LINCOLN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Ruston, Louisiana
REGULAR SESSION
Tuesday, January 4, 1994 6:00 pm.
The Lincoln Parish School Board met in Regular Session on Tuesday, January 4, 1994 at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Lincoln Parish School Board Office, 410 South Farmerville Street, Ruston, Louisiana. Members present were Mr. David Wright, president; Dr. Owen Jean Hall, Mrs. Loyace Braggs, Dr. Marty Beasley, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Andy Shealy, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. Wayne Barfield, Mr. Calvin Wilkerson, Ms. Ann M. Boyd, Mr. Paul Woodard, and Mr. Allen Tuten.
Absent: None
The meeting was called to order by Mr. David Wright, president, and the invocation was given by Mr. George Mack.
Mr. Wright welcomed guests and members of the staff and media who were present for the meeting.
Mr. Cecil Barham, principal of Glen View Elementary School, was recognized to introduce Lauren Massingale, a fifth grade student at Glen View, who was present to lead the board in the pledge of allegiance to the American flag. Mr. Barham told the board that Lauren is an outstanding student in the Gifted/Talented Program who also enjoys participating in sports as well as other school activities. Also present and introduced were her parents, Kathy and Matt Massingale. Following the pledge, Dr. Cobb, on behalf of the board, presented Lauren with a certificate in appreciation for her outstanding work and for being selected to lead the board in the pledge to the American flag.
Upon a motion by Mrs. Loyace Braggs, seconded by Mr. Paul Woodard, the board voted unanimously to adopt, as distributed, the minutes of the Regular Session of the Board held on December 7, 1993.
Election of officers for 1994 was the next agenda item to be considered and the floor was opened for nominations for board president for 1994.
Mr. Andy Shealy nominated Mr. David Wright to serve as president and Mr. Jim Kessler offered a second to that nomination.
Mr. Allen Tuten moved that nominations cease and that Mr. Wright be elected as board president by acclamation. Mr. Mack offered a second to that motion and Mr. Wright was duly elected to serve as president for the upcoming 1994 calendar year. Mr. Wright expressed words of appreciation for the board's confidence and pledged to do his best in leading the board in the upcoming year.
The floor was opened for nominations for the office of vice-president for 1994.
Mr. Andy Shealy nominated Mr. Wayne Barfield to serve in this capacity.
Mr. Calvin Wilkerson nominated Dr. Marty Beasley to serve in this capacity.
Mr. George Mack moved that nominations cease and Mrs. Loyace Braggs offered a second to that motion. The board approved this motion unanimously.
Voting for Dr. Marty Beasley by roll call vote: Mrs. Loyace Braggs, Dr. Marty Beasley, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Calvin Wilkerson and Mr. David Wright.
Voting against Dr. Marty Beasley by roll call vote: Dr. Owen Jean Hall, Mr. Andy Shealy, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. Wayne Barfield, Ms. Ann M. Boyd, Mr. Paul Woodard and Mr. Allen Tuten.
The result of this vote was 5 for Dr. Beasley and 7 against.
Voting for Mr. Wayne Barfield by roll call vote: Dr. Owen Jean Hall, Mr. Andy Shealy, Mr. Jim Kessler, Mr. Wayne Barfield, Ms. Ann M. Boyd, Mr. Paul Woodard, and Mr. Allen Tuten.
Voting against Mr. Wayne Barfield by roll call vote: Mrs. Loyace Braggs, Dr. Marty Beasley, Mr. George Mack, Mr. Calvin Wilkerson and Mr. David Wright.
The results of this vote was 7 for Mr. Barfield and 5 against; thereby, electing Mr. Barfield to serve as vice president of the Lincoln Parish School Board for the 1994 year.
The board served as a Committee of the Whole and the following personnel items were addressed:
1. Upon a motion by Mr. Andy Shealy, seconded by Mr. Wayne Barfield, the board voted unanimously to approve the following teacher recommendation and resignation, as presented by Ron Suggs:
a. Pamela Davis as math teacher at Choudrant High School, replacing Marilyn Hyams, who is on Sabbatical Leave for the second semester of 1993-94 school year.
b. Sandra Powell resigning as elementary teacher at Simsboro, effective January 16, 1993.
2. Upon a motion by Mr. Paul Woodard, seconded by Ms. Ann M. Boyd, the board voted unanimously to employ Donna Williams as secretary at Simsboro School, replacing Mary E. Cathey, retiring effective January 10, 1994, as presented by Charles Owens.
3. Upon a motion by Mr. George Mack, seconded by Mrs. Loyace Braggs, the board voted unanimously to accept the following letters of resignation as presented by Charles Owens:
a. Dempsey Coon resigning as central office maintenance effective January 1, 1994.
b. Maxine Williams resigning as custodial worker at Lincoln Center effective November 9, 1993.
An update on sales tax receipts for December, 1993 was presented to the board by Pam Roy, Business Manager for Lincoln Parish Schools. She called the board's attention to a $27,401 or 14.3% increase over the same month last year. Collections overall for the year were up $139,322 or a 5.8% increase over last year. She reviewed the 1993 Sales Tax collections and expenditures. Collections through December, 1993 totaled $797,006. Expenditures included salaries for coordinating teachers, music teachers, and librarians in elementary schools as well as the salary supplement paid in December in the amount of $700 to certified personnel and $350 to support personnel.
Dr. Cobb gave a detailed status report on the 1993 sales tax and millage expenditures. He reminded the board that on January 16, 1993, the voters of Lincoln Parish approved a half-cent sales tax and an additional 12-mill property tax to support and enhance elementary and secondary education in Lincoln Parish. The election plan was explained by pamphlets, speeches and the media as to how the tax revenues were proposed to be spent. Dr. Cobb reviewed with the board an excerpt from a pamphlet showing how the money was to be spent as follows:
The proposed 12 mill property tax will go for:
Textbooks
7,200 students at $40 $ 288,000
Bus Purchases
4 at $8,000 $ 32,000
Bus Operation
70+ buses at 5% $ 35,000
Construction, Repair
Utilities, Vo. Ed. $ 130,000
Offset state cuts & state and federal mandates $ 685,000
TOTAL $ 1,170,000
The proposed 1/2 cent sales tax will go for:
Instructional staff salaries
475 at $1,700 $ 807,500
Support staff salaries
285 at $850 $ 242,250
Elementary librarians
3.5 at $25,000 $ 87,500
Elementary vocal music
2 at $25,000 $ 50,000
Elementary Coordinators
5.5 at $28,000 $ 154,000
TOTAL $ 1,341,250
Dr. Cobb then presented the present status of the proposal as follows:
MILLAGE REVENUES
Textbooks:12,794 textbooks have been ordered and received, totaling $262,456 The remaining $25,000 will be spent on freight & other special order by schools.
Bus Purchases:
Seven (7) new diesel buses have been leased/purchased from this amount of $32,000.
Bus Operational Expense:
All contract drivers have received an increase in their operational expense of 5%. This amounts to an average increase in operation pay of $436.76 per driver. This is a permanent increase that is based on mileage run.
Construction, Repairs, Utilities, and Vocational Education:
These revenues will be spent to upgrade our vocational education program and to fund part of our utilities and construction/repair. These funds will be available after January 1, 1994.
Offset State Cuts and State & Federal Mandates:
These costs have been averaging $685,000 per year for the past two years. This year we will experience another added reduction of $173,666 in Minimum Foundation Program funds from the state.
INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF SALARIES: (Sales Tax Revenues)
The first payment of $700 was made to our teachers on December 10, 1993. The remaining $1,000 payment will be made in July, 1994 to complete the projected $1,700 per teacher increase in salary. This new increase in teacher salary allowed the LincolnParish School System to move from the 49th ranked system for beginning teacher salary to the 25th ranked system as illustrated by the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate.
Continuing in his report to the board, Dr. Cobb presented the following statement from the Annual Teacher Salary Schedule 1993-94 published by the Louisiana Department of Education stating the impact of our salary increase on our statewide ranking:
1993-94 HIGHLIGHTS
* The salary for a beginning teacher in Louisiana with a Bachelor's degree and 0 years experience may range from $15,069 to $23,415. The State Minimum Salary for a beginning teacher is $14,681.
* All 66 school systems in Louisiana pay beginning teachers with a Bachelor's degree and 0 years experience a higher salary than required by the 1993-94 State Minimum Salary Schedule Salaries for beginning teachers vary from 2.99 percent to 60.03 percent above the state minimum salary.
* Seventeen school systems In Louisiana increased beginning teacher salaries in the 1993 94 school year above the amounts paid in the previous year.
* The largest dollar increase in salaries paid to beginning teachers statewide in the 1993-94 school year is in LINCOLN PARISH. An additional $1,700, or 9.98 percent above this parish's 1992-93 salary was paid to beginning teachers in the 1993-94 school year.
* In the 1993-94 school year, the highest salary for a beginning teacher with a Bachelor's degree and 0 years experience is $23,415. This salary is paid to beginning teachers in the St. Charles Parish school system.
* Seventeen school systems extend their longevity scale beyond the twenty-five years stipulated by the State Minimum Salary Schedule.
* Forty nine school systems' longevity scale does not extend beyond 25 years.
Support Staff Salaries:
Support staff members also received their payment of $350 on December 10, 1993, and will receive the remaining $500 payment in July, 1994. These raises along with the recent 6% salary increase from local funds given over a two-year period and a $500 increase for support workers from the state have helped to improve the pay for support employees.
Elementary Librarians:
Half-time elementary librarians have been employed in all elementary schools whichequals 3.5 library positions. Every school in Lincoln Parish now has a librarian which places Lincoln Parish Schools among a very select few systems in the state.
Elementary Vocal Music:
Lincoln Parish Schools have added two full time elementary teachers for four Ruston elementary schools. This allows all K-8 schools in Lincoln Parish to have a vocal music program along with the existing art program.
Elementary Coordinators:
We have employed 5.5 elementary coordinators from 1993 sales tax in all elementary schools in Lincoln Parish in accordance with the proposed guidelines.
Following the presentation of this excellent and informative update by the Superintendent, various board members spoke regarding their appreciation for this update and also their gratification that "everything we said we would do, we have done."
Upon a motion by Mrs. Loyace Braggs, seconded by Ms. Ann M. Boyd, the board voted unanimously to take bids received for vocational agriscience shop equipment under advisement and to authorize staff to accept the lowest bids meeting specifications. It was pointed out by Mrs. Barbara Kirkland, Supervisor of Federal Programs, that this equipment will be federally funded.
Upon a motion by Mr. Paul Woodard, seconded by Ms. Ann M. Boyd, the board voted unanimously to adopt the policies requiring revision due to legislation passed during the 1993 Louisiana Legislative Session, as presented by Dr. Cobb. These revised policies were prepared for our consideration by the policy updating service that we subscribe to in order to keep our Lincoln Parish Policy Manual updated.
The next agenda item was to hear from the Lincoln Parish Branch of the NAACP. Speaking to the board was Rev. Gardner Clark, Chairperson of the Legal Redress Committee, who registered a complaint against the Lincoln Parish School Board concerning a former employee who served as a bus driver. Rev. Clark indicated that conditions under which this former employee was relieved of his duties as bus driver are unclear. The employee's perception of the events leading to his dismissal as a school bus driver was presented to the board by Rev. Clark. The questions that directly concern the former employee and create some confusion for the legal redress committee, were enumerated by Rev. Clark.
Following Rev. Clark's presentation to the board, the question arose as to whether or not this former employee was present at the meeting. Upon learning that he was not present, it was pointed out that no further discussion of this matter could take place without the former employee being present. Mr. David Wright suggested that a copy of the complaints registered be made available to the Superintendent and the board for review and disposition of the matter would be forthcoming. This suggestion was agreeable to Rev. Clark.
Following the Superintendent's Report in which he called attention to the qualifying dates for interested persons to qualify for the vacancy created in Ward 1-B by the resignation of Dr. Phil Rice, board member. Dr. Owen Jean Hall was appointed to fill that position until such time as an election could be held to elect a new board member. Qualifying dates are January 19-21, 1994 with the election to be held on March 26, 1994.
The next board meeting will be on Wednesday, January 19 at Cypress Springs Elementary School.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:35 p.m.
Gerald W. Cobb, Secretary David Wright, President