The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 at 6:00 p.m. in the meeting room of the Title I Media Center, 504 East Arizona, Ruston, Louisiana. Members present were Mr. Billy Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Dr. Marty Beasley, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Joe Mitcham, Mr. Rob Shadoin (arrived after the meeting began and left before the meeting adjourned), Ms. Jo Tatum, and Mr. David Wright.
No one was absent.
President Wright called the meeting to order and Dr. Beasley gave the invocation. Mr. Wright led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag and welcomed special guests, members of the official staff, and the media.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.
Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on February 6, 2001 as distributed.
Principal of Simsboro, Judy Mabry, was delighted to have the privilege of recognizing the Louisiana Association of Teacher Educators' Distinguished Clinician for 2001, Kathy Conville Sims. The junior high teacher was selected for this state honor because of her work with the College of Education at Louisiana Tech University and after being nominated by student teachers. Superintendent Gerald Cobb presented a plaque to Ms. Sims on behalf of the Board in honor of her accomplishments.
Mr. Shadoin entered the meeting during Ms. Sims' recognition.
Randy Moore, Secondary Supervisor, came before the Board and gave background information on the Student of the Year program. He said that each year the Lincoln Parish School System participates in the Student of the Year program. Students are selected from three divisions--elementary (grade 5), junior high (grade 8), and high school (grade 12). Parish wide winners, selected from each division, go on to compete at the regional level, and if successful there, at the state level. A principal from their home school introduced each of the parish winners and shared brief personal information about them. On behalf of the Lincoln Parish School Board, Superintendent Gerald Cobb presented the following parish winners with plaques:
Elementary - - - Jodi Albritton of A. E. Phillips
Junior High - - -Katie Theriot of Ruston Junior High
High School - - Tiffany Havard of Simsboro High School
Mr. Wright congratulated the students and wished them much success in the future.
School food service supervisor, Brenda Theodos, requested permission to advertise and accept the lowest bid on all purchases of food, paper and kitchen supplies, and equipment that meet specifications for the 01-02 school year.
Upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to: advertise for and accept the lowest bids for the Child Nutrition Program food, paper and kitchen supplies, and equipment for the 01-02 school year.
In order to provide safe, high quality bus service to the students of the parish and to adequately provide for extra curricular activities, Coordinator of Auxiliary Programs and School Food Service, James Payton, feels that it is vitally important to continue to purchase buses on a yearly basis. He listed three main reasons behind his request to purchase five new buses. At present 52% of the current fleet of sixty-nine board owned buses are 1992 year models or older. With the addition of new buses, older buses could be taken out of service temporarily to perform necessary maintenance and preventive maintenance. Both of the Board's 1990, eighteen passenger, special education buses have in excess of 130,000 miles and are in poor mechanical condition.
They are also extremely overcrowded with the tremendous increase in demand for transporting special education students. Finally, he indicated that the Board must be prepared to provide buses for the contract drivers that retire or become board drivers. One contract driver has indicated his intent to retire later this year. Three additional contract drivers have also indicated that if they experience any serious mechanical problems that they too would desire to become board drivers. He estimated the cost for the five buses to be $244,000 and these monies would be paid from the 1993 millage allocated for the yearly purchase of buses. He said that according to Juanita Duke, Business Manager, these buses could be purchased through a five year lease purchase agreement with approximately $49,000 being paid each year.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise for five, 2002 year model, school buses.
Ms. Duke reminded the Board that each year schools are allocated funds from the 1979 sales tax fund to purchase instructional supplies for art, music, science, P. E., and for magazines, newspapers, and library materials. These amounts are distributed on a per pupil basis through the Business Department. She asked for approval of the 01-02 allocations which contained a $ .50 increase in magazine and newspaper amounts but because of a drop in enrollment, the total allotment was about the same as last year. The distribution was as shown below:
Art K-12 - $1.00 per student
Physical Education K-12 - $1.00 per student
Library Supplies K-5 - $ .50 per student
6-12 - $1.00 per student
Music K-5 - $ .50 per student
6-12 - $1.00 per student
Magazines & K-6 - $2.20 per student
Newspapers 7-12 - $2.50 per student
Science K-6 - $ .50 per student
7-8 - $2.00 per student
9-12 - $3.50 per student
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Upon a motion by Mr. Abrahm, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously
voted to approve the allocations for 01-02 from 1979 sales taxes as outlined above.
Assistant Superintendent, Ronnie Suggs, presented his annual request to send Letters of Intent to employees in order to begin plans for the 01-02 school year.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted to give permission to send the Letters of Intent.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Ronnie Suggs presented 1. and Brenda Theodos presented 2.:
1. Employment of Ken Lantrip as 1/3 P.E./coach at Ruston High effective March 1, 2001.
2. Employment of Sheila Newton effective March 1, 2001 as school food service six hour technician at Choudrant replacing Sue Bowden who resigned.
Upon a motion by Mr. Abrahm, seconded by Ms. Tatum, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel recommendations.
Ms. Duke reported that 1967 and 1979 sales tax collections for the month of February 2001 were $231,625 which was up $11,276 over the same month last year. Collections in the 1993 sales tax fund also showed an increase of $6,766 compared to last year, with $168,974 being collected. This was a 4.17% increase for the month, and the funds are up 3.097% for the year. Audit recovery figures for the last three months (Dec.-Feb.) were shown and 139% of last years audit recoveries have been received at this point.
Ms. Duke then called to Board's attention to the shaded line on the January 2001 financial statement. Fund balances are up in the general fund, 5 mill maintenance, and 1993 ad valorem funds. An additional fund being reported was the 2000 ad valorem fund and a district maintenance and operating fund primarily because of the collection of property taxes in January. The new 2000 ad valorem fund involves a 10 mill tax, one-half of which goes to employee pay; and the remaining one-half toward technology, retiree cost of single coverage health insurance, operating and maintenance costs. The 1979, 1967, and 1993 sales tax funds are being paid as salary supplements on a monthly basis although they do seem to be growing slightly. This may allow more monies to be paid at the end of the year. The 2000 sales tax fund was collecting a balance in anticipation of the salary supplement at the end of June. Utilities have begun to again be paid out of the district maintenance and operating funds.
Dr. Beasley introduced a resolution she was proposing in support of early childhood legislation being sponsored by Senator Bill Jones. She reminded others that sound research indicates enhanced probabilities of our children's educational success while lowering their failure potential if preschool education is provided. The consensus of opinion was in favor of preschool education but concerns were voiced regarding: funding for the program being taken from much-needed teacher pay raises, facilities being needed to house the preschoolers with no monies being forthcoming for those, and the possibility that in the future this voluntary preschool program might become mandatory and the legislature could cut or pull the funding, leaving the parish to come up with the money.
Nevertheless, upon a motion by Dr. Beasley, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the following with an amendment adding wording that the program should be fully funded without taking monies from teacher pay raises and those for support personnel.
R E S O L U T I O N
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Lincoln Parish School Board goes on public record in enthusiastic support of the preschool education plan as currently proposed by Senator Bill Jones.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That copies of this resolution be sent to Senator Bill Jones, Governor M. J. "Mike" Foster, Jr., the members of the Louisiana Legislature, Honorable Cecil Picard, the members of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Louisiana School Boards Association, and to superintendents throughout the state.
The final item of New Business to be considered was a parental concern. Mr. Wright asked if all parties were present and they were. He asked the parent if she wanted an open or closed session and she indicated that she preferred an open session. He asked the school's employees which they preferred and Dr. Charles Scriber, Ruston High School Principal, indicated that a closed session was preferred.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to enter into executive session at 7:05 p.m.
Mr. Shadoin left the meeting.
By acclamation the Board decided to return to regular session at 9:27 p.m.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted by voice vote to affirm the administration's action.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Dr. Cobb mentioned that abstinence information which might be discussed at the next meeting was inserted into portfolios.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
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Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary David Wright, President