By John R. Schirmer
News-Leader staff
The Nashville School District continues to narrow down the list of faculty and staff vacancies as planning continues for the 2017-18 academic year.
Openings include junior high science, junior high social studies and math, two nursing positions and a curriculum coach, according to Superintendent Doug Graham.
“Junior high is in the interview process,” Graham said. “We’re taking applications for nurses through July 7. I’ll try to have recommendations for the July 17 board meeting.”
The latest vacancy became official when the Arkadelphia School District hired Coach Wade Matlock late last month.
Matlock was an assistant football and softball coach and taught junior high science.
Along with the personnel searches, the district is working on “several maintenance projects,” Graham said.
At elementary school and the Scrapper Dome, workers will apply sealer on the outside blocks to keep moisture out.
“We’re doing the customary painting and waxing,” Graham said. “We’re on schedule with those.”
Upgrades have begun at Wilson Park. Workers installed a new metal roof at the facility and replaced broken rafters. “It looks really nice,” Graham said.
The district will also look at other improvements, such as replacing the chain link fence in front of the stands with a net. New seating is also a possibility, along with restroom improvements. The project likely will be carried out in two or three phases.
Graham is “looking at a budget workshop for the board” the second week of July. The workshop would consider moving forward with a new agri building and the upgrades at Wilson Park, Graham said. A new bus barn also will be discussed.
“The bus barn has been in our master facilities plan for 10-12 years. It needs to be part of the discussion,” Graham said.
A new state law allows districts to have 20 percent of their budget in carryover. “We have 32 percent. That will give us some money for projects” as the additional 12 percent is moved to a building fund if the board approves.
With teachers set to report in about a month, the district’s “number one priority is getting the faculty and staff positions filled. Then, as we go into the 2017-18 budget, we’ll look at the agri building,” Graham said.
Classes start Aug. 14 at Nashville and most other districts around the state.
