Woodall Receives ASBA Master Board Member Recognition
The regular monthly meeting of the Waldron School Board was held in the Central Office Building Monday, April 14, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Board members present were Clay Woodall, Angela Hunsucker, Stan Cottrell and Konnor McKay. Board member Mac Davis was not present. Others present were Superintendent Daniel Fielding, Misty Owens, Kim Solomon, Kristi Sigman, Cheyenne Smith, Zack Taylor, Darla Jeffery, Chris Lipham, Toni Dozier, Tonya Cluck, Josh Atchley, Chelsea Ridenhour, Brittany Maine and Keith Brigance.
President Clay Woodall called the meeting to order at 6:29 p.m. and welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Konnor McKay began the meeting with a word of prayer.
Angela Hunsucker led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Waldron High School FFA/Agri Department gave a presentation to the board and invited everyone to their annual banquet on May 1st at 5:30.
A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Konnor McKay to approve the Consent Agenda items: A) Approval of the March 10th Minutes; B) Approve Financial Reports and Expenditures. Motion carried 3-1.
A motion was made by Konnor McKay and seconded by Angela Hunsucker to approve the audit report. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Konnor McKay and seconded by Angela Hunsucker to approve the rescinding of charter for Adventure Online Academy. Motion carried 3-1.
A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Konnor McKay to approve the Resolution to allow Scott County Election Commission to conduct the annual election. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Konnor McKay to approve the Maintenance Salary Schedule for 2025-26 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
The principals reported on what has been happening on their campuses. They each informed the board about testing that is will be underway in each building. Mrs. Solomon also informed the board that there will be an egg hunt this Thursday for ABC and Field Day on May 1st. ABC Graduation is also coming up. Mrs. Jeffery took her time expressing gratitude to the board, Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for all their support this past week during the chaos that the storms left. The Elementary School will be having Track and Field Day coming up. Mr. Taylor also wanted to give a huge shout out to staff, First Church of the Nazarene and First Baptist Church, and High School Principal Josh Atchley for all their help this week with giving the kids a safe place to go so that they could continue their education. CAP Conferences went well for 8th graders, there was an Art Walk that had great feedback. Jr. High Choir competed at Regionals with excellent superior ratings. Mr. Atchley commented on several activities that have taken place, some of which included; Draft Day at Peak Center, Junior’s ACT, Jr. Day at UARM, and CAP Conferences. He expressed that prom went great and gave Crystal Lipham and her prom decorating crew a huge thank you for the hours spent decorating. Blake Bingham was awarded All-State Band. Mr. Allen’s construction class attending a building expo where they expanded their knowledge of construction. Assistance Superintendent Chris Lipham let the board members know that Waldron will be hosting Sr. High District Track Meet on April 28th. Jr. High District will be April 21st in Clarksville. Softball and Baseball District will begin May 1st. 17 student athlete’s committed to the pathway to participate in college athletics. Nathan Canada placed 5th overall for boy’s high school division in Archery, making it to Nationals and receiving a $500.00 scholarship. National’s will be held in Salt Lake City on April 25th and 26th. Assistant Superintendent Chris Lipham also informed the board that the Transportation Department is down 2 route drivers and a mechanic as of now.
Superintendent Fielding spoke about the damage at the Elementary and Middle School that resulted from the storms on April 5th. Middle School students will most likely not be back in their building until Monday, April 21st. Mr. Fielding also credited Keith Brigance for his quick response in getting the students and himself to safety during the bus fire. Plans for an open house at the Harrison House are still in progress. Superintendent Fielding presented Clay Woodall an award for ASBA Master Board Member.
A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Konnor McKay to accept the resignation of Nancy Lynch from Food Service as of March 31, 2025. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Konnor McKay and seconded by Angela Hunsucker to accept the resignations of Michael Wilmott as Bus Driver and Bus Mechanic as of the end of the 2024/25 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Konnor McKay to transfer Lacey Rogers to MS Secretary as of April 1, 2025. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Konnor McKay to transfer Nathan Underwood to Maintenance Foreman as of the 2025/26 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Konnor McKay and seconded by Angela Hunsucker to transfer Scott Thompson to Level III Maintenance and retain his current status as lead custodian as of the 2025/26 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Angela Hunsucker and seconded by Konnor McKay to transfer Erica Richardson to Assistant Elementary Principal as of the 2025/26 SY. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Konnor McKay and seconded by Angela Hunsucker to re-hire the certified teacher from the re-hire lists attached. Motion carried 4-0.
A motion was made by Konnor McKay and seconded by Angela Hunsucker to adjourn. Motion carried 4-0.
Meeting adjourned at 7:36 p.m.
Young guns post another increase in Arkansas youth turkey harvest
By Randy Zellers
Hunters aged 6 to 15 enjoyed one of the best Arkansas youth turkey hunts over the weekend, checking 1,443 gobblers, an increase of 22 percent over last year’s youth turkey hunt results.
AGFC Turkey Program Coordinator David Moscicki said the increase in harvest was most likely due to phenomenal weather and several years of good hatches.
“As turkey season has neared, I have had a lot of discussion about turkey populations and regulations,” Moscicki said. “The numbers don’t lie: Harvest is steadily increasing and parts of Arkansas have seen several years of above-average hatches. This has led to many folks seeing more birds on the landscape.”
Moscicki said that although youths may take one immature gobbler (called a jake) as part of their overall two-bird seasonal limit, only 317 of the 1,443 gobblers taken during the youth hunt were jakes.
“It’s about 22 percent of the youth hunt harvest, which is up 2 percent from last year’s youth hunt,” Moscicki said. “I suspect the juvenile harvest will remain around the 5 percent level of total harvest after the end of regular season, and that is where it’s hovered since 2011.”
Moscicki says gobbling activity was excellent during the youth hunt and should be great going into the regular season starting April 21, even though it falls a week later than last year’s dates due to a phenomenon known as calendar creep.
“Most hunters are likely aware that this year’s start is a little later than last year’s,” Moscicki said. “The regular season opener is set for the third Monday in April, and the youth hunt is the Saturday and Sunday a week ahead of that. The way the calendar days fell, last year happened to be the earliest season possible for that framework, and this year is the latest possible. Hunters will begin to see the opening shift earlier a day at a time as calendars line up for the next few years.”
Moscicki said peak nest initiation estimates from brood survey collections still support a peak nest initiation date of April 19, so hunters will still see good gobbling activity. The current season structure does an excellent job of straddling the line between providing turkeys enough time to gobble, breed and nest before the bulk of hunting disturbance and offering a good hunting experience for those who pursue the birds.
“When we see more birds on the landscape, we always hear from hunters who want to hunt earlier, but I am always cautious and remind people that turkeys are a boom-and-bust species,” Moscicki said. “There will be years that hatching will not be as good, which is what many Southeastern states saw back in 2020, which led to declines. It’s important to remain conservative where we can so we can maintain a viable turkey population through the good times and the bad times.”
Arkansas’s regular turkey season opens April 21. The season will end April 29 in Turkey Zone 1, which is composed of the extreme northwest and southwest portions of the state, as well as the Crowley’s Ridge area and northern portion of the Arkansas Delta. Hunters in Turkey Zone 2, which makes up the majority of the state, will have until May 11 to chase gobblers. Only one legal turkey may be taken in Zone 1, but the seasonal limit is two legal turkeys in Zone 2. Only one legal turkey may be taken during the first seven days of the regular season. All turkeys taken by youths during the youth hunt count toward their seasonal limit.
Visit www.agfc.com/turkey for more information on turkey hunting in Arkansas.
Cooperative Extension Service celebrates Arbor Day, educates communities on trees
By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
In celebration of Arbor Day on April 25, Cooperative Extension Service staff are partnering with their communities to highlight the significance of forestry to Arkansas’ environmental health and timber industry.
Krista Quinn, Faulkner County extension horticulture agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said trees and forests provide many benefits for people and communities.
“Many studies have shown that having trees in neighborhoods improves the health of residents, improves academic performance and even reduces crime,” Quinn said. “We also know that trees provide many economic benefits, such as increasing property values, providing shade that reduces energy use and helping communities manage stormwater.”
Jaret Rushing, extension forestry instructor for the Division of Agriculture, said Arkansas’ timber industry is critical to the state’s economy and ranks in the top 10 in the United States.
“Finished forest products are crucial to the infrastructure of the United States,” Rushing said. “As a leading contributor to these products, the health and survival of Arkansas forests is at a heightened concern. Lumber, paper products, biofuels and mass timber production are all refined products that Arkansas forests are responsible for providing to the United States and the world.”
Local celebrations
Kevin Harris, Jefferson County extension staff chair for the Division of Agriculture, has helped coordinate Arbor Day celebrations with the City of Pine Bluff. The city’s Arbor Day program will kick off at 10 a.m. on April 25 at the Kevin Collins Center inside Pine Bluff City Hall at 200 E. 8th Avenue, and the ceremony will end with the planting of a Frontier Elm tree at the Pine Bluff Memorial Gardens across the street.
Harris will speak to event attendees about the importance of trees and how they play a vital role in stormwater management plans. Representatives from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Forestry Division will also share their expertise on the many benefits trees provide.
Pine Bluff High School students, who Harris has been teaching as part of an environmental science class, will also showcase their tree research projects.
A tree planting event will also be held before the Arbor Day program at the W.E. O’Bryant Bell Tower on the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff campus at 10 a.m. on April 21. All Arbor Day celebrations in Pine Bluff are open to the public.
Harris said the City of Pine Bluff has participated in the Tree City USA program for the last 12 years. To qualify as a Tree City USA community, a city or town must have a tree board or department, a public tree care ordinance, a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
Later this spring, 4-H members in Sevier County will help lead an Arbor Day event for county fifth graders on May 13. Nearly 250 fifth graders are scheduled to rotate through 12 educational stations at a local park in De Queen from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Sevier County Extension Office has helped with the event for more than 15 years.
“Our 4-H Teen Leaders are very active in the Arbor Day celebrations,” said Kim Frachiseur, Sevier County extension 4-H agent for the Division of Agriculture. “They not only help set up and tear down, but they also lead a couple of the different educational activities, including wormery building and gun safety in the woods.”
Other stations include a tree planting station, led by the Arkansas Forestry Division, and a demonstration on tree growth by the Weyerhaeuser lumber company.
“At this event, our fifth graders learn not just about the forestry industry, but also how it affects our local communities and economy,” Frachiseur said. “The objective is for them to leave our Arbor Day program with a better understanding of products from the forestry industry and the major economic impact forestry has in our area.
“In our community, forestry is the backbone of our local economy,” she said. “And after presenting the programs, our Teen Leaders also have a deeper understanding of the forestry industry and polish their public speaking abilities.”
Invest in tree health, invest in the future
Rushing said forests in Arkansas are vital for the state’s success, both economically and ecologically.
“Forests add many benefits to our environment, including improved air quality, acting as a natural cooling system and contributing to improved water quality,” Rushing said. “All of these traits stem from the natural physiological adaptations that trees have, including expansive root systems, expanded leaf area and canopy cover, and shade tolerance or intolerance.”
Quinn said that because Arbor Day is a bit late to plant trees in Arkansas — the best time being fall and winter — she encourages Arkansans to celebrate the holiday by “recognizing all the wonderful things trees do for us or caring for trees that are already in the ground.”
“Proper tree care, such as proper mulching and irrigating, can really extend the life of trees,” Quinn said.
Learn more about caring for Arkansas community forests and about Arkansas forestry resources on the Cooperative Extension Service website. Contact Kevin Harris at [email protected] for more information about the City of Pine Bluff Arbor Day program, and contact Kim Frachiseur at [email protected] for more information about the Sevier County extension Arbor Day event.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
Magazine School District Celebrates Volunteers
By Brandy Young
On Tuesday, April 15, the Magazine School District hosted its fourth annual Volunteers in Public Schools, or V.I.P.S, Banquet. The goal of the V.I.P.S. program is to recognize and thank the many volunteers that positively impact the school and its students.
More than 120 guests were in attendance, growing from just 35 guests in the event’s first year. Guests were welcomed with a “red carpet” and were served a taco bar dinner. Entertainment during dinner was provided by Caleb Miller, high school band director.
Karen Gipson, District Curriculum Coordinator, organizes the event annually. Mrs. Gipson, Superintendent Dr. Beth Shumate, Athletic Director Buck Chappell, High School Principal Matt Binford, and Elementary Principal Jared Higginbotham, as well as senior Owen Statonall addressed the crowd. Senior Tempiest Dickens gave a student-led prayer.
There were special awards given to a few outstanding volunteers.
• The “Charles Ihle Memorial Volunteer of the Year” Award was presented to Dustin Garrett. This award was established to honor the late Charles Ihle who spent countless hours throughout his life volunteering in the community and the school district. Charles’s son, Chris Ihle was in attendance to help present the award.
• Arkansas Valley Electric Cooperative/WAVE Rural Connect was named the Corporate Business Volunteer of the Year.
• Amber Canada Photography was named the Local Business Volunteer of the Year.
• Solid Rock Church of Magazine was named the Organization Volunteer of the Year.
The district sincerely thanks everyone that has volunteered their time and resources to make this a great school year.
State Capitol Week in Review From Senator Terry Rice
LITTLE ROCK – The legislature completed the 2025 regular session after approving a balanced budget, increasing public school funding, making higher education more accessible and improving maternal health care.
State government spending will be about $6.5 billion next fiscal year. That is a 2.89 percent increase over this year. The increase reflects economic growth in Arkansas because tax rates have not gone up.
The Public School Fund is the largest single expenditure made by the state every year. State aid to public schools will increase by $161.5 million. It is about $2.5 billion and will be distributed according to a formula that takes into account student enrollment. The foundation funding amount is going up from $7,771 to $8,162 per pupil. School districts get additional funding for every student from low-income families and students with special needs.
The governor proposed and the legislature approved significant changes in higher education. The law is called ACCESS, an acronym for acceleration, common sense, cost, eligibility, scholarships and standardization.
The new law streamlines the application process and increases the number of college entrance exams that students take for admission. Transferring from one state college to another will be easier.
It provides students more opportunities to earn college credits while still in high school. It provides incentives for colleges to teach skills in demand by industry.
Academic Challenge Scholarships will pay $2,000 during the freshman, up from $1,000.
Act 140 will improve maternal health care in Arkansas, especially in areas where existing medical services are lacking. Known as the “Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act,” it changes Medicaid regulations to make prenatal care more accessible in a couple of ways.
It establishes presumptive eligibility for pregnant women who apply for Medicaid. This means they will get immediate prenatal care, while they’re waiting for a full application to be processed. It authorizes Medicaid to reimburse doulas and community health workers, including visits to the pregnant woman’s home if the visit is related to prenatal or postpartum care.
Act 122 requires all school districts to enact policies that restrict cell phone usage by students. It’s called the “Bell to Bell, No Cell Act.” Its purpose is twofold. First, it removes distractions from the classroom that are hindering students academically. Secondly, we hope it will improve the mental and emotional health of young people who spend too much time on social media.
Studies indicate that the rates of suicide and depression are significantly higher among teenagers who spend lots of time on social media.
The legislature also enacted new laws to protect children from strategies used by social media that are designed to encourage suicide and addictive or compulsive behavior. A law enacted two years ago is held up in federal court because social media companies challenged it. The new law is written to satisfy judicial questions raised in that lawsuit.
The legislature voted to increase the annual homestead property tax credit by $100, raising it from $500 to $600, and to completely eliminate the state sales tax on groceries. The first measure will save homeowners $57 million a year. The repeal of the grocery tax will save Arkansans $11 million a year.