January 11, 2007

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2007

The School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, met in Regular Session at the Concordia Parish School Board office in Vidalia, Louisiana, on Thursday, January 11, 2007, at five-thirty (5:30) o'clock P.M. The meeting was called to order by Mr. Raymond Riley, who after prayer and the Pledge, declared that the Board was ready for the transaction of business.

Members present were Ms. Mary Campbell, Mr. Gary Parnham, Ms. Martha Rabb, Ms. Deanie Roberts, Mr. Ricky Raven, Mr. Fred T. Butcher, Mr. Daryl Price, Ms. Darlene Baker and Mr. Raymond Riley.

It was moved by Mr. Parnham, seconded by Ms. Rabb and carried unanimously to move item III - Nominations for Duly Qualified Candidate to fill Board Position - Ward 3B below item IV - Oath of Office.

Judge Kathy Johnson administered the oath of office to Board Members.

Nominations were opened to fill the vacant Board Position - Ward 3B. Ms. Deanie Roberts was nominated to fill the vacant position and appointed by unanimous vote.

The gavel was relinquished to Superintendent Laster to conduct the election.

Mr. Ricky Raven nominated Mr. Gary Parnham for the position of President. Ms. Mary Campbell nominated Mr. Raymond Riley for the position of President.

The vote for Mr. Parnham was taken by roll call as follows:

Ms. Darlene Baker YES

Mr. Fred T. Butcher NO

Ms. Mary Campbell NO

Mr. Daryle Price YES

Ms. Martha Rabb YES

Mr. Ricky Raven YES

Mr. Raymond Riley NO

Ms. Deanie Roberts YES

Mr. Gary Parnham DID NOT VOTE

Mr. Parnham took the seat as president and thanked the Board for their support.

Nominations were opened for vice-president. Ms. Martha Rabb nominated Ms. Mary Campbell who declined the nomination. Mr. Fred T. Butcher nominated Mr. Raymond Riley. The vote for Mr. Riley was taken by roll call as follows:

Ms. Darlene Baker YES

Mr. Fred T. Butcher YES

Ms. Mary Campbell YES

Mr. Daryle Price YES

Ms. Martha Rabb YES

Mr. Ricky Raven YES

Mr. Raymond Riley DID NOT VOTE

Ms. Deanie Roberts YES

Mr. Gary Parnham YES

It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Riley to add an item to the agenda to elect a parlimentarian to the officers of the Board. The motion passed 6 to 3 on a roll call as follows:

Ms. Darlene Baker NO

Mr. Fred T. Butcher YES

Ms. Mary Campbell YES

Mr. Daryle Price YES

Ms. Martha Rabb NO

Mr. Ricky Raven NO

Mr. Raymond Riley YES

Ms. Deanie Roberts YES

Mr. Gary Parnham YES

Mr. Raymond Riley nominated Mr. Fred T. Butcher to the position of parlimentarian.

It was moved by Mr. Riley, seconded by Ms. Campbell to appoint Mr. Butcher as Parlimentarian to the Board pending review of Robert's Rules of Order. The motion passed 6 to 3 on a roll call vote as follows:

Ms. Darlene Baker YES

Mr. Fred T. Butcher YES

Ms. Mary Campbell YES

Mr. Daryle Price YES

Ms. Martha Rabb NO

Mr. Ricky Raven NO

Mr. Raymond Riley YES

Ms. Deanie Roberts YES

Mr. Gary Parnham NO

Mr. Parnham, Board President, appointed committee members as follows:

Personnel Building & Grounds Finance

Mary Campbell Raymond Riley Fred T. Butcher

Ricky Raven Gary Parnham Darlene Baker

Martha Rabb Deanie Roberts Daryle Price

Mr. Parnham requested that an item be placed on the agenda each month for a report from each committee chairperson.

Superintendent Laster recognized the winners of the Sidney Murray Citizenship Award. The winners for the month of December as follows:

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5

Ferriday Upper David Scott Tyrone Griffin Keisha Scott

Ridgecrest Dana Baxter Zachary Jones Callie Ballard

Vidalia Upper Gabrielle Morace Kierra Perkins Devin Smythe

Monterey Jillian Bostic Rachell Seabolt Chase Riggs

Winners for the month of January were as follows:

McKenzie Denise Davis Grade 1 Ridgecrest School

Dakota January Grade 2 Ridgecrest School

Zachary Johnson Pre-School Vidalia Lower

Sydney Whitley Pre-Kindergarten Vidalia Lower

Madalyn Pugh Kindergarten Vidalia Lower

Rhiannon Clifford First Grade Vidalia Lower

Brehonor Harris Second Grade Vidalia Lower

Zoe Davis Pre-Kindergarten Ferriday Lower

Frantaganette Lewis Kindergarten Ferriday Lower

DeMarcus White First Grade Ferriday Lower

Thomas Richard Second Grade Ferriday Lower

Carlie Adams Pre-Kindergarten Monterey

Reid Wilson Kindergarten Monterey

Billy Wallace First Grade Monterey

Dawson Woodruff Second Grade Monterey

Superintendent Laster recognized the winners of the Concordia Parish School Board Christmas Card Art Contest. The winners were as follows:

First Place Gracyn Nelson Grade 4 Vidalia Upper

Second Place Courtney Hunt Grade 8 Vidalia Junior High

Third Place Jack Douglas Grade 6 Vidalia Junior High

Honorable Mention Devon Steele Grade 4 Vidalia Upper

Superintendent Laster recognized William Montgomery as the Concordia Parish winner of the Louisiana School Board's Art Contest for his work entitled Louisiana Sunset.

Superintendent Laster recognized Ms. Betty Smith, teacher, Monterey, for having been awarded a grant for quality in science and mathematics.

Superintendent Laster presented the attendance awards to those schools having the highest attendance for the six week period. The winners were as follows:

First Place Vidalia Lower Elementary 97.79% attendance

Second Place Vidalia Upper Elementary 95.93% attendance

Third Place Monterey High School 95.85% attendance

Ms. Dorothy Marsalis gave a PowerPoint presentation to the Board on the Read 180 program. Board members were invited to visit the Read 180 lab to see the students at work on the program.

It was moved by Ms. Rabb, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried unanimously to approve the minutes of the Special Meeting on December 19, 2006

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mr. Riley and carried unanimously to approve invoices in the amount of $3,474,618 for the month of December.

It was moved by Ms. Rabb, seconded by Mr. Price to call a meeting to discuss Board Members compensation and expenses. The motion passed 6 to 3 on a roll call vote as follows:

Ms. Darlene Baker YES

Mr. Fred T. Butcher NO

Ms. Mary Campbell NO

Mr. Daryle Price YES

Ms. Martha Rabb YES

Mr. Ricky Raven YES

Mr. Raymond Riley NO

Ms. Deanie Roberts YES

Mr. Gary Parnham YES

Mr. Tom O'Neal, Director of Business, recommended that the Board consider a change in the amount of the ad valorem checks to be distributed in January. The checks would be distributed as follows:

Full time certified employees hired after October 1, 2006 - $550

Full time non-certified employees hired after October 1, 2006 - $350

Part time certified employees hired after October 1, 2006 - $300

Part time non-certified employees hired after October 1, 2006 - $150

It was moved by Mr. Riley, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried unanimously to approve Mr. O'Neal's recommendation.

Mr. O'Neal reviewed the bid process for the Vidalia High School Library furniture. It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Ms. Rabb and carried unanimously to allow the Superintendent and Business Director to receive and review the bids and granted the authority to award to the lowest bidder.

Dr. Paul Nelson, Director of Academic Affairs, reviewed the 2007-2008 school calendar with the Board members. It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Ms. Rabb and carried unanimously to approve the 2007-08 school calendar.

It was moved by Mr. Riley, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried unanimously to pull Policy GAMA - Employee Tobacco Use in order to revise the wording of the policy.

Mr. Butcher requested that Policy GBNA - Reduction in Force Reassignment be pulled for further review.

It was moved by Mr. Riley, seconded by Mr. Butcher and carried unanimously to approve all remaining policies with the exception of Policy GAMA and Policy GBNA.

It was moved by Mr. Riley, seconded by Mr. Butcher and carried unanimously to approve the first reading of Policy GBD - Employment of Personnel

The Board heard Mr. Clarence Skipper, President Concordia School Bus Drivers Association, concerning contract drivers and Durham School Services.

Mr. Butcher requested that a committee be appointed to review the issue and this item be placed on the agenda for the next board meeting.

Superintendent Laster recommended Ms. Dorothy Parker for the position of Title I Instructional Supervisor. It was moved by Mr. Butcher, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried unanimously to approve the superintendent's recommendation.

It was moved by Ms. Campbell, seconded by Ms. Rabb and carried unanimously to approve all personnel items in global as follows:

Resignations:

Lamarc A. Meredith, 2.5 hour sweeper, Ferriday Upper, effective January 12, 2007

Ronald Ellis, paraprofessional, Ferriday Upper, effective January 8, 2007

Susan Green Jones, paraprofessional, Ferriday Lower, effective December 21, 2006

Appointments:

Jessica Sikes, teacher, Ridgecrest School, effective January 8, 2007

Melisha Poole, paraprofessional, Ferriday Upper, effective January 15, 2007, for the remainder of the 2006-07 school year

Johnnie Woodruff, paraprofessional, Ferriday Upper, effective January 15,200, for the remainder of the 2006-07 school year

Arika Smith, paraprofessional, Ferriday Lower, effective January 15, 2007, for the remainder of the 2006-07 school year

Transfers:

Natalie Dunn, teacher Ridgecrest School, to Ferriday Upper, effective January 8, 2007, for the remainder of the 2006-07 school year only

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mr. Riley and carried unanimously to add an item to the agenda to set the dates for the 2007-08 Board meetings.

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Ms. Rabb to move the Board meetings to the second Thursday of each month and change the time to 6:00 P.M. The motion passed 6 to 3 on a roll call vote as follows:

Ms. Darlene Baker YES

Mr. Fred T. Butcher NO

Ms. Mary Campbell NO

Mr. Daryle Price YES

Ms. Martha Rabb YES

Mr. Ricky Raven YES

Mr. Raymond Riley NO

Ms. Deanie Roberts YES

Mr. Gary Parnham YES

It was moved by Ms. Rabb, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried to adjourn at 7:28 P.M.

_______________________ ________________________

Gary Parnham, Board President Kerry Laster, Ph.D., Superintendent