Arts School To Change Name, Calendar For Fall

— Classes will start Aug. 14, but whether or not the charter school will be called Benton County School of the Arts or Arkansas Arts Academy has yet to be decided.

School administrators will go before the Charter Authorizing Panel on March 21 and the Arkansas Board of Education in mid-April to request changing the name to Arkansas Arts Academy.

Meeting Information

Next Meeting

The Benton County School of the Arts board will hold its next meeting at 6:30 p.m. April 8 at the administration office at Suite 5, 8 Halsted Circle in Rogers. Benton County School of the Arts is an independent charter school with a kindergarten through eighth-grade campus and a high school campus in Rogers.

A new name will better tell people what the school is about, said Jim Keast, School Board and marketing committee member.

"People don't know Benton County School of the Arts," Keast said.

Board members also approved a traditional school calendar on Tuesday. The school previously operated on a schedule administrators said blended traditional and year-round calendars.

"It's better to be one way or the other," said teacher Susan Jarrett who presented the faculty recommendation.

Several calendars went to vote before teachers settled on the final version, Jarrett said.

Students started Aug. 8 for the 2013-14 year. The 2014-15 calendar sets Aug. 14 as the start date. An October fall break is gone next year, but students will be out the week of Thanksgiving Day. Christmas break will be from Dec. 22 through Jan. 2. School will resume Jan. 5. Spring break will be March 23-27 in 2015 and students are scheduled to be out of school May 27.

A year-round calendar would be difficult to keep with the high school, teachers said.

Wes Abbott, board president, said teacher input is an important voice in making the decision.

The board hired marketing firm Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods to promote the rebranded school. Board members talked about streamlining communication through the school's website and social media, alluding to recent Facebook comments. A parent-run page sends alerts about events, but the school has no staff member in charge of posting information.

"There is a gap in communication between the school and the parents," Abbott said.

Inaccurate information can fill the gap when the school isn't proactive, he said.

Better information is part of the plan he has submitted as part of AdvancEd accreditation process, said Paul Hines, superintendent. There will be more sharing of school data with teachers and updating parents. Teachers will get a paper at fall orientation with "my goal is" followed by state proficiency requirements.

There will also be a new elementary/middle school principal starting with the new school year.

Former principal Julia Rice went on family leave Nov. 12 and that family leave ended mid-February, Hines said. A Freedom of Information Act request submitted to Hines on Monday for Rice's contract and any board communication about her was not fulfilled by press time. Hines said Tuesday evening he was gathering material.

A search to fill the position was posted Feb. 24. Seven candidates have applied so far, Hines said. Applications close March 31.

An eight-person committee of teachers, parents, a classified staff member and Hines will review applications and do initial interviews. The top three candidates will be invited to open meetings May 5, 6 and 8 to meet parents and teachers.

Interview ratings and stakeholder surveys will be used to determine the candidate presented to the board May 14, Hines said.

NW News on 03/12/2014

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