School board extends Ramey's contract

Janelle Jessen/Siloam Sunday Superintendent Ken Ramey honored school board members as part of school board appreciation month during Tuesday's meeting. Ramey read a proclamation from Gov. Asa Hutchinson and a resolution from the Arkansas State Board of Education thanking school board members for their service. Pictured, from left, are school board members Connie Matchell, Audra Farrell and Brent Butler, Ramey, and school board members Roger Holroyd and Brian Lamb.
Janelle Jessen/Siloam Sunday Superintendent Ken Ramey honored school board members as part of school board appreciation month during Tuesday's meeting. Ramey read a proclamation from Gov. Asa Hutchinson and a resolution from the Arkansas State Board of Education thanking school board members for their service. Pictured, from left, are school board members Connie Matchell, Audra Farrell and Brent Butler, Ramey, and school board members Roger Holroyd and Brian Lamb.

School board members voted to add another year to Superintendent Ken Ramey's contract during a meeting on Tuesday night.

Ramey has a three-year contract, so the additional year will renew the contract through the 2019/2020 school year.

School board members held a two-hour executive session to discuss the annual superintendent's evaluation and review Ramey's contract.

"It's all glaringly positive," said School Board President Brian Lamb. "We appreciate his leadership, we appreciate what he does for the district, the community and most of all kids. We feel that he's outstanding and we ask him to continue and hope he will continue."

Lamb said the school board agrees that Ramey is the leader the school board needs right now.

"He has a wonderful passion for kids and a passion for community and passion for leadership and it all just works very well," Lamb said. "We're so thankful and grateful to have you Mr. Ramey as superintendent in Siloam Springs."

In other business, Audra Ferrell announced that she will run for re-election for her position as the Zone 3 board member in May.

In November, school board members voted to move their annual elections from September to May in response to a new state law that requires school elections to either be held with the general election in November or the May primaries.

Under the new timeline, school board candidates may begin circulating petitions on Jan. 30. The filing period for the election is from noon on Feb. 22 to noon on March 1, and the election is on May 22.

School board members serve rotating five-year terms so that one position comes up for election each year.

The board took the following additional actions:

• Approved the resignation of Becky Nokes, high school engineering teacher.

• Approved the transfer of two students from the Siloam Springs School District to the Gentry School District.

• Approved the transfer of one student from the Gentry School District to the Siloam Springs School District.

General News on 01/24/2018