LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, March 6, 2012 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, 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 Ms. Debbie Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Michael Barmore, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Mr. Danny Hancock, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. Trott Hunt, Mr. Eddie Jones, Mr. George Mack, Jr. and Mr. Joe Mitcham.
No board member was absent.
President Anders called the meeting to order, and the invocation was given by Mr. Barmore. Ms. Harrison led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. Mr. Anders welcomed board members and visitors to the meeting.
Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Mr. Hunt, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.
Upon a motion by Mr. Dowling, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Sessions held on February 7, 2012, and February 22, 2012, as distributed and the Special Session held on February 28, 2012, with one correction.
Making her annual request for permission to send Letters of Intent to employees so that she could begin planning for the 12 - 13 school year was Mary Null, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Programs.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to send Letters of Intent.
With only three weeks left before testing, Donna Doss, Accountability Coordinator, introduced the final school leaders to make their presentations to the Board. Lisa Mangum, principal at Glen View Elementary with a C- School Performance Score (SPS), and Patrice Hilton, principal at Hillcrest Elementary with a B+ SPS, take their school’s data and mold it for their children. The principals shared their schools’ improvement initiatives and their beliefs that the students will score higher on standardized tests than they have before which will in turn increase their schools’ performance scores. They believe their scores will show growth.
George Murphy, Business Manager, reported that $953,599 was collected in sales taxes during the month of February 2012. This was a 6.07% increase for the month and a 1.56% increase year-to-date. The primary reason was an increase in oil and gas activity. Sales tax collections are still not up to budgeted amounts, but they are increasing. Recoveries through audits were $954 which was down 90% compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date the collections were down 22%. In the 1967 and 1979 sales tax funds, $433,454 was collected. Deposits in the 1993 and 2000 sales tax funds were $520,144.
Moving on to the January 2012 financial report, Mr. Murphy called attention to an addition of the total fund balance, $43,457,780, on the bottom right corner. He said the bulk of the ad valorem tax revenue had begun to come in from the Sheriff’s Department. The general fund, 5 mill maintenance fund, ad valorem tax funds, and the M & O funds were all showing increases in revenue. Some of the funds were no longer showing deficits. The general fund was up $3.3 million year-to-date. The sales tax funds were looking pretty good, but less than budgeted amounts. Overall the spreadsheet was comparable to the same in January 2011.
The Board served as a Committee of the Whole, and the following Personnel Committee agenda item was considered after Ms. Null shared recommendations from Charles Owens and her:
1. Retirement of the following effective May 26, 2012, unless otherwise noted:
Martha Hayes, elementary teacher at Cypress Springs;
Betsy Gouedy, special education teacher at Choudrant High;
Carolyn Rockett, special education teacher at Choudrant High;
Sara Hollis, elementary teacher at Hico Elementary;
Joy Telford, librarian at Hico/Dubach;
Janet Hammock, special education teacher at Hillcrest, effective March 1, 2012;
Brenda Carr, discipline at Youth Rescue Center; and
Earnestine Layton, special education teacher at Youth Rescue Center.
2. Resignation of the following effective February 27, 2012:
Lisa Trussell, hearing impaired at Cypress Springs; and
Rhonda Collins, elementary teacher at Ruston Elementary.
3. Point of Reference/Transfer of Tish Freeman, special education teacher, from Ruston Junior High to Youth Rescue Center, effective February 27, 2012, replacing Eva Williams who retired.
4. Professional sabbatical request from August 13, 2012, through May 24, 2013, for Libby Woodard, librarian at I. A. Lewis.
5. Defacto resignation of Georgia Slaughter, custodian at Ruston Junior High, effective February 15, 2012.
Upon a motion by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Barmore, the Board unanimously voted to approve the personnel recommendations.
The Building and Grounds Committee met immediately preceding the Regular Session, and Chairman Trott Hunt reported that presentations were heard from two groups from the community. Following those, the committee unanimously voted to recommend to the full Board the naming of the Ruston High stadium the L. J. “Hoss” Garrett Stadium and the new field house the Jimmy “Chick” Childress Field House. They understood an exemption from the legislature would be required to name the field house as Mr. Childress was not deceased.
Upon a motion by Ms. Henderson, seconded by Mr. Jones, the Board unanimously voted to approve the naming of the Ruston High School football stadium as the L. J. “Hoss” Garrett Stadium and the field house as the Jimmy “Chick” Childress Field House and to pursue a method for naming the rooms in the field house.
Bids for the construction of the New Tech and Ag buildings at Ruston High were opened and reviewed on March 1, 2012. In the absence of Charles Owens, Superintendent Bell communicated that nine qualified bidders, Don M. Barron Contractor, Inc., Gentry Construction, Inc., Lincoln Builders of Ruston, Inc., Mann’s Constructions, Inc., Ragan Builders, Traxler Construction Company, Inc., Triad Builders of Ruston, Inc., Breck Construction, and Pro Build, submitted bids; however, their base bids were all over the $3.4 mill budgeted. Don M. Barron Contractor, Inc., was determined as low bidder with a base bid of $4,054,000. Architect Mike Walpole said he is exploring potential cost reduction measures in order to bring the bids within the funds available for construction.
Upon a motion by Ms. Abrahm, seconded by Mr. Hunt, the Board unanimously voted to permit the administration to work with the architect and contractor to explore possible ways to bring about a cost reduction in order to possibly accept the bid for the Ruston High School New Tech and Ag buildings project.
The school calendar for 12-13 was the next item on the agenda. Ms. Null reported very little flexibility because the state mandates testing and testing makeup dates and the way holidays and days of the week fell. The proposed calendar contained 8 staff development days due to the implementation of the new common core standards in kindergarten and first grades.
Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the proposed calendar for the 12-13 school year as follows:
Lincoln Parish 2012 - 2013 School Calendar
Staff Development Days August 13-15, 2012
All Staff Faculty Meetings August 16, 2012
First Day of School - Students (1/2 Day) August 17, 2012
Labor Day September 3, 2012
Staff Development Day November 5, 2012
Election Day November 6, 2012
Thanksgiving November 19-23, 2012
Christmas/New Year Dec. 24, 2012-Jan. 4, 2013
End of First Semester January 11, 2013
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day January 21, 2013
Staff Development Day January 22, 2013
Presidents’ Day February 18, 2013
Spring/Easter Break March 25-April 1, 2013
Last Day of School - Students (Full Day) May 22, 2013
Staff Development Day May 23, 2013
Instructional Staff Workday (1/2 Day) May 24, 2013
Upon the recommendation of Forethought Consulting, three policies were revamped. Ms. Null asked board members to study the following policies until the next Regular Session in April: Employee Insurance (EGA), Education of Students with Exceptionalities (IDDF), and Reduction of Personnel (GBNA).
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Bell said that:
1. He congratulates I. A. Lewis who is being recognized within their STEM program as an honorable mention winner in the 2012 Toshiba National Science Teachers’ Association ExploraVision. This was quite an achievement when looking at schools across the United States. They were the only school in Louisiana to be chosen. He commended the principal, Sonja Fuller, and the STEM science teacher, Stacy Campbell.
2. Newly elected representative Rob Shadoin visited with him earlier in the day as the legislative session is about to begin. He regretted that he could not attend the board meeting because he had conflicting activities in Union Parish. Mr. Shadoin wanted to express support and solicit opinions relative to education reforms as he will be serving on the Education Committee.
3. A Special Called meeting of the Board has been scheduled for Wednesday, March 14, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. The purpose is a strategy session dealing with desegregation, and the Board may be asked to go into Executive Session. He urged members to be present for this meeting which may last a couple of hours.
Following brief comments from Mr. Anders and a motion by Ms. Best, the meeting adjourned at 7:12 p.m.
________________________________ ________________________________
Danny L. Bell, Secretary Otha L. Anders, President