Mineral Springs School District held monthly meeting last week

The Mineral Springs School District held its regular monthly board meeting last week, during which board members Barnado Thomas and Xavier Vaughn were recognized for their achievements. Both were presented with Certificates of Boardsmanship after completing at least 25 hours of training through the Arkansas School Board Association.

During the meeting, community member Brenda Porter informed the board that playground equipment at the former Saratoga campus had been removed. Porter explained that the equipment had been used in conjunction with the multi-purpose building in Saratoga. Board President William Dixon stated that the board had not been notified about the equipment’s removal.

Superintendent JonDavid Amerson reported that he recently met with Jacob Taylor of Ideal Impact Inc. to discuss the district’s HVAC systems. Taylor outlined how new HVAC units could reduce energy costs while improving air quality for students and staff by filtering airborne allergens. Amerson recommended that the district enter into a lease-purchase agreement with Ideal Impact, pending legal review and approval of the contract by the district’s attorney.

The board approved Amerson’s recommendation to provide a $1,000 bonus to all certified and classified staff members. The bonuses will be distributed before Thanksgiving as part of the November payroll.

In other business, board members approved the district’s proposed budget for the 2027–2028 school year.

K-12 Principal Stacey Gaddis also announced that the district will host its annual Veterans Day program on Tuesday, November 11, at 10 a.m. The public is invited to attend.