Concerns raised over possible change in school's gifted program

Although emphasis lately has been placed on students who struggle academically, some individuals in the Conway School District have a concern about keeping the gifted and talented program strong.

They fear that when Marilyn Larson, gifted and talented education director, retires at the end of the year, the position will be made a coordinator.

A letter from the Conway Gifted and Talented Education Advisory Council sent to Superintendent James Simmons and school board members asks to keep the position of director of gifted and talented education, instead of what members believe would be watering it down to a coordinator.

No one with the school district has said definitively that the position will be changed, but Larson said Simmons told her "'the program may not look like it looks now.'"

Simmons, who was in Hot Springs at a meeting Wednesday, did not respond to messages left Tuesday and Wednesday.

When asked if it concerns her that the position might be changed to a coordinator, Larson said, "Absolutely, it does concern me dramatically."

She said the amount of work of the office justifies a director's position.

Currently, 834 students are being served in gifted and talented programs in grades 3 through 12.

Additionally, 2,018 students in kindergarten through second grade are served once a week and another 500 are participating through preAdvanced Placement/GT or Advanced Placement courses.

"It would be a step down for the program," Larson said, if the position were changed to a coordinator or supervisor. The gifted and talented program's secretary has already received a shortened contract, she said, from 240 days to 210.

Larson said a coordinator might be off four to six weeks in the summer, which she called "critical weeks" that are needed for closing and beginning the program.

The names of 14 people are listed at the end of the letter, including Margaret West, a parent of two gifted and talented students.

West said during a telephone interview, "Arkansas has a strong gifted and talented program now and our district has a strong gifted and talented program, but we want to keep it that way."

In the letter, West pointed out that Conway's gifted and talented students score above the state average on the benchmark exams, as well as excel in academic competitions such as Quiz Bowl, History Day and Odyssey of the Mind throughout the state and nation.

She maintained in the letter that the numbers are growing. For example, from 2001 to 2005, there was a "31 percent increase in the number of students identified as gifted and talented, she said.

"With such growth in our district, we believe it is imperative that we maintain the office of director of gifted and talented education to ensure its continued success."

A director position would have a 245-day contract, "which has proven necessary to adequately administer the K-12" Gifted and Talented program. "Restructuring this position would weaken the program," West wrote.

Larson, who has been in the district since 1976, said the gifted and talented position has been a directorship since 1992 when she began. "I took the program when it was just a set of laws and standards and waved my magic wand" and created a program, she said with a laugh.

Larson has not officially submitted her resignation, but she said that is her plan.

"I'm a lame duck, but still I have a program to run and I'm running it maximally," Larson said.

Larson said as a director, she sits at the table with other directors to discuss issues and reports directly to the superintendent.

She said a coordinator would be a "subordinate" position.

Although the students might not see any change in the program initially with a change in that position, teachers would have to spend more time on administrative work if a coordinator instead of a director is hired.

Larson said she keeps up with curriculum information for the state as well as manages the gifted and talented teachers, and she believes a change could "negatively impact" the program in the long run.

She also said districts similar in size to Conway have directors in the gifted and talented program position, including Fayetteville, Pulaski County, Little Rock and Cabot. Springdale has a coordinator "by that person's choice," Larson added.

The letter to the superintendent and the board also was signed by school board member Carolyn Lewis, Susan Ablondi, Dawn Burnett, Sandra Green, Nancy Hales, Julie Haynes, Kristy Hitchcock, Brent Hobby, Kim Kelley, Liz Larson, Jo Ann Ratliff, Rose Steelman, Ann Trussell. West said two other members of the committee told her they agreed with the letter, but were too late to sign.

Larson said some members of the committee "are employed by the school district and found it prudent not to sign."

Lewis said she has been on advisory council for four years.

"We have not heard one thing about that (change to coordinator's position) as a board. That has not been discussed. Probably that is pending Marilyn's retirement letter.

"If we have any plans to not proceed as we have done in the past, I would want a good explanation of why it's being changed," Lewis said.

Dr. Terry Fiddler, president of the school board, said he is a strong supporter of the director's position. He said Simmons has not approached him about changing the position.

"That is as important as any position over there, and I would not be in favor of a coordinator. This is as important as our special education director, our director over athletics. ... You have a group of children obviously identified as gifted. ... They're the kids who are going to be leaders of tomorrow, and they need the same benefits as have been afforded in the past," Fiddler said.

Peggy Woosley, director of secondary education, said, "I have no idea" if it will be made a coordinator. "We're looking at putting in more AP courses. I don't know where all that came from.

"We have a solid, solid gifted and talented program. The goal of this district is to do nothing but to enhance this program."

Woosley said she works closely with Larson. "I do a lot of curriculum alignment for AP and preAP," she said.

"I don't think they have anything to worry about," she said, referring to the Conway Gifted and Talented Education Advisory Council and the GT program.

Woosley added that Larson will leave a "wonderful legacy" and efforts will be made to build upon the program.

(Staff writer Tammy Keith can be reached by e-mail at tammy.keith@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1238.)