Connie Matchell stepped down from the Siloam Springs School Board at the end of the school board meeting on Thursday, Oct. 14.
Matchell submitted her resignation on Sept. 20 to board president Brian Lamb, citing personal issues as her reasons for stepping down. The board voted 4-0 to accept the resignation with Audra Farrell absent from the meeting.
In her resignation letter, Matchell said serving on the school board has been one of the highlights of her career in education. She served on the board since 2017.
"She is a fine lady and a good friend and she will be missed on this school board," said Superintendent Jody Wiggins.
Board Member Travis Jackson thanked Matchell for her time and service that she put in to the school district as well as the impact Matchell had on Jackson's family, particularly wife Monica Jackson, who taught first grade at Allen Elementary and daughter Morgan Carlson, who taught kindergarten at Northside Elementary.
Travis Jackson also thanked Matchell for encouraging him to come onto the school board and the impact Matchell had on him as a board member.
Lamb said Matchell has done outstanding work with the board and asked questions from the education side of things.
"You taught us some things for us to think about and ask about and you will be sorely missed," Lamb said.
Matchell was a math instructor for grades 9-12 from 1986-1998, according to Matchell's resume. She taught pre-algebra, general math, geometry, algebra 2 and algebra 3, the resume states.
From 1994-1999, Matchell became the professional development school director, where she served as liaison between John Brown University and Siloam Springs School District, as well as serving as program director for new teacher mentoring and the teacher induction program, the resume states. Matchell also supervised JBU interns, the resume states.
Matchell served as middle school principal from 1999-2005 and Curriculum Director from the fall of 2005 to the spring of 2015, the resume states.
Along with serving the SSSD, Matchell was also an adjunct professor for the JBU undergraduate program intermittently from the fall of 2008 to the spring of 2012, as well as adjunct professor for JBU's graduate program from the fall of 2013 to the spring of 2014 on the university's Rogers campus, the resume states.
From July of 2015 to May of 2020 Matchell headed the department of teacher education and head of graduate education.
Matchell said her next step is to volunteer somewhere since she was not able to do that as a board member.
"It's been a blessing to be on this board and to work with Siloam Springs schools," Matchell said.
The school board also heard and voted on the following items:
• Approving the minutes of the regular board meeting of Sept. 9, and the special board meetings of Sept. 9, Sept. 17, Sept, 27 and Oct. 4.
• Reports from Wiggins and Assistant Superintendent Shane Patrick.
• Annual Report to the Public from Assistant Superintendent Amy Carter.
• Approving the September 2021 financial statement.
• Approving the summer hire list.
• Approving the community service learning community partner application for local and state board approval.
• Approving the mini-bus purchase recommendation.
• Accepting the resignation of Jason Carter, Child Nutrition Director; Barbara Peevyhouse, high school English Language Arts.
• Approving the hiring of Elizabeth Cheramie, Child Nutrition Director.
• Approving one emergency sick leave request.
• Approving nine transfers into the Siloam Springs School District from Gentry and three from Springdale.
• Approving four transfers out of the Siloam Springs School District into Gentry and one transfer into Springdale.
• Approving the Arkansas Department of Education Annual Equity Compliance Report for the 2021-2022 school year.
• Explaining the Arkansas School Board Association (ASBA) protocol and approve the board process for appointing a new board member to fill the Zone 2 vacancy.