Clarksville Board Approves CEP Application; Program Will Provide Free Meals To All Students

By Editor | May 5, 2026 |

The Clarksville School Board gave its approval Tuesday for the district’s application in a federal child nutrition program that will allow all students to receive free meals.

Assistant Superintendent Steven Wyatt told the Board during its monthly meeting April 28 the program will include all six of the district’s campuses.

Clarksville will apply to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a non-pricing meal service option for school districts in low-income areas. Offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program, the CEP allows high poverty schools to serve meals at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications.

Wyatt said Clarksville’s food service director, Cathy Holland, spends months each year processing free and reduced meal paperwork, and this change will eliminate that requirement.

“It’s a win-win for everyone,” Wyatt said. “We are hopeful more kids will be eating, and there will be a lot less paperwork. It will be beneficial for the students and their families, a real positive for our district.”

Schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed from USDA using a formula based on the percentage of students who are eligible for free meals based on their participation in other specific programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, migrant or foster care services, Wyatt said.

Superintendent David Hopkins said over the past few years, the district has seen an increase in students from households that meet the low-income criteria.

“The district has been at 70% free and reduced lunches for several years, and we’ve gradually seen that increase,” Hopkins said.

For the first time, all six campuses exceeded the 70% threshold this year, according to Hopkins, and district-wide, the percentage increased from 71% to 77%.

“The poverty level has increased,” he said. “That’s not a good thing. But if we have students with needs, we want to be sure we are accessing all the resources available to meet those needs.”

Other Matters

–Danielle Hodges, high school band director, thanked the Board for its support of the band program. The band will travel to Washington, D.C., in late May to represent Arkansas in the National Memorial Day Parade. In addition, the jazz band will perform at the Lincoln Memorial, and band members will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

–Chase Carter, assistant superintendent, reported state-mandated testing was underway throughout the district. The curriculum team will attend the May Board meeting to provide a full report on testing results, he said.

–Board members reviewed the audit for the 2025 fiscal year as presented by Brittany Koch, business manager. Koch said the audit contained some supplemental findings, all of which had been addressed with appropriate changes implemented.

–The Board approved copier leases from Dixie Digital Imaging for the high school, junior high, intermediate and elementary school offices and a new copier for the primary school office. Koch presented the lease terms, which include supplies and maintenance, for each machine.

–Contract renewals were approved for the 2026-27 school year with Thrive Therapy for speech, physical and occupational therapy services; and with Kristina Hoyle, for Medicaid billing services.

–Board members approved updated pricing for technology purchases that were approved during the March meeting. Carter reported the teacher computers had increased in price between the time the cost estimates were obtained for the Board and the time the order was completed.

–The Board authorized the sale of three vehicles through an online auction site approved by the auditors and state requirements. Wyatt said all three vehicles, a 1998 Dodge Durango, 2001 Dodge truck and 2012 Ford Expedition, are out of service.

Personnel

Following an executive session, resignations were accepted from Debbie James, superintendent’s administrative assistant; Perla Marquez, primary school paraprofessional; Courtney Bosold, third grade teacher; Mallory Bowman, elementary school nurse; and Anne Nelson, middle school robotics sponsor (robotics duties only).

Employed for the 2026-27 school year were Sharla Fultz, district gifted and talented coordinator; Wilhelmia Wessel, superintendent’s administrative assistant; Yee Yee Htway, primary school nurse; Estrella Magdaleno, first grade teacher; Shania Rector, first grade teacher; Shee Doh, first grade teacher; Mika Clinton, elementary/intermediate alternative learning environment teacher; Holly Engle, fifth grade teacher; Megan Ramsey, fourth grade teacher; Shelby Chronister, fifth grade teacher; and Areli Castro Reyes, junior high custodian.

Transfers were approved for Sarah McCabe, from primary school special education teacher to elementary school special education teacher; and Valerie Fetters, from fifth grade teacher to gifted and talented teacher.

Temporary work agreements were approved for Steve Immel, sanitizing services; Jessica Crook, primary school principal duties June 1-30; and Nicole Possage, driver’s education.

Other temporary work agreements approved were as follows.

–Support services summer help: Denny Fetters, Jace Holzman.

–Migrant summer school: Daniela Elizondo-Plugge, Jessica Pianalto, Kim Jones, Madeline Phillips, Susan Lensing, Tanja Stone, Sheila Weisenfels, Debbie Cremer, Lori King, Tammy Clinton, Jared Jones, John Payne, Nikki Patterson, TaEh Kue, Kathleen Bowen, Ira Voncile Skidgel, Joni Gomez.

–Credit recovery: Keilah Smith, Maegan Cloud, Michelle Savell, Savannah Burkett, Katie Warren, Penny Perry, Rhonda Smith, Teresa Qualls.

–Extended school year: Kaci Sexton, Dusty Douglas, Jessica Pianalto, Denti Hoult, Elizabeth Williams, Tandi Nally, Rosalba Marquez, Mark Albany.

–JumpStart: Amy Isely, Parker Payne, Emily Qualls, Daniela Elizondo-Plugge, Angie Yates, Chanda Blackard, Kathy Howell, Amy Hamlett, Brittany Basham, Pam Warren, Sasha Camacho, Kellie Willis, Haley Smith, Sarah McCabe, Debra Baugus, Arely Castro, Joni Gomez, Katie Taylor, Maxine Melson.

Board members present included Dana Frizzell, Sterling Penix, Joanie Raburn and Jesse Taylor, while Clay Austin was absent.

Read this story and others in the May 6 issue of The Graphic, available online and at businesses throughout Franklin and Johnson counties. Subscribe or donate here to support more hometown journalism.