Gravette School Board approves hires, handbooks, policies and a $406,350 paving contract

Gravette School District trustees approved a series of personnel appointments, policy updates, handbooks and a facilities bid during their regular board meeting.

The actions included hires and transfers for the 2025–26 school year, adoption of several policy options required by recent state law changes, approval of the district financial report and audit, authorization for the business manager to move cash between operating and money-market accounts, and acceptance of a bid to overlay Eighth Street and pave a gravel lot for $406,350 from the building fund.

Why it matters: the votes finalize staffing for the coming school year, set district policy on medication and volunteers, clear the district’s audit and financial statements and commit building-fund dollars to a facilities project that district staff said will be scheduled around the school calendar.

Key votes and formal outcomes

- Consent agenda: approved (motion to accept routine consent items; outcome: passed).

- Add personnel Tab 3, hire of Jonathan Todd (personnel addition to agenda): motion passed.

- Financial report and audit: board moved to approve the June financial report, including the audit; motion passed.

- Authorization for cash transfers: board authorized the business manager to transfer cash between operating and an Arvest money-market account via the Arvest cash manager portal through the 2025–26 fiscal year; motion passed.

- Personnel (post-executive session): hired Madison Edwards as middle school PE teacher and GHS head track coach on a 190-day contract at Step 2 (salary $56,635); motion passed.

- Accepted resignation: Jennifer Hawk, GHS business teacher, effective July 7, 2025; motion passed.

- Intra-district transfer: James McVay approved to move to head junior high volleyball coach for 2025–26; motion passed (clerical corrections to packet noted on the record).

- Hired Jonathan Todd as graduate high school business teacher, 190-day contract Step 9, annual salary $53,335; motion passed.

- Counseling plans for 2025–26: approved as presented; motion passed.

- School handbooks (GHS, GMS and elementary): approved as presented for 2025–26; motion passed.

- Athletic handbook: after discussion and a failed initial motion, the board approved the athletic handbook with added verbiage on expectations/possible discipline and with Option 2 (tryout and team selection policy) included; the final motion also added athletic director/coach discretion language; motion passed.

- Facilities bid: accepted bid to overlay Eighth Street (Project A) and pave the gravel bus lot (Project B) in the amount of $406,350, with funding from the building fund; motion passed. Board discussion recorded that scheduling would be coordinated around the school calendar and that the bid prices would be valid for months while scheduling is confirmed.

- Safety audit reports: approved (materials discussed in executive session; motion passed).

- Policy updates: revised and added revisions to Policy 4.7 (absence); adopted Option 2 for student medications Policy 4.35; adopted Option B (the more stringent choice) for Policy 6.4 on volunteers (background checks required for overnight trips and volunteers exceeding 30 hours); motions passed.

- District goals for 2025–26: approved as presented; motion passed.

- Adoption of ASDA Model Policy updates (05/02/2025 release as referenced in packet): approved; motion passed.

What the record shows: motions were made and seconded on the floor; roll calls were recorded as “aye” / “opposed” and the clerk announced motions as passed or failed. Several items required clarifying language or corrections to packet wording before an amended motion was approved (for example, the James McVay transfer and the athletic handbook wording).

Ending: The board recessed to executive session for hiring and safety matters; no votes were taken in executive session, and the board returned to public session to record personnel actions and other business.