Board approves personnel slate after executive‑session discussions; authorizes student worker hires

The FORREST CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Board approved a personnel slate and separately authorized hiring additional student workers for summer work crews.

The board first moved into an executive session for employment purposes; the superintendent stated no decisions would be made while in session and that one board member (Miss Whitby) would be recused from that portion of the vote. When items returned to open session, the board voted to approve personnel recommendations presented by the superintendent. The roll call recorded five yes votes and one no (Annie Norman), the transcript noted the vote as “5 1 0.” Norman said for the record she opposed because of prior comments about hiring local Forest City graduates and expressed concern that some hires were not Forest City graduates or current district employees.

Board members then considered authorization to hire additional student workers. The superintendent said the IT department had budgeted for four students (a mix of high‑school and college students) and asked permission to hire up to two more students to start June 4; the district also sought approval to hire up to four high‑school students for on‑the‑job training in agriculture and construction at $15 per hour. A motion to allow those hires passed on a roll‑call vote with board members voting in favor.

The superintendent said criteria for student workers remain under development and that work would be limited to July schedules; the board asked staff to finalize hiring criteria and report back.