The Hall of Fame was established in 2003 to recognize and honor former graduates of Drew Central High School.

The Distinguished Service Award, also established in 2003, is presented annually to non-Drew Central graduates who have performed a valuable service to the school in some fashion.

The criteria for nomination and selection to the Hall of Fame are as follows:
1. The nominee shall be a graduate of DCHS or be eligible for a diploma under present Arkansas state law, or a person who left Drew Central prior to graduation and has not received a diploma from another high school.
2. The nominees should be persons who are readily known for outstanding accomplishments in the wider community.
3. The nominees should be persons of high character and integrity.
4. The nominees should be persons who would be considered excellent role models for children.

For more information or to nominate someone for either award, contact Drew Central superintendent Wayne Fawcett at 367-5369. The deadline for nominations is February 10, 2012.

These students have worked extremely hard since August to work towards this goal. The auditions will take place in Arkadelphia next Friday, February 3rd. If selected, the students will have the opportunity to attend the All State Clinic in Hot Springs February 16th-18th.

“I have decided to leave in place, for the remainder of the second semester, a fourth certified position in the 5th grade. At this juncture I do not feel that it would be fair to the students to disrupt their schedule.”

~~~~~
Miscommunications at Drew Central Leave 5th Grade Parents Angry and Concerned
Jan. 13, 2012

Allison Denton represented numerous 5th grade parents, with a combined 21 students, during Drew Central School Board’s regular meeting Thursday evening.

Denton stated to the board that her child, and many other 5th grade students, had been physically ill during the entire first semester of school due to stress caused by overly-crowded classrooms.

According to Mrs. Denton, students went from 4th grade with 4 teachers, to 5th grade with 3 teachers, which meant the class sizes were now up to approximately 27 students.

“We understand that is in compliance with the state guideline…” Denton explained, but went on to say that teachers were yelling and/or crying in class towards the students due to the constant stress and demands. Children began having physical symptoms from stress and anxiety such as not being able to sleep at night, or falling asleep right after school, stomachaches, headaches, crying, and other issues.

Mrs. Denton also stated that learning issues were being demonstrated by her child and other 5th grade students. She explained that Learning Institute Data showed that students were not on target in Math as compared to where they were last year and literacy was the worst as far as grades for students. The Children were said to have had good grades in 4th grade.

“We think the number one contributing factor to this problem was class size.” – Denton

Mrs. Denton went on to explain that 26% of these students have special needs as documented in IEP(Individualized Education Plan) and 504 Plan (section 504 of American Disabilities Act) “We indicated that we needed an additional teacher.”

Mrs. Denton stated that the complaints were heard during a meeting on November 30, 2011 with Principal Graham and 5th grade teachers. She said that a meeting was also held with Superintendent Wayne Fawcett on the same day. Mrs. Denton claims that on December 6, 2011, an administrator (that she did not wish to name) informed her that hiring a fourth teacher for the 5th grade had been approved and the teacher would begin after Christmas break.

Once students returned to school after Christmas break, Mrs. Denton explained that they were redistributed amongst four teachers, just as the administrator had told her they would be.

“Tuesday afternoon I was informed by an administrator that there never was a 4th classroom teacher hired, that this was a mistake. She [the new teacher] is to be used as an intervention tutor; she cannot be a homeroom teacher.” – Denton

“The one week the teacher was there, children improved dramatically. Not waking up at night, no more stress about school. Learning improved, morale improved… students that were flunking tests were bringing home 95% scores.” – Denton

Mrs. Denton said that it had been explained to her that it was believed by the administration that the said teacher was not certified, however, Mrs. Denton said evidence could be produced to show she is.

It is believed by Denton and other 5th grade parents that the issue is simply financial. The teacher was hired for one salary, and in order to make her a full time teacher, the salary would need to be increased.

According to Denton, $12,740 would afford the district to hire the new teacher as full-time, for the 100 remaining school days. She said that it would cost $160 per day for full time teacher pay, plus benefits, and would equal $202.40 a day.

“If we take 21 students out of this district, the state funding formula for enrollment would mean the district would lose approximately $129,000.” – Denton

Superintendent Wayne Fawcett told MLive that the board is taking the expressed concerns under advisement and that, “The Board is not involved in assigning classes. Principals for each school decide that.”

In a very brief, called business meeting, the Drew Central School  Board unanimously voted to terminate the contract of Steve Noble, high school principal, effective immediately.

Noble was arrested in December, and accused felony internet sex offenses with a police officer, portraying a 13 year old girl.

Arkansas law requires certain time frames be allowed for teacher firings, so Noble was notified and given the required time to respond.

It is believed that the recommendation for Noble’s termination likely mentioned the circuit judge’s order for him to not be around minors precludes him from performing his former job, and non-performance of duties.

Noble was not represented at Tuesday’s hearing,

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Drew Central High School Principal Arrested On Alleged Internet Sexual Indecency Charges – Friday Morning Update
Dec. 9. 2011

Drew Central High School principal Steve Noble was arrested around 8 am, Thursday morning, by Arkansas State Police, and expected to be charged with the alleged offense of sexual indecency with a child, according to the prosecuting attorney’s office.

Noble has been Drew Central principal since the start of the 2010-2011 school year.  Prior to that, he was on the staff of the  Great Rivers Education Cooperative in Helena.

Noble is currently being held in the Drew County Detention Facility, on a $10,000 commercial bond, set by Circuit  Judge Bynum Gibson.

The arrest and search warrants, signed last night, allege that Noble had indecent contact over the internet with an Arizona law enforcement officer, who was impersonating a 14 year old girl.

A search warrant was apparently executed at Noble’s home Thursday morning, and State Police Investigators were reportedly present at Drew Central Schools, as well.

Public defender Steven Porch was appointed to defend Noble, who also may face charges and possible extradition to Arizona.

Noble, the DCHS principal, was order by the court to have no contact with juveniles, by any means, until this case is resolved.

A search warrant for contents of Noble’siPhone was also approved this morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Court documents indicate that on November 30, around 10:30 pm, Noble (using the chatroom screen name “knob 71859), met and repeatedly interacted with a Phoenix, AZ undercover officer in an internet chatroom, where sexual predators have been previously identified.

Noble reportedly asked the undercover officer (who identified himself as a 14 year old female) by means of a private message, if they wanted to “watch” him, which was followed by an invitation to Noble’s webcam, where multiple screen captures were reportedly made of Noble in his residence, doing specifically named acts in front of his computer’s webcam.

After the session ended, the agent began searching for an identity for “knob 71859″, which led him to Mark Steven Noble, and an article on MonticelloLive, when Noble first came to Drew Central.

Noble’s address and personal information was developed from the investigation, which led to his arrest at his home, Thursday morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

According to the affadavit for the search warrant, items listed by authorities to be removed during it’s execution included computers, hard drives, jump drives, digital cameras, camcorders, cds and dvds.

Photographs were also to be taken of Noble’s hands and abdomen, for identification purposes.

 Noble reportedly bonded out of jail, Thursday afternoon.

Superintendent Wayne Fawcett explained that the major downside to moving to twice-monthly payroll is the extra work involved. He stated that there are roughly 140 employees at Drew Central School District and it would take a full time person, only doing payroll, to do twice monthly payroll. Due to this, he said that usually only large departments do twice monthly payrolls, like Pulaski County.

Curley Jackson said that budgeting on once a month pay is very difficult for people and, “I think we really need to look at it.” Miyoshi Smith agreed saying, “I think it needs to be considered.”

The issue of direct deposit then was discussed. Currently, Drew Central staff is given printed checks, but the time this takes is making the District consider moving towards an all-electronic system.

The downside of this system being implemented would be it causing limitations on the back and forth business between banks the District currently does. Each year the District swaps its checking account from Union Bank to Commercial, and then back again the following year. The amount of time and work it takes to set up Direct Deposit would mean the District would need to keep its checking account at whatever bank sets up the system first. This would not affect the District using the other bank for other money business, such as savings accounts.

The Board is taking all discussions into advisement.

Drew Central High School Principal Steve Noble was arrested at his home on December 8, 2011. Charges were filed after detectives from Phoenix, Arizona Police Department posed as a 14 year old girl in a chat room and Noble allegedly asked the “girl” if she wanted to “watch him.” The same chat room had led the detectives to identify other sexual predators previously.

Search warrants of Noble’s home and office were executed where items listed to cease were computers, hard drives, jump drives, digital cameras, camcorders, cds and dvds. A warrant also allowed his iPhone to be taken and searched.

Noble is currently out on bond and faces possible extradition to Phoenix.

This was the 2nd leading pageview story in 2011.

Click here for the article from May.

Supporters of Drew Central’s millage increase smile in relief, after their request was passed by voters.

Click here.