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Stephens...

Started by HorseFeathers, February 02, 2014, 03:58:26 pm

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HorseFeathers

Anybody on here familiar with the situation down there? They've been under 350 students for 3 years now, and the only thing I've found online is that they've got until March 1st to submit a consolidation proposal to the ADE....And Stephens school board is putting it off as long as they can.

Back in October, they approached Nevada Co...and Nevada Co basically told them, that we'll close your school if you consolidated/annex with us. link

Just looks like another 1A school will be closing it's doors for the last time at the end of this year...as the State is pushing to break up the district between Nevada Co, Magnolia and Camden Fairview....

Oldref

Will be sad to see them go. I can remember when Stamps, Stephens and Waldo were always in the state championship conversation. Where did Stamps and Waldo end up?

HorseFeathers

Quote from: Oldref on February 02, 2014, 04:15:09 pm
Will be sad to see them go. I can remember when Stamps, Stephens and Waldo were always in the state championship conversation. Where did Stamps and Waldo end up?

Stamps consolidated with Lewisville to form Lafayette County...Believe Waldo went to Magnolia...

bleudog


HorseFeathers


bleudog

Here's a follow up to that article that ran in the Sunday News 01/19/14:

Stephens' consolidation dilemma

Questions arise after unofficial proposal

By: PATRIC FLANNIGAN - El Dorado News-Times

STEPHENS — Allen P. Roberts, an attorney in Camden, has confirmed that a reported proposal to the Stephens School District, which was recently reported by an area news website, was actually a "statement of agreement."

After rumors started of the proposal, the Sunday News reached out to several sources to try and get the details of how the Camden Fairview, Magnolia, and Nevada school districts might possibly absorb the Stephens  district.

To summarize, a major part of the supposed proposal stated that all three districts agreed to accept the Stephens students that resided in their individual counties in the event that Stephens had to consolidate. This would mean Camden Fairview would agree to enroll the Stephens students that reside in Ouachita County, Magnolia would do the same for Columbia County residents, and so would Nevada for Nevada County residents.

Patsy Hughey, Stephens superintendent, said that she had not been presented with a proposal but was aware of the talk that there was one.

"As of now I haven't received any official proposal," Hughey said. "We know the deadline is looming, but our kids and staff have been working hard. We can only deal with the things that are in our control. So right now, our number one priority is making our students productive citizens no matter where they may have to go."

Stephens was given a March 1 deadline to find a consolidation partner voluntarily before the Arkansas State Board of Education designates where the students and faculty would have to go. The ADE is closing the district at the end of this school year for failing to maintain the minimum enrollment required by Act 60 of 2003 for a third consecutive year.

Erma Brown, Stephens school board president, said that there was a "proposal" that was presented to her but there was too much evidence suggesting that it was not authentic.

"There was no letter head, no signatures," Brown said. "It was hand delivered to my house on Christmas Eve by Pat Ward."

Ward is a former superintendent for the McNeil School District and former director of South Central Co-op. Hughey described Ward as "a pillar for the McNeil community."

In an "emotional" Stephens board meeting in September, Ward stated that she was the one who had started a petition to withdraw the McNeil students from the Stephens district.

McNeil had to consolidate with Stephens in 2004 because of Act 60. Residents from there and Stephens have had different opinions as to what the district should do.

"She has been keeping up trouble," Brown said about Ward. "She claimed the proposal came from the Department of Education. I told her that I was not going to present a proposal that was not authentic to the board. I am not her messenger."

Brown also agreed to fax what Ward told her was a proposal to the Sunday News.

"We have no hidden agendas here," Brown said. "We want what is best for our kids, but we were not going to entertain something that wasn't official."

Robert Davis, Camden Fairview superintendent, was out of his office Friday afternoon and could not be reached for comment before press time. The Sunday News also reached out to Nevada County superintendent Rick McAfee, who was also unavailable. A representative of Nevada County who did not wish to provide his name said that he was aware of a "proposal" that included the four schools but that "Attorney Roberts would know more about it".

"I hesitate to say it's a proposal," Roberts said with slight laughter when reached by phone on Friday. "What it was, was an agreement between the three schools, as to what they would accept in the event that the Stephens district had to close. It's not really a proposal, it's an agreement. All of the districts involved know that Stephens wants to keep their facilities open, but none of the districts are willing to do that."

Roberts also added that he had a good idea as to what the state would do to the Stephens district if they did not meet voluntary consolidation deadline.

"The division the state would pursue is pretty obvious," Roberts said. "It's not set in stone, but I believe they are going to divide the students up by county lines and send the students to the school that is nearest to where they live."



Oldref

I am not real familiar with how all those districts connect but I did look on mapquest to get some idea on it. I read  the attached article and it appears the district has no choice but to be completely split up.  Anyway....... it is sad to see them go.......just like Weiner, Black Rock, and lots of others.

HorseFeathers

You'll have to download it and zoom in on it to see it...but here ya go....http://img.docstoccdn.com/thumb/orig/25256673.png

Oldref

Thanks HF.....that is a really good map of all the districts. Some eye opening information on how just how much area some districts cover and they are still in the smallest classification. Not many kids per square mile in lots of districts.

bleudog

EDNT reprint of the ADG article about the ADE's decision:  CLICK HERE

HorseFeathers

Quote from: bleudog on April 12, 2014, 07:59:41 pm
EDNT reprint of the ADG article about the ADE's decision:  CLICK HERE

Sucks for the community...but probably better in the long run for the kids...

BoxNOne

Lots of history in that Stephens basketball program. That '98 team along with the 2011 EPC team are the two best 2A teams I have seen (Stephens was class A then but same as 2A now). That '98 team was undefeated and part of a 60+ game winning streak.

Oldref

B&1 I agree Stephens was always in the hunt for another state title for as long as I can remember. I was told back during the season they were going to allow the current students to go to whatever district they chose and a lot of the best athletes were planning to go to Nevada. Nevada needs as many as they can get and I expect they will benefit the most from getting some new students. Probably will be a tough team in class A in the coming years if that happens both Boys and Girls.

BoxNOne

This arbitrary number of 350 for consolidation has been a disaster for small communities across Arkansas IMO. I think that each district that is financially stable and whose test scores remain good should be able to remain open. Not sure if Stephens was in good shape but Weiner and Black Rock were. This is a terrible law that has hurt a lot of small towns.

HorseFeathers

Quote from: BoxNOne on April 15, 2014, 08:38:18 am
This arbitrary number of 350 for consolidation has been a disaster for small communities across Arkansas IMO. I think that each district that is financially stable and whose test scores remain good should be able to remain open. Not sure if Stephens was in good shape but Weiner and Black Rock were. This is a terrible law that has hurt a lot of small towns.

Stephens is around the Academically distressed line to i believe...seems like the article i read said all of the districts involved in the consolidation were doing poorly in the Academics department.

BoxNOne

Then the Stephens situation is different than Weiner,Black Rock and many other forced consolidations.They were closed due to some arbitrary number thought up by politicians.

HorseFeathers

Yea....weiner was doing fine academically and financially weren't they?

bleudog

Court denies injunction request:  CLICK HERE

bleudog

Judge to hear another motion:  CLICK HERE

hogman

They could join Taylor school district. Every small district around there does.

bleudog

Judge rules on most recent motion:  CLICK HERE

bleudog

EDNT article on recent board meeting:  CLICK HERE

Fox 16 Arkansas Fox 24 Arkansas