LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, September 3, 1991 6:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, September 3, 1991 at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Lincoln Parish School Board Office, 410 South Farmerville Street, Ruston, LA. Members present were: Mr. Allen Tuten, Dr. Phil Rice, Mrs. Loyace Braggs, Dr. Marty Beasley, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Andy Shealy, Mr. Wayne Barfield, Mr. Calvin Wilkerson, Ms. Ann M. Boyd, Mr. Paul Woodard and Mr. David Wright.
Absent: Mr. Jim Kessler
Mr. Tuten called the meeting to order and Dr. Phil Rice gave the invocation. Mr. Tuten welcomed the guests and members of the staff and media who were present. Dr. Donna McCabe, the new principal at A.E. Phillips Laboratory School, was recognized and given a warm welcome by members of the board and staff.
Upon a motion by Mrs. Loyace Braggs, seconded by Dr. Marty Beasley, the board voted to approve the minutes of the Regular Session held on August 20, 1991.
Special recognition was given to Mr. Jay Blakeney of LA Power & Light who presented a Stay-in-School Educational Challenge Grant to Mr. Randy Moore, principal of Glen View Elementary School and Mrs. Evelyn Blakeney, classroom teacher at Glen View. Mr. Blakeney indicated that this grant was one of 35 given in the state and was written by Dr. Catheryn Weitman of Louisiana Tech in the area of math. A follow-up will be conducted to measure the success of this program. Mr. Mark Fogas of South Central Bell was also given special recognition as he awarded a Teacher Mini-Grant to A. E. Phillips Lab School which would provide a cooperative learning experience in science between the first and fourth grade class. He indicated that this was one of 84 grants funded in the state of Louisiana.
The board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following personnel items were presented by Ron Suggs:
1. Upon a motion by Mr. Andy Shealy, seconded by Ms. Ann M. Boyd, the board voted to accept the following faculty/aide resignations:
a. Carol Savant as elementary teacher at Choudrant, effective August 15, 1991
b. Susan Cook Jensen as Chapter I teacher at Hico, effective August 19, 1991
c. Carlotta Greenberry as Special Education teacher at I. A. Lewis, effective August 15, 1991
d. Reginald Knighten as Jr. High teacher/coach at Ruston Jr. High School, effective August 16, 1991
e. De'Marion McKinney as Special Ed. aide at Lincoln Center, effective August 22, 1991
2. The following transfers were given as points of reference:
a. Augusta Wilson, Special Education aide at Cypress Springs, transferred to Hillcrest Elementary
b. Carole Roberts, Special Education teacher at Lincoln Center, transferred to Glen View Elementary
c. Pam Harris, kindergarten teacher at Lincoln Center, transferred to Ruston Elementary
3. Upon a motion by Mr. Andy Shealy, seconded by Mr. George Mack, the board voted to approve the request submitted by Debra Carter, Speech Therapist at Glen View/Hico, for the withdrawal of her approved Sabbatical Leave for the 1991-92 school year.
4. Upon a motion by Mr. Andy Shealy, seconded by Dr. Marty Beasley, the board voted to approve the following faculty/aide recommendations:
a. Karen Leachman as elementary teacher at Choudrant to replace Carol Savant, effective August 21, 1991
b. Trudy Ireland as Jr. High teacher at Dubach to replace Lora Hammons who is on Sabbatical Leave for the first semester of the 1991-92 school year.
c. Agatha Lowe as kindergarten teacher at Hico in a new position
d. Mel Breland as Special Education teacher at Lincoln Center, effective August 21, 1991 to replace Carole Roberts, transferred
e. Larry Hicks as teacher/coach at Ruston Jr. High School, effective August 21, 1991 to replace Reginald Knighten, resigned
f. Kim Bilberry as half/time teacher at Ruston Jr. High School in a new position
g. Alisa Thomas as elementary teacher at Simsboro to replace Lisa Moody, transferred
h. Melinda Farley as Chapter I aide at Hico Elementary to replace Susan Jensen, resigned
5. Upon a motion by Dr. Phil Rice, seconded by Mr. David Wright, the board voted to accept the following custodial resignations as presented by Charles Owens:
a. Lecaris D. White as custodian at Ruston Jr. High School, effective January 2, 1991
b. Dennis Carr as custodian at Ruston High School, effective August 20, 1991
6. Upon a motion by Mr. David Wright, seconded by Mrs. Loyace Braggs, the board voted to accept the following custodial recommendations as presented by Charles Owens:
a. Roy Crowe as head custodian at Ruston Elementary, effective September 1, to replace Will Roane, resigned
b. David Smith as head custodian at Hillcrest, effective September 1, to replace Eddie Simmons, resigned
7. As a point of reference, Mr. Owens informed the board that Wiley Moore, 9 1/2 month custodian, has been transferred from Ruston Elementary to I. A. Lewis as 12-month head custodian
The board served as a Committee of the Whole and addressed the following Finance Committee item as presented:
1. Mrs. Theodos presented the need for an increase in meal prices for teachers and other adult school personnel and visitors and upon a motion by Ms. Ann Boyd, seconded by Mr. Paul Woodard, the board voted unanimously to approve the recommended increase in the price of lunches for teachers and other adults as shown below:
Teacher and Adult School Personnel - increase from $1.55 to $1.75
Visitors - - - - - - - - - - - - - - increase from $2.25 to $2.50
The board served as a Committee of the Whole and addressed the single Curriculum item as presented by Ms. Ann Boyd.
1. Upon a motion by Ms. Ann M. Boyd, seconded by Mr. Andy Shealy, the board voted to set Monday, October 21, 1991 as the date for the Academic Awards Banquet to be held in the Ruston Civic Center at 7:00 p.m. Coach Jerry Loyd, head basketball coach at Louisiana Tech, will be the guest speaker.
A legislative update was given by Dr. Cobb and he summarized a number of legislative acts from the 1991 session that impacted on education. Some of these are:
1. Signs must be posted indicating that anyone carrying firearms on a school campus will be prosecuted.
2. Expansion of Fingerprinting Violation Act
3. Follow-up to drug expulsion. The two year mandatory suspension now has some leeway.
4. School board and other government agencies no longer pay any state or local taxes
5. Support personnel pay increase. There is no guarantee of the permanence of this increase. It must be approved yearly.
6. We can no longer use the services of the legislative auditor. Three quotes must be obtained.
7. Verbal notification of absence must be given after the third absence of a student.
8. Alternative curriculum developed
9. Breakfast program mandated
10. Counselors in K-6, one for every 400 students, now required; however, funding is not available at this time.
Ron Suggs reported to the board on the opening of school. He indicated that we had a good opening and that as of August 30, approximately 7,040 students had reported to school. This number will increase after the Labor Day holiday. Glen View Elementary again is the largest elementary school with an enrollment of 640 students. Ruston Jr. High has 710 students at this time. He expressed appreciation to the principals for the excellent job they did in preparing for the opening of school.
Dr. Phil Rice, sales tax liaison representative, reviewed the proposed sales tax office budget for the 1991-92 year. This budget is funded by the School Board, Police Jury and City of Ruston. He indicated that the proposed budget reflected a 4.6% or $1,047 increase to the School Board.
Upon a motion by Dr. Phil Rice, seconded by Mrs. Loyace Braggs, the board voted to approve paying 1/3 of the proposed Sales Tax budget for 1991-92 to include an increase of $1,047.
An update on sales tax receipts for the month of August was given by Benice McGee, Supervisor of Finance for Lincoln Parish Schools. She reported that tax collections reflected an increase of $18,432 or 8.42% over the same month last year.
A financial update was presented to the board by Mrs. McGee and following that update, she reviewed the school financial reports for the year ended June 30, 1991 with the board. She indicated that all of the reports looked good overall.
Upon a motion by Mr. Andy Shealy, seconded by Dr. Marty Beasley, the board voted to approve the proposed budget for 1991-92 as presented by Benice McGee, Supervisor of Finance.
An update on the status of the recently submitted reapportionment plan to the Justice Department was given by Mr. Allen Tuten. He informed the board that the plan was not accepted and it would be necessary to reactivate the Reapportionment Committee to work with the Lincoln Parish Police Jury in submitting a revised plan. Board members serving on the committee are Mr. George Mack, Dr. Marty Beasley, Mr. Allen Tuten, and Mr. David Wright.
A status report on the possibility of Minimum Foundation Program litigation was given by the Superintendent. Dr. Cobb indicated that 12 of the 66 school systems have taken board action to acknowledge their participation in this litigation. He also pointed out that the state will not be told by the court how they can correct the inequities in the MFP funding; only to do so. It was the recommendation of Dr. Cobb that the Lincoln Parish School Board maintain a wait and see attitude at this point. He indicated that the upcoming Governor's election plus the fact that you can join the suit at any time are factors to be considered.
Upon a motion by Dr. Marty Beasley, seconded by Mr. George Mack, the board voted to adopt the resolution requesting an engineering study by the Department of Transportation and Development, State of Louisiana, of Louisiana Highway 818 and requesting action toward the possibility of establishing an interchange connection of Highway 818 with I-20 for the benefit of the community of Ruston, Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, and her citizens. Dr. Cobb commented on the dangerous condition that exists at this location.
In the Superintendent's Report, Dr. Cobb asked Benice McGee to comment on the status of refunding the bonds of Ruston School District #1. She indicated that our bonds have the longest maturity date and did not sell. She also told the board that we are out of the Louisiana Public Facilities Authority at this time and will be advised by Mr. David Wolf, our bonding attorney, as to further action.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:10 M.
Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary Allen Tuten, President