LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, January 5, 2010 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish School Board, 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. Eddie Jones, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Ted McKinney, and Mr. Joe Mitcham.
Mr. Trott Hunt and Mr. Jim Kessler were absent.
Mr. Anders called the meeting to order and delivered the invocation. The ladies led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag followed by Mr. Anders’ welcome to board members, staff, media, principals, members of the Ruston 21 Education Committee, and other guests.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. McKinney, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.
Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Ms. Harrison, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on December 1, 2009, as distributed.
The Election of Officers for 2010 was the next item on the agenda. Mr. Anders said nominations or a motion could be made. He declared the floor open for a motion.
Mr. Mack made a motion to retain the current officers, and Ms. Best seconded the motion.
Mr. Anders turned the floor over to the secretary, Superintendent Danny Bell. Mr. Bell asked for a vote on the Mack/Best motion to retain Otha Anders as president and Joe Mitcham as vice president for 2010. Hearing all ”Ayes,” he congratulated the duo. They both thanked the Board for the vote of confidence.
Dr. Jo Ann Dauzat and John Buske presented a report from the Ruston 21 Education Committee which was established in the spring as part of the Ruston 21 long-range planning initiative. The committee determined the district has many strengths but also has some weaknesses. They shared thirty recommendations including that the Board adopt as its goal to rank among the state’s top 12 school systems by 2013 and No. 1 in the state by 2017. Eight specific efforts were listed for birth through third grade, three for fourth through eighth grades, and four for ninth through twelfth grades.
Superintendent Bell thanked the Ruston 21 Education Committee, board members, and administrative staff who worked with the committee and said he’d really like for the system to be No. 1 this coming year rather than 2017. That is a goal of his and his administrators, but they cannot do it alone. The committee brought some valid issues. However, he community will need to decide what support it’s willing to give in order for public education to rise to the top. He believes Lincoln Parish is heading in the right direction. Tremendous efforts have been made in the last few years to involve the community in the schools. Mr. Bell said there are issues mentioned by the committee that require further exploration including the reasons for some children’s lack of learning in the early years. He appreciates the input of Ruston 21 and the vision for what can be even a better community. As educators they embrace that while they know the challenges that lie before them. He noted that he needs time to share the committee’s information and recommendations with his school leaders and teachers and to prioritize before moving forward in developing a plan for improvement and to bring about greater student academic achievement parish wide.
Secondary Supervisor, Ricky Edmiston, said New Tech models schools have been visited by representatives from Ruston High and him, and they had seen whole schools and schools within schools. He asked Ruston High School principal, Mike Milstead, to share an overview of what he feels can be a tremendous asset to Ruston High and the entire parish.
Mr. Milstead indicated that New Tech prepares students for their future by incorporating project-based learning and technology to deliver core knowledge and 21st century skills. He envisions eight large classrooms for integrated subjects, six single-subject classrooms, a common area, research center, Internet lounge, and multipurpose room. Mr. Milstead distributed estimated financial information for the first four years and a maximum projection for sustainability of $418,000 per year. His goal is to begin with 100 students and add an additional 100 each year for an eventual enrollment of 400 ninth through twelfth graders. Students from any high school in the parish could apply. He sees New Tech as a way to leave an impact for years to come and a way to become No. 1 in Louisiana.
The superintendent said the Board and he have a problem figuring out how to go about getting a New Tech facility. It is innovative and would bring about change for many children who are not learning in the traditional path. It would be a very good thing for the parish and excitement is building. A recommendation will be made in the near future, possibly in February.
Independent Auditor Margie Williamson presented an audit report for the year ending June 30, 2009. 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 $20.8 million, with $9.7 million unreserved. The net change for the year was a decrease of $5 million. The parish wide capital projects fund is the $7 million transferred from the General Fund for the Pre-K Center. The Internal Service Fund, which includes self-insured health insurance and workman’s compensation activity, did have a $2.8 million deficit. This was the first year for reporting the Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) liability of $7.6 million following an actuarial study. Each year that number will continue to grow as the actual cost of providing health insurance to retirees does. Without that $7 million, the system would have had an excess in the net assets at the end of the year. Also included was information on student activity funds at the schools. Because much information was included in the report, Ms. Williamson encouraged Board members to take some time and look through it.
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 program tested was the Child Nutrition Fund. No findings were noted but a Management Letter was issued with a suggestion of a best business practice on capital improvements. She closed by saying it was a very good report.
Business Manager, George Murphy, called attention to figures on the December 2009 sales tax report and noted that those collections were down $2.7 million for the first six months of the fiscal year. He is concerned whether June sales tax supplement checks will be able to be paid out in the same amounts as in previous years. Mr. Murphy hopes the next sales tax report, which will contain Christmas spending and is usually a pretty good month, will start those collections heading back up. There have been eleven consecutive months of decreases in sales taxes compared to the same month in the previous year. The December 2009 sales tax collections were $913,910 which was a 19% decrease compared to the same months last year. Recoveries through audits were $36,826. Collected in the ’67 and ’79 fund was $415,414; $498,496 was generated in the '93 and '00 fund. Reasons for the reduction continued to be decreases in oil and gas extractions, industrial machinery and equipment, and automotive dealers and service stations.
Moving on to the November 2009 financial statement, George Murphy said there was not much change from the previous month. Sales tax fund balances were slightly lower than normal because of the tough financial year. The general fund was still up $1.8 million for the year. The five-mill maintenance and other ad valorem funds showed negative balances because those taxes will begin arriving in December. The school system was in pretty good shape financially considering all that has happened during the year.
Mr. Murphy reported that the health care fund for the month of October 2009 was up $41,385 and year-to-date $889,609 after ten months of data. He felt fortunate because no major changes were needed as the new year approached.
Work on the Pre-K Center was progressing on schedule primarily due to the contractor, Steve Traxler, according to Charles Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services. It should be completed in the 420 allotted days if the weather cooperates.
The Building and Grounds and Finance committees met prior to the board meeting to look at funding for the New Tech high. It was an information gathering meeting according to Joe Mitcham, chairman of the Finance Committee. A recommendation for the Board’s consideration might be forthcoming at the February meeting.
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, recommended #1 - #4, James Payton, Transportation Coordinator, recommended #5, and Charles Owens recommended #6:
Resignation of the following:
Donna Hammons, special education teacher at Glen View, effective December 14, 2009; and
Anita West, librarian at Cypress Springs, effective January 11, 2010.
Leave without pay request from March 16, 2009, through May 26, 2010, from Laura Hawkins, English teacher at Ruston High.
Medical sabbatical requests from January 11, 2010, through May 26, 2010, for the following:
Gloria Riser, science teacher at Choudrant High; and
Mollie Allen, special education teacher at Choudrant High.
Employment of Doyle Sandifer as special education teacher at Glen View, effective December 14, 2009, replacing Donna Hammons who resigned.
Employment of the following bus drivers effective January 4, 2010:
Robert James, bus driver in the Ruston area, replacing Pete Theodos who retired;
Donnie Watson, bus driver in the Ruston area, replacing Sarah Williams who resigned; and
Calvin Woodford, bus driver in the Ruston area replacing Mary Austin who retired.
Employment of Curtis Mack as custodian at I. A. Lewis, effective January 4, 2010, replacing James McCallister who was deceased.
Upon a motion by Mr. Mitcham, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to accept the personnel recommendations as presented.
Three bids were received following an advertisement for the purchase of three 2011 conventional school buses. They were from Kent Mitchell Bus Sales, Scott Truck & Tractor, and Ross Bus Sales. After careful analysis, James Payton suggested accepting the bid of $70,986 from Ross Bus Sales as the lowest bid which fully met specifications.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted to accept the bid of $70,986 each from Ross Bus Sales for the purchase of three 2011 conventional school buses.
Ms. Null summarized slight proposed changes to the Bullying, Intimidation, Harassment, and Hazing (JCDAF), and Student Absences and Excuses (JBD) policies. She and Mr. Anders asked board members to study the policy changes with formal action to be taken at the February 2, 2010, meeting.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said:
That the second round of H1N1 vaccinations has been scheduled for Saturday, January 23, 2010, from 8:00 a.m. until noon in the Ruston High lobby. The vaccination is now available for anyone but is specifically targeted for students in grades 6 – 12. He appreciates the organization and work the staff put together for the first round and anticipates a smooth campaign the second time too.
He wanted to remind those in attendance that while it seemed that much was being done financially in the Ruston School District, all that can possibly be done has been done and will be done in all of the school districts and community schools. He pointed out that even when the Choudrant tax proposition failed and again when the Choudrant voters recently approved the tax proposition, the Board promised the people in that community that it would look into putting in a functioning cafeteria at Choudrant Elementary. The shell was in the proposition but another $400,000 to $500,000 was needed to complete the cafeteria. Roofs, gym floors, and pad for gym floors have also been done at different schools.
Race to the Top (R2T) is a federal program that will award $4.35 billion in federal funding to a select group of states that are willing to implement major reforms in their school systems. He formed a committee of board members, community stakeholders, and educators which has met on at least two occasions to look at the program, the document, and the pros and cons. He and President Anders are to inform the state on Monday regarding the school system’s participation. He is not sure they will decide to do so because of the following: sustainability of Louisiana’s Education Reform Plan requiring programs and initiatives at the end of the four years; inability to determine the actual funding the school district will receive since the States doesn’t know how much it will receive from the federal government or how many districts will participate; the fluidity and trial and error process which would seem to indicate that the rules could change along the way; the Comprehensive Performance Management System has not been identified for teachers and leaders since it has yet to be developed; the Partnership Agreement includes educations reforms that the district must adopt for ALL schools, and concerns relating to the mandatory revision of district policies, e.g., Dismissal of Employees (RIF), to match the requirements within the State’s Reform Plan. As superintendent he doesn’t feel like he can demand things from his principals and supervisors when he does not know how it is to be structured. He feels he would be making a mistake to recommend participation in the Race to the Top program because of the risks of the unknown.
Following brief comments from board members, the meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m. on a motion by Ms. Best.
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Danny Bell, Secretary
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Otha Anders, President