Siloam Springs School District board approves multiple personnel actions

At a special meeting, the Siloam Springs School District board approved staff transfers, accepted multiple resignations, approved recommended hires, granted emergency sick leave, and approved the termination of a bus driver, according to motions recorded in the meeting transcript.

The actions were presented by a staff member who recommended a list of transfers that included assignments to coaching and classroom positions. The board then voted on a separate motion to accept resignations from several teachers and staff. The board approved a large slate of recommended hires for classroom teachers, assistant principals and athletic positions. The board also approved a recommendation that one employee, Leanne Eschaete, be terminated under school district policy 3.48. A separate motion approving an emergency sick-leave request was also passed.

Why it matters: these approvals change classroom assignments and extracurricular staffing across the district’s elementary, intermediate, middle and high school programs and finalize a personnel termination under district policy. The decisions affect coaching rosters and classroom coverage ahead of the school year and will determine immediate reporting lines for several new hires and transfers.

Most important actions

- Staff transfers: The board approved multiple transfers recommended by district staff, including changes affecting high school coaching assignments and elementary and middle-school classroom placements. Names listed by staff as part of the transfers included Emily Grama, Colton Bowerman, Rebecca Caudle, Kendrick Canoner, Ashley Young, Mikaela Thompson, Crystal Anderson and Charity Miller.

- Resignations: The board accepted resignations from multiple employees, including Katie Arnold, Carol Graham, Hannah Seippert, Tabitha Douthat, Courtney Holland, Bentley Brown, Dana Milam, Cody Mitchell, Sarah Craig, Angie Howe, Elaine Labitat, Cara Wells, Jason Lawrence and Mark McCool.

- Hires and appointments: The board approved a slate of hires and appointments recommended by staff, including Lisa Williams as district director of nursing, Caitlin Tyler as district instructional coach, Justin Turner as district athletic director, Taylor Hall as a high school assistant principal, several athletic coaches and multiple elementary and middle-school teachers (full list recorded in the meeting minutes).

- Emergency sick leave: The board approved a staff request for emergency sick leave after a staff member was found to have met the district’s policy requirements for such leave (as presented at the meeting).

- Termination under policy 3.48: The board approved a motion to terminate Leanne Eschaete from district employment as a school district bus driver, citing school district policy 3.48.

How the votes were recorded: Each action was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; the transcript records “Aye” and “Motion carried” for the motions but does not record individual roll-call tallies or names of members making the motions in the portion of the transcript provided.

Background and context: The meeting opened with the presiding board member noting a quorum and briefly moving into and then out of an executive session for hiring and resignations. The personnel items were presented consecutively and decided with no extended public discussion recorded in the supplied transcript. The transcript contains the full lists of names recommended for transfer and hire and the names of employees listed as resigning.

The meeting adjourned after the personnel business was completed.