Board approves 2025-26 alternative calendar, renews superintendent contract and bonus; OKs MOU, expenditures and student discipline

The Forrest City School District Board of Education voted on multiple items including the district's 2025--26 school calendar, the superintendent's contract and bonus, a memorandum of understanding with postsecondary partners, routine expenditures and student disciplinary actions.

The board approved an alternative 2025--26 school calendar after the district's Professional Planning Committee recommended the alternative schedule and teachers voted to select it. The motion to approve the calendar carried unanimously.

On personnel and contract matters the board voted to renew the superintendent's contract for one additional year and separately approved a one-time 6% incentive bonus for the superintendent. Both motions passed by recorded vote, 6 to 1.

The board unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with the University of Arkansas and East Arkansas Community College to continue partnership programs including commercial driver training and emergency medical training.

The board approved routine expenditures for the December and January periods by roll call (the board recorded approval by voice or roll call; roll-call tallies were announced during the meeting). The board also considered student disciplinary hearings and approved an expulsion recommendation for one student (referred to in the record as "Student B"); one board member recused on that vote and the recommendation was adopted by the remaining voting members.

Votes at a glance

- 2025--26 alternative calendar: motion to approve carried unanimously (recorded roll call). Motion made on recommendation of superintendent and PPC; mover: Annie Norman (motion recorded); second: not specified in the transcript. Outcome: approved.

- Superintendent contract renewal (one year): motion to renew contract carried 6 to 1 (roll call). Mover: not specified in the transcript; second: not specified. Outcome: approved.

- One-time 6% incentive bonus for superintendent: motion carried 6 to 1 (roll call). Mover: not specified in the transcript; second: recorded as supported. Outcome: approved.

- Memorandum of understanding with University of Arkansas and East Arkansas Community College (commercial driver training and EMT/related programs): motion carried unanimously. Mover: district staff recommendation; second: not specified. Outcome: approved.

- Routine expenditures (December and January): approvals by roll call; motions carried by recorded vote as announced (December expenditures motion carried 6 to 1; January expenditures motion carried by roll call). Outcome: approved.

- Student disciplinary action ("Student B"): board voted to accept the superintendent's recommendation to expel the student for the remainder of the school's specified period in the record. One board member, Sadie Blackwell, recused herself on the vote; the motion passed among voting members present.

Why it matters

These votes set the district's academic calendar and personnel terms for the coming year, preserve ongoing postsecondary workforce-training partnerships, and document the board's handling of routine fiscal oversight and student-discipline responsibilities. The calendar determines start/end dates and impacts staffing and program scheduling; the contract and bonus affect the superintendent's employment terms; and the MOU sustains career training pathways for students.

Who spoke

Roll-call and motion activity were recorded by board members: Sadie Blackwell, Larry DeVazier, Roy Hamilton, Tarzan Lee, Annie Norman, Sandra Taylor and Yvette Whitby. The superintendent presented recommendations to the board. Other staff presented or handled agenda logistics for specific motions.

What the record shows

All motions listed above and the recorded roll-call outcomes are explicitly reported in the meeting transcript. Where a mover or seconder was not clearly named in the recorded sequence, the article notes that the transcript did not specify the second.

Next steps

The approved calendar and the renewed superintendent contract take effect according to the district's timelines and administrative practice. The district will execute the MOU with the partner institutions as authorized. The board did not identify additional formal follow-up actions for these items during the meeting.

(See provenance entries for the specific transcript spans that record each vote and motion.)