Stephens leaving Nevada district

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

The Vilonia (Ark.) School District announced Monday night on its website that during a special board meeting Monday night Dr. David Stephens, Nevada R-5 superintendant, had been hired as the district's new superintendent effective at the start of the 2014-2015 school year.

When contacted by telephone Monday night, Stephens confirmed the announcement.

According to the statement on the Vilonia School District's website, Stephens is being hired to replace Dr. Frank Mitchell who will retire at the end of the 2013-2014 school year.

The Nevada R-5 Board of Education is holding a special executive session Tuesday morning for the purpose of discussing personnel matters.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics the Vilonia school district has 3,146 students with 198.36 full-time equivalent teachers. The town of Vilonia, which has a population of 3,815 according to the 2010 Census, is located north of Little Rock, Ark. In Faulkner County.

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That is great news for Nevada R5. Does he get to take his school board with him?

-- Posted by kiddinme on Tue, Feb 25, 2014, at 7:33 AM
I find it sad that there is so much ignorance in this community. Dr. Stephens has been a great asset for this area. Everybody got to hear Kevin McKinley's vocal onslaught last year but they never got to hear Dr. Stephens side of things (If you roll in mud with pigs you just get dirty and they love every minute of it). All I can say is most of you only got 1/2 of the story, those of you that looked deeper realized how out of line Mr. McKinley was. It's sad that this has caused Dr. Stephens to look elsewhere for employment. Our school district will not be the same. Vilonia you are getting a great man, great leader, and outspoken devout Christian. I wish you the best in your new adventure, David.

-- Posted by electronic77 on Tue, Feb 25, 2014, at 8:55 AM
Wow....I didn't know McKinley could force Stephens from office all the way Northwest Arkansas after having retired at semester....he has an awful lot of power for a social studies teacher....nice try electronic77

-- Posted by Big Paulie on Tue, Feb 25, 2014, at 12:33 PM
maybe the basketball teams can practice now when school is cancelled.

-- Posted by thunder01 on Tue, Feb 25, 2014, at 1:05 PM
Mr. McKinley was not out of line. Since when is speaking up and exposing injustices wrong? The reason Dr. Stephens did not respond was that he would of had to lie in order to refute McKinley's information. Those of you who think he is so wonderful have not watched morale in the district sink to an all time low. Our spineless 7-0 voting BOE has sacrificed staff and teachers salary increases but allowed creation of a new $95,000 administrative position. Joy Hawks is the only decent member of the BOE left. Stephens has run off our best members (Benbrook, Ellis, Kennedy, and Cubbage) and filled the BOE with his FBC croonies. We haven't had quality leadership since Dr. Davis and Mrs. Peterson retired. We can only hope that the new superintendent is what our district desperately needs.

-- Posted by mizzou82 on Tue, Feb 25, 2014, at 6:53 PM
To Stevens and his pawn board members........GO NOW. You have given this school a black eye since you came here. Good luck Arkansas, you'll need it!

-- Posted by GoTigers09 on Tue, Feb 25, 2014, at 7:42 PM
electronic77 There is no "other" half of this story. The facts were laid out for all to see and evidently there are those like yourself who don't have the intelligence to comprehend what you read !!

-- Posted by bigboy38 on Tue, Feb 25, 2014, at 10:11 PM
Thanks David Stephens for your positive contribution to our community. You and your lovely family will be missed and we wish you the very best in your new role in Arkansas. God Bless.

-- Posted by Looking Forward on Thu, Feb 27, 2014, at 8:19 AM
In 2008 Nevada High School ranked better than 70.4 % of Missouri Schools

In the following five years up to 2013, we now rank better than 21.1 % of Missouri Schools.

In 2013, we rank 411th out of 521 HS in the state.

http://www.schooldigger.com/go/MO/schools/2184001214/school.aspx

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education, and Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

http://www.schooldigger.com/go/MO/schools/2184001214/school.aspx

-- Posted by mizzou82 on Thu, Feb 27, 2014, at 8:23 PM
Question.... Here are the R5 District's snow days:

December 9, January 6 and 7, February 4,5,and 6 & March 3 .... 7 days.... Will David Stephens work tomorrow ? Did he work any of the previous snow days? Will he work 7 days past his contract to compensate the R5 district for these days... He is making $136,500 this yr ...260 normal work days per year minus 15 days allowed by his contract minus 5 designated holidays =240 days in a normal 12 mo contract...$136,500 \ 240 = $568.75 per day x 7 snow days = $3981,25 ... Amt owed to district ... If he worked these days fine.... If not his pay should be docked the $568.75 per day... Teachers will make up their contracted days .... Is this a legitimate question ... You decide

-- Posted by Big Paulie on Sun, Mar 2, 2014, at 9:12 PM

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