LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Ruston, Louisiana

REGULAR SESSION

Wednesday, October 17, 2012  12:30 P.M.

            The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, at 12:30 p.m. at Cypress Springs Elementary School, 1040 Saratoga Drive, Ruston, Louisiana.  Members present were Ms. Debbie Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Michael Barmore, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Danny Hancock, Mr. George Mack, Jr., and Mr. Joe Mitcham.

            Mr. Curtis Dowling, Ms. Mattie Harrison, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. Trott Hunt, and Mr. Eddie Jones were absent.

Prior to the business meeting, board members enjoyed a delicious lunch in the school cafeteria.

            President Otha Anders called the meeting to order.  Mr. Mitcham gave the invocation, and Ms. Best led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.  Mr. Anders welcomed board members, staff, media, board attorney, and guests to the meeting.

            He informed the group that Superintendent Danny Bell had been unexpectedly detained in Monroe.

            Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Mr. Mitcham, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed. 

            Principal of Cypress Springs Elementary, Doris Lewis, welcomed guests to the school.  She noted that the school has grades 3 through 5 since the merger with Glen View Elementary.  Enrollment in the school is 506 with seven 3^rd grade classes, eight 4^th grade, seven 5^th grade and three special education or resource classes.  The 60 faculty and staff members have a motto of “All Hands on Deck.”  Ms. Lewis told a little about the school and shared programs the faculty is using to help with academics and also to encourage positive behavior.  She said she has a wonderful PTC this year with multiple activities planned throughout the year.  In closing, Ms. Lewis invited board members to come back at any time.

            The three Principal Leaders who were to report to the Board and their assignments are:

            Mike Milstead, Ruston High School                                Tim Nutt, Ruston Junior High

                                                                                                Sonja Fuller, I. A. Lewis

                                                                                                Ricky Durrett, Simsboro School

            Lisa Bastion, Choudrant High School                             Vicky Key, Hico Elementary

                                                                                                Judy Mabry, Dubach High School

            Patrice Hilton, Hillcrest Elementary                                 Doris Lewis, Cypress Springs

                                                                                                Lisa Mangum, Glen View

                                                                                                Shavonne Price, Ruston Elementary

The Principal Leaders noted that they have shared with their assigned principals what they had done and were doing that they believed had led to their school’s success.  All of them said they were learning and getting ideas from their mentees as well and continuing to meet with them.

            Mr. Anders thanked the principals for taking on the extra assignments to provide a quality education for all of the students in the parish.

            Act 1 of the 2012 Louisiana legislative session requires all school systems to publish new salary schedules by January 2013 to go into effect for the 2013-14 school year according to Kathy Pool, Accounting Manager; they will be required for teachers, administrators, and all other personnel.  She attended a superintendent’s meeting last Tuesday where Ouachita Parish Business Manager, Juanita Duke, spoke on the subject.  She provided an overview of what was shared at that meeting.  The three criteria that have to be met are effectiveness, demand, and experience.  Out of those three, no one area can be more than 50% of the salary.  Of concern were fairness of the COMPASS evaluation process and where new teachers would fall on the schedule.  Ms. Duke suggested that superintendents base their funding on normal yearly salary steps.  Ms. Pool knew of no one who had submitted and had a new salary scheduled approved at this point.  Another meeting will be planned in the near future, and work on the project will be ongoing in the meantime.

            George Murphy, Business Manager, met with area business managers as they were all working on salary schedules.  On the 23^rd of October, state officials are scheduled to come to North Louisiana and share information to be used to formulate the salary schedules.  He noted that a few weeks ago he and Ms. Pool met with Superintendent Danny Bell and Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Programs, Mary Null.  The administration made it clear that they wanted the higher performers/highly effective to be paid the most money; therefore, that is what they are planning with several groupings to be included in the schedules.  Those who are ineffective would not receive any increases.  He said it would definitely be more competitive for the teachers and add incentive to help the students move forward.  Hopefully it will be a good thing and something people want to do.  Mr. Murphy did mention the state is not giving the systems additional money.  The salary pool Lincoln Parish has to draw from is $250,000 to $300,000 which comes from the step increases the teachers currently receive.  It is a formidable process dealing with peoples’ money, he said, and trying to determine how many teachers will be in each of the different categories so the budget is not blown.  More than likely, the administration will choose to give out stipends rather than base pay for the first year.  The two of them will continue to work with the administration in order to have a salary schedule proposal ready for that December 4 meeting.  

            Ms. Null communicated that further revisions to the Reduction of Personnel (GBNA) and Sick Leave (GBRIB) policies had been proposed.  She suggested that those revised policies be studied until the November 13 board meeting.

            Walk-in freezers at Dubach and Simsboro are in excess of 30 years old.  Charles Owens, Director of Auxiliary Services, requested permission to advertise for bids to purchase two new freezers.

            Upon a motion by Mr. Hancock, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission for School Food Service to advertise for bids to purchase two new walk-in freezers to be installed at Dubach High School and Simsboro School.

            Board members were reminded by Ms. Null that they are required to receive six hours of continuing education annually beginning in January 2011 by Act 705 of the 2010 legislative session.  In addition, a press release giving the status of each board member must be published in the official journal each year.  The newest board member will attend a workshop in Shreveport/Bossier on Monday, October 22, 2012.  After that, all board members will have met the requirements.  She would like to enter board members’ 2012 training certificates into the official minutes of the Board.

            Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Ms. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to enter board members’ 2012 training certificates with the addition of George Mack, Jr.’s into the official minutes of the Board.

             In lieu of a Report of the Superintendent, Ms. Null said that:

1.             Fifth graders had just completed Water Fest where they met at the Lincoln Parish Park and learned about water conservation.

2.             School Performance Scores and District Performance Scores should be released by the State Department later in the month.

            Following comments from one board member and upon a motion by Ms. Best, the meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m.

________________________________                ___________________________________

Danny L. Bell, Secretary                                     Otha L. Anders, President