By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
The Forrest City School district is well on its way to complying with a new state law, which requires schools to come up with programs to increase parental involvement.
Each district is required to have a district-wide coordinator, plus a facilitator in each school. Allison Fogg is the district coordinator.
"It's Act 603 of 2003, and it requires all public schools to create a parental involvement plan," said Fogg.
The district was to have submitted its plan to the state Department of Education by Sept. 1, and that has been done.
Fogg said parental involvement is important.
"Studies now show that when parents are involved in their children's education, the children perform better in school."
There is a facilitator who is a certified teacher in every school building. There is also a parent representative in every building.
Activities are being planned.
"They'll set up workshops within their buildings," said Fogg. "We've sent a survey home to kind of find out more of what parents need to help them get involved. We're going to help them understand more about benchmark testing and grading.
"One of our goals is to encourage communication between home and school. Another is to support sound parenting practices," she continued.
She said each school building will have a Parent Center in the library, "so parents can feel free to come in and check out books and materials."
Efforts to help parents help their students include workshops on the way math is taught in the schools, so parents can get a better understanding of what is being taught and how they can assist their kids.
"There will be meetings, called 'Parents Make the Difference' and they are going to be held in the evenings," said Fogg. "And we'll welcome parents, family members and community leaders into the school."
Parents will be encouraged to volunteer, and existing volunteer programs, like Rolling Readers, will be supported.
Fogg also emphasized that creating a learning environment at home is as important as volunteering at the school.
"It's more than just coming in and showing your face," she said. "We know that a lot of parents have to work. It's not just coming to the school. When a student comes to school clean and fed and ready to learn, that's important. Just helping at home -- that's parental involvement, too."
Forrest City Superintendent Lee Vent laughed when asked if it was necessary to pass a law to increase parental involvement. Some have said it isn't necessary.
"That's the way we felt about it, too, initially," he said. "But we're going to take the legislation and make something positive out of it. Because there is a strong correlation between parental involvement and success in school. Research has shown that when parents are actively involved, grades improve almost two-fold."
The certified facilitators in each school building are as follows: Caldwell, Melinda Downey; Central, Alicia Kelly; Forrest Hills, Paige Laws; Madison, Ennie Hardrick; Stewart, Vicki Smith; Lincoln Middle, Kris Renigar; Junior High, Chaney Murray; and High School, Don Williams.
Contact may also be made with the parent representatives though
the schools.
Crime victims in St. Francis County and surrounding counties received some compensation from the Arkansas Crime Victims Reparations Board in August.
According to a press release from Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe, the board awarded $262,929.90 in reparations to 175 crime victims in 47 of Arkansas' 75 counties during August. "The Crime Victims Reparations Board provides help to ease the suffering of victims of violent crime and enable them to begin to rebuild their lives," said Beebe in the release. "We cannot slip into complacency when we hear or read about another crime victim."
St. Francis County had two victims apply and one was awarded reparations in the amount of $1,284.37. Other area counties that received reparations included Crittenden with three victims applying, but four victims awarded $13,356.55 in reparations. Cross received $5,000 for one victim and Phillips received $698.09 for one victim.
The Attorney General's office provides the staff to administer the Crime Victims program under the direction of the Crime Victims Reparations Board. The goal of the program is to provide compensation for victims' unexpected expenses, such as medical treatment, mental-health counseling, rehabilitation, lost wages, replacement services and funeral expenses.
According to the release, $10,000 is usually the maximum award.
By ALAN SMITH
T-H Staff Writer
The St. Francis County Museum Board met for the first time since May this week to review several topics ranging from the resignation of a board member to events scheduled for December. The board had taken a break from meetings for the summer.
Chairperson Rush Beavers began the meeting by updating members on the progress of a United States Highway Department grant. The grant will be used to make structural improvements on the museum's building. "We are finally moving on the grant. We are waiting on one release that should come in the next week. After that, we will have to take bids on the project. After that we can get started."
Museum Director Laura Mazzanti updated the board on dates for fundraisers. In May, the board decided that the annual fundraiser should be held in the fall.
Mazzanti told the members of two dates. "The (First United) Methodist Church is available on Nov. 8 and Nov. 15 for us to use. They have a large cooking area, and of course, we share the parking lot with them. We had talked about serving hamburgers, and the kitchen is large enough for us to cook there. I spoke to them and they penciled us in for both dates just in case. Do we want to pick a date, or do we want to talk about it more?" The board decided to table the issue until the next meeting before choosing a date.
Mazzanti also reminded the board of the Arkansas Delta Byways Banquet. "The banquet will be held on Friday, Oct. 3, at the Forrest City Civic Center. We are expecting about 150 Byways officials to attend that night. I encourage everyone on the board to attend.
"I also want to tell you what the Forrest City Advertising and Promotions Commission is doing for us with the event," added Mazzanti. "I asked for around $600 for door prizes and giveaway items for the officials. After some discussion, they are giving us $1,500 for the event. They really want to make a good showing at the event."
Beavers announced that Craig Jones, a board member for 10 years, would be resigning. Jones stated that he wants to spend more time with his family and will be available to the board to help with things like fundraisers. Jones was replaced on the board by Rush Harris.
In other updates, Mazzanti stated that the Haunted Halloween tours will be held on only one night this year, on Thursday, Oct. 30. She also told the members that the Angel Tree will begin on the first Monday after Thanksgiving and that the YAC (Youth Advisory Council) would be decorating the museum this year.
"I was thinking about a Teddy Bear Tea Party in December," said Mazzanti. "We would decorate the house with Teddy Bears and invite children to bring their favorite stuffed animals one day and have refreshments. Also, the St. Francis County Community Foundation is holding its open house in December, and I thought that it would be neat to have the bears around for their event."
Before adjourning, the election of new officers was tabled
until next meeting. Mazzanti was asked to call each member before
the October meeting to find out who is willing to serve as an
officer.
Two women were arrested Wednesday night on drug charges after police executed a search warrant at their Day Street residence.
According to a report from the Forrest City Police Department, Vakita Harris, 25, and her mother, Linda Humphrey, 45, were arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance after police found them each in possession of a small bag of marijuana. Humphrey was also served with a failure to appear warrant out of St. Francis County District Court.
Police reported the search warrant was executed based on an illegal drug sale investigation that was being conducted at that residence. Evidence of drug packaging was found inside the house, police said.
A driver who told police she had been using drugs was arrested Wednesday morning inside a local hospital after fleeing from an accident scene.
The Forrest City Police Department reported an off-duty state trooper witnessed a 1992 Chevrolet S-10, driven by Edith Darlene White, 37, 323 SFC 405, Forrest City, back into a parked vehicle on the parking lot at East Arkansas Community College about 8 a.m. The trooper identified himself to the driver and told her to stop, but she fled the scene and drove to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Forrest City where she ran inside the building.
According to information regarding White's arrest, she told police she had been using drugs, she refused to listen to her rights, tore papers off a wall in the hospital and ran from police again before being charged. She is charged with careless or prohibited driving, leaving the scene of an accident, fleeing and driving while intoxicated-drugs.
A revised schedule has been issued for the Caldwell Cotton Pickin' Festival, to be held Sept. 26 and 27.
The schedule is as follows:
Events on Friday, Sept, 26, include: Music, Chili Supper, Arts and Crafts, Silent Auction and Kid's Games from 6-9 p.m. Cotton Pickin' King and Queen contest at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 27 events include: Volleyball at 9 a.m., Pet Show at 10 a.m., Cotton Pickin' Contest at 11: a.m., Bingo at 1 p.m., Tacky Contest at 5 p.m., Naval Band of Mid South at 6 p.m., Elvis at 7 p.m. and Direct Connection at 8 p.m.
Kids' Games will be from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and the Greased Pig Contest will be at 2 p.m. There will also be music from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Silent Auction, Cake Walk and Antique Auto Show will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To register for the auto show contact Donald Blankenship at 633-5195.