The Smackover-Norphlet Board of Education met Monday evening in a meeting which was both open to the public and streamed live on the Buckaroo Sports Network Page.
The meeting began with presentations from the principals of Smackover Elementary, Norphlet Middle and Smackover High Schools for Board Appreciation Month.
SES principal Holly Strickland presented board members with letters from each elementary class to the board members.
Strickland also told board members that the students were educated on the roles of board members and that donations were gathered to donate books to the school library in the names of board members.
NMS principal Larry Beasley and SHS principal Bernadette O’Guinn presented the board members with plaques on behalf of the middle and high schools, respectively.
The primary discussion of the meeting centered around recommendations for a new custodial company made by a committee convened for that purpose.
District special programs director Teri Philyaw presented the recommendations to the board on behalf of the committee.
“We interviewed and narrowed it down to three companies… We went a second round and narrowed it down to two - SG360 and EJS. What the committee recommended is to hire SG360,” Philyaw said.
Philyaw said that negotiations with SG360 ended with an estimated yearly cost of $387,832 for custodial services.
“That is higher than [current company] ABM, but SG360 has 16.5 man-hours, where ABM has 13, and we’re having trouble getting people to work with ABM for us and having other difficulties,” Philyaw said.
Board member Chris Long asked for reasons why SG360 believes it can increase man-hours as opposed to the current company.
“One of the things we did like about SG360 is their training program and that they offer a 30-60-90 day bonus program, which incentives people to work hourly to stick around. They have a very specific training program… We were very clear we wanted a full-time manager just for Smackover-Norphlet and they willingly provided it. We don’t have that currently,” Philyaw said.
The service would provide day and night workers for custodial services in the district.
The contract would be for one year, although Philyaw said the contract specifies that a potential second year would be at the same price.
Superintendent Jason Black said that he believes the company will be able to compete in hiring due to offering $13/hour starting pay.
“I looked at who in our landscape utilizes our current company, and I think [SG360] will be able to be competitive in the area. I also think they’ll be able to dedicate time to us. I think we have a situation where the current company has a foothold in our area so, being a smaller district, if a larger district needs help and pays more for their contract, more attention might be put into that entity to keep that contract,” Black said.
Long also asked about other school districts serviced by SG360. Philyaw said the company services locations including the Jonesboro School District, but none in the vicinity of the Smackover-Norphlet district.
“That’s one of the reasons we liked them. I think they want a foothold in this area, and if they come down here and do a good job other districts will hear about them,” Black said.
A motion was passed unanimously to move forward with a contract with SG360.
In other new business, the board approved extending the district’s COVID-19 sick leave policy and made it retroactive to Jan. 1, 2021, pending a staff vote.
“The ten days of federal and state COVID leave was something that was offered up until December 31, 2020. Moving into January it’s something we have to take at the district level. We’ve received ESSER2 (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds or will be receiving them and that will help offset the costs for those who need those days,” Black said.