PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A PUBLIC HEARING HELD ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2021
The School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, met in a Public Hearing Session at the Concordia Parish School Board office in Vidalia, Louisiana, and Via Zoom Teleconference, on Thursday, September 9, 2021, at 6:00 o’clock p.m. The meeting was called to order by Mr. Fred Butcher who, after prayer and the Pledge, declared that the Board was ready for the transaction of business.
Mr. Tom O’Neal, Business Director, gave members of the Board and the General Public a brief overview of the Consolidated Budget for Fiscal Year 2021-2022. He indicated that the Consolidated Budget reflected revenues in the amount of $56,707,621; expenditures in the amount of $60,235,872; and a projected deficiency in the amount of $3,528,251.
Mr. O’Neal stated that there is an election on a constitutional amendment coming up which will move the collection of sales tax from the local level to the state level. He recommended voting “No” on this particular amendment to keep the tax collection being done locally. Mr. Carson asked how many jobs would be lost if the amendment passes, and the answer was eight jobs would be lost.
Mr. Butcher stated he wants to hold a post-budget conference to get input from the school board members. A special meeting will be called. He also asked Superintendent Watson and Mr. O’Neal to draft a letter to be sent out to all seven of the parishes that we collect sales tax for and ask their constituents to vote “No” on the amendment.
After all comments and questions, it was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mr. Bostic and carried to adjourn the public hearing at 6:35 p.m.
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, and via Zoom Teleconference, on Thursday, September 9, 2021, immediately following the public hearing. The meeting was called to order by Mr. Fred Butcher.
Members present were Mr. Warren Enterkin, Mrs. Dorothy Parker via Zoom, Dr. Raymond Riley, Mr. Derrick Carson, Mr. John Bostic, Mr. Ricky Raven, and Mr. Fred Butcher. Roll Call votes will be taken during the meeting because Mrs. Parker is attending via Zoom. She will identify herself and give her mailing address at each vote. Also present was Superintendent Toyua Watson.
Those absent were Ms. Angela Hayes and Mrs. Lisette Forman.
Ms. Jacqueline Schauf with Tensas Health Clinic spoke about benefits to students for primary care, wellness, dental, behavioral health, school-based services and their mobile unit. She showed a short video of their mobile unit which can be brought to the schools. She noted they are federally funded and so need no funds from the school district. They can do school physicals and hearing screenings as well. Mr. Butcher asked if they can do COVID testing, and Ms. Schauf said they can do rapid testing. Ms. Schauf has met with Superintendent Watson and left a contract with her and the school board attorney if the school board members are interested in gaining their services for Concordia Parish students.
Mrs. Joanna Faerber, the Eat, Move Grow! coordinator with NBCT, spoke next letting the school board members know that the program provides education to students in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades and provide instruction in the areas of physical activity, nutrition, and oral health. Their funding is through a federal grant for delta parishes. They are currently assisting most Concordia Parish schools except Ferriday Lower Elementary, Vidalia Lower Elementary and the elementary school at Monterey High School. Mrs. Faerber plans to connect with those campuses this school year. The program gives incentives to schools to hold activities which qualify them to receive $400 from the program. This year one of the things they are asking schools is to become COVID vaccine stations for your staff, faculty, children who are old enough to have the vaccine as well as the community. The Department of Health will run the stations with the National Guard coming out to help with giving shots and control the movement of the people through the station. Schools can hold after-hours drive-by events on weekends or during the week after school hours. Mrs. Faerber left a contract with Ms. Watson. Mr. Carson asked Mr. Butcher if the board could go ahead and approve the contract subject to approval by the school board attorney. Mr. Butcher said to add this action to the agenda at C as an action item.
Committee Reports were presented. (see attached)
It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mr. Bostic and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting held on August 12, 2021.
Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Warren Enterkin – Yea
Mrs. Dorothy Parker – Yea, 589 Hwy 900, P O Box 113, Clayton, LA 71326
Dr. Raymond Riley – Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson – Yea
Mr. John Bostic – Yea
Mr. Ricky Raven – Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher – Yea
Motion passed with 7 Yeas and 0 Nays.
It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mr. Bostic and unanimously carried to approve the financial report and invoices in the amount of $2,538,135 for the month of August.
Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Warren Enterkin – Yea
Mrs. Dorothy Parker – Yea, 589 Hwy 900, P O Box 113, Clayton, LA 71326
Dr. Raymond Riley – Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson – Yea
Mr. John Bostic – Yea
Mr. Ricky Raven – Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher – Yea
Motion passed with 7 Yeas and 0 Nays.
It was moved by Mr. Enterkin, seconded by Mr. Raven, and unanimously carried to leave the 2nd reading of the policies for “JGCE – child abuse in-service training and GBC – recruitment – applications” on the agenda for 30 days and come back up for approval.
Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Warren Enterkin – Yea
Mrs. Dorothy Parker – Yea, 589 Hwy 900, P O Box 113, Clayton, LA 71326
Dr. Raymond Riley – Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson – Yea
Mr. John Bostic – Yea
Mr. Ricky Raven – Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher – Yea
Motion passed with 7 Yeas and 0 Nays.
It was moved by Mr. Bostic, seconded by Mr. Raven and unanimously carried to approve the Consolidated Budget for fiscal year 2021-2022.
Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Warren Enterkin – Yea
Mrs. Dorothy Parker – Yea, 589 Hwy 900, P O Box 113, Clayton, LA 71326
Dr. Raymond Riley – Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson – Yea
Mr. John Bostic – Yea
Mr. Ricky Raven – Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher – Yea
Motion passed with 7 Yeas and 0 Nays.
Superintendent Watson gave an update on her actions and projects since becoming superintendent approximately 45 days ago. She requested the board’s continued support and realistic expectations and that a meeting be scheduled so they can discuss what the board expects from her.
There was discussion on the LDH/CDC Guidelines and the many misconceptions people have. Ms. Watson noted that on August 12, 2021, LDH offered three options for quarantine for students. She requested that the board consider the middle option, which is a student is able to return to school after 10 days of quarantine from the last day they were exposed, as long as no symptoms develop with daily monitoring. She asked the principals how they felt and is now asking the board to adopt the 10-day option instead of the 14-day option. This will put the guidelines for students and for faculty and staff being similar and less confusing. Mr. Butcher noted that since we don’t have any way to monitor the students for symptoms, the 14-day period may be the best option because the 10-day option requires students to be carefully monitored during the last four days. Ms. Watson stated that all students’ temperatures are taken daily as soon as they reach the campus, but asked Mr. Butcher to wait until she finds out from upcoming LDOE correspondence about a $360,000 grant which we are eligible for and could use to hire additional school nurses and CNAs at each of our schools to carefully monitor students. It was moved by Mr. Carson, seconded by Mr. Bostic and unanimously carried to table the board’s decision on the LDH/CDC guidelines for employees until after Tuesday, September 14, to see what Ms. Watson finds out.
Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Warren Enterkin – Yea
Mrs. Dorothy Parker – Yea, 589 Hwy 900, P O Box 113, Clayton, LA 71326
Dr. Raymond Riley – Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson – Yea
Mr. John Bostic – Yea
Mr. Ricky Raven – Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher – Yea
Motion passed with 7 Yeas and 0 Nays.
Mr. Butcher asked Ms. Watson if it would be helpful to appoint a special committee to help her identify the needs to use the ESSER Funds. She agreed that would be helpful. Mr. Butcher asked the following board members to serve: Mr. Bostic to represent the Monterey area, Mr. Raven, the Vidalia area; and Mr. Carson, the Ferriday area. They all agreed.
Ms. Watson presented an updated Concordia Parish COVID Leave Plan which states that an employee is allowed up to a total of 10 days of paid leave as a result of COVID exposure at work or if a child of the employee is quarantined. After discussion on the process of approving leave pertaining to COVID, it was moved by Mr. Bostic, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried with Mr. Raven voting nay and Mr. Butcher abstaining that the COVID Leave Plan is accepted with the following addendums: (1) administration will rely on the principals to advise staff if they meet the protocol for COVID leave, that staff was exposed at work, (2) 10 days may be required, but they may only have a 3-day stay and then be tested if they are vaccinated, (3) a form will be completed and signed by staff member and principal, and (4) the leave will be given retroactive to the first of the school year.
Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Warren Enterkin – Yea
Mrs. Dorothy Parker – Yea, 589 Hwy 900, P O Box 113, Clayton, LA 71326
Dr. Raymond Riley – Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson – Yea
Mr. John Bostic – Yea
Mr. Ricky Raven – Nay
Mr. Fred Butcher – Abstain
Motion passed with 5 Yeas, 1 Nay, and 1 Abstension.
It was moved by Mr. Carson, seconded by Mr. Bostic, and unanimously carried to replace the wooden handicap ramp at the FHS football stadium with a metal ramp.
Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Warren Enterkin – Yea
Mrs. Dorothy Parker – Yea, 589 Hwy 900, P O Box 113, Clayton, LA 71326
Dr. Raymond Riley – Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson – Yea
Mr. John Bostic – Yea
Mr. Ricky Raven – Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher – Yea
Motion passed with 7 Yeas and 0 Nays.
There was no Executive Session.
Mrs. Rhonda Moore presented the following Personnel Announcements:
Concordia Parish School Board
Personnel Announcements
September 7, 2021
Leaves:
Jennifer Lancaster, Teacher, Vidalia Lower Elementary School, return from maternity/extended medical, effective September 20, 2021.
Lisa Abron, Teacher, Ferriday High School, return from Family Medical Leave, effective September 7, 2021.
Cynthia Chatman, Janitor, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, return from Family Medical Leave/ extended medical leave, effective August 30, 2021.
Elizabeth Guedon, Teacher, Vidalia Upper Elementary School, maternity /extended medical leave upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave, effective September 3, 2021 through October 29, 2021.
Neashion Davis, Teacher, Vidalia High School, Family Medical Leave, effective August 27, 2021 through October 27, 2021.
Ronnie Calhoun, JAG Specialist, Vidalia Junior High School, Family Medical Leave, effective August 10, 2021 through September 21, 2021.
Deborah Byrnes, SFS Manager, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, Family Medical Leave, effective August 12, 2021 through October 27, 2021.
Appointments:
Carolyn Price, Paraprofessional, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, effective August 31, 2021.
Ko’Terrica Spurs, Paraprofessional, Ferriday Junior High School, effective August 27, 2021.
Brandi Stewart, Teacher, Ferriday High School, effective August 16, 2021.
Hattori Brice, JAG Specialist, Concordia Education Center, effective September 9, 2021.
Katrina Collins, Teacher, Ferriday Junior High School, effective August 10, 2021.
Cindy Sanders, Superintendent Secretary, Central Administration, effective August 4, 2021.
Janice Fletcher, Teacher, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, effective August 13, 2021.
April Colbert, Teacher, Ferriday Junior High School, effective August 24, 2021.
Lovonia Howard, Teacher, Ferriday Junior High School, effective August 10, 2021.
Paula Fuqua, Interim Test Coordinator, Monterey High School (CPSB), effective September 1, 2021.
Anna McCormick, Paraprofessional, Vidalia High School, effective September 24, 2021.
Resignations:
Carl R. Thompson, Jr., Custodian, Monterey High School, effective August 18, 2021.
George Jolla, III, Carpenter, Central Office Maintenance, effective August 23, 2021.
Terminations:
Stephoneikka Green, Paraprofessional, Ferriday High School, effective September 9, 2021.
Miranda Smith, Paraprofessional, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, effective September 9, 2021.
The following Announcements were made by Superintendent Watson:
The Louisiana School Law Workshop scheduled in Baton Rouge for September 15-17 has been postponed.
There is another conference in Lake Charles on September 27, LSBA Fall Trailblazer Workshop, if anyone wants to attend.
It was moved by Mr. Bostic, seconded by Mr. Bostic and unanimously carried to adjourn at 8:05 p.m.
Roll Call Vote:
Mr. Warren Enterkin – Yea
Mrs. Dorothy Parker – Yea, 589 Hwy 900, P O Box 113, Clayton, LA 71326
Dr. Raymond Riley – Yea
Mr. Derrick Carson – Yea
Mr. John Bostic – Yea
Mr. Ricky Raven – Yea
Mr. Fred Butcher – Yea
Motion passed with 7 Yeas and 0 Nays.
Concordia Parish School Board Committee Reports
Educational/Personnel Policy Committee
September 7, 2021
I. ACTION ON ITEMS INVOLVING SPENDING OF MONEY
1.0
II. ITEMS DISCUSSED
2.0 Leaves
2.1 Appointments
2.2 Non-administrative supplements
2.3 TIF payout on September checks
2.4 Sign-on bonus
2.5 Retention/Performance bonus for current staff
Finance Committee
September 7, 2021
I. ACTION ON ITEMS INVOLVING SPENDING OF MONEY
1.0
II. ITEMS DISCUSSED
2.0 Reviewed Financial Statements for the month of August 2021
2.1 2022 Consolidated Budget
2.2 ESSER II formula grant
2.3 Reviewed Volkert Contract
2.4 Reviewed Tensas Community Health Center Contract
Building and Grounds Committee
September 7, 2021
I. ACTION ON ITEMS INVOLVING SPENDING OF MONEY
1.0
II. ITEMS DISCUSSED
2.0 Work orders
2.1 HVAC updates for VHS, VJH, VUE, FUE, AND FHS (Cafeteria)
2.2 Department of Health Violations
2.3 Dead trees and limbs on campus
2.4 Supplies
2.5 Handicap ramps football fields/Need at least one other quote
2.6 Press box FHS and VHS
2.7 Roads to be bidded on
2.8 Moving water/underground drain on VHS football field