The Mountain Home Public School Board convened Thursday evening and approved various action items, including staff bonuses, technology purchases, and facility updates. The board also heard a presentation regarding a multi-district lawsuit targeting major social media platforms.
District employees under contract as of Thursday will receive a one-time $600 bonus in recognition of their work, with the payment scheduled for Nov. 10. Additionally, a $1,000 longevity bonus was approved for employees with 29 years of service. Those funds will be disbursed on Dec. 10.
Russell Winburn of the Taylor King Law Firm presented information about ongoing litigation involving 85 Arkansas school districts and social media companies, including Meta, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google, and YouTube. The lawsuit alleges these platforms negatively impact students by fostering mental health issues, aggression, and low self-esteem. The Mountain Home School District was invited to join the case. Winburn explained that a California judge could issue a settlement to participating schools, and damages will be assessed based on the impact to students. According to Winburn, scientific studies suggest that spending three hours daily on social media can harm the frontal lobe of a developing child’s brain.
The board approved several other items, including a contract with Jill Czanstkowski, a certified special education supervisor and teacher. Czanstkowski will assist with classroom observations for functional behavior assessments and provide mentorship and behavioral guidance to teachers.
A $64,623 expenditure was approved for 355 MacBook replacements for teachers, funded through Federal Title I allocations. The board also authorized the sale of three used school buses, expected to fetch at least $1,000 each at auction.
Facility updates were another focus of the meeting. The board approved $22,619 for new air conditioning units in the junior high band hall. Additionally, salary adjustments were approved for technology and NJROTC staff. The updated NJROTC salary schedule, partially reimbursed by the U.S. Navy, includes an increase to $72,500 for one position and $90,352 for another.
High-impact tutoring purchases were also approved, supported by partial grant funding of $176,897.60 for the 2026–27 school year, along with $44,000 in ESA funding. Vendors Amplify and Bluum will supply necessary materials for the program.
Finally, the board selected its president, Jason Schmeski, to represent the district at the Arkansas School Board Association Convention.