss personnel at 6:33 p.m. After returning from executive session, the board approved offers of employment and then read into the record and approved specific personnel recommendations (names listed below). Votes on the post‑executive‑session employment recommendations were approved by voice vote; the meeting record does not list individual roll‑call tallies.

Approved employment recommendations read into the record include:
- Kara Burns — Assistant Principal, Alma Primary School (recommendation for employment)
- Emily Banks — Special Education Teacher, Alma High School
- Ashlyn Hill — Literacy Teacher, Alma Middle School
- Aaron Craig — JROTC Instructor, Alma High School
- Garrison Jensen — Special Education Teacher, Alma Intermediate School
- Rebecca Tate — transfer to Alma Middle School, Special Education

Other procedural items
The board began a 30‑day review of student handbooks and a set of personnel policies (sections 3 and 8); no action was taken on those items pending further review and any state policy updates. Superintendent Biggs also reported operational items (HVAC replacements and safety‑grant fencing) and enrollment figures cited during the meeting.

The board adjourned after approving the employment recommendations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 2025 School Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Alma School District Board approved school improvement plans for submission to the state, endorsed six‑year terms for future board elections and confirmed multiple personnel hires following an executive session.","taxTitle","ALMA SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, Arkansas","taxId",64867,"location","Arkansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6562833,"Alma School District honors students, teachers and classified employees; eight students headed to National History Day",50,230000,280000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3241868-a34c4bccd41ef0be68bf394447ea53e6&start=230&end=280","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3241868-a34c4bccd41ef0be68bf394447ea53e6/thumbnail_230000.jpg","/articles/6562833/Arkansas/Alma-School-District-honors-students-teachers-and-classified-employees-eight-students-headed-to-National-History-Day","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562833-5621cff7bcac2573eedd40f5e0f718b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150023&Signature=jkS5OOKZRfAe7EnUZk4ymof8JWXolNUDqX39d50KD~CT~2mlufbj0D2vXeSA4mRgNUUA0a7Df6TJBvWuKMtSeUWtD24oPU6letSxe0iTjGGwZ2DhsIO8MZgJTwVATqjJJV-Q2LKuFIkhxpq3lE2E3eZVwvKrWDz16KZDeM5~ZENC13QwXg6ug2hxqOeTxk1iF2aZALzns2ZhHUxEg0IXr7PPQYccA-b3xdDJV5Ca4qp7PZ2nVJ4WnMRHMB2YviSSpPzJf1LbGUnFf7BSACW2WiVHgs94rYDYnSEIr-TDmc4fVrap~FuYVfznCBqwk6O8DKdR0Ovy5RZS9rosH9mJ~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alma School District Board of Education on Monday recognized multiple student and staff achievements, including high school choir awards, statewide History Day qualifiers who will compete in Washington, D.C., and the district’s teachers and classified employees of the year.

Choir director Kurtendall introduced high school choir director Miss Tufts, who detailed the program’s competition results. \"We had a total of 54 students placed in the All Region choirs,\" Tufts said, adding that eight students made the All-State choir and that all four high‑school choirs received “superior” ratings at the region level. Tufts said three choirs advanced to state, all earned sweepstakes (superior) ratings at state level, and the chamber choir was named best in 5A and scored the second‑highest score in the state across classifications.

The board also recognized History Day participants. Miss Mills, the district’s regional coordinator for History Day, told the board that about 100 Alma High School students participated this year, 42 advanced to region contest, 31 advanced to state, and eight Alma students qualified for nationals. Mills introduced two of the qualifiers, Jack Snell, who is going to nationals with a senior group website entry, and Ava Mendez, who will perform a senior group performance in the showcase at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Mills said the students also will visit the University of Maryland and meet with Senator Bozeman while in Washington.

The board honored classified employees of the year from each building and the district: Basil Kenner (district support), Janet Camden (primary), Lauren Wakefield (intermediate), Belinda Bowen (middle school) and Ashley Dean (high school). Principals praised the honorees for reliability, initiative and student rapport.

District teachers of the year were named for each building: Debbie Barrett (middle school, career development/DECA), Danny Hobson (high school, performing arts), Emily Engleke (intermediate) and Amanda Shores (primary, librarian). Speakers highlighted Hobson’s time commitments to theater and extracurriculars, Barrett’s high expectations and career-skills instruction for eighth graders, Engleke’s individualized classroom relationships and Shores’ strong start as librarian in her first year in that role.

Board members and administrators said the employee and student recognitions were selected by staff votes and will be honored at an end‑of‑year competition. Superintendent Biggs noted the recognitions were part of the district’s broader effort to showcase extracurricular and academic success at year’s end.

Minor operational updates were also mentioned during the recognitions segment, including recent HVAC replacements at the intermediate and primary schools and ongoing work tied to a safety grant to install fencing districtwide.

Acknowledged speakers were staff members and community students; no formal board action was required for the recognitions.

Alma School District provided printed materials and a slide deck referenced during the meeting.","The Alma School District board recognized choir achievements, named teachers and classified employees of the year and honored students advancing to National History Day in Washington, D.C.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: Alma School District board approves school improvement plans, elects six‑year terms for board seats and confirms new hires

Alma School District honors students, teachers and classified employees; eight students headed to National History Day