LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Ruston, Louisiana

REGULAR SESSION

Wednesday, October 21, 2015  12:30 P.M.

            The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, at 12:30 p.m. at Dubach School, 7710 Fellowship Road, Dubach, Louisiana.  Members present were Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Michael Barmore, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. Danny Hancock, Mr. Trott Hunt, Mr. Joe Mitcham, and Ms. Susan Wiley.

            Ms. Debbie Abrahm, Mr. Curtis Dowling, Mr. David Ferguson, Ms. Lynda Henderson, and Mr. George Mack, Jr., 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.  Ms. Wiley gave the invocation, and Ms. Best led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.  Mr. Anders welcomed board members, staff, and guests to the meeting.

            Upon a motion by Mr. Barmore, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted by roll call to adopt the agenda as amended removing one Report:  Mentoring Program by John Belton as he was out of town.

            Principal of Dubach School, Pam Pruden, welcomed guests to the school, which was in its 3rd year as an elementary school instead of a high school.  She urged board members to stay after the meeting and look around at the new building and renovations that had recently been completed.  Ms. Pruden introduced her administrative team comprised of Brandi Watson, Curriculum Strategist; Jenny Franks, Counselor; and Stanley Lewis, Assistant Principal.  In closing, Ms. Pruden noted she was excited about the schools’ Title I After School Program until 5:00 p.m. for kindergarten through 5th grade students to work on computer and social skills, homework, and given other assistance as needed.  An average of 35 students a day were participating in the program. 

            Because attendance is vitally important with the increased rigor in classrooms in Lincoln Parish and because absences are detrimental to goals that have been set, Tim Nutt, Child Welfare and Attendance Coordinator, said unfortunately sometimes other measures besides parents have to be utilized to encourage school attendance.  He shared some of the measures being used including working closely with Patsy Bullock and Rickey Burton with the Truancy Program because frequent absences often lead to poor grades, which can lead to the students dropping out of school. As the school system’s hearing officer, Mr. Nutt also deals with discipline issues.  He introduced Reggie McLeroy who works with him and noted they try to be proactive instead of reactive.  They have instituted community mentors at the middle and high school levels to encourage the students and share some different perspectives.  He hopes that will head off problems and influence the students as he believes there is no substitute for a good education in this day and age.

            Testing/Accountability Coordinator, Donna Doss, said after several years some closure and impact of PARCC testing is being seen.  She distributed a Timeline for Development of 14-15 Assessment Accountability Results and called attention to September 28 – October 2 when the superintendent could ask for individual student raw scores.  Ms. Doss was excited to report that because Mike Milstead did so, for the first time she was able to see those.  After being overwhelmed initially, she put scores together and found what averages were district-wide and school-wide.  This provided insight on where the school system was headed.  The five scoring categories were still “advanced,” “mastery,” “basic,” “approaching basic,” and “unsatisfactory.”  Earlier in the day she did receive the public release of the LEA scores by cut level for all of the schools.  Ruston High School’s performance score will be released during the week of October 26-30, individual students’ scores will be received during the week of November 9-13, and hopefully school performance scores will be received before dismissal for Christmas.  However, BESE is slated to vote on policy changes.  Because 4th and 8th are high stakes grades, she summarized charts comparing those grades on PARCC, NAEP, and the previous test, LEAP 2014.  She reminded board members that the PARCC is more a difficult test and was aligned to the Common Core.  It appeared the students were doing pretty well on PARCC, and some improvements were noted at the “mastery” and “basic” levels.  She preferred the 3rd chart that showed the range for each of the tests for all five categories in math and ELA.  In math, although the “advanced” category was smaller, there was a large increase in the “mastery.”  “Basic” shrunk a little.  “Approaching basic” grew a little, and “unsatisfactory” was pretty even.  She noted the same for ELA, a slimming down of the “advanced,” but a big widening in the “basic.”  In the year 2025, “basic” will no longer be proficient.  On a positive note, she thanked the principals and teachers in the district and all of those who worked so hard and advanced instruction a couple of levels.  When the improvement in the “mastery” category was scrutinized from 2014 to 2015, Lincoln Parish showed a gain of 11 percentile and was listed as one of the top schools for showing that gain.  Ms. Doss hopes to have more news and updates to share by December

            Kim Shackelford, who serves on the State Standards Review Committee, feels like there will be more clarity in the upcoming Louisiana Standards that will be used beginning in 15-16.  Some of the language and instruction has been clarified.  The committee has looked across grade levels and content in ELA and math to determine what students should know and be able to do to be college and career ready.  They are also analyzing data.  Many of the current standards will stay in place as there are expectations that shouldn’t change; however, some additions were needed and have been made.  She believes the state is finally taking ownership from Common Core and making it work in Louisiana.  She opined it will be very competitive across the nation as many of the vigorous standards were being embraced but with clarity.  The Louisiana Standards are in the first draft stage and are a work in progress. 

            Superintendent Mike Milstead said the state with the highest standards has the highest test scores.  He believes students and teachers will rise to the standards that are asked of them.

             In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Milstead:

1.             Said principals of the stand-alone K-2 schools are concerned that their schools are given the scores of the schools that received their students.  Lisa Bastion, Chief Academic Officer, met with State Superintendent John White recently in Shreveport and asked to be allowed to research how test scores could be used to rate the schools the students attended instead of receiving the scores for the schools above them.  Last week several administrators had a beginning meeting in Ouachita Parish to discuss how to devise a process or instrument that would measure second graders.  Some of them are ready for a standardized test, but some are not.  For this December, the two K-2 schools will again receive their scores from the schools above them.  Hopefully it will be changed by the 16-17 year.

2.             Verbalized he is involved in leading the way for a Health Academy for Lincoln Parish that would cause the high school students to come together.  That was just in the talking stages, but he felt like it would be a natural thing with the push the Mayor of Ruston has to make the area attractive as a retirement area.  It would allow those students to get a pathway for Jump Start, which was a higher valued diploma.  It may begin in infant steps next fall, but his ultimate goal was a facility similar to the Technology School he recently saw in Bossier City that would allow the students to have a Core 4 diploma.

3.             Called attention to a letter placed in portfolios that will go out to all health plan members in early November outlining upcoming changes the Board had approved in August.  He reiterated the changes were the easiest way to cut costs and keep the plan solvent without increasing premiums.

4.             Announced that flu shots were available to members of the health plan at 7:40 a.m. on October 28 in the conference room at the Central Office. 

            5.       Asked applicable board members to finalize their training hours by December.

After a reminder from the President from the last meeting to see Becky Gemelli if needed, upon a motion by Ms. Best, the meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m.

________________________________                ___________________________________

Mike Milstead, Secretary                                                Otha L. Anders, President