Heard on channel 4 that Pine Bluff, Watson Chapel and Dollarway are talking about merging.
Can't wait to hear Guv's take on this. Would be a state champion football team.
Quote from: DEVIL DOG HOG on June 08, 2018, 04:01:06 pm
Heard on channel 4 that Pine Bluff, Watson Chapel and Dollarway are talking about merging.
Just talk. Nothing in concrete.
But with a population of 55k in 2000 now at 43000....the once great city of PB is drying up.
Quote from: AirWarren on June 08, 2018, 05:58:59 pm
Just talk. Nothing in concrete.
But with a population of 55k in 2000 now at 43000....the once great city of PB is drying up.
Why are the 3 school doing this would it better if 2 school stay open for right now
Thought they all would be under one district?...and still have WC in 5A..PB 6A..Dway in 3A.?
Quote from: zebrafan on June 08, 2018, 09:55:17 pm
Thought they all would be under one district?...and still have WC in 5A..PB 6A..Dway in 3A.?
It's looking like Dollarway will have to close with the students being divided between Pine Bluff and Watson Chapel. It could possibly push WC back up to the 6A classification.
What does the community think about this? If this did happen, what would be the timeframe for any kind of consolidation?
Quote from: GuvHog on June 12, 2018, 11:37:14 am
It's looking like Dollarway will have to close with the students being divided between WC and Watson Chapel. It could possibly push WC back up to the 6A classification.
Between WH? And WC?
Quote from: GuvHog on June 12, 2018, 11:37:14 am
It's looking like Dollarway will have to close with the students being divided between WC and Watson Chapel. It could possibly push WC back up to the 6A classification.
Is this a Guvfact or a real fact?
Quote from: Bondfan4ever on June 12, 2018, 09:44:39 pm
What does the community think about this? If this did happen, what would be the timeframe for any kind of consolidation?
As with most things I would say the community is split. This appears to be community driven with support of some districts personnel. It would have to be approved by the districts and then submitted to the state for approval.
Quote from: zebrafan on June 08, 2018, 09:55:17 pm
Thought they all would be under one district?...and still have WC in 5A..PB 6A..Dway in 3A.?
That is how I received the information from news sources. However, one aspect of the possible merger was to eliminate financial barriers and in order to accomplish that goal there would have to be a school consolidation somewhere with DW being the lesser of the schools.
Quote from: AHS06 on June 13, 2018, 08:20:12 am
That is how I received the information from news sources. However, one aspect of the possible merger was to eliminate financial barriers and in order to accomplish that goal there would have to a school consolidation somewhere with DW being the lesser of the schools.
Crazy to have 4 districts in a quickly shrinking small city. Lots of fat to be trimmed.
Quote from: GuvHog on June 12, 2018, 11:37:14 am
It's looking like Dollarway will have to close with the students being divided between WC and Watson Chapel. It could possibly push WC back up to the 6A classification.
White Hall has already made it public that they do not want anything to do this. Chapel would have to consume just about all of DW students to move up to 6A.
Quote from: Oldman on June 13, 2018, 08:22:51 am
Crazy to have 4 districts in a quickly shrinking small city. Lots of fat to be trimmed.
Strategically there is a possibility to trimmed down a lot. White Hall is a city of it's own and it is not Pine Bluff. There are 3 districts that could merge to help adapt to the shrinking the population.
We need to understand that school districts are not only made up of students in town but also students in the surrounding county. So, the population of the town isn't the only consideration, although it does make an impact on the individual schools when population is lost. Keep in mind that even if any districts are consolidated individual schools may not close.
I am not convinced yet that merging into one district really solves any problems other than it would cut down on administrative cost. I don't see it improving academics, school transfers or improving athletics but I am eager to at least listen. Of course with all 3 districts facing some tough financial decisions in the next few years cutting operating cost is music to the ears. My understanding white hall will not be part of any of this decision. DWay is in bad shape and could be facing closure all together. The "Northside" folks here will never willingly vote to consolidate.
Quote from: zebradynasty on June 13, 2018, 10:13:59 am
I am not convinced yet that merging into one district really solves any problems other than it would cut down on administrative cost. I don't see it improving academics, school transfers or improving athletics but I am eager to at least listen. Of course with all 3 districts facing some tough financial decisions in the next few years cutting operating cost is music to the ears. My understanding white hall will not be part of any of this decision. DWay is in bad shape and could be facing closure all together. The "Northside" folks here will never willingly vote to consolidate.
Is Pine Bluff High closer for the Dway students if Dway closed?
Just needing some clarification. I always thought Dollarway, PBHS and WC were three high schools in the same district, like Little Rock and Fort Smith.
Am I understanding this correctly, that there are three entirely separate school districts in that one town?
Quote from: Rayburn on June 13, 2018, 11:23:42 am
Just needing some clarification. I always thought Dollarway, PBHS and WC were three high schools in the same district, like Little Rock and Fort Smith.
Am I understanding this correctly, that there are three entirely separate school districts in that one town?
3 different
Quote from: Oldman on June 13, 2018, 10:40:41 am
Is Pine Bluff High closer for the Dway students if Dway closed?
PBHS is a little closer to DHS than WC.
Quote from: zebrafan on June 13, 2018, 01:33:02 pm
PBHS is a little closer to DHS than WC.
That is correct not enough to make a huge difference. When DWay took over the Altheimer school district they took on more area without much benefits. Not suggesting that's what caused the fall of Dway but it certainly did not help! The Altheimer, Tucker and Sherrill areas are a long way from WC and it's not that many students in that area anymore.
If PB, WC and DW all merge to form one high school, it'll solve a looming headache for the AAA. The new school would have 7A numbers and would likely bump one of the NWA schools. The same thing will happen when SWLR opens, so that will restore balance and keep the two FS schools together in the West.
Quote from: zebrafan on June 13, 2018, 01:33:02 pm
PBHS is a little closer to DHS than WC.
PBD is on the West side not far from WH and PBH. WC is out East of PBH on Hwy 79.
Quote from: zebrafan on June 13, 2018, 03:16:02 am
Between WH? And WC?
Misstype on my part. It would be between Pine Bluff and Watson Chapel.
Dollarway is still in $$$$ trouble? Sooner or later it will have to close.
Quote from: AHS06 on June 13, 2018, 08:23:13 am
White Hall has already made it public that they do not want anything to do this. Chapel would have to consume just about all of DW students to move up to 6A.
If the state board gets involved then White Hall may not have a choice but to be a part of it.
Isn't White Hall its own incorporated town? They can make some argument with that to stay independent. Also if they send a portion of PBD to WH they will have to reapportion tax dollars to support the WH school. I don't imagine PB will want that.
Quote from: footballfan-tastic on June 14, 2018, 10:59:21 am
Isn't White Hall its own incorporated town? They can make some argument with that to stay independent. Also if they send a portion of PBD to WH they will have to reapportion tax dollars to support the WH school. I don't imagine PB will want that.
It doesn't matter because the state board will have the final say. Unless a court blocks it, my guess is that the Dollarway District will be split up as evenly as possible between the other 3 districts.
It certainly does make a difference if WH has enough clout to make it work. All they need is a reasonable argument to block it in order to have a chance to keep PBD out. The state board is political and who has pull matters.
Quote from: Hoghead2 on June 14, 2018, 01:46:09 am
PBD is on the West side not far from WH and PBH. WC is out East of PBH on Hwy 79.
Yes, that is correct.
This proposal is just not doing it for me. The idea that you take 3 financially and academically distress school districts and combine them into 1...I don't see it making the 1 stronger. I really don't see White Hall in this. I don't think the state board will force consolidation on them when they are doing pretty decent. I agree something needs to be done to improve the educational system here not sure consolidation is the way. If it's a money issue we need to address it in another way. Same with academics.
On the Athletic side...with the right coaches it could dominate in at least 3-4 sports every year! The PB schools system doesn't have an athletic problem it has a academic problem.
Consolidation of the schools within PB could possibly help with the financial issues if they do an effective job of consolidating personnel. One superintendent and not a bunch of extra assts just to provide jobs for all the present staffs could save several hundred thousand dollars. Also the ability to make purchases for all schools would give them more economic buying power and allow larger bulk purchases of materials for a better price. Closing the PBD building and cutting the staff from PBD would also save an enormous amount of money, teachers, administrators, support staff and maintenance cuts would save big $$$. Although I'm sure some would be retained and moved to the new district, new building.
Quote from: zebradynasty on June 14, 2018, 01:53:19 pm
This proposal is just not doing it for me. The idea that you take 3 financially and academically distress school districts and combine them into 1...I don't see it making the 1 stronger. I really don't see White Hall in this. I don't think the state board will force consolidation on them when they are doing pretty decent. I agree something needs to be done to improve the educational system here not sure consolidation is the way. If it's a money issue we need to address it in another way. Same with academics.
On the Athletic side...with the right coaches it could dominate in at least 3-4 sports every year! The PB schools system doesn't have an athletic problem it has a academic problem.
WC is not in financial distress. They have other compliance issues but they are moving to correct those.
Quote from: GuvHog on June 20, 2018, 09:45:41 am
WC is not in financial distress. They have other compliance issues but they are moving to correct those.
Maybe not distressed YET but currently not able to make needed improvements in infrastructure. Declining population for the city equals declining tax base for all three school districts.
Quote from: zebradynasty on June 20, 2018, 02:51:26 pm
Maybe not distressed YET but currently not able to make needed improvements in infrastructure. Declining population for the city equals declining tax base for all three school districts.
Right now the only school districts with declining student enrollment in Jefferson County are Pine Bluff and Dollarway.
Quote from: GuvHog on June 21, 2018, 09:13:04 pm
Right now the only school districts with declining student enrollment in Jefferson County are Pine Bluff and Dollarway.
Pretty sure Watson Chapel is in Jefferson County.
Quote from: GuvHog on June 21, 2018, 09:13:04 pm
Right now the only school districts with declining student enrollment in Jefferson County are Pine Bluff and Dollarway.
Didn't watson chapel use to be 6A? In 2015 watson chapel had 724 students in 2017 682.
*Numbers rounded and taken from the AAA website.
Quote from: GuvHog on June 21, 2018, 09:13:04 pm
Right now the only school districts with declining student enrollment in Jefferson County are Pine Bluff and Dollarway.
Sigh
Quote from: zebradynasty on June 22, 2018, 01:05:38 am
Didn't watson chapel use to be 6A? In 2015 watson chapel had 724 students in 2017 682.
*Numbers rounded and taken from the AAA website.
Yes. They used to be 6A and are on a rapid pace to be in 4a.
Guv just types to type.
I don't know the specifics of this but, if the three districts are required by the state to merge, what I expect to see is not much change in the physical setup, only in the administration. All superintendents will be released as will all assistant superintendents. A central administrative facility will be procured where one superintendent and three assistant superintendents will have offices. Other administrative workers will move there and those in the current offices will be laid off or fired, keeping only what is necessary to administer immediate needs. Teachers will then be transferred as needed to one school or the other. Athletics will not change. Still will be Dollarway, Watson Chapel and Pine Bluff high. Lower level schools will remain the same. Just my take on this.
Quote from: zebradynasty on June 22, 2018, 01:05:38 am
Didn't watson chapel use to be 6A? In 2015 watson chapel had 724 students in 2017 682.
*Numbers rounded and taken from the AAA website.
They were never really a 6A school. One of the former Assistant Administrators falsified the enrollment numbers to make WC appear larger than it really was. When he was caught, he was terminated and WC moved back to 5A were they belonged all along.
Quote from: AirWarren on June 22, 2018, 07:50:00 am
Yes. They used to be 6A and are on a rapid pace to be in 4a.
Guv just types to type.
Wrong again. WC is among the larger 5A districts in the state. Of the 32 5A school districts, they are #14.
Quote from: GuvHog on June 23, 2018, 12:13:00 pm
They were never really a 6A school. One of the former Assistant Administrators falsified the enrollment numbers to make WC appear larger than it really was. When he was caught, he was terminated and WC moved back to 5A were they belonged all along.
Strange how no one but YOU has heard of that story! At any event since 2009 when watson chapel was 6A the enrollment has dropped.
Quote from: GuvHog on June 23, 2018, 12:14:37 pm
Wrong again. WC is among the larger 5A districts in the state. Of the 32 5A school districts, they are #14.
Funny how when we played y'all that year it was 6A Watson chapel.
I don't give a crap who fudged the numbers, you and your district were 6A. Don't care about the back story.
Don't act like Watson chapel is some beacon of light in Jefferson county. You'll be at the table of 4A schools soon enough. Unless you find another "enrollment fudger" to fix that.
Quote from: zebradynasty on June 22, 2018, 01:05:38 am
Didn't watson chapel use to be 6A? In 2015 watson chapel had 724 students in 2017 682.
*Numbers rounded and taken from the AAA website.
Lost 600 students in last 10 years per ADE
Quote from: HorseFeathers on June 24, 2018, 11:56:36 am
Lost 600 students in last 10 years per ADE
"Wrong again."
White Hall should not even part of this thread.
Unless some of those good Athletes want to move out to White Hall and play ball...... ;D
Quote from: zebradynasty on June 23, 2018, 04:49:54 pm
Strange how no one but YOU has heard of that story! At any event since 2009 when watson chapel was 6A the enrollment has dropped.
It helps to know former school board members. The enrollment didn't drop that much, it was never as high as it was reported during the 6A years. When it was discovered that the former assistant Administrator was falsifying the numbers, he was terminated and WC immediately dropped down to 5A. WC has lost some students but not close to 600. The Pine Bluff District has been losing students for years. That's why they had to close 2 Elementary schools and the 7th grade school.
Quote from: AirWarren on June 23, 2018, 07:50:28 pm
Funny how when we played y’all that year it was 6A Watson chapel.
I don’t give a crap who fudged the numbers, you and your district were 6A. Don’t care about the back story.
Don’t act like Watson chapel is some beacon of light in Jefferson county. You’ll be at the table of 4A schools soon enough. Unless you find another “enrollment fudger” to fix that.
I certainly wouldn't call them a "Beacon of Light". That's funny right there.
Quote from: GuvHog on June 30, 2018, 07:20:29 pm
It helps to know former school board members. The enrollment didn't drop that much, it was never as high as it was reported during the 6A years. When it was discovered that the former assistant Administrator was falsifying the numbers, he was terminated and WC immediately dropped down to 5A. WC has lost some students but not close to 600. The Pine Bluff District has been losing students for years. That's why they had to close 2 Elementary schools and the 7th grade school.
Oh you mean the school board members who told you Dustin Prescott was the next head football coach of the wildcats?
Quote from: GuvHog on June 30, 2018, 07:20:29 pm
It helps to know former school board members. The enrollment didn't drop that much, it was never as high as it was reported during the 6A years. When it was discovered that the former assistant Administrator was falsifying the numbers, he was terminated and WC immediately dropped down to 5A. WC has lost some students but not close to 600. The Pine Bluff District has been losing students for years. That's why they had to close 2 Elementary schools and the 7th grade school.
So this unnamed administrator lied about the enrollment for years. No one else from chapel caught this huge error even though enrollment numbers are public information. Pretty sure if someone knowingly falsify these numbers it's a criminal offense since school funding is based on them. Basically, the watson chapel school district committed fraud! No criminal charges, No sanctions from AAA...not one word in the local paper about any of this other than your word. ::)
Does Chapel still get of school for deer day and PB doesn't? That was a fun debate a few years ago.
Quote from: zebradynasty on July 02, 2018, 11:10:38 pm
So this unnamed administrator lied about the enrollment for years. No one else from chapel caught this huge error even though enrollment numbers are public information. Pretty sure if someone knowingly falsify these numbers it's a criminal offense since school funding is based on them. Basically, the watson chapel school district committed fraud! No criminal charges, No sanctions from AAA...not one word in the local paper about any of this other than your word. ::)
From stories I hear a lot of schools falsify their numbers but many do it for lower enrollment numbers in the high school so they can stay in a lower athletic classification.
If they do that, they lose lots of money
that's what I thought but they claim there is a loophole in the system. Maybe somebody knows what that is?
The state has taken over Pine Bluff School District. I really hate that for any community but the kids in the district deserve better.
Quote from: AirWarren on June 08, 2018, 05:58:59 pm
Just talk. Nothing in concrete.
But with a population of 55k in 2000 now at 43000....the once great city of PB is drying up.
its never been a great city. has been full of violent crime forever
Quote from: AHS06 on September 14, 2018, 09:51:07 am
The state has taken over Pine Bluff School District. I really hate that for any community but the kids in the district deserve better.
The problem is/was the school board so hopefully this will be began to solve the problems.
Quote from: NEASPORTSFAN on September 14, 2018, 11:44:22 am
its never been a great city. has been full of violent crime forever
Pine Bluff gets a bad rap but the main reason it's declining is no jobs.
I have never felt unsafe in Pine Bluff and there are parts of NLR that are far more dodgy.
Kind of rough reading all this. Grew up in Pine Bluff (near Central Park & Gabe Meyer school). Graduated high school from White Hall in 1984. I am currently in northeast Arkansas.
So, let me get my bearings straight:
Pine Buff High is somewhat centrally located in Pine Bluff.
Watson Chapel High is located in southwest Pine Bluff, although it was separated from central Pine Bluff by railroad tracks and a wooded region.
Dollarway High is in northwest Pine Bluff, and was separated from central Pine Bluff by undeveloped area & Hestand Stadium (rodeo arena).
White Hall is also northwest of Pine Bluff/Dollarway, and is separated from Dollarway by an industrial park. White Hall was it's own incorporated city, and a 30 minute drive from central Pine Bluff.
Sadly, Dollarway has had troubles since the 1980's. It seems the current thought on dealing with Dollarway is to simply eliminate it.
Quote from: friscokid on September 15, 2018, 03:24:43 am
Pine Bluff gets a bad rap but the main reason it's declining is no jobs.
I have never felt unsafe in Pine Bluff and there are parts of NLR that are far more dodgy.
Bingo!