PRAIRIE GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT : Board meeting expected to feature public comments
Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Prairie Grove Board of Education will hold its monthly meeting in a special location Monday to accommodate public comments, most of which may center on recent personnel decisions.
The meeting is scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at the district's Intermediate School.
Last week, some Prairie Grove residents and high school graduates distributed e-mails expressing concerns about Superintendent Pete Bennett's alleged treatment of certain employees and the alleged reassignment of longtime agriculture teacher Lanny Rice. He is currently employed as a vocational career teacher, according to the district's Web site.
Contacted Friday afternoon, Bennett said he couldn't comment about Rice's situation and other personnel matters. He also had no comment on what people might say at the meeting.
Attempts to contact Rice at a listed phone number were unsuccessful.
"The actions that were taken against Lanny Rice were the straw that broke the camel's back," Lindsay West, a 2001 graduate, said.
Some of the people who sent e-mails encouraging people to address the board included Andrea Foren, a graduate from the class of 1999, and Nathan Ogden, a 1997 graduate.
West said she would like to address the board but she now lives in Texas.
Bennett is completing his first year serving as superintendent, but he previously worked for the district in other capacities. He was an assistant superintendent for two years and served as a principal for seven years before that.
Following the time for community comments, the board is scheduled to act on some personnel matters. The agenda that was released, however, did not list any personnel changes affecting any employees identified in the e-mails.
Other topics include approval of the 2008-2009 school calendar and a report from Scott Beardsley of the Beardsley Finance firm.
Bennett said Friday he believes the district is on track to finish the year in good shape financially despite a recent enrollment decline. The district lost about 30 students when the 2008 spring semester started compared to the fall semester.
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