LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, January 9, 2018 10:30 a.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, January 9, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at Choudrant Elementary School located at 160 Walker Road, Choudrant, Louisiana. Members present were Ms. Debbie Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders (arrived after the meeting began), Mr. Michael Barmore, Ms. Lisa Best, Mr. David Ferguson, Mr. Danny Hancock, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. Trott Hunt, Mr. George Mack, Jr., Mr. Joe Mitcham, and Ms. Susan Wiley.
Mr. Curtis Dowling was absent.
President Mitcham called the meeting to order, and Ms. Wiley delivered the invocation. Mr. Barmore led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
Upon a motion by Ms. Best, seconded by Mr. Hancock, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as printed.
Mr. Anders entered the meeting.
Upon a motion by Mr. Hunt, seconded by Ms. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on December 5, 2017, as distributed.
The Election of Officers for 2018 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 for 2018. Mr. Hancock nominated Mr. Mitcham. Ms. Henderson made a motion to close nominations for President. Mr. Milstead asked for a vote by a show of hands; Mr. Mitcham was unanimously selected as President for 2018.
Mike Milstead asked for nominations for Vice President for 2018. Mr. Barmore nominated Ms. Henderson. Hearing no further nominations, Mr. Milstead declared the time for nominations for Vice President closed and asked for a vote. By a show of hands vote, Ms. Henderson was unanimously selected as Vice President for 2018.
Mr. Milstead congratulated the returning officers.
Mr. Mitcham and Ms. Henderson thanked the Board for their vote of confidence and expressed their appreciation for how the Board cares about the children and conducts business.
Charles Hogan, Principal of Choudrant Elementary, welcomed everyone. In his 30th year as principal, he has seen enrollment grow from 275 to almost 500. Mr. Hogan voiced his appreciation to the Board and administration for the addition and renovation five years ago. He noted that due to the diligent work of his teachers, the school received a letter grade of “B” last year. However, the faculty and staff have a goal of improving and reaching an “A.” He thanked everyone for visiting the school and invited them to visit a classroom or classrooms before leaving.
In her Personnel Report, Dr. Doris Lewis, Human Resources Director, verbalized:
1. Resignation of the following:
Donna Cross, special education teacher at Ruston Junior High, effective December 18, 2017;
Elizabeth Silmon, special education paraprofessional at Early Childhood Center, effective January 8, 2018; and
Evanie Tims, teacher at Cypress Springs, effective January 8, 2018.
2. Employment of the following:
Chase Frasier, physical education/coach at I. A. Lewis effective December 5, 2017, replacing Jared Little who transferred; and
Gregory Caudle, math teacher at Ruston High effective November 27, 2017, replacing Michael Sutton who resigned.
3. Point of Reference/Transfer of Cynthia King from I. A. Lewis to cafeteria technician at Hillcrest Elementary effective December 4, 2017, replacing Dana Rushing who transferred.
4. Employment of Denise Barnes, bus driver in the Ruston area effective January 8, 2018, replacing James Patton who retired.
George Murphy, Business Manager, called attention to figures on the December 2017 sales tax report and said it was a good month with $693,783 being collected. That was up 24.46% for the month, and 13.94% year-to-date.
In his financial update for November 2017, Mr. Murphy said comparing the November Total Fund Balance to October’s, it was down $2.8 million. Compared to November of 2016, it was down $2.4 million.
Moving on to the health care report, for the month of November 2017 the fund was down $109,497. Year-to-date it was down $1,407,250. Changes the Board approved last year went into effect on January 1, 2018, and hopefully will get the plan back in the black.
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. With the beginning of the New Year, he showed pictures and reported the following:
1. Much progress was being made on 91 additional parking places to the west of James Stadium at Ruston High School. The area had previously been called the freshman parking lot. They should be completed by the end of the month. Twenty-six more parking slots would soon be available in the front of the Spirit Building.
2. Footings were being dug for the 3,000 square foot special education classrooms on the northeast corner of Ruston High School. Tomorrow they should be ready to form it up and pour the slab. The building should be completed and ready for use in August 2018.
3. The installation of 16 generators at the 13 schools, Bus Barn, Central Office, and Maintenance Facility was almost finished. At the conclusion FEMA will be contacted to pay their 75% portion of the $241,000 project.
In Lisa Bastion’s absence, Superintendent Milstead asked the Board to make a decision regarding the three policy revisions that had been proposed at the last meeting:
EB – Building and Grounds Management;
GAMA – Employee Tobacco Use; and
JCDAA – Student Smoking/Use of Tobacco.
Upon a motion by Mr. Hancock, seconded by Mr. Barmore the Board unanimously voted to approve the following policy revisions: EB – Building and Grounds Management, GAMA – Employee Tobacco Use; and JCDAA – Student Smoking/Use of Tobacco.
Choudrant High School’s consumer science department had replaced its stoves with new ones; therefore, George Murphy requested permission to declare them as surplus and dispose of them.
Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Ms. Best, the Board unanimously voted to grant permission to declare the old Whirlpool stoves at Choudrant High School as surplus and dispose of them in accordance with state law and local policies.
Board members were asked by Mr. Milstead, to study revisions to three policies, GBRIB – Sick Leave, DFN – Sale of Buildings and Land, and GBC - Recruitment, and the addition of ECA - Authorized Use of Equipment until the February meeting.
For many years Avoyelles, DeSoto, Sabine, Webster, and Lincoln Parish School Boards have worked under a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) to provide computer software maintenance and systems analysis by utilizing the services of one person or entity. Mr. Murphy provided an updated CEA to continue the relationship because it had worked well, and he believed the school system would benefit by its continuance. He noted the school systems would equitably share the cost, and Lincoln Parish would be responsible for one-fifth.
Upon a motion by Ms. Henderson, seconded by Ms. Wiley, the Board unanimously voted to approve a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with Avoyelles, DeSoto, Sabine, and Webster Parish School Boards.
In a Report of the Superintendent, Mr. Milstead said:
1. He appreciated the hospitality of Mr. Hogan and his staff. He was delighted to report that Choudrant Elementary grew 9 points in the last measurement by the state and applauded their goal of becoming an “A” school. He knows they are up to the challenge.
2. After the Board’s adoption of a calendar for the Enhanced Calendar School, he was working on costs. A proposed budget will be provided in the future, but in the meantime he projected costs for the summer of 2018 to be between $635,000 and $650,000. Plans for 500 students are ongoing with the same resources as during the regular school year, nurses, special education, etc. Grants and Cooperative Endeavor Agreements are being pursued to help with or totally offset the costs. He believes the potential to be great for the only program like this in the State of Louisiana. Mr. Milstead invited board members and others to attend one of the 6:30 p.m. meetings on January 23 or January 25, 2018, when information will be shared with interested parents and community persons, a panel discussion is planned, and questions will be answered.
3. Jeff Robinson had continued research on the 4 vacant pieces of property the Board owns in Hico. He asked Mr. Robinson, Assistant District Attorney, to update the Board.
In Mr. Robinson’s opinion, the school system can quitclaim 2 pieces of property and transfer the other 2 to Hico Baptist Church in return for their assumption of the liability on all 4 parcels of land. He reported that the church is working on getting necessary paperwork done and will contact him when they are ready to proceed. Mr. Robinson believes he’ll be ready to present a CEA between the 2 entities for the Board’s consideration at the February meeting.
4. Placed in portfolios were invitations to the Teacher of the Year/Student of the Year Awards program that was scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Monday, January 22, 2018. He urged board members to attend.
5. Procedures and a timeline are being prepared to have an application period in March or April for principals at Cypress Springs and Ruston Elementary schools as their current administrators were named on an interim basis last summer.
6. A Building & Grounds Committee meeting will probably be scheduled at 5:30 p.m. on February 6, 2018, to discuss the STEM and a 6th grade center at Ruston Junior School.
7. Negotiations were ongoing with the insurance company, which had insured the building that burned, which the Head Start program was using. They submitted a replacement cost proposal of $98 a square foot. Since the last two projects in Lincoln Parish cost $231.00 and $199.00 per square foot, the initial proposal was not accepted. He said he’d let the Board know when a settlement amount had been reached.
After a comment by President Mitcham and upon a motion by Ms. Best, the meeting adjourned at 11:03 a.m.
_____________________________ _____________________________
Mike Milstead, Secretary Joe Mitcham, President