LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Wednesday, February 21, 2007 12:30 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Wednesday, February 21, 2007, at 12:30 p.m. at I. A. Lewis. Members present were President Otha Anders, Mr. Michael Barmore, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison (left early), Ms. Lynda Henderson (arrived late), Mr. Trott Hunt, Mr. Eddie Jones, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Ted McKinney, and Mr. Joe Mitcham.
No board member was absent.
Prior to the business meeting, board members enjoyed a delicious lunch in the school cafeteria.
After a moment of silent meditation for the family of the former State Superintendent of Education, Cecil Picard, President Anders called the meeting to order. The invocation was given by Mr. Jones and Ms. Best led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag. Mr. Anders welcomed board members, staff, members of the press, and special guests to the meeting.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.
Principal of I. A. Lewis, David Ferguson, said that it was his pleasure to welcome guests to the school on behalf of the faculty and staff. At I. A. Lewis they attempt to meet every need of every child that feeds into his school from the four city elementary schools. Mr. Ferguson believes that a safe, secure, and disciplined environment paves the way for learning. He asked his first year coordinating teacher, Lisa Moody, to speak about one of their exciting programs.
Ms. Moody was honored to talk about a specific project dealing with the reading specialist certification program. She has thirteen hardworking faculty members who have chosen to go to school during the school day. They are doing a great job taking what they learn at Louisiana Tech and bringing it into their classrooms. She thanked the board and Cathi Cox for giving them the opportunity to participate in the project.
Ms. Henderson arrived during Ms. Moody’s discourse.
Mr. Anders thanked Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Moody for the care that they provide for the children.
Charles Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services, reported that architect Mike Walpole and his staff have been preparing architectural plans for Ruston High relative to that phase of the Ruston School District capital improvement project. He requested permission to advertise for bids for an early March contractor bid date.
Mr. Walpole said he is about finished and will be distributing plans in March with a contractor bid date in April instead of March. It is a tough job with lots of wants and needs. He will ask for a base bid and have some alternates to allow for more flexibility and possibilities.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission for the advertisement of bids for renovation at Ruston High School.
Director of Instruction, Personnel, and Special Programs, Mary Null, submitted her annual request to send Letters of Intent to employees in order to begin planning for the 07-08 school year.
Upon a motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to send Letters of Intent.
As a result of ongoing renovation and construction projects in the Ruston and Simsboro School districts, several surplus property items have accumulated, according to Charles Owens. These items include HVAC condensing units, air handlers, and various pieces of furniture. He would like to declare the items as surplus and sell them utilizing the bid process.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to advertise the above-mentioned surplus items and sell them to the highest bidder.
An update on Project ACHIEVE was given by Cathi Cox, Coordinator. She summarized some of the positive things going on in an attempt to serve all students and not leave any behind.
Superintendent Danny Bell was thrilled to announce to the Board that former Ruston High School track team members who went on to play in the NFL want to make monetary donations toward renovation and new construction of the RHS track facility. Mr. Bell said the current facility is woefully inadequate and is inequitable for male and female athletes. Shower and restroom facilities, climate control in the equipment storage area and space for storage of athletes’ bags and books are also inadequate. In addition, an award winning coach, Dave Anderson, is back on staff. He also noted that students from the rural high schools and nonpublic schools make use of the facility. In the fall, the building provides a locker room for visiting football teams. Mike Walpole has looked at the present facility and is working on plans. The goal would be to have an adequate facility to primarily serve the needs of the RHS students but also be made available when possible to all of the students in the parish. Mr. Bell shared specifics of the proposed renovations and turned the floor over to Coach Dave Anderson.
Coach Anderson said the idea originated with Jack Hunt who graduated from RHS in 2000 and went on to play football for L.S.U. and the Miami Dolphins. Four former RHS track athletes who also played football and currently play football in the NFL -- Patrick Ramsey with the New York Jets, Kenny Wright with the Washington Redskins, Michael Green with the Seattle Seahawks, and Kyle Williams with the Buffalo Bills -- were interested in Jack’s idea to make monetary contributions to the facility. Coach Anderson wants to do what’s right for the 370 RHS athletes who use the facility daily as well as those from the outlying schools and occasionally Louisiana Tech. The concession stand is also not big enough to serve the people on the visiting side of the field. By renovating the concession stand and making it a little larger and adding some square footage to the existing structure, there would be enough space for the boys’ and girls’ track team to get dressed; the boys’ and girls’ cross country team and the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams could share in using the facility as well as the junior high students who currently use it. The renovation would also allow adequate space to accommodate all members of the Friday night visiting football team. He is honored that his former athletes would want to do this for the track program but is also pleased that it would help the other programs. He closed with statistics on RHS track state champions and said he is pleased to contribute to the heritage of being a RHS athlete.
Wanting to make a contribution to his community and specifically toward the program of his former track coach, Dave Anderson, Jack Hunt contacted others who are now playing in the NFL to ascertain their interest. Realizing the impact that Coach Dave Anderson had on their careers as well as their lives, they chose this way to give back to him. He doesn’t have an exact total of money that will be given, but it will be large. Mr. Hunt said they would really like to have the Board’s support on the project.
Mr. Bell said it is wonderful to see these young athletes, hear what a program has meant to them as well as appreciate their desire to give back. Other former athletes may come forward to help, and he was already told by Mike Green via Mr. Milstead that the NFL will match his donation. After verbalizing that much can be done to improve the facility and make it a top quality building for current and future athletes, he gave an estimate of $384,000 to go in and do a renovation and construction project. He believes the expense to be appropriate and not wasteful. Mr. Bell deferred the matter to the Building & Grounds Committee so they could go to RHS, tour the existing facility, and report back to the Board.
A meeting of the Building and Grounds Committee was called by Chairman George Mack at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6, 2007, at Ruston High School. He also encouraged new board members to go by.
RHS head football coach and athletic director, Billy Laird, said he supports the proposed plans for renovation and construction of the track facility because there are a lot of needs.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said that he plans to submit a grant for a LA-4 program grant for Simsboro School. This would fund one preschool class for four-year-olds. He noted that the preschool teachers currently teaching in the parish use the same curriculum as that which is used in the LA-4 program. This will bring the total of preschool classes within the parish to ten the next year. The differences in the current programs and the LA-4 program are the provision of transportation and before school and after school care. Although before or after school care must be offered, if no care is requested by a majority, a waiver can be granted. This care would extend the day by about four hours. If enough free and reduced lunch students do not register and support the program, tuition will be charged to those students not eating lunch at free or reduced prices. He has developed a sliding scale depending upon numbers.
Ms. Harrison left the meeting during the Superintendent’s Report.
After Otha Anders encouraged Board members to visit the school and various comments from other members were received, the meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
______________________________ ______________________________
Danny L. Bell, Secretary Otha L. Anders, President