By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Tom Kimbrell, state education commissioner, couldn’t guarantee that Jacksonville would get its own school district, but he did tell a crowd of about 200 Monday night that he was fairly confident that it would happen.
Kimbrell was the guest speaker at the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce annual dinner, where outgoing chairman Larry Biernacki passed the gavel to incoming chairman Daniel Gray.
Kimbrell, who has headed the state’s Education Department since September 2009, said he had talked to the attorney general’s office last week and was expecting a letter approving Jacksonville’s nearly 40-year effort to breakaway from the Pulaski County Special School District.
Once he receives the letter, the state board will then decide if the process will proceed by allowing the city to vote on the issue. “I think they will bless and support the idea, but I know not to make guarantees when it comes to what the state board will do.”
But Kimbrell, who lives in Cabot, added, “I truly believe it’s going to happen and for the right reasons — for the kids.”
He said, at the state level, there is a saying, “A student can’t be what they can’t see.”
Unfortunately, Kimbrell said 50 percent of the state’s students don’t get the opportunity or exposure to see what they can be, “but Jacksonville can see what it can be.”
Kimbrell offered some advice to the crowd on things Jacksonville needs to do to make sure its district, schools and students are successful:
First, he said, “You better find the right leader to bring the district through its transition period. You’ve got to have the right person.”
He told the chamber members and guests that one of the luckiest things he has done in his four-plus years as commissioner was to pick Jerry Guess to head the Pulaski County Special School District.
“You would not be this close to having your own district without his tireless effort and drive,” the commissioner said.
Kimbrell continued, saying the hardest thing he’s had to do was to make the decision to put PCSSD under state control.
He said, for the new district to be successful, it had to find ways to attract the best teachers possible. “And it’s not always about the money. Often it’s about creating a safe, energetic, creative environment.”
Thirdly, according to Kimbrell, the city will have ton find the finances needed to support it through the transition and beyond.
“This has never been done in Arkansas. It is new, so no one is sure of the costs,” he said.
Kimbrell said some out-of-the-box thinking will be needed to find the necessary funding streams.
He also said the community needs to raise student, teacher and parent expectations.
Lastly, but probably most importantly, the city will have to address facility needs, Kimbrell said. No school slated for the Jacksonville district is newer than 40 years and most are listed by the PCSSD as needing major repairs, remodeling or replacement.
Gray, the incoming board chairman, expects the school vote to come in September.
At the dinner, the chamber also presented Pinnacle Awards to state Rep. Mark Perry (D-Jacksonville) and banker Phillip Carlisle for their foresight, determination and effort to bring the $3.5 million shooting-sports complex to Jacksonville.
Outgoing chairman Larry Biernacki called the just-opened facility a “huge pile mover.” He added that just about every weekend through the summer was already booked with school tournaments, gun club tournaments and even some collegiate tournaments.
