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PCSSD approves calendar, facilities purchases, grants and personnel items; waivers granted
Summary
At its Feb. 11 meeting the Pulaski County Special School District board approved a revised 2025–26 calendar, multiple facilities and IT purchases (several E‑Rate‑supported), a professional learning grant partnership, turf replacement at Sylvan Hills, classroom additions and a series of personnel waivers and consent items.
The Pulaski County Special School District board took a series of votes during its Feb. 11 meeting. Most items passed by motion and voice vote; recorded tallies were not provided for every vote. Key outcomes:
• Revised 2025–26 school calendar — approved. The board adopted a revised calendar with an August 4 start for teachers and August 11 for students, yielding 178 student contact days. Motion by Dr. Tate; second by Miss Maynard.
• Intercom replacement at Landmark Elementary — approved, $90,408.59, to be funded from IT millage. Motion by Miss Ward; seconded. District staff said the existing intercom dated from the 1960s and posed safety concerns; installation planned for spring break.
• UPS purchase (E‑Rate) — approved. Purchase of 77 uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) at an initial cost of $132,440; after an estimated E‑Rate reimbursement of $105,952 the net district cost was estimated at $26,488. Motion by Miss Maynard; seconded by Dr. Tate.
• Switch replacement (E‑Rate) — approved. District presented a roughly $1.0 million purchase for network switches with an estimated $776,000 E‑Rate reimbursement (net district cost ~ $248,000). Motion by Miss Smith; second by Dr. Tate.
• Sylvan Hills High School turf replacement — approved (amount listed in meeting materials at roughly $500,000). Motion by Miss Maynard; second by Dr. Tate. District noted prior approvals and said vendor documentation was now complete for contract execution.
• 2024–25 DESE Professional Learning Grant award — approved to contract with the Center for Strategic Partnership and Education First; grant amount $397,377.70; no local match required. Motion moved and seconded; board approved.
• Phone Free Schools (cell phone pouches) — approved. Purchase funded by a $223,000 state grant to provide magnetic phone pouches for secondary students; board approved procurement and a staff plan to pilot and return with a policy. Motion by Miss Smith; second by Miss Maynard.
• Classroom renovations — approved. Clinton Elementary and Pine Forest Elementary were each approved for two life‑skills classroom renovations funded from special‑education/title funds. Motions carried.
• Consent agenda — approved by voice vote (personnel promotions, contracts and routine items included). Motion by Miss Smith; second by Miss Maynard.
• Waivers — multiple waivers for individual hires were approved by motion and voice vote; recorded items in the hearings included approvals for Bobby Fountain, Robert Lasley, Robert Rosby (as recorded), and Ridge Williams among others. (Each waiver was presented and approved individually.)
Board members and staff said several procurement items were E‑Rate eligible and would be reimbursed at approximate federal discount rates. For larger facilities items — notably College Station building repair estimates and Sylvan Hills turf — staff described ongoing insurance and budgeting work; insurance reimbursements for College Station were pending the insurer’s decision.
No item on the evening’s agenda was defeated; staff noted a number of follow‑up tasks including policy drafting, installation schedules and contract execution.
