Dierks School Board Approves Contract Extensions, Budget, and Enrollment Decisions

At the Dierks School Board meeting on Monday, January 21st, several important decisions were made regarding personnel, student enrollment, and fiscal matters.

One of the significant actions taken was the re-hiring of Grover Hill. A motion by board member Jeffrey Mounts, seconded by Laykon Graham, passed unanimously to extend Hill’s contract through July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027, as per the district’s salary schedule.

Personnel matters were also addressed during the meeting. The board unanimously accepted the resignation of Kaylyn Sharp as a paraprofessional, effective January 13, 2025, following a motion by Kara Tedford, seconded by Laykon Graham.

The board also reviewed and approved the financial reports presented by Superintend Hill, with approval granted by consensus.

In matters related to student enrollment, the board voted unanimously to accept three new students into the district. Additionally, they denied enrollment for one student from De Queen, as recommended by the administration.

The board also moved forward with approving the district’s budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. A motion by Mounts, seconded by Tedford, passed unanimously to adopt the proposed budget of expenditures with the tax levy, and to approve the related sample ballot.

Additionally, the board approved the pee wee baseball/softball plan, following a motion by Tedford and a second from Mounts.

The meeting concluded after addressing these key items, with the board continuing to work on issues related to the district’s operations and future planning.