February BOE Meeting
The Board of Education held its monthly meeting on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Below is a summary of key business items, updates, and discussions. For the complete agenda and supporting documents, visit the Paperless Board Meeting link.
Key Business Items
2025-2026 Academic Calendar: The Board approved the 2026-2027 Academic Calendar as presented. The first day of school for the 2026-2027 school year will be Tuesday, August 25, 2026, and the last day of school will be Wednesday, May 26, 2027. The 2026-2027 Academic Calendar can be viewed on the district website.
2026-2027 Salary Schedules - Additions: The Board approved the creation of the PAT Educator and LAUNCH/ISS classified columns, which continue to align salaries through a systematic approach that supports long-term financial planning for the district while providing staff members with clearly defined salary steps for personal financial planning purposes.
Key Updates
High School Updates: Mr. Petet provided the Board with an update on planning for the 2026–2027 school year, along with information on expanding dual credit offerings for current juniors and seniors.
He reported that the high school is planning to expand its ELA offerings next year to include ACT Prep classes, with an emphasis on sophomores and juniors. The course design will require students to register for and take the ACT as the concluding component of the semester-long class. Implementing this course, along with the test-taking expectations, will engage students earlier in the college-preparation process and help them improve their overall ACT scores. Increased performance will better position students when applying to colleges and universities, as well as for potential grants and scholarships.
The second update concerned expanding dual credit offerings at the high school. With the expansion of these opportunities, we have seen a 15% increase in student participation and a significant 39% increase in the number of courses taken. This equates to a 37% increase in the number of college credits earned. This program helps students get a head start on their college education. It allows families to save approximately 71% per credit hour on required general education courses for incoming first-year college or university students.
Spring 2026 Bond (Ag Learning Lab) Update: Dr. Stephenson provided the Board with an update regarding the approved ballot language for the April 7, 2026, election for the proposed construction of an Agricultural Learning Lab. The district continues to work with Incite Design on preliminary plans to stay on track for a fall 2026 construction start date, pending voter approval.
Discussions remain ongoing regarding site location and necessary infrastructure adjustments, as well as engagement with staff and community members about the long-term workforce development and community benefits the facility would provide. Informational materials will be shared with the public over the coming weeks to outline further the project scope and its impact on student learning opportunities.
Ray County School Drug Awareness & Prevention Program Funding: Dr. Stephenson informed the Board that on February 4, he met with Ray County officials and neighboring superintendents to discuss a potential partnership through the County’s Opioid Settlement Fund.
The conversation focused on developing a School Drug Awareness and Prevention Program supported by county grant funding. Since that meeting, initial discussions have taken place with local law enforcement, and the administrative team is exploring how the program could enhance existing prevention efforts within our schools. Further discussion is scheduled for the March 4 Commissioner meeting. Current proposals include a potential $20,000 Year 1 grant to support implementation, with the possibility of similar funding in Year 2.
Superintendent Update: Dr. Stephenson provided the Board with an update on other district-related topics. Full details are available via the Paperless Board Meeting link.
March Meeting Date - The next BOE meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 6pm in the SW Commons.
Closed Session Announcements:
Resignation effective at the end of the 2025-206 Academic Year:
• Ms. Hannah Yarc – HS English
• Mrs. Jessica Moore – Evening Public Library Aide
New Hires for the 2026-2027 Academic Year:
• Ms. Morgan Watkins – Ag Education
• Mrs. Lisa Rhodes – Part-Time HS ELA
• Mrs. Cassidy Pearon – 5th Grade Science