Clarksville School Board Approves $756,630 Roofing Bid; 2027 Hourly Pay Schedule Also Reviewed
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The Clarksville School Board approved a roofing contract for the Fine Arts Center, adopted an ethics resolution, approved a new pay schedule for substitutes, authorized a new software subscription and approved personnel recommendations during its regular meeting Tuesday, May 26, at the junior high library.
Kirk Roofing and Construction of Vilonia submitted the low bid of $756,630 for the auditorium re-roof project at the Fine Arts Center. The bid, submitted May 19 by company president Brian Kirk, included a 5% bid bond, as required for public construction projects. The bond, backed by Swiss Re Corporate Solutions America Insurance Corporation, provides financial protection to the district if the successful bidder fails to enter a contract after the project is awarded.
The bond serves as a guarantee that the contractor will honor its bid and proceed with the project if selected. Once the contract is executed and performance and payment bonds are in place, the bid bond is released.
Kirk Roofing committed to completing the work within 150 calendar days of receiving a notice to proceed. The Board voted 5-0 to award the contract.
Substitute Pay Schedule
District Business Manager Brittany Koch reviewed the district’s fiscal year 2027 substitute and hourly pay schedule. She said rates for substitute employees in positions typically filled by contracted staff are based on Step 1 of the applicable salary schedule, a system intended to improve consistency and transparency in compensation practices.
The schedule includes rates of $35 per hour for certified tutors; $15 per hour for classified tutors and translators; $18.90 per hour for registered nurse substitutes; $16.85 per hour for licensed practical nurse substitutes; $13 per hour for custodians and summer workers; $12.54 per hour for bus aides; and $12.34 per hour for food service workers. Substitute route bus drivers are paid $65.01 per day, while student workers receive Arkansas’ minimum wage of $11 per hour. Lunch-duty compensation varies based on an employee’s regular hourly rate.
Other Matters
—The Board voted to adopt an ethics resolution for Teresa Qualls, the kitchen manager at Clarksville High School, in compliance with Arkansas Code Annotated 6-24-101 and Act 1381 of 2005. The resolution authorizes the district to purchase kitchen help and cleanup services from Qualls for district club events. Qualls, a district employee, would perform the work after hours. The resolution covers the period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
–Assistant Superintendent Chase Carter introduced Curriculum Coordinator Kara Chrisman, who provided an academic update to the Board.
–The Board also approved the purchase and implementation of a ClassWallet subscription for fiscal year 2027 to manage Act 756 classroom supply funds. Koch told Board members the district will pay a one-time implementation fee of $3,000 and an annual subscription fee of $1,500.
Under the program, the district will deposit Act 756 funds into a district account and distribute the money electronically to individual teacher accounts through the ClassWallet platform. Certified teachers will be eligible to receive up to $500 annually for classroom expenses.
Koch said the district expects to deposit approximately $43,500 into the system July 1 to fund accounts for certified teachers during the 2026-27 school year. The platform allows teachers to make approved classroom purchases directly through the system rather than submitting traditional reimbursement requests.
–The Board voted to authorize a fuel purchase from Weston Petroleum of Plumerville. A May 14 invoice shows the district received 1,992 gallons of 87-octane gasoline at $4.191 per gallon and 5,972 gallons of ultra-low-sulfur dyed diesel at $4.504 per gallon, for a combined total of $35,246.36 delivered to the district’s bus barn.
Personnel
Following an executive session, the Board approved the following personnel recommendations.
Resignations effective June 30 were accepted from kindergarten teacher Laura Bennett; Olivia Hawkins, intermediate school nurse; Kathrin Wolverton-Freeberg, junior high custodian; Savannah Burkett, junior high Title I paraprofessional; and Truman Hensley, junior high teacher and coach.
Employed were Allen McCartney, district bus mechanic; Darcy Taylor, first grade teacher; Luke Proctor, junior high PE/health teacher and assistant basketball and baseball coach; Savannah Burkett, junior high ALE teacher; and Grace Dougan, seventh grade, junior high and high school boys cross country coach.
Transfers were approved for Shee Doh, from a first grade to kindergarten teacher; Millie Douglas, from middle school one-on-one special education (SPED) paraprofessional to intermediate school one-to-one SPED paraprofessional; Jennifer Shiver, from junior high SPED paraprofessional to junior high Title I paraprofessional; and Jacob Tolman, from junior high PE teacher to high school PE teacher.
Temporary work agreements were approved for Wilhelmina Wessel, superintendent’s administrative assistant; Allen McCartney, district bus mechanic; and Mu Mar, night custodian.
Board members present were President Joanie Raburn, Vice President/Secretary Dana Frizzell, Sterling Penix, Jesse Taylor and Clay Austin. No members were absent.
The Clarksville School Board holds regular meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the junior high media center. The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 23. All meetings are open to the public.
Read this story and others in the June 3 issue of The Graphic, available online and at businesses throughout Franklin and Johnson counties. Subscribe or donate here to support more hometown journalism.
