The Eureka Springs School Board’s brief meeting on Monday, July 8, included a vote to approve a resignation that superintendent Bryan Pruitt calls “big news.”
In the 13-minute meeting, the board voted to approve the resignation of Jason Hill, who has been a skills and trade instructor and sponsor of the school’s award-winning SkillsUSA program for the past 10 years.
“We did accept the resignation, which is kind of big news, of Jason Hill,” Pruitt said. “He was our skills and trade instructor for skills such as plumbing, carpentry, cabinet making, masonry. He’s taking a position with a private company.”
The SkillsUSA program has won numerous awards during Hill’s tenure. Four students and Hill recently returned from Atlanta where Evan Agresto finished third in a national plumbing competition.
A post on the Eureka Springs Schools Facebook page from June 28 shows the group before they returned home and includes a photo of Hill embracing Agresto.
“We’ve had a very strong program under Hill,” Pruitt said. “We’ve had several state winners and have competed well nationally. Third in the nation in plumbing, just so strong. It’s such a good program and we’re going to be looking for someone that can try to fill his shoes.
“We hate to lose him but you can’t hold someone back that’s going to make more money somewhere else. It’s a good opportunity for him and his family financially to move on.”
Pruitt said the skills and trade classes have a positive impact on the students who participate.
“It’s such a good community service class,” he said. “The kids learn great skills and great life skills they can use when they graduate and move on.
“Ignorance is expensive is what I’ve always been told. If you know how to do something you can save some money.”
The board also heard a presentation from Rachal Hyatt, who recently moved from her longtime role as high school counselor to director of programs, regarding career and technical education courses, Pruitt said.
“She talked about some of the career courses we are doing in CTE,” he said. “Some of those courses were moved around to meet the high demand, high wage that the state is pushing.”
The board also approved the hiring of Heather Howard to work in the preschool.
In an update on the construction of a new cafeteria facility for elementary and middle school students, Pruitt said he doesn’t think the building will be ready until “around Christmas.”
“They’re doing walls, plumbing and electrical,” he said. “I still don’t think it’s going to be completely ready to move into until around Christmas.”
The cafeteria will have separate dining areas for elementary and middle school students with a shared kitchen.