Rural Special Board Approves Policies, School Bus Purchase

In its July 20 meeting, the Rural Special school board approved policies, including the student handbook; hired a part-time technology coordinator; and approved the purchase of a 51-passenger school bus with a wheelchair lift.

The board also received an update on finances from Supt. Delena Thompson, who told the board that the starting balance for the district was $393,124.66.

A 2017 Thomas Built bus will be purchased from JSP Transportation for $39,000. JSP Transportation is owned by board member Dustin Stewart. Stewart recused himself from both the discussion and the vote to purchase the bus.

After the purchase the board passed a resolution, required by law when the board does business with a board member, acknowledging that the decision to purchase the bus had been based on the size, cost, mileage, age and amenities of the bus.

The board discussed the condition of the district’s other buses, and the possibility of needing to plan for future bus purchases.
In addition to approving policies for the student handbook, the board set policies on drug testing in order to be able to begin the drug testing process for bus drivers.

Because Rural Special is a new school district, every bus driver is considered a new hire, said Todd Hudspeth, transportation coordinator for the district. He said that every bus driver who is a new hire, in every school district, has to get a new drug test. He said that the district is setting up an account with Quest Diagnostics out of Little Rock to do the drug testing.

Hudspeth also spoke to the board about the district’s bus policy.

“Starting a new bus program is a big challenge,” he said, citing federal motor carrier rules, drug testing and membership in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, which tracks CDL drug and alcohol program violations. He presented a proposed bus policy to the board, which was approved pending the addition of language on secure storage of the buses when not in use.

Hudspeth, who will also be the district’s school resource officer, updated the board on progress in the district forming its own police department, and spoke to the board of a need for a vehicle for the school resource officer.

The school district is on the agenda for August 11 to be considered for its own police department by the Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training, Thompson told the board. The state passed legislation in 2019 that allows districts to establish their own police departments.

The board also discussed training personnel to assist with campus security. Thompson asked board members if they wanted any staff to participate in the Commissioned School Security Officer program offered through the Arkansas State Police. Hudspeth also mentioned the idea of eventually having one or more people on staff participate in the Reserve Officer Training Program. The board discussed the pros and cons of both programs, and agreed that for either program, the personnel involved would need to be vetted. Stewart made a motion that the district form a committee, composed of the SRO, the board president, the principal and the superintendent to vet interested candidates and select someone who could participate in security training. Meanwhile, the board will look at what the options are for security training.

Landon Thompson was hired as a part-time technology coordinator, at a rate commensurate with his education and experience. They agreed that while the district is completing the technology tasks needed before the beginning of the school year, Thompson’s hours could be increased depending on need.

In other business, the board:

• approved student transfers as follows: two requests to exit the school district and go to the Mountain View School District from students who had previously been attending virtual school; one request to transfer from Rural Special to Timbo; and one request to transfer from Westside (Greers Ferry) to Rural Special. Because the deadline has passed for school choice applications, the transfers require approval from both school boards.

• voted to allow online payments and obtain a credit card for the district.

• approved the school improvement plan.
• approved a bid for milk. Thompson said one company had bid on bread but had not sent prices.

• voted to accept a bid on propane for $1.85 a gallon from Stone County Propane.

• asked Thompson to explore another option for gas and diesel fuel and authorized her to accept the low bid between the two options.

• set a sick leave policy that allows employees to carry over a maximum of 120 days of sick leave.

The board will have a work day, followed by a special board meeting July 30 at 5:30 p.m.

The first day of school will be Aug. 11.