Progress has become visible on a new cafeteria that is being built for elementary and middle school students in the Eureka Springs School District.

“They finally got some walls poured,” superintendent Bryan Pruitt said. “We’re seeing some progress.”

The cafeteria, which will have two separate eating areas for the different grade levels with a shared kitchen, was just one building project the school board was updated on during a facilities master plan annual report given by Rick Mann, district director of operations, at its monthly meeting held Monday, Jan. 8.

“We have our master plan report each year in January,” Pruitt said. “It has to be approved by the board and we send it to the state.

“It’s a little bit irrelevant for us to send it to the state because we don’t get any partnership funds from the state. A lot of other schools get matching funds through the state to build new things but that’s not the way it works in Eureka. It’s all based on wealth index and because of our taxation. We generate enough tax that we do not get any supplemental funds from the state as far as building and foundation funding.”

While getting the cafeteria finished in the next year is the district’s current priority, there’s also a flooring project at the middle school that is planned, Pruitt said.

“Also, for the past five years or so we’ve been trying to get a FEMA building,” he said. “We went through all the process steps and now we’re just waiting on the government to release FEMA funds to be able to build one. It’s a matching thing where FEMA pays 75 percent and the district pays 25. We’ve done it Carroll County-wide. We developed a mitigation plan for the county so Green Forest and Berryville are also approved.

“If they ever get those funds released it would be great for the entire county.”

A safe shelter for students and community would be the goal for Eureka Springs, Pruitt said.

“We’re also still looking at new transportation and maintenance facility that will go on the new five acres that we purchased last year,” he said. “We always try to keep a plan identified. But, the big animal right now is to take care of the new cafeteria.”

The board also heard from some teachers on how effective the Kagan Learning Strategies program is working at the elementary and middle school.

“Kagan is an instructional method where the kids think, pair and share together,” Pruitt said. “It’s a little different format for the students. The board got to hear about Kagan and hear how teachers are using it with students and seeing good results. It’s always nice when kids are receptive and ready to something a little different.

“The program really is a three-tier process. The students think, pair and share and coach each other. It helps with a little bit better retention and making sure the students are getting what they’re talking about. Like, if they’re doing fractions, they’ll pair up together and talk about it. Is this the right way to do this or is it not and what did they like about it. It gives them some ownership, too.”

The district also recognized the school board with January being board appreciation month.

“The board is a non-paid thing and every month they meet in addition to other things so it’s good to recognize them,” Pruitt said. “It’s a community service commitment. They do it for the district and the students.”

In personnel action, the board approved the resignation of cafeteria worker Amanda Davault.