By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A legislative committee has discussed several recommendations which could have a direct impact on the state's two-year colleges, East Arkansas Community College among them.
"I have not seen all their recommendations in their final form, but there were many things discussed yesterday" in Little Rock, according to Dr. Coy Grace, president of EACC.
The Two-Year College and Technical Institute Study Committee was formed by the Legislature in 2003 to consider ways of improving two-year colleges.
According to Grace, one of the recommendations will be for more scholarship money to help non-traditional students.
"In the last legislative session, Sen. Shane Broadway's (D-Bryant) bill was passed giving $500,000 for non-traditional scholarships and those funds were distributed to all the colleges to assist the needs of non-traditional students," said Grace. "What we found was that it was only the tip of the iceberg, of what was needed to assist non-traditional students, because we have so many."
A non-traditional student can be described in several ways, Grace said.
"Age is a factor, but it could also be a person who is working while going to school, or a single parent, or a student who is above the age of, say, 25," he said. "And my guess is that Sen. Broadway will have some legislation to improve the amount of scholarship funds available in that area. I hope somebody does."
Broadway is a member of the committee.
Along with increasing those scholarship funds, there were some other recommendations, including:
*Increased funding to schools with economic development projects and creating links between the schools and other parts of the state's public education system.
*Creation of a common system of identifying courses, allowing students to more easily transfer and retain credit.
*Increased funding for schools that have growing enrollment or that respond to the labor needs of the surrounding business community.
"Now, these recommendations are simply that -- recommendations," Grace said. "The committee has no power except to recommend. It is simply a study committee. Whether or not there will be any action take, of course, will depend upon the Legislature and what their feelings are."
In an article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, State Rep. Robert White (D-Camden), also a committee member, said he hoped to increase the role played by two-year schools in meeting Arkansas' need for skilled job positions, including those in nursing and high-tech. He said lack of funds in the past has kept two-year schools from meeting the needs of the labor market, even if they know the jobs exist.
"We could lose jobs when we are not able to provide those industries with what they want," White was quoted as saying. "With the competitiveness now, if we're not able to provide it, then somebody else will. A lot of times, they go to other states."
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
With the start of school only a week away for students in each of the county's three school districts, some of the plans for the 2004-2005 school year include open houses for parents.
Parents in the Forrest City School District will have an opportunity on Wednesday to meet and talk with teachers and administrators during a district-wide open house from 4 to 6 p.m.
On Tuesday, Aug. 17, the Palestine-Wheatley School District is opening the doors to all three of the district's schools from 4 to 6 p.m. to give parents an opportunity to view the facilities and meet with teachers and administrators.
The Hughes School District will hold parent/teacher visitation on Wednesday, Aug. 18, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"Our students will be back in on the 19th, and we're just going to hold parent-teacher visitation on Wednesday to give parents an opportunity to meet with any of their children's teachers that they haven't already met. Many of our parents toured the facilities during registration," HSD Superintendent Dr. Randy Crowder said.
The newly-implemented parent orientation meetings in the FCSD, which began last week, were back in session beginning this morning at each district campus. The meetings are being held at all schools and will continue daily through Wednesday Aug. 18. Sessions will be held at 10 a.m. and at 2 p.m., Friday through Tuesday, with Wednesday sessions being held at 4, 5 and 6 p.m. For more information, call 633-1485 or any school. Each session lasts approximately 15 minutes and covers changes in the law that require more parent involvement.
The first parent orientation sessions held last week at Forrest City Junior High School drew more than 2,000 participants.
While most students will begin classes in the FCSD on Aug. 19, kindergarten and pre-school students will have their first full day of school one week later, on Aug. 26.
The Early Prevention test, which will be given to all kindergarten and preschool students will be given beginning on Aug. 19, at the school the child has been assigned to attend. The purpose of the test is to help teachers get to know the children early.
A Forrest City man was scheduled to be arraigned in St. Francis County District Court this afternoon on drug charges stemming from his arrest Friday after police searched his home.
Jason Boyd, 25, 218 Oak St., was arrested Aug. 6 on charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver near certain facilities and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to a press release prepared Wednesday by the Forrest City Police Department.
FCPD officers executed the search warrant at Boyd's home where they found a gun, several items of drug paraphernalia and about six ounces of marijuana, according to the report.
The FCPD reported Boyd's home is located within 1,000 feet of several churches. Churches are considered certain facilities, according to Arkansas drug laws, and adds a 10-year enhancement to the penalty.
The Workforce Investment Board of Eastern Arkansas was recently awarded a $760,457 grant through the U.S. Department of Labor to assist over 284 individuals who were laid off from Poly One in Wynne and RBX in Colt due to plant closings.
"It is imperative that individuals affected by the layoffs contact or visit the Arkansas Workforce Center in Wynne so they can receive the services they need," said Leigh Ann Frazier, Title One Program Director. "We really encourage the individuals to begin preparing now, to assure their skills are where they should be for current and future jobs."
Services offered through this program include resume writing, computer-based training, GED preparation, job placement, Internet job search and others, according to Frazier. Laid off workers may also participate in retraining activities such as customized training and on-the-job training. They may also choose to attend a local community college or technical institution for occupation skills training.
In addition, individuals may participate in instructor-lead workshops and computer-delivered instruction for improving life skills, work ethics, supervisory skills, business knowledge, team-building skills, financial management and customer contact skills, according to Frazier.
"It is also important to note that services are always available to other dislocated workers at any of the Workforce Centers in Eastern Arkansas," Frazier said. "The Arkansas Workforce Center is an equal opportunity employer program, and auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities," she added.
Individuals affected by these layoffs should contact Mary Jeffries or Pamela Lindsay, Wynne Workforce Center representatives at 870-238-3117 or visit the center located at 1792 North Falls, Suite 5.