A long-time teacher and a veteran board member are leaving the White Hall School District.
The school board, meeting in regular session Tuesday night, approved the sudden retirement of high school journalism teacher Dale Wyatt and resignation of Director Hardy Murdock Jr.
Wyatt, who is also respected for his landscaping skills, had 42 years of classroom experience and began teaching here in 1967. The Pine Bluff High School and Arkansas State University graduate was a member of PBHS’ first state championship baseball team in 1959. He’s a past winner of a White Hall Chamber of Commerce Clara Burton Education Award for his accomplishments as a teacher.
Wyatt recently suffered some injuries when he was burned in a landscaping accident.
Since May, 24 teachers and two elementary school principals have either retired or resigned from the district. The 26 have a total tenure of 839 years – an average of more than 32 years each.
Murdock stepped down immediately so that his daughter-in-law, Charity Murdock, could be considered for a junior high teaching position on both the Redfield and White Hall campuses. Charity Murdock’s hiring was approved after her father-in-law’s resignation was okayed.
Policy forbids immediate family members of district employees from serving on the board.
Murdock had been on the board for six years, joining the panel after the 2003 death of his father, Hardy Murdock Sr. The elder Murdock served as a director for more than 20 years.
The board must appoint someone to fill Murdock’s position until September. If no one files to seek the chair in September’s school election, the board will then be required to name someone to complete Murdock’s term, which expires in 2011.
The filing deadline for the September vote is noon Friday. Dean Dancer, an at-large board member, occupies the only position thus far on the ballot. Dancer has filed for re-election.
Additional details on the board meeting will be published in next week’s edition.
A long-time teacher and a veteran board member are leaving the White Hall School District.
The school board, meeting in regular session Tuesday night, approved the sudden retirement of high school journalism teacher Dale Wyatt and resignation of Director Hardy Murdock Jr.
Wyatt, who is also respected for his landscaping skills, had 42 years of classroom experience and began teaching here in 1967. The Pine Bluff High School and Arkansas State University graduate was a member of PBHS’ first state championship baseball team in 1959. He’s a past winner of a White Hall Chamber of Commerce Clara Burton Education Award for his accomplishments as a teacher.
Wyatt recently suffered some injuries when he was burned in a landscaping accident.
Since May, 24 teachers and two elementary school principals have either retired or resigned from the district. The 26 have a total tenure of 839 years – an average of more than 32 years each.
Murdock stepped down immediately so that his daughter-in-law, Charity Murdock, could be considered for a junior high teaching position on both the Redfield and White Hall campuses. Charity Murdock’s hiring was approved after her father-in-law’s resignation was okayed.
Policy forbids immediate family members of district employees from serving on the board.
Murdock had been on the board for six years, joining the panel after the 2003 death of his father, Hardy Murdock Sr. The elder Murdock served as a director for more than 20 years.
The board must appoint someone to fill Murdock’s position until September. If no one files to seek the chair in September’s school election, the board will then be required to name someone to complete Murdock’s term, which expires in 2011.
The filing deadline for the September vote is noon Friday. Dean Dancer, an at-large board member, occupies the only position thus far on the ballot. Dancer has filed for re-election.
Additional details on the board meeting will be published in next week’s edition.
