Alva Review-Courier -

All members of the Burlington School Board were present as President Terry Graham called the Dec. 17 regular meeting to order including: Allison Armbruster, Robert Hill, T.J.Rockenbach and Aaron Smith. Also attending were Superintendent Dr. Stacey Croft, Principal Lane Pruett and Minutes Clerk Tamre McGinnis.

Burlington resident April Kisling attended the meeting as she will soon take a seat on the board. She is the only person who filed for Seat No. 4 that was held by Allison Armbruster many years, so no election is needed. Armbruster did not file to run again as she is retiring from the board. Kisling will begin her five-year term on the board.

Administration and other members of the board thanked Armbruster for her years of service and dedication to the school.

Kisling sat in on the board's approximately 40-minute executive sessions. The purpose was to evaluate and discuss the superintendent ongoing evaluation tool and certified personnel status evaluations with no vote to be taken upon return to open session. They also discussed future building projects.

Boynton Williams Associates received board approval as the architect for the bus barn building project at 6 percent and the sales tax agreement.

At the November meeting, the board opened bids for a 2019 nine-passenger capacity four-wheel drive SUV vehicle. After discussing the bids further at the December meeting, the board accepted the bid from Croft Chevrolet for $46,165 for a 2019 Suburban.

The board approved the purchase of the OSSBA superintendent ongoing evaluation tool for the amount of $250 per year.

Dr. Croft updated the board on the progress of the Burlington Education Foundation. The foundation plans its 16th annual meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 5, at 6:30 p.m. in the school auditorium. The superintendent encourages all board members and patrons to attend the meeting to hear more details about what the foundation is doing.

Encumbrances, change orders and warrants received board approval as follows: General Fund encumbrances $18,178.50, change orders $40.80, and warrants $209,286.62; Building Fund warrants $604.52; Child Nutrition Fund warrants $4,983.81, and FY 2018 Reserves $1,475.

The November 2018 activity fund report was board approved.

In her report to the board, Superintendent Croft presented the utility and telephone comparison to last year at this time. That showed utilities costs are down since last year.

Principal Pruett Reports on Student Activities

Burlington's robotics team competed in the Regional Robotics Competition in Ft. Smith and won Most Elegant Robot.

Burlington's Lady Elks basketball team was the Northwestern-Pioneer Cellular Prep Classic Champion.

Principal Pruett said the third annual FFA Christmas tree lighting was held Dec. 17 in the purple park with the school Christmas program the next evening.

Christmas break is ongoing through Jan. 2, 2019, with classes resuming Thursday, Jan. 3.