By John R. Schirmer
Leader staff
Arkansas Teacher of the Year Finalist Brenda Galliher of Nashville was recognized Monday night during the September meeting of the Nashville School Board.
Galliher, who teaches eighth grade science at Nashville Junior High, was one of 15 regional finalists announced earlier this month.
Last Thursday, she and the other regional finalists attended a reception in Little Rock, where the four finalists were announced.
“I’m humbled to represent Nashville at this level,” Galliher told the board.
Superintendent Doug Graham introduced Galliher and congratulated her on becoming a state finalist.
The Arkansas Teacher of the Year will be named later this fall after the four finalists are evaluated.
Galliher received $1,000 as a regional finalist. The overall winner receives $14,000 and will have a sabbatical for 2016-17.
Graham said the state Teacher of the Year will travel around Arkansas to attend curriculum initiatives, workshops and other events.
Galliher’s recognition came after district administrators presented the annual report to the public. Details from the report will be included in next week’s Nashville Leader.
The board approved the district’s budget for 2015-16.
The budget calls for projected local revenue of about $4.4 million, state revenue of $10.6 million and a cash balance from the previous fiscal year of $4.2 million. The total balance and revenue will be about $19.2 million.
Expenditures include about $7 million for operating and special funds, $7.4 million for the teacher salary fund and $810 for debt service payment for about $15.3 million.
The budget projects a balance of about $3.96 million on June 30, 2016.
Board members also approved the special education budget of about $911,000. The minimum required by the state is $866,700.
The board retired expenditures on outdated equipment. Sixty-nine items were on the list and were removed from the district’s inventory. The original purchase price was $100,754, Graham said.
Food services director Julie Smith said the district’s cafeteria served 4,703 breakfasts and 14,280 lunches for the 11 days of class in August.
For September, both breakfast and lunch counts are up from the previous year.
Smith said 71.4 percent of the district’s students qualify for free and reduced lunches.
The district continues to look at the possibility of outsourcing the food services program, Graham said. The school’s paperwork will be filed in November if the district pursues outsourcing for 2016-17.
Graham said the board held a budget workshop last Friday, Sept. 18.
He said the district will receive an additional $300,000 in NSLA funds for having more than 70 percent of students eligible for free and reduced lunches.
Graham said he is placing $400,000 in the district’s budget during the next few years for possible building projects.
Among the possibilities are two classrooms at primary, improving the visitors’ bleachers at Scrapper Stadium, resurfacing the all-weather track, setting up a high school Scrapper Cafe which would be an internet cafe with atmosphere similar to Starbucks, a new agri building, and improvements to the softball field. The pros and cons for a school-owned field were discussed.
The board accepted three resignations, including Stacy Middleton, cafeteria; Rebecca Bennett, cafeteria; and Marilyn Porterfield, primary school aide.
The board hired Lara Dyar for Porterfield’s position. Porterfield was injured in a fall before school started and has missed the first five weeks of class. Graham said Dyar has subbed for Porterfield since day 1.
