2023-08-01

LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Ruston, Louisiana

REGULAR SESSION

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 6:00 p.m.

The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Parish School Board, 410 S. Farmerville Street, Ruston, Louisiana. Members present were Ms. Debbie Abrahm, Mr. Otha Anders, Mr. Clark Canterbury, Mr. David Ferguson, Mr. Danny Hancock, Ms. Lynda Henderson, Mr. George Mack, Jr., Mr. Joe Mitcham, and Mr. Gregg Phillips.

Ms. Donna Doss, Mr. Hunter Smith, and Dr. Danielle Williams were absent.

President Mitcham called the meeting to order and welcomed guests. Mr. Phillips gave the invocation, and Mr. Canterbury led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Ms. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to adopt the agenda as presented.

Upon a motion by Mr. Hancock, seconded by Mr. Canterbury, the Board unanimously voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on July 11, 2023, as submitted.

Mr. Ricky Edmiston, Supervisor of Auxiliary Services, reminded board members that authorization was given at the May board meeting to advertise for bids for duplicating paper for the 2023-2024 school year. He shared that the bid opening was held June 28, 2023, as stipulated in the advertisement. Mr. Edmiston recommended that the Board accept the lowest bid meeting specifications for the 2023-2024 school year.

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Hancock, the Board unanimously voted to accept the lowest bid which met specifications for the purchase of duplicating paper for 2023-2024 as shown below:

Company Submitting Bid Duplicating Paper

Parker Wholesale Paper $38.06 (per case)

Veritiv $47.50

Office Depot $39.89

*Shelton Sales & Supply $37.50

Following a month of studying policy revisions, John Young, Assistant Superintendent, recommended the board members approve the proposed policy revisions to the policy manual, BCBI – Public Participation in School Board Meetings and JGCD – Administration of Medication.

Mr. Ferguson made a motion, seconded by Mr. Mack, to postpone the vote of policy BCBI – Public Participation in School Board Meetings, due to three board members being absent and Mr. Ferguson felt they should be allowed to vote on this item. The Board voted 6-3 to postpone the vote on this policy.

Following public comments and questions about policy JGCD – Administration of Medication, the Board unanimously voted to approve this policy revision.

Mr. Young shared with the Board that several policy revisions and new policies were recommended due to outcomes of the Regular Session of the 2023 Louisiana Legislature. He gave a brief explanation of the revisions and new policies and recommended the Board waive BD policy.

Upon a motion by Mr. Mack, seconded by Ms. Henderson, the Board unanimously voted to waive BD policy.

Next Mr. Young recommended the Board approve the remaining policy revisions and additions because these policies become law today, August 1, 2023, with the exception of BCBI – Public Participation in School Board Meetings.

Upon a motion by Mr. Phillips, seconded by Ms. Abrahm, the Board unanimously voted to approve the revisions of BCAD – Teleconference/Remote Participation in School Board Meetings, EBBB – School and Student Safety, EDCC – Carpool and Bus Line Safety, IDCJ – Continuous Learning, JB – Attendance, and JBD – Student Absences and Excuses, and to add a revision to the existing BCBI policy which mandates ADA compliance.

Juanita Duke, Chief Financial Officer, presented a final budget revision for fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. She stated the cumulative revised budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year is presented to the Board for approval in accordance with the Board’s approval of the original budget in September last year. She stated transactions are still being recorded to close out the 2022-23 fiscal year, but the final revised budget represents the best estimate that can be made at this time of how the fiscal year will end. Total General Fund revenues are estimated to be $62 million, expenditures $56.5 million, with a total ending fund balance of $29.8 million. In the Special Revenue Fund, we are estimating total revenues of $39.6 million, expenditures of $32.1 million, with a total estimated ending fund balance of $21.6 million. The total combined ending fund balance is an estimated $51.4 million across all funds. (At the time these minutes are prepared, a clerical correction was made to Other Uses in the 2020 Sales Tax Fund which changes the reported estimated ending General Fund balance to $28.9 million and the estimated total combined ending fund balance to $50.5 million.)

General Special Revenue Total

Begin Fund Balance $24,189,476 $19,172,369 $43,361,845

Est. Revenues 62,060,318 39,623,339 101,683,657

Est. Expenditures (56,575,695) (32,147,130) (88,722,825)

Other Uses (796,191) (5,047,012) (5,843,203)

Excess of Funds 4,688,432 2,429,197 7,117,629

Ending Fund Balance $28,877,908 $21,601,566 $50,479,474

Upon a motion by Mr. Canterbury, seconded by Mr. Hancock, the Board unanimously voted to approve the final revised budget for 2022-23.

Ms. Duke reported that the State Legislative Auditor’s Office requires all Louisiana governments to complete a Systems Survey & Compliance Questionnaire and provide it to the independent auditors at the beginning of the School Board’s annual financial and compliance audit. She requested approval of the questionnaire presented for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.

Upon a motion by Mr. Anders, seconded by Mr. Mack, the Board unanimously voted to approve the Systems Survey & Compliance Questionnaire as presented.

The following personnel items were shared by Mr. Young filling in for Dr. Doris Lewis, Human Resources Director:

1. Resignation of the following effective May 27, 2023, unless noted otherwise:

Mary Johnson, teacher at Choudrant Elementary;

Amanda Willis, English teacher at I.A. Lewis;

Kandis Temple, special education teacher at I.A. Lewis;

Richard Herron, health and physical education teacher at I.A. Lewis, effective July

22, 2023;

Zandria Guidry, English teacher at Ruston High;

Kerri Dietrich, math teacher at Ruston High;

Evelyn Deich, special education teacher at Ruston Junior High;

Kristy Morgan, elementary teacher at Simsboro; and

Ashley Ellis, gifted and talented teacher in Special Education.

2. Employment of the following effective August 14, 2023, unless noted otherwise:

Jamaya Burr, in-school suspension proctor at Choudrant Elementary, replacing Johnathan Millage who transferred;

Elise Reis, teacher at Cypress Springs, replacing Azra Fuchs who resigned;

Janet Davis, teacher at Cypress Springs, replacing David Johnson who resigned;

Angela Rogers, special education paraprofessional at Cypress Springs, replacing Debra Upshaw who retired;

Kimbia Fobbs, teacher at Glen View, replacing Ralee Smith who transferred;

Phyllis Taylor, special education teacher at Glen View, replacing Alisha Eppinette who resigned;

Danielle Howell, teacher at Hillcrest, replacing Emilee Clason who resigned;

Emily Grafton, teacher at Hillcrest, replacing Makayla Fuller who resigned;

Sarah Roach, teacher at Hillcrest, replacing Sarah Cone who resigned;

Alayna Wohlers, teacher at Hillcrest, replacing Krystin Bruno who resigned;

Amanda Barham, teacher at Hillcrest, replacing Madison Frith who resigned;

Ronald McKinney, art teacher at I.A. Lewis, replacing Stanley Lewis who retired;

Anna Colvin, special education teacher at I.A. Lewis, replacing Erin Taylor who transferred;

Jordan Parks, English teacher at I.A. Lewis, replacing Summer Nimmers who resigned;

Emilee Pate, science teacher at I.A. Lewis, replacing Rebecca Smith who resigned;

Sydney Latham, science teacher at I.A. Lewis, replacing Patrick Wright who resigned;

Chelsea Rogers, health and physical education teacher at I.A. Lewis, replacing Chelsea Ayers who was reassigned;

Mary Garriga, teacher at LPECC, replacing Donna Walters who retired;

Anna Oden, speech therapist at Pupil Appraisal, replacing Whitney Porter who transferred;

Aubrey Simmons, school psychologist at Pupil Appraisal, replacing Ashley Sandino who was reassigned;

Taylor Weeks, teacher at Ruston Elementary, replacing MacKenzie Davidson who was reassigned;

John Grafton, business teacher at Ruston High, replacing Lloyd Bruner who retired;

Shirley Roberson, math teacher at Ruston High, replacing Kerri Dietrich who resigned;

Kristine Lynch, English teacher at Ruston High, replacing Zandria Guidry who resigned;

Zoe Bretches, speech teacher at Ruston High, replacing Chandler McDonald who resigned;

Audri McCready, math teacher at Ruston High, replacing DaVarika Calloway who resigned;

Emily Bishop, math teacher at Ruston High, replacing Kenya Morris who resigned;

Cadie Coleman, agriculture teacher at Ruston High effective July 10, 2023, replacing Jamie McCullin who transferred;

Madison Dearman, art teacher at Ruston High, replacing Lacey Peters who resigned;

Briana Arrington, Spanish teacher at Ruston High, replacing Lauren Barnes who resigned;

Karlee LaCombe, science teacher at Ruston Junior High, replacing Gregory Free who transferred;

Sheila Malone, special education teacher at Ruston Junior High, replacing Kandis Temple who resigned;

Kristy Bailey, health & physical education teacher at Ruston Junior High, replacing Amanda Young who resigned;

Claire Franks, English teacher at Ruston Junior High, replacing Betsy McCaslin who resigned;

Ashley Wells, English teacher at Ruston Junior High, replacing Mariana Raborn who resigned;

Amanda Yule-Sneed, English teacher at Ruston Junior High, replacing Shelby Creel who was reassigned;

Kaylee Bombard, elementary teacher at Simsboro, replacing Kristy Morgan who resigned;

Litzy Morales, Pre-K teacher at Simsboro, replacing Amy Carter who retired;

Taylor Johnston, elementary teacher at Simsboro, replacing Paige Smith who transferred;

Katie Bailey, elementary teacher at Simsboro, replacing Angelia Jones who resigned;

Cara Weeks, special education paraprofessional at Simsboro, replacing Elizabeth Bonnett who was reassigned;

LaTonya Myles, Pre-K paraprofessional at Simsboro, replacing Rose Hunter who resigned;

Amy Deville, elementary teacher at Simsboro, replacing Alexis Barton who was reassigned;

Anna Varilek, special education teacher at Simsboro, due to a new position;

Elizabeth Kish, kindergarten teacher at Simsboro, replacing Holly Freeling who was reassigned; and

Elizabeth Bonnett, elementary teacher at Simsboro, replacing Emily McGrew who transferred.

3. Faculty Points of Reference/Transfers of the following effective August 14, 2023, unless noted otherwise:

Angelia Borden, from Online Learning Administrator at Ruston High to elementary teacher at Choudrant Elementary, replacing Mary Johnson who resigned;

Katie Golden, from speech therapist at Ruston Elementary to speech therapist at Choudrant Elementary, replacing Katie Dupuy who resigned;

Shannon Tatum, from PreK teacher to library media specialist at Choudrant Elementary, replacing Haley McHale who resigned;

Lois Futch, from teacher to PreK teacher at Choudrant Elementary, replacing Shannon Tatum who was reassigned;

Ralee Smith, from teacher at Glen View to teacher at Choudrant Elementary, due to new position;

Emily McGrew, from teacher at Simsboro to teacher at Choudrant Elementary, replacing Lois Futch who was reassigned;

Julia Baker, from teacher at Choudrant Elementary to math teacher at Choudrant High, due to transfer;

Martha Baugh, from teacher at Choudrant Elementary to science teacher at Choudrant High, due to transfer;

Haley Kemp, from special education teacher at Choudrant Elementary to special education teacher at Choudrant High, due to transfer;

Helen Trahan, from teacher at Choudrant Elementary to English teacher at Choudrant High, due to transfer;

Erin Taylor, from special education teacher at I.A. Lewis to special education teacher at Glen View, replacing Shena Henderson who transferred;

Lauren Jones, from school mental health counselor at Hillcrest to school mental health counselor at Glen View, replacing Shelby Pearce who resigned;

Crystal Pugh, from special education teacher at Hillcrest to special education teacher at Glen View, replacing Tiffany Hill who transferred;

Hannah Myles, from PreK teacher at LPECC to special education teacher at Hillcrest, replacing Robbie Williams who retired;

Jamie Nichols, from school counselor at Ruston Junior High to school counselor at Hillcrest effective July 31, 2023, replacing Lauren Jones who transferred;

Chelsea Ayers, from health and physical education teacher to social studies teacher at I.A. Lewis, replacing Kathrine Folmar who was reassigned;

Kathrine Folmar, from social studies teacher to special education teacher at I.A. Lewis, replacing Kandis Temple who transferred;

Pamela Touchstone, from teacher to library media specialist at I.A. Lewis, replacing Mary Woodard who retired;

Shadd Pittman, from special education teacher at Ruston Junior High to social studies teacher at I.A. Lewis, replacing Pamela Touchstone who was reassigned;

Tiffany Hill, from special education teacher at Hillcrest to special education teacher at LPECC, replacing Hannah Myles who transferred;

Emilie Tomlin, from teacher to health and physical education teacher at Ruston Elementary, replacing Brandy Roberson who transferred;

MacKenzie Davidson, from teacher to special education teacher at Ruston Elementary, replacing Emilie Tomlin who was reassigned;

Whitney Porter, from speech therapist at Cypress Springs to speech therapist at Ruston Elementary, replacing Katie Golden who transferred;

Heather Causey, from special education teacher at Choudrant Elementary to special education teacher at Ruston High, replacing James Herren who retired;

Brandon Mitchell, from in school suspension proctor to special education teacher at Ruston High, replacing Rachael Gray who resigned;

Johnathan Millage, from behavior interventionist at Choudrant Elementary to social studies teacher/coach at Ruston High effective July 17, 2023, replacing Roy Taylor who was reassigned;

Gregory Free, from science teacher at Ruston Junior High to Spanish teacher at Simsboro, due to a new position;

Holly Freeling, from elementary teacher to health and physical education teacher at Simsboro, replacing Vickie Elliott who retired;

Alexis Barton, from teacher to teacher at Simsboro, replacing Tracy King who retired;

Ivory Bass, from RTI Academic Intervention Coordinator to Special Education Facilitator at Special Education effective July 17, 2023, due to a new position; and

Paige Smith, from teacher at Simsboro to gifted teacher at Special Education, replacing Kristina Kassab who retired.

4. Retirement of Melvin McNeil, school bus mechanic in the transportation department effective September 7, 2023.

5. Resignation of Dolores Brewster, bus operator in the transportation department effective May 25, 2023.

6. Employment of the following effective August 16, 2023, unless noted otherwise:

Genia Holland, cafeteria clerk/technician effective August 7, 2023, replacing Patsy Lewis who retired;

Cynthia Moreland, cafeteria technician, replacing Christina Deese who transferred;

Gloria Gates, cafeteria technician, replacing Lawana Davis who transferred; and

Anetra Gaines, cafeteria technician, replacing Vanessa Beales who resigned.

7. Employment of the following effective August 7, 2023:

Christina Deese, cafeteria manager at Cypress Springs, replacing Vickie Green who retired;

Kimberly Ruby, cafeteria manager at Glen View, replacing Cynthia Finley who retired; and

Lawana Davis, cafeteria clerk/technician at Ruston High, replacing Kimberly Ruby who transferred.

Mr. Young reported that the first draft of the Pupil Progression Plan for 2023-24 is now available online for review under the Parents and Public Notices tab on our website. Online community feedback can be left using the link that is on the page through August 25^th. If any community member has questions about the plan, we will be available in the Title I media center on August 24^th from 2-4:00 p.m. This item will be brought back to the Board in September for approval.

Ms. Duke delivered the sales tax collection report for the month of July. She reminded the Board that collections are reported on a cash-basis. She reported a 24% decrease in collections in the first month of the fiscal year compared to last July. This is a significant reduction due to a large sales tax refund claim deducted from this month’s payment. The amount of the refund was approximately $670,000.

Moving on to monthly financial reports, for the month ending May 31, 2023, Ms. Duke stated that total General Fund ending fund balance is $34.2 million, and total ending fund balance for the Special Revenue funds had revenues of $22.2 million, for a total combined ending fund balance of $56.4 million.

For the preliminary financial report ending June 30, 2023, Ms. Duke reported the ending fund balance for the General Funds is $28.4 million, which is a significant but normal decline from May’s ending fund balance, due to recording summer scheduled payrolls for 9, 10 and 11-month employees earned during the 2022-23 fiscal year. The Undesignated Fund balance for June is $18.7 million. The ending fund balance for Special Revenue Funds is $22.2 million, with a total combined ending fund balance of $51.6 million.

The May 2023 group health insurance fund had monthly plan expenditures of $1.1 million, and total accumulated expenditures for the year of $5.7 million. This is a slight increase in expenses over the previous year. The total change in net assets for the month of May is approximately $99,000 increase and $319,000 increase for the plan year.

Moving to the group health insurance fund for the month of June, the monthly plan expenditures are $1.5 million. Ms. Duke stated there were several accruals made in June for fiscal year end reporting that increased June plan expenses over the expenses in May. The total change in net assets for June activity is a decrease of $293,000, and a total increase of $25,657 for the plan year.

Ms. Duke presented to the Board a Property Insurance Report. She spoke to the rising costs of property insurance premiums, citing an increase in windstorm events in recent years along the I-20 corridor. With that increase of severity and frequency of claims in the region, the cost of insuring our facilities has risen. Last year the premium for $239 million in insured property was $995,000. This year, the premium increased to $1.13 million with coverage for a lower insured value of $100 million. Ms. Duke said that the total replacement value of School Board property has been adjusted to $309 million.

Mr. Randy Graham of the Lincoln Agency told the Board that there has been an extreme tightening in the property insurance market in the gulf region. In the last 6-7 years in our region, companies have experienced extremely poor results. Companies have tightened underwriting guidelines, and some have even pulled out of individual states. He added that a reasonable loss limit would be $100 million and because of the reputation of the Lincoln Parish School Board, we start out with a 34-cent rate. This is the best rate that has been given in the renewal process in the entire area, and is a testament to how the School Board manages and handles their business.

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

1. State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Cade Brumley, will be in Bossier City tomorrow to host a LEAP Success Press Conference at 10:00 a.m.

2. The Administrators workshop will be tomorrow and Thursday at the New Tech building at Ruston High. Supervisors, principals, assistant principals, and coordinating teachers will attend the meeting.

3. Teachers will report on August 14th, and then students on August 18th. We are looking forward to another great year.

4. We will have a Finance Committee meeting on September 5^th at 5:00 before our next board meeting to go over the budget.

5. We will have Pre K and Kindergarten registration at schools this Friday. This should help alleviate some of the influx of registration at the central office.

6. School Board Disclosure Statements from the Board of Ethics are due September 15^th for all board members.

Mr. Ferguson asked several questions concerning summer school statistics and demographics, new school bus routes and the people who came up with the changes, and the superintendent evaluation.

There being no further business, upon a motion by Mr. Phillips, seconded by Mr. Anders, the meeting adjourned at 6:46 p.m.

________________________ ___________________________

Ricky Durrett, Secretary Joe E. Mitcham, Jr., President