The Board of Directors of
the Little Rock School District held a special meeting on Wednesday, July 3,
2002, in the Boardroom of the Administration Building, 810 West Markham Street,
Little Rock, Arkansas. President Baker
Kurrus presided.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Baker
Kurrus
Mike Daugherty
Katherine Mitchell
MEMBERS ABSENT:
None
ALSO PRESENT:
T. Kenneth James, Superintendent of Schools
Beverly Griffin, Recorder of the Minutes
I. CALL
TO ORDER
President
Baker Kurrus called the special meeting to order at 5:04 p.m. Six members of the Board were present at
roll call; Ms. Magness arrived at 5:10 p.m.
II. PURPOSE OF THE MEETING
A. Consideration of
Options for the Relocation of Wakefield Elementary
School Students
III. ACTION
Dr. James presented a
written review of options and recommendations for the relocation of students
assigned to Wakefield Elementary School.
The school building, located at Westminster and Lancaster Road, was
destroyed by fire on Friday, June 28th.
Dr. James reported
that there are approximately 388 students enrolled in Pre-K through fifth
grade, and one Head Start class.
Although he presented three options for relocating the students for the
Board’s review, he recommended that students in kindergarten through fifth
grade be relocated to the campus that was Badgett Elementary School in east
Little Rock. Students in Pre-K and Head
Start would be transferred to the Meadowcliff Elementary School campus.
The obvious
disadvantage is that the Badgett campus is 9.5 miles from Wakefield. The advantage, however, is that all
Wakefield students and staff would be kept together on one campus. Transportation costs will be incurred, but
some portion of this would be covered by the District’s insurance.
Mr. Kurrus read a
resolution from the City of Little Rock Board of Directors asking that the
Wakefield School be rebuilt at its’ existing location and that students and
staff be kept together during the rebuilding period. It is estimated that it will take approximately 18 months to 2
years to complete construction on a new building.
Dr. Mitchell made a
motion to accept the Superintendent’s recommendation to move all students
assigned to Wakefield to the Badgett Campus, except Pre-Kindergarten and Head
Start students who would attend school at Meadowcliff Elementary School (Option
#2 from his report to the Board). Mr.
Rose seconded the motion at it carried unanimously.
IV. ADJOURNMENT
There being
no further business before the Board, the meeting adjourned at 5:25 p.m. on a
motion by Mr. Rose, seconded by Dr. Daugherty.
APPROVED:
_07-25-02__ Original
documents signed by:
H.
Baker Kurrus, President
Tony
Rose, Secretary