LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, May 2, 2006 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, May 2, 2006 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 Mr. Otha Anders, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. Flynn Ludley, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Ted McKinney, Mr. Joe Mitcham, Mr. Rob Shadoin (arrived after the meeting began), and Ms. Jo Tatum.
No board member was absent.
President Otha Anders called the meeting to order and the invocation was given by Mr. Dowling.
Mr. Shadoin arrived for the meeting.
Ms. Best led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Mr. Anders welcomed board members, staff, media, guests and honorees.
Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Mr. McKinney, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as amended adding one item of New Business: Procedure and timeline for employment of principal at Glen View Elementary.
Upon a motion by Mr. Shadoin, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on April 11, 2006 as submitted.
Superintendent Danny Bell said he was pleased to present a plaque to Federal Programs Supervisor, Willie Washington, who had recently been recognized by the National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators. He was president of the state organization and they wanted to recognize him for his leadership during the past year. Mr. Bell summarized some of Mr. Washington’s job responsibilities and said that he is proud of his accomplishments.
Willie Washington thanked Mr. Bell for the recognition and commented on his year as president of the state organization. He said his goal is to best utilize federal monies to serve the boys and girls in the local education agency.
Mr. Anders congratulated Mr. Washington and said the parish is fortunate to have him.
The Outstanding School Support Employee Awards Program provides an opportunity to honor outstanding employees in the elementary, middle, and high school levels who support and provide leadership in the operation of non instructional activities within the school system according to Director of Auxiliary Services, Charles Owens. He reviewed the selection procedure and presented plaques to the following in order to recognize their contributions to the Lincoln Parish School System:
Rose Loyd Elementary Paraprofessional at Ruston Elementary
Charlotte Woods Junior High S.F.S. Technician at Ruston Jr. High
Lillian Sue Huey High School Custodian at Dubach High
Because bid opening for the Simsboro High School renovation and construction project was held earlier in the day, Mr. Owens asked for provisional approval for the superintendent to accept the low bid pending study of the documents by the architect and central office staff. He announced that the apparent low bidder on the project had been Pro Build Contractors of Homer with a bid of $5,493,181. However, shortly before the board meeting began he received a call from them withdrawing their bid because of a clerical error; therefore, he asked that the next lowest bid from Triad of Ruston be provisionally accepted.
Architect Mike Walpole said honest clerical errors are unusual in a public bid job but they do happen occasionally and there is a provision in the bid law to withdraw for those reasons. Triad’s bid, $5,875,000, is barely within the monies available for the project but the three alternatives will not be able to be done. Triad is an excellent contractor and he feels confident that they will do a good job on Project C.
Following questions, upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Kessler, the Board unanimously voted to allow the Board to enter into a contract with the low bidder and handle the matter as conditionally approved until such time that the documents of the contractor are determined to be in proper order based on a review by the architect and central office staff. At such time it is determined that all is satisfactory, the low bid will be fully accepted.
After reminding board members of changes to the policy manual that he first mentioned at the April meeting, Superintendent Bell recommended that those changes be approved.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board unanimously voted to approve the revision of the Electronic Telecommunication Devices policy (JCDAE) and the deletion of Public Participation at Board Meetings (KCA) and Public Participation (KCA-R).
It is nearing the time to wrap up Project A, Cypress Springs and Hillcrest, due to construction and renovation work coming to completion. Therefore, at this time Charles Owens requested permission to execute Substantial Completion for the project based on the recommendation of the architect after his preparation of the final punch list and other appropriate documents. This would be executed only conditionally following appropriate and thorough review by the owner and architect.
Upon a motion by Mr. Shadoin, seconded by Mr. McKinney, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission and authorize the superintendent, his staff, and the architect to execute the Substantial completion documents for Project A, the Cypress Springs and Hillcrest schools’ project.
Feedback from school administrators at Ruston High and Simsboro High has been very positive regarding the two school resource officers’ impact on school security and law enforcement presence with the student body and school community, according to the superintendent. Their duties include campus security monitoring, student instruction relative to substance abuse and law-related education, and student behavior compliance. Mr. Bell and Sheriff Mike Stone would like to see a SRO weekly at Ruston Junior High, Dubach High, Choudrant High, Ruston High, Simsboro High, and the Lincoln Parish Career Academy. This would require the adjustment of the current officers’ schedules and the addition of one more resource officer. He requested that the Board approve an annual contribution of $30,000 for the additional SRO position. The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s office would supply the trained personnel, the vehicle, and pay all of the benefits of the officer. Mr. Bell did mention that the continued funding of the SRO Program would be reviewed annually during the budget review process.
Sheriff Mike Stone communicated that he was asking for the Board’s help because of his limited financial resources. He felt that the pilot program at Ruston High and
Simsboro High had shown the needs within the schools. Commander Curt Taylor offered further details about the SRO program and its benefit to the students.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Ludley, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to the superintendent and/or business manager to appropriate $30,000 of next year’s budget for the purpose of supporting the School Resource Officer Program in designated Lincoln Parish public schools.
Mr. Shadoin suggested adding the wording dependant upon an annual review and a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement to be utilized in determining the annual continuance to the motion. Mr. Kessler, Mr. Ludley, and the remainder of the Board were in agreement.
Because a ”good fit” for a principal at Glen View Elementary School was not found among the top three highest scoring applicants during the last round of interviews, Superintendent Bell proposed to reopen the application process on Wednesday, May 3, 2006. The application period would close at noon on Friday, May 19, with interviews to be scheduled on May 30 and 31, 2006. A recommendation to fill the position would then be made at the June 2006 board meeting. Mr. Bell indicated that advertisement and interview committee makeup would be implemented in accordance with the court order pertaining to the selection of administrative personnel. He requested approval of those plans.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to approve the timeline to advertise and interview for principal of Glen View Elementary as explained above.
Making her annual request for permission to distribute letters of continued employment on the last day of school was Director of Instruction, Personnel, and Special Programs, Mary Null.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Mr. Ludley, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to distribute letters of continued employment for the 06-07 school year.
Mr. Owens related that scrap aluminum and copper have been collected from the renovation and construction at some of the schools in Ruston. These metals should be declared as surplus and sold and the monies should be placed in the maintenance fund.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to declare the scrap aluminum and copper as surplus to be properly disposed.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Mary Null presented items 1.-5., Charles Owens presented 6., and Transportation Supervisor Ronny Volentine presented 7.:
1. Eighteen qualified applicants were interviewed by Donna Doss, Ricky Edmiston, Foster Harris, Patrice Hay, and Charles Owens for the principal positions at Glen View, Lincoln Center, Ruston Junior High, and any other positions that might become vacant due to filling the aforementioned slots. Chairman of the Interview Committee, Mary Null, said the top three highest scoring applicants in numerical order were:
Glen View - Edwin Mason, Rik Cason, and Dana Talley
Lincoln Center - Edwin Mason, Rik Cason, and Doris Lewis
Ruston Junior High - Tim Nutt, Edwin Mason and Rik Cason
She shared the unanimous recommendation of the Interview Committee and Mr. Bell to name Doris Lewis principal of Lincoln Center, Tim Nutt for the position of principal of Ruston Junior High, and Dana Talley for the principal slot at Simsboro which would become vacant when Tim Nutt moved to Ruston Junior High.
Furthermore, she told the Board that the Interview Committee unanimously agreed that they could not make a recommendation for the Glen View principal position.
Ms. Null asked for Board approval of the Interview Committee’s recommendations for Lincoln Center, Ruston Junior High, and Simsboro.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board unanimously voted to name Doris Lewis principal of Lincoln Center, Tim Nutt principal of Ruston Junior High, and Dana Talley principal of Simsboro effective July 1, 2006.
President Anders congratulated the threesome and challenged them to the colossal task of improving their schools.
2. Retirement of the following effective July 1, 2006:
George Stone, teacher at I. A. Lewis.
Robert Summerlin, assistant principal at Ruston Junior High.
3. Resignation of Lent Bursey, special education/coach at Ruston High School, effective May 30, 2006.
4. Request for professional sabbatical for the first semester of 06-07, effective August 21, 2006 for Michelle Davis, teacher at I. A. Lewis.
5. Point of Reference/Transfer of Gerry Briggs, effective April 12, 2006, from custodian at Ruston High to apprentice helper. He will be home-based at Ruston High and will replace Jerome Jones who resigned.
6. Employment of Victor Robinson as custodian at Ruston High effective April 29, 2006 replacing Betty Gant who resigned.
7. Employment of the following effective August 23, 2006:
Jeff Adams as bus driver in the Ruston area in a new position.
Cathy Franklin as bus driver in the Choudrant area replacing Jane Bartlett who retired.
Stanley Washington as bus driver in the Ruston area in a new slot.
Upon a motion by Ms. Tatum, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to accept the #2 - #7 personnel recommendations as presented.
Business Manager, George Murphy, reported that April 2006 sales tax receipts totaled $1,112,318 which was up 14.62% over the same month last year. Year-to-date collections were 15.54% higher. Recoveries by audits were also up $92,342 from last year which is a 46.38% jump. For the month $505,599 was collected in the ’67 and ’79 fund and $606,718 was collected in the ’93 and ’00 fund.
Moving on to a financial update for March 2006, Mr. Murphy called attention to a spreadsheet which showed all of the funds for the year. It continues to be a good year comparing monies received and spent. These remain within budget constraints.
A report on the school day beginning and dismissal times was verbalized by Ms. Null at this point in the meeting. Because of changes occurring at the high schools in 06-07, these times had to be synchronized at the four high schools. While this change was being implemented, it was decided that adjustments in the times for the elementary schools within the City of Ruston would be made as well. It had been the practice to pick up the older students within the city first and the younger students afterwards. Beginning in the fall, that order will be reversed. The elementary children who attend schools in the Ruston district will be picked up each morning and taken to their schools and then the sixth graders through high school students will be picked up. Elementary students’ school days will begin at 7:45 and end at 3:00. High school bells will ring at 8:00 and 3:30. This will be another asset to the changes which have already been planned. She has worked with School Food Service Supervisor Brenda Theodos and her personnel will be flexible regarding breakfast times. In addition, after much study, bus routes have been changed and two additional routes have been added. Ms. Null believes the benefits will far outweigh the negatives that might come. A brief time of questions followed.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said:
1. That a reception for 05-06 retirees would be held prior to the June 6, 2006 board meeting at 5:45 p.m. in the lobby.
2. A graduation schedule was included in packets but the Secondary Alternative School’s graduation at 6:30 p.m. on May 18, 2006 was omitted. It will be held at the Ruston Civic Center.
3. A note of congratulations from the governor regarding the District Performance Score was also included in packets.
4. Board members are invited to a retirement reception for Richard Durrett, Lincoln Parish Police Jury Administrator/Engineer, on May 19, 2006 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish Library.
Following brief comments, the meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
_____________________ ________________________
Danny L. Bell, Secretary Otha L. Anders, President