School board honors winning Russellville teams
The Russellville school board recognizes Russellville’s Rocketry Team for its win in Washington, D.C.
by Bart Moss for the FCT
The Russellville Board of Education room was packed last Tuesday afternoon as Superintendent Rex Mayfield and members of the board celebrated a very successful month of May.
First to be recognized were the student accomplishments. Max Moussad was recognized by the Duke University Talent Identification Program. Moussad earned this recognition by making a 22 on the ACT as a 7th grader, which is higher than the state average for all students.
Niles Butts was recognized as the state winner of the National History Bee. Butts qualified to attend the National Bee in Washington, D.C.
The Russellville Rocketry Team was recognized for winning the Team America Rocketry Challenge National Championship in Washington, D.C.
After the academic recognitions Mayfield recognized the school’s recent athletic success. First recognized was the RHS golf team, which won the 5A state golf championship. Team members included Eli Hodges, Joshua Seal, Blake Bendall, Luke Bendall, Cameron DeArman, Triston Tubb, Jaceton Murray, Christian Foster, Jackson Cabaniss, Carson Reeves, Brayden Bendall and Hunter Fuller.
Finally, the RHS baseball team was recognized for winning the 5A state baseball championship. Team members included Judd Ward, Reed Smith, Colin Garrison, Landon Oliver, Landon Ezzell, John Pierce, Austin Kitterman, Andrew Guinn, Skyler Stephens, Rudy Fernandez, Cody Greenhill, Russ Carpenter, Tom Barkley Scott, Chad Wray, Austin Bohannon, Bailey Thompson and Jacob Green.
“We are really proud of our schools’ accomplishments and these students,” said Mayfield. “This shows what hard work and dedication to a goal can do.”
There will be a formal reception for these students and teams open to the community on June 7. More details will be announced later.
In other school board business, Jerry Groce was elected to be the new board president. Greg Trapp was elected vice-president.
The following were some of the personnel matters handled at the meeting:
- Resignations were accepted for Mary Elizabeth Peters, speech teacher at WES, effective May 22 and Jimmy Rea, special education teacher at RHS, effective Dec. 31.
- Resignation was accepted for Jimmy Rea in his roles as varsity and junior varsity boys tennis coach effective July 31 and as assistant football coach effective Dec. 31.
- Resignation was accepted for Justin Chandler, middle school girls basketball coach.
- 19 employees in certified positions were tenured.
- 11 employees in non-certified positions were tenured.
- 30 employees in certified positions were re-employed.
- 28 employees in non-certified positions were re-employed.
- Two employees – one in a certified position and one in a non-certified position – were not renewed.
- Three employees were transferred: Jean Ann Gault, from third grade to fourth grade at RES; Kelley Reid, from third grade to fourth grade at RES; and Whitney Hodge, from fifth grade to fourth grade at RES.
- The following will be employed in the following positions for 2015-2016: Cheri Wallace, WES secretary; Angela Crittenden, majorette sponsor; and Roxanne Bowles, dance line sponsor.
- Volunteer coach for volleyball 2015 will be Tori Bradley.
The next board meeting will be held June 4 at 4 p.m. The work session will be June 3 at 4:30 p.m.
Current board president Greg Batchelor closed the meeting with kind words for Mayfield, who will end his time as superintendent at the end of the month.
“Mr. Mayfield has done a great job as superintendent and in all the other jobs he has had in the Russellville school system,” said Batchelor. “He is the biggest Golden Tiger of them all. He will be missed.
“We will continue to call on him,” Batchelor added, and then he joked, “He just won’t be getting paid.”
