LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Ruston, Louisiana

REGULAR SESSION

Tuesday, January 10, 2017 6:00 p.m.

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, January 10, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish School Board, 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. David Ferguson, Mr. Danny Hancock, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. George Mack, Jr., Mr. Joe Mitcham and Ms. Susan Wiley.

                        Mr. Trott Hunt was absent.

President Mitcham called the meeting to order, and Mr. Dowling delivered the invocation.  Ms. Abrahm led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.

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

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Dowling, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on December 6, 2016, as distributed.

The Election of Officers for 2017 was the next item on the agenda.  Mr. Mitcham turned the floor over to the Secretary, Mike Milstead.  Mr. Milstead declared the floor open for nominations for President.  Mr. Anders nominated Mr. Mitcham.  Hearing no more nominations, Mr. Milstead declared the time for nominations closed and asked for a vote.  Mr. Mitcham was unanimously selected as President for 2017 by a voice vote. 

Mike Milstead asked for nominations for Vice President.  Mr. Barmore nominated Ms. Henderson.  Hearing no further nominations, Mr. Milstead declared the time for nominations closed and asked for a vote.  By a voice vote, Ms. Henderson was unanimously selected as Vice President for 2017.

Mr. Milstead congratulated the returning officers.

Mr. Mitcham and Ms. Henderson thanked the Board for their vote of confidence and pledged to do their best for the children in the school system.

Governor John Bel Edwards proclaimed January 2017 as School Board Member Recognition Month in the State of Louisiana.  Mr. Milstead said the recognition of 643 locally elected school board members that comprise 69 school districts was very appropriate.  He thanked the 12 who serve on the Lincoln Parish School Board for their service to the students and the faculties and staffs.  Believing that it was time to show appreciation to the board members who work together to provide a better future for our children, Mr. Milstead called attention to a framed copy of the proclamation that the Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA) had provided.  He said that it would be on display in the lobby during the month and in future years during the month of January.

Superintendent Mike Milstead announced that on January 19, 2017, Trott Hunt would be awarded the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce’s highest award, the Russ Award, at their annual banquet.  He congratulated him and said he is a very generous, well-deserving individual.

Lisa Mangum, Academic Intervention Coordinator, had exciting news about the reading recovery program that was focusing on the lowest 20-25% of 1^st graders who were struggling readers.  This year 55 students were being helped in every school that had a 1^st grade.  She did note that in 4 – 5 years the huge benefits of the program would be seen; however, this year 27 of the 55 students (49%) were already reading on a mid-first grade level.  Most of those began the year without being able to write their name, recognize the letters of the alphabet, or able to hold a pencil properly.  Nineteen of the 55 were approaching mid-first grade, 6 were beginning 1^st grade, and 3 were still reading on a kindergarten level.  The students have made great strides after about 50 of the 100 lessons and will be dismissed from the program upon the STAR teacher’s recommendation.  Ms. Mangum was excited to share the great news about the reading program.

In her Personnel Report, Dr. Doris Lewis, Human Resources Director, verbalized:

1.     Resignation of the following effective January 4, 2017, unless otherwise noted:

Teila Lee, special education teacher at Cypress Springs;

Sheila Malone, science teacher at I. A. Lewis;

Brad Laird, head football coach/AD at Ruston High; and

Jarrod Pittman, physical science at Ruston High, effective November 30, 2016.

2.     Points of Reference/Transfers effective January 4, 2017, of the following:

Jane Thorson, from Glen View to special education teacher at Cypress Springs, replacing Adrian Storey who resigned;

Kendall Garner, from special education teacher at Ruston Elementary to regular education teacher at Ruston Elementary, replacing Lisa Harris who resigned; and

Jarrod Baugh, from PE/coach at Ruston High to head football coach/AD at Ruston High, replacing Brad Laird who resigned.

3.     Employment of the following:

Angela Chisholm as special education teacher at Cypress Springs effective December 5, 2016, replacing Mindy Beach who resigned; and

Yulonda Conley as ACT prep at Simsboro High effective January 4, 2017, replacing Ebony Felder who resigned.

4.     Retirement of custodian at LPECC, Mance Allman, effective December 13, 2016.

                        George Murphy called attention to figures on the December 2016 sales tax report and noted that six months into the year the fund was down almost $3.2 million.  At the end of the year, the sales tax fund could be down about $6 million, which was more than was budgeted.

                        In his financial update for November 2016, Mr. Murphy said comparing the November Total Fund Balance to October’s, it was down $2.9 million.

Moving on to the health care report, for the month of November 2016 the fund was up $33,718.  Year-to-date the fund was up $320,450.  Decisions the Board made last year seem to be working to keep the plan in the black.

George Murphy narrated a Power Point presentation on three parish-wide tax renewals coming up for a vote on April 29, 2017.  The over $8 million generated each year goes into the five-mill maintenance fund, General Fund, and 2000 ad valorem tax fund.  He shared specific uses of the funds, which included salary supplements, retiree insurance premiums, technology, and operations and maintenance.  He closed with eight possible scenarios if the millages were not renewed.

In his construction update James Payton, New Construction Coordinator, reported that not much had happened with renovations and construction in the month of December because of the holidays.  The Ruston High School spirit building and freshman locker facility should be completed by the end of February 2017 and March 2017 should bring the completion of the New Tech classrooms and the soccer complex. With the beginning of the New Year, he reported the following:

1.     Much progress was being made on the RHS New Tech project.  Hopefully the building would be closed in by Friday with storefront windows and doors.  The interior work would really begin, the foam insulation would be sprayed, and the bricklayers would begin.

2.     Not much was going on with the RHS soccer complex, but they did get the composition shingle roofs finished.  Interior work, locker installation, and ceiling grid work were being done.

3.     The RHS spirit building’s brick work was to be completed earlier in the day, and then windows and doors could be installed and the interior finished.

4.     When the brick layers finish the spirit building, they would cross the street and begin work on the freshman locker facility.  The foam roof installation was almost finished.

5.     At RJHS, the punch list must be finished as workers were not to be seen.  He will make another walk through with Architect Mike Walpole.

                        Board members were asked by Mary Null, Assistant Superintendent, to study revisions to two policies, Sick Leave (GBRIBB) and Leave Without Pay (GBRIJ), until the February meeting.

In order to fulfill the statutory mandate of La. R.S. 17:3914(l), which requires the board and the Lincoln Preparatory School to share certain student personally identifiable information, a Memorandum of Understand (MOU) was presented by George Murphy.  It had originated with the LSBA and the Louisiana Association of Charter Schools, and both sets of attorneys had approved it.  He noted that he had spoken to the Executive Director of the Lincoln Preparatory School, Gordan Ford, who said the MOU was on the agenda for his board yesterday, but it had been tabled.  Mr. Murphy doesn’t anticipate any problems as the state was asking for the MOU to be approved.

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Ms. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to approve the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the sharing of basic student enrollment information between the LPSB and Lincoln Preparatory School.

In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Milstead said:

                        1.   Several pieces of information were placed in portfolios, and he reminded everyone that the February 7 board meeting would be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Early Childhood Center.

                        2.   The LSBA 2017 convention was scheduled on February 9-11 in New Orleans.  He asked board members who had not let Becky Gemelli know their preference regarding attendance to do so.

                        3.   Yesterday he met with State Superintendent John White and several other superintendents from North Louisiana.  Mr. Milstead reiterated to him his opposition to the K-2 schools being assigned School Performance Scores when none of their students had been tested.  It troubles him that Glen View and Hillcrest get a SPS without any vested way of measuring their students; they are assigned a score based on how students perform at their partner schools with grades 3-5.  He understands the State Superintendent’s dilemma, but recommends at least basing the scores exclusively on the 3^rd graders’ scores.  By 5^th grade many transfers have occurred and a large percentage of the students have not even attended the affiliated K-2 school.  Mr. Milstead hopes the SPS process will be changed in the near future.

                        4.   He spoke to Architect Mike Walpole and George Murphy earlier in the day.  When the projects are completed that have been approved from the 2013 bond issue, about $300,000 in contingency money will be left.  Since it must be spent in the Ruston city schools, as that was how the bond issue was worded, after talking to the principals in those schools he has established a priority list based on biggest needs.  Three of the biggest needs, in his opinion, are replacing the ceiling in the Ruston High Auditorium, updating 7 restrooms (from the 1980’s) at Ruston Junior High, and renovating a New Tech classroom at Ruston High to be modeled along the lines of La Tech’s Introduction to Engineering class.  With 900 freshmen entering the university last fall with an engineering major and after speaking to President Les Guice, the superintendent believes that another good partnership between the two entities can be forged.  If the school system will retrofit a classroom, LA Tech will donate all of the equipment, etc. that is necessary for the class, and it will stay in the class.  The cost of that material is much greater than the cost to renovate the classroom.  In addition, it will allow some of the high school students from all over the parish, to take part in a dual credit Introduction to Engineering class taught by one of the Tech professors.

                        5.   In anticipation of going to electronic board packets in the near future, the Technology Department has ordered tablets for each of the board members.  A list of training days and times was included in portfolios for those interested.  He also plans to conform and attend a session.

                        6.   He appreciates those who attended the Teacher of the Year/Student of the Year Awards program last night.  Mr. Milstead thinks it was very worthwhile and always good when the public can see the board members at those types of functions.

                        There being no further business and upon a motion by Ms. Best, the meeting adjourned at 6:46 p.m.

_____________________________                               _____________________________

Mike Milstead, Secretary                                                 Joe Mitcham, President