LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, October 7, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. in the Title I Media Center Conference Room at 504 East Arizona, Ruston, Louisiana. Members present were Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Michael Barmore, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. Trott Hunt, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Joe Mitcham, and Mr. Ted McKinney.
Mr. Eddie Jones was absent.
President Otha Anders called the meeting to order and Mr. McKinney gave the invocation. Ms. Henderson led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Mr. Anders welcomed visitors to the meeting.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted by roll call to adopt the agenda as printed.
Upon a motion by Mr. Kessler, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on September 9, 2008.
Ricky Edmiston, Secondary Supervisor, was very pleased to recognize a National Merit Semi Finalist who scored in the top 1% of the students in country who took the PSAT, the preliminary college entrance exam, last fall. He introduced Anna Ward from Ruston and presented a plaque to her along with congratulations from the Board in recognition of excellent achievement. Mr. Edmiston asked her to introduce here guests and he acknowledged her principal and counselor who were in attendance.
Dennis Woodard, who is on the Sparta Commission and working with the Trailblazer organization, had a short, worthwhile, and educational DVD presentation regarding the Sparta aquifer and the critical need for conservation measures. He indicated that copies of the DVD had been distributed to the schools and were available to others who would like to request them. Superintendent Danny Bell indicated that he would contact the schools and urge them to come up with a plan to show the DVD to all of the students.
Representative Hollis Downs was present and gave a brief legislative update. He summarized the activities and causes of which he had been a part or supported. He has come to realize that education is vital and his first priority is for public schools.
Several of the schools have been collecting and storing broken and obsolete equipment in their facilities reported Mr. Edmiston. He asked the Board to declare the listed items from Choudrant High, Glen View, Hillcrest, and Ruston High as surplus so they could be discarded.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. McKinney, the Board unanimously voted to declare obsolete and broken equipment as surplus.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Mary Null, Director of Instruction, Personnel, and Special Programs, presented 1.-3. and James Payton, Transportation Coordinator, presented 4.:
Professional sabbatical requests effective January 12, 2009, through June 1, 2009, for:
Kelly Walker, elementary teacher at Cypress Springs; and
Jill Murphy, special education teacher at Cypress Springs.
Employment of the following:
Robbie Burnham as special education teacher at Glen View, effective September 15, 2008, because of autistic numbers; and
Shirell Thompson as special education paraprofessional at Choudrant Elementary, effective September 22, 2008, replacing Robbie Burnham who was promoted.
Points of Reference/Transfer of the following effective August 13, 2008:
Kaye Darnell from Glen View to itinerant special education (Cypress Springs) replacing Janet Hammock who transferred; and
Janet Hammock from itinerate to special education at Glen View replacing Kaye Darnell who transferred.
Employment of Shondalyn Tucker as bus aide in the Ruston area, effective August 29, 2008, replacing Gloria Jones who is deceased.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted to accept the personnel recommendations.
The twenty-fifth annual Academic Awards Banquet has been scheduled for Monday, November 17, 2008, at the Ruston Civic Center beginning at 6:00 p.m. according to Danny Bell. Ollie Tyler, Deputy Superintendent of Education, will be the speaker. He and Otha Anders asked board members to place the banquet on their calendars.
Because of a $10,000,000 allocation for rural districts from Governor Bobby Jindal, the superintendent was able to formulate a flexible pay program for certified teachers. He has received verbal approval of his $238,898 grant that would yield $204,274 after benefits. Mr. Bell’s plan has three objectives:
To raise the percentage of students in the entire school scoring at the Proficient level on state assessments in ELA and/or math by 10% or greater;
To increase teacher attendance thereby decreasing certified absences requiring eligible certificated teachers to miss no more than one school day - personal or sick; and
To increase the number of Advanced and/or Mastery units on state assessments at each school by 10% or greater.
After test and absentee data is received, individual allotments will be calculated based on the total number of certified teachers in the system meeting the criteria. The superintendent feels that the flex pay program will encourage certificated teachers by emphasizing the importance of good teaching and missing fewer days of school.
George Murphy, Business Manager, reported that sales tax collections for the month of September 2008 totaled $1,495,245 which was a 21.30% increase over the same month last year and a 19.37% rise year-to-date. Recoveries through audits were $42,341 for the month and $120,425 for the year. In the 67 and 79 funds, $679,657 was collected and $815,587 was added to the 93 and 00 funds. He indicated that oil and gas extraction and a gas pipeline going through the parish were the primary reasons for the increase.
In presenting the financial update for the month ending August 2008, Mr. Murphy noted that the General Fund was up to $14,399,146. The five mill maintenance and five ad valorem tax funds were all showing deficit balances because monies had not been received from the tax collector. All sales tax funds were looking good.
Mr. Murphy noted that the self insurance health benefits program showed a net gain of $370,703 for the month ending August 31, 2008, because of a $500,000 transfer into the fund. After eight months in 2008 the fund was down $812,070. He noted an insurance committee meeting on the 28th to look at changes to the fund.
Direct deposit has been optional for employee pay and approximately 250 currently use that means of deposit. In order to improve efficiency and streamline the bookkeeping process for payroll, Mr. Murphy announced that direct deposit will be mandatory beginning January 1, 2009. For employees who do not have a checking account and choose not to open one, a payroll card from a bank will be used.
At the September 9, 2008, meeting the superintendent presented five policy revisions and two additions for the Board’s consideration. He recommended that they be approved.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Boar unanimously voted to approve the revisions to Superintendent Qualifications (CEA), Inventories (DIC), Student Health Services (JGC), Administration of Medication (JGCD), and Illness and Accidents (JGFG), and additions of School Census (ADA) and Supplemental Educational Services (IDCJ).
Permission to formally approve a change order request for the central office was submitted by Superintendent Bell. The lone item included in the change order was a $6,543.96 increase to add city required catch basin tie-ins on Farmerville Street. He requested the Board’s approval.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Mr. Mack, the board unanimously voted to approve a change order for the central office project adding $6,543.96.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said:
1. The next regular scheduled meeting is set for 12:30 p.m. on October 22, 2008, at Ruston Junior High School.
2. He will be out of the office a portion of next week to attend a BESE meeting regarding the MFP student count and to be in attendance when several employees from Dubach High are given a School Health Award through a Louisiana Tech grant.
3. It is great to see teachers going above and beyond in applying for grants. He gave an update on grants received and said a $25,000 planning grant has been applied for with high tech high schools and also a $1,000,000 grant through Louisiana Tech and NASA to bring greater things to the S.T.E.M. program through technology and robotics.
4. He will be attending a Drop Out Summit with President Anders and twelve community people on October 28, 2008, in Baton Rouge.
After brief comments from a board member, the meeting adjourned at 7:38 p.m.
Danny Bell, Secretary
Otha Anders, President