LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, February 3, 2009 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 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 Otha Anders, Mr. Michael Barmore, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. Trott Hunt, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Ted McKinney, and Mr. Joe Mitcham.
Mr. Eddie Jones and Mr. Jim Kessler were absent.
President Anders called the meeting to order and Mr. Mitcham gave the invocation. Ms. Henderson led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Mr. Anders welcomed board members, staff, press, and special guests.
Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on January 6, 2009, as distributed.
Mary Null, Director of Instruction, Personnel, and Special Programs, had the pleasure of introducing the Ruston Jaycees’ Outstanding Young Educator of the Year, Kyle Falting. She shared background information on him including the fact that he is a math teacher at Ruston High School. Ms. Null expressed her pride in Mr. Falting for being chosen for this honor. She allowed him to introduce his guests and share brief comments with the Board. He thanked the Board and the administration for their support.
Chris Turner, Manager of Super 1, and Jerry Hilbun, Pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, were recognized as Distinguished Partners in Education by Cathi Cox, Project ACHIEVE Coordinator. Because of their businesses’ and employees’ generous donation of time and money to schools within Lincoln Parish, they had been selected for this honor. She thanked them on behalf of the Board, the administration, and most of all the students who reap the real benefit.
Ms. Null submitted her annual request for permission to send Letters of Intent to employees so that she could begin planning for the 09-10 school year.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to send Letters of Intent.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole, and the following Personnel Committee agenda items were considered after Ms. Null presented items 1.-2., and Charles Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services, presented item 3.:
Leave without pay request for April 27, 2009, through June 1, 2009, from Stephanie Moran, teacher at Glen View.
Employment of Stephen Brown as physical education teacher at Ruston Junior High, effective December 12, 2008, replacing Jack Goode who resigned.
Resignation of Earnest Jackson, maintenance at the central office, effective January 14, 2009.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel recommendations.
Independent Auditor Margie Williamson presented an audit report for the year ending June 30, 2008. She called attention to two reports, the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and the Single Audit Report. She briefly went over the results of the audit and mentioned specific pages for later study. The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which is submitted to the GFOA and ASBO for technical review, included an Independent Auditor’s Report. That report showed a clean, unqualified opinion which means that the financial statements are fairly stated without any qualifications. She believes the Business Department keeps a very clean set of books, and there were no problems associated with the audit. Due to sound financial management, the General Fund has a very healthy fund balance of $26 million, with $15.7 million unreserved. The net change was an increase of $2.1 million. Not included in the $15.7 million figure was $5 million which would be moved to reserved after June 30, 2008. The health insurance fund did suffer a net loss of $1.3 million before $1.5 million was transferred. Also included was information on each of the school’s accounts. Because much information was included in the report, Ms. Williamson encouraged Board members to take some time and look through it. She communicated that George Murphy would be happy to answer questions.
In the Single Audit Report, the auditors actually go through and test the Board’s compliance with federal and state laws. This year the federal programs tested were Title I and Title II. No findings were noted in either of those programs but a Management Letter was issued with a couple of insignificant suggestions for improvement.
Cathi Cox and Mike Milstead, Principal of Ruston High School, were delighted to provide a brief overview of the New Tech High School model. The concept of a 21st century high school was modeled on Napa’s New Technology High School. Following a call from Baton Rouge encouraging Ruston High and the Lincoln Parish school system to strongly look at the model, a grant was written and awarded, allowing visits to schools in Dallas and Austin replicating the Napa Valley Unified School District. They liked the school-within-a-school model and reviewed staggering results. An open enrollment is envisioned for RHS not geared toward the upper tier of students, but rather for those in the middle and possibly benefiting from the new tech instructional practices. The New Tech model would address the needs of the 21st century learner with digital means and instruction. The students at the schools visited excelled at their core classes while outperforming their peers on standardized tests. With strong community and Louisiana Tech support, this may be the system’s best chance to put good, solid workers in the parish in the future.
Mr. Milstead distributed brochures from the New Tech Foundation on which he hopes to model. He believes it to be imperative that it be followed. Mr. Milstead envisions this year’s 8th graders to be the first group to actually make use of the model. The model reflects commitment to these criteria: program, curriculum, technology, partnerships, professional development, staffing, and facilities. Kinesthetic learners are learners who are hands-on people who are usually ”B”/”C” or ”C”/”D” students. In the schools visited, their grades went to ”A”/”B,” because their learning style was being addressed. In addition, attendance at the schools visited went up to 97% as the students do not want to miss school. The initial start up costs are high but will hopefully be addressed through partnerships with the business community and university. He is convinced that this is the next step for Ruston High to become the best school in Louisiana if not the nation. Therefore, the group plans to visit the Napa Valley if funds are available through a second grant which has been submitted.
According to George Murphy, Business Manager, sales taxes collected for the period ending January 31, 2009, were $1,480,081 which was only .60% higher than the same month last year. They seem to have reached a plateau. Year-to-date those collections were up 13.87%. Taxes recovered by audits were $44,081. Year-to-date that fund was up 141.403%. Collected in the ’67 and ’79 fund was $672,765, and $807,316 was generated in the ’93 and ’00 fund.
Mr. Murphy noted that the December 2008 financial update was included in packets. He indicated that the general fund was up $1,193,000 year-to-date. Mr. Murphy gave the ending balances in each fund and commented on them. As of December, the 5 mill maintenance and other ad valorem tax funds had negative balances as the $11.5 million check from the sheriff was not received until the second week of January. These funds will come up flush next month. The sales tax funds are all showing increases year-to-date.
A health plan update for December 2008 which covered the entire calendar year of 2008 was Mr. Murphy’s next agenda item. An increase of $22,143 was sustained for the month; but year-to-date the health plan program ended up with a loss of $926,812. This was a concern as several transfers had been made as the independent auditor previously stated. Hopefully significant changes which took effect in January 2009 will make a difference. It will be monitored closely each month.
Mr. Anders thanked Board members for volunteering to serve on various committees and indicated that committee assignments for 2009 were included in packets.
Because the State mandates LEAP/iLEAP/GEE/LAA 2 testing and testing makeup dates and the manner in which the holidays and days of the week fell this year, Superintendent Bell communicated the inability to have some of the flexibility in the school calendar which was enjoyed in the past. After much consideration, the administration decided to include four instructional staff workdays at the beginning of the school year. This would permit staff training for parish-wide initiatives to occur early on so that everyone could be fully prepared for teaching and learning on the very first day. In addition, the mid-year staff development day was deleted. Mr. Bell presented one school calendar option which mirrors this year’s calendar. He asked for its adoption for the next school year.
Upon a motion by Mr. Hunt, seconded by Mr. McKinney, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the proposed calendar for the 09-10 school year as follows:
Lincoln Parish 2009 - 2010 School Calendar
Instructional Staff Workday August 10, 2009
All Staff Workday August 13, 2009
First Day of School-Students (1/2 day) August 14, 2009
Labor Day September 7, 2009
Columbus Day October 12, 2009
Thanksgiving November 23-27, 2009
Christmas/New Year Dec. 21, 2009-Jan. 1, 2010
End of First Semester January 8, 2010
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day January 18, 2010
Presidents’ Day February 15, 2010
Easter April 2 & 5, 2010
Spring Break April 19-23, 2010
Last Day of School-Students (1/2 day) May 27, 2010
Instructional Staff Workday (1/2 day) May 28, 2010
Verbal approval had been given by the administration for a change order dealing with the central office renovation project. Mr. Owens noted that replacing the storefront door at the handicap entrance cost $3,070.10 which could be taken from the contingency allowance with a net change of zero dollars. The contract time period would be increased by twenty-three days. He requested that the Board formally approve the change order.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted to approve the change order adding no money but twenty-three days to the central office renovation project.
Danny Bell presented what should be the final policy revisions based on action taken by the 2008 Louisiana Legislature and a couple that the administration was recommending for addition to the manual. He provided brief summaries of the proposed revisions: BBBC, Board Member Continuing Education; BH, School Board Ethics; DE, Debt Limitation; EBC, Buildings and Grounds Security; EDC, Student Transportation Safety Program; GAMEB, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Testing - Commercial Drivers’ License Holders; IDDF, Education of Students with Exceptionalities; IFBGA, Acceptable Use Policy for School Computer Systems and the Internet - Student Use; JBA, Compulsory School Attendance Ages, JBCD, Student Transfer and Withdrawal; JCDB, Student Dress Code; and JGCB, Immunizations; additions: FDC, Naming of Facilities; GAMEA, Alcohol and Drug Testing - General Employees; and GAMI, Employee Use of Telephones and Other Electronic Devices; and deletions: GAME, Employee Drug and Alcohol Testing; IDDF, Special Education (BUT replace with a new IDDF, Education of Students with Exceptionalities); and IDDFA, Technology Assistive Devices for Disabled Students. Mr. Bell asked the Board members to study the proposed policy changes until the March meeting.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said a schedule of millage renewal presentations at the schools was placed in portfolios. A schedule of community presentations will be distributed at the March meeting.
Following brief comments and a motion by Ms. Best, the meeting adjourned at 7:16 p.m.
Danny L. Bell, Secretary
Otha L. Anders, President