LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, October 7, 2003 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Lincoln Parish School Board Office, 410 South Farmerville Street, Ruston, Louisiana. Members present were President Rob Shadoin, Mr. Billy Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Joe Mitcham, and Ms. Jo Tatum.
Mr. Don Beasley and Mr. David Wright were absent.
President Rob Shadoin called the meeting to order and Mr. Anders gave the invocation. Mr. Shadoin led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag and welcomed guests.
Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda with a friendly amendment moving item #12.1 directly below #8.1.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on September 2, 2003 as written.
Elementary Supervisor, Mary Null, presented background information on the Teacher of the Year program and introduced the parish winners. The following 03-04 parish winners were presented with a plaque of appreciation by Superintendent Charles Scriber on behalf of the Board and him, a certificate of recognition from Nancy Bergeron, Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, and $500 from their business sponsor for their excellence and hard work:
Linda Wallace - Glen View - Elem. Division - Federal Home Products
Randall Boyd - A. E. Phillips - Junior High Division - Hogan Hardwoods
Dana Talley -Ruston High School - High School Division - Lewis & Co. and Office Deport
Ms. Null was pleased to announce that Ms. Wallace has also been chosen as Regional Teacher of the Year and will compete at the state level in the near future.
Mr. Shadoin congratulated the three parish Teachers of the Year, thanked the Chamber and businesses for their recognition, and allowed the Teachers of the Year to introduce their guests.
Ruston High School (RHS) senior, Rosalyn Pillow, was introduced by Dr. Scriber for being named a National Achievement Scholarship semifinalist. He presented her with a plaque in recognition of her accomplishment along with his and the Board’s congratulations.
RHS also had a National Merit Semi-Finalist to be recognized: Hannah Beth Washington. Dr. Scriber indicated that she scored in the top 1% of students in the country who took the PSAT, the preliminary college entrance exam, last fall. He introduced Hannah and presented a plaque to her along with congratulations from the Board in recognition of her achievement.
According to Kenny Henderson, principal of RHS, a 2000 4-wheeler which was purchased by the baseball booster club in 2001 to pull a mowing machine is no longer needed. He would like the 4-wheeler to be declared as surplus and sold to the highest bidder with proceeds to be used toward the price of a new mower.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission for Ruston High School to advertise for bids and accept the highest bid on the sale of the baseball booster club’s 2000 4-wheeler.
Although band uniforms usually have a life expectancy of six to eight years, Mr. Henderson indicated that the uniforms in use at Ruston High are twelve years old. In addition, the size of young people today has changed and they can no longer comfortably fit the larger band members. He estimates the cost to purchase 150 new band uniforms to be $55,000. Mr. Henderson asked the Board to pay half of the cost and said the school will pay the other half.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise for bids and accept the price from the lowest bidder meeting specifications to replace the band uniforms at Ruston High School and to pay half of the cost of the replacement.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Danny Bell, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, presented 1.-2.; Director of Auxiliary Services, Charles Owens, presented 3.; and Brenda Theodos, School Food Service Supervisor, presented 4.-5. :
1. Requests for extended sick leave for:
Laundi Williams, special education teacher at Glen View, effective September 25, 2003.
Dana Scott, math teacher at Ruston Junior High, effective September 2, 2003.
Tracy King, elementary teacher at Simsboro, effective October 1, 2003.
Melissa Savage, math teacher at Simsboro, effective October 8, 2003.
2. Requests for 03-04 spring sabbatical effective January 5, 2004 for:
Tara Turner, special education teacher at Ruston Junior High.
Beverly Canterbury, elementary teacher at Simsboro.
3. Resignation of Dennis Woods, maintenance at Cypress Springs, effective August 26, 2003.
4. Points of Reference/Transfers for the following school food service personnel:
Theresa Gilbert, technician at Cypress Springs, transferring to Ruston Junior High to replace Loretta Chrismon effective August 15, 2003.
Linda Norred, technician at Choudrant, transferring to support aide position effective September 2, 2003.
5. Employment of the following school food service personnel effective October 1, 2003:
Karen Knowles as technician at Cypress Springs replacing Theresa Gilbert who transferred.
Beverly Richmond as technician at Choudrant replacing Linda Norred who transferred.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to accept the personnel recommendations of the administration.
Sales tax collections show slow, steady growth with slight increases, reported Juanita Duke, Business Manager. September 2003 was another month with an increase over the same month last year of 3.79%. Year-to-date figures for 03-04 compared to year-to-date figures for 02-03 show 5.73% more has been collected. In the 1967 and 1979 sales tax fund $350,026 was collected, with $210,015 being collected in the 1993 and 2000 sales tax funds. In addition, $8,848 was recovered by audits during the month.
Next, Ms. Duke presented the June 2003 financial statement which contained figures to be presented to the auditors next week. She called attention to the fund balances and pointed out that balances did drop in the sales tax funds with payment of salary supplements in June. She had nothing really unusual to report but district maintenance and operation balances also decreased in Ruston and Simsboro. After another couple of months, those utility payments will probably be transferred over to the 1993 ad valorem fund.
The self insurance health benefits program report showed that health program’s total cost for the first seven months of the calendar/plan year have increased 9.09% over the previous year or $329,453 according to Ms. Duke. This single digit increase is better than the double digits of the past two years. She hopes that this trend continues. Total costs for the month were $421,823 with a year-to-date total of $4,052.059. Dental program costs have also decreased about 6% or $21,167 compared to costs last year at this time. Total costs for the 2003 plan year are $290,922 and total costs last year at this time were $310,055.
Although the Parish’s Pupil Progression Plan was recently revised, in a recent meeting the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) made additional policy changes. In the absence of Supervisor of Evaluation, Testing, and Curriculum, Eric Carter, Ms. Null requested approval of revisions to reflect the mandated changes and additions:
A. In Section II, Placement Policies, subsection Promotion the following changes have been made.
1) No 4th grade student shall be promoted until he/she has scored at or above the Basic Level on either the English/Language Arts or Mathematics Component and at the Approaching Basic Level on the other component of the LEAP for the 21st Century.
2) No 8th grade student shall be promoted until he/she has scored at or above the Approaching Basic Level on the English/Language Arts and Mathematics Components of the LEAP 21.
B. In Section II, Placement Policies, subsection Exceptions To the High Stakes Testing Policy the following underlined phrase has replaced the word may. The Superintendent must review student eligibility and consider granting an appeal on behalf of individual students provided that all of the criteria have been met.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Ms. Tatum, that Board unanimously voted to approve the mandated revisions to the Lincoln Parish Pupil Progression Plan.
After receiving the Board’s permission to advertise for bids for the purchase of four 2004 buses, Ronny Volentine, Transportation Supervisor, did just that. Bids were received from three companies and bid opening was held on October 6. Mr. Volentine recommended that the bid from Scott Truck Co., Inc. for $50,140.80 each be accepted as the lowest bid fully meeting specifications.
Tim Ramsey with Scott Truck Co., Inc. was on hand to help Mr. Volentine answer questions.
After brief questions, upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to accept the bid from Scott Truck Co., Inc. in the amount of $50,140.80 for each of the four new 2004 conventional buses.
In Mr. Carter’s absence, Mr. Duke indicated that the Parish received eight responses from library book vendors and opened bids on September 5, 2003. After the cost analysis was completed and available titles from each vendor were examined, the two lowest priced vendors with an adequate number of available titles were selected. She asked the Board’s permission to contract with both companies for 03-04 with an option to renew in 04-05.
Upon a motion by Mrs. Harrison, seconded by Mr. Abrahm, the Board granted permission for the administration to contract with both Follett and Baker and Taylor as library book vendors for the 03-04 school year with an option to renew each contract for the 04-05 school year.
Because of recently passed legislation, Superintendent Charles Scriber presented eleven policies which need revision: Board Member Compensation and Expenses (BBBE), School Board Ethics (BH), Superintendent Qualifications (CEA), Bids and Quotations (DJED), Sabbatical Leave (GBRHA), Electronic Telecommunication Devices (JCDAE), Suspension (JDD), Expulsion (JDE), Student Health Records (JGC), Dangerous Weapons (JCDAB), and Discipline (JD). He summarized the changes and answered questions. Dr. Scriber asked the board members to study the revised policies until action could be taken at the October 22, 2003 meeting.
It has been almost twenty years since renovation work has been done on the schools in the Ruston District according to Superintendent Scriber. He feels that the schools have been maintained moderately well considering financial limitations, but action must be taken now to prepare for the future in upgrading and maintaining the schools. Some areas of need are air conditioning, classroom space (T-buildings), ceilings, doors and keying, floors, lighting, painting, parking lots, playgrounds, roofs, stadium repairs, general renovation, and possibly a technology center. Dr. Scriber consulted with architect Mike Walpole who is willing to help the system with a feasibility study to determine specific needs. The study will include:
1. Survey the school campuses to determine the existing conditions.
2. Seek input from all stakeholders (board members, parents, students, business and community people, and school personnel) to prepare a list of needs.
3. Develop a preliminary scope of work for each school, along with an associated cost estimate.
4. Develop a presentation to show and inform the general public.
The feasibility study will also include a recommendation on the method of financing the project. The Ruston School District bond issue passed in 1983 will be paid off in the year 2005. If agreeable to the Board and stakeholders, Dr. Scriber mentioned, a renewing of these bonds will provide the necessary monies for the renovations and additions. A possible date for the bond referendum is April 15, 2004. He called attention to a resolution written by Grant Schlueter, bond attorney with Foley & Judell, related to the project and the maximum cost of the preliminary work. Dr. Scriber requested permission to conduct the feasibility study with the help of Walpole and Schlueter.
Mr. Walpole and Mr. Schlueter were in attendance at the meeting and assisted Dr. Scriber in a brief question and answer period.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Anders, the Board unanimously voted by roll call to: 1) grant the superintendent and his staff permission to conduct a feasibility study with the help of architect Mike Walpole and bond attorney Grant Schlueter for the purpose of upgrading and renovating the schools in the Ruston School District; and 2) adopt a Resolution declaring the Board’s intention that certain expenditures made in connection with capital school projects be reimbursed with the proceeds of tax-exempt borrowings.
The Board commended the Superintendent and the administration for looking toward the future and being proactive.
President Shadoin expressed his appreciation to the board and administration for their thoughts and prayers in response to his recent medical problems.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Dr. Scriber mentioned that:
Supervisor Eric Carter had an automobile accident earlier in the day on I-20 but will be okay.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
__________________________________ __________________________
Charles R. Scriber, Secretary Robert E. Shadoin, President