WARREN, Ark. – Superintendent Bryan Cornish told the Warren School Board Monday that the first day of the 2023 school year was “exceptionally good.”
All teachers and students were back in their assigned buildings after the new Warren Elementary School opened. For the first time since March 30, 2022, Warren High School students and teachers were back in their fully renovated building after a devastating fire.
By Tim Kessler
Saline River Chronicle Contributor
Cornish said WES traffic patterns still needed some work.
“It’s nice to get back to normalcy,” he said.
Some brick for the High School is waiting to be delivered and portable buildings are to be removed this week.
In other action:
- Preliminary ACT Aspire test data was discussed. Cornish said schools in the state will switch to Atlas testing next year. Overall, 46 percent of the students were termed as ready or exceeding goals in English; 31 percent, reading; 25 percent, science; and 33 percent, math.
Warren Elementary School principal Sara Weaver said math scores have come up as the Illustration Math program was being used.
Brunson Elementary Principal Rosalynda Ellis said concentration will be put on improving math scores. She said fifth-grade reading scores beat the state average.
Warren Middle School Principal Kathy Cornish said work is needed in seventh-grade reading. Her students were above the state average in eighth-grade math.
Warren High School Principal Tiffany Gathen said ninth- and 10th-grade math students have been placed in enhanced sessions.
Cornish said a literacy coach will be placed on the Warren Elementary School campus. More test data will be presented at each board meeting.
- Board members approved a contract between Warren School District and South Arkansas Rehabilitation under Nat Grubbs.
- A teacher and administrator recruitment and retention plan was approved. Board President Jerry Daniels removed himself from the meeting during the discussion on the topic.
- A 2023-24 statement of assurance was approved.
- A disclosure statement was approved, as teacher Jamie Corker is a partner in Corker Electric, which does business with the district.
- A consulting agreement between Warren School District and Leigh Brandon was approved.
- The purchase of a portable building from Lynns of Warren for the Transportation Department was approved. The cost was $15,289.59, which will come from an insurance claim due to a fire at the Transportation Department.
- Under the School Choice Act, board transfers of students from Cleveland County to Bradley County and Bradley County to Cleveland County were approved.
- A resolution was approved regarding preferred election procedure. That will eliminate early and absentee voting if there is no opposition. Last year, Ana Angeles was appointed to a one-year term. Board member Dr. Kerry Pennington is completing a five-year term this year. Both will run for five-year terms on the Nov. 14 ballot.
- Cornish announced the senior football game will begin an hour later Friday at 8 p.m. The state championship girls track team will have a ring presentation at halftime.
