PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022

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, March 10, 2022, at 6:00 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.

Board members present were Mr. Warren Enterkin, Mrs. Dorothy Parker, Dr. Raymond Riley, Mr. Derrick Carson, Mr. Nicky Pere, Ms. Angela Hayes, Mrs. Lisette Forman, Mr. Ricky Raven, and Mr. Fred Butcher.

All board members were present.

The Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1^st and 2^nd grade recipients of the Sidney A. Murray Citizenship awards were recognized:

                   Grade Pre-K                    Grade K                      Grade 1                       Grade 2

CPA             Everly Clingon                 Isaiah Warner              Jayleigh Juneau            Aleigha Cirilo

FLE              Devante Scott                 Braley Sheppard         Jordan Johnson             Kam’Bryon Long

MHS            Grayson Reeves              Lydia Tisdale               Lily Brallier                   Grace Knoll

VLE             Paislee Buckles              Zayla Smith                 Conner Coldiron            Audrey Rushing

The 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade recipients of the Sidney A. Murray Citizenship awards from Ferriday Upper Elementary were recognized:

                             Grade 3                           Grade 4                           Grade 5

FUE                       Paris Daniels                   Santoria Myles                 Devin Hunter

Concordia Parish Principals of the Year were recognized:

Elementary School – Elizabeth Walker, Vidalia Upper Elementary School

Middle School – Robert Haskett, Jr., Ferriday Junior High School

High School - Charles Anderson – Concordia Education Center.

Concordia Parish Students of the Year were recognized:

Elementary School – Sadie Lea Sanders, 5^th Grade, Monterey High School

Middle School – Lyric Alise Warner, 8^th Grade, Concordia Parish Academy

High School – Brooklyn Taraea Hall, 12^th Grade, Concordia Parish Academy

Concordia Parish Teachers of the Year were recognized:

Elementary School – Bridget Seals, Concordia Parish Academy

Middle School – Toni Spinks, Concordia Parish Academy

High School – Annetta Book, Vidalia High School

Mr. Dennis Burns with LSU AgCenter gave an update on the 4-H Program for Concordia Parish, noting highlights of this school year’s activities.

Mr. Marco Gonzalez with Volkert, Inc., gave an update on the Monterey High School gymnasium project.  The completion date looks to be about July.

Committee Reports were presented.  (see attached)

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mr. Pere and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting held on February 10, 2022.

Mr. Fred Marsalis gave the finance report and also reported on the FHS football program finances per Mr. Butcher’s request in February.  It was moved by Mr. Carson, seconded by Mrs. Forman and unanimously carried to approve invoices in the amount of $4,449,832 for the month of February 2022.

The personnel report was available in the board members’ binders.  Mrs. Rhonda Moore was present and informed the board members that the changes in the report since the committee meeting were highlighted in yellow.

Concordia Parish School Board

Regular School Board Meeting

Personnel Announcements

March 10, 2022

Leaves:

Vanessa Ealey, Teacher, Ferriday High School, Family Medical Leave / extended medical leave upon exhaustion of accumulate sick leave, effective January 3, 2022 through February 25, 2022.

Teranie Williams, Teacher, Vidalia Junior High School, maternity/extended medical leave upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave, effective January 3, 2022 through February 25, 2022.

Teranie Williams, Teacher, Vidalia Junior High School, return from maternity/extended medical leave, effective March 1, 2022.

Crenisha Hayes, Teacher, Vidalia High School, Family Medical Leave / extended medical leave upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave, effective January 27, 2022 through March 11, 2022.

Dennis Whittington, Central Office Maintenance, Family Medical Leave / extended medical leave upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave, effective November 18, 2021 through March 4, 2022.

Dennis Whittington, Central Office Maintenance, return from Family Medical Leave/extended sick leave, effective March 7, 2022.

Brenda Naff, Teacher, Ferriday Junior High School, return from Family Medical Leave/extended medical leave, effective February 14, 2022.

Carolyn D. Mason, Teacher, Vidalia High School, Family Medical Leave/ extended medical leave upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave, effective January 27, 2022 through May 20, 2022.

Quantrelle Green, Family Medical Leave/ extended medical leave upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave, effective January 10, 2022 through March 14, 2022.

Retirements:

Vanessa Ealey, Teacher, Ferriday High School, effective March 22, 2022.

Resignation:

Al Watson, 12 Month Custodian, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, effective February 18, 2022.

Ms. Kay Andrews, the school nurse, gave an update on the COVID mask mandate.  Ms. Andrews noted that the policy that is in place now requires masks for quarantine and isolation. So you stay at home for five days and then come back to school with your mask for five days, and we should keep that in place.  She also noted from the weekly COVID regional call she participates in that Concordia Parish School District is the only one that still has a mask mandate.  Supt. Toyua Watson recommended that masks be recommended, but not required at all Concordia Parish School System campuses.  It was moved by Mr. Enterkin, seconded by Mrs. Forman and unanimously carried to accept Ms. Watson’s recommendation.

Mr. Fred Marsalis answered questions earlier on Ferriday High School’s football program finances while giving the finance report.  Mr. Butcher asked Superintendent Watson and Mr. O’Neal to form a committee to look at extracurricular finances for all schools and to make a recommendation as well as to inventory equipment and supplies at Ferriday High School to confirm past expenditures.

Mr. Carson updated the board members on the varsity broadcast systems.  The board discussed the agreement provided with PlayOn Sports, which is at no cost to the school district.  It was moved by Mrs. Forman, seconded by Ms. Hayes and unanimously carried to approve the agreement with PlayOn Sports to broadcast sporting events at all the campuses beginning with the 2022-23 school year.

Mr. Carson reported that Supt. Watson reported in their Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting that some of the intercom systems in the schools are tied in to the fire alarm systems, and some of the intercom systems don’t work.  He recommended getting bids to update the intercom systems.  He also suggested that the board look into updating the security systems with a uniform system used in every school and provided by the same vendor.  It was moved by Mr. Carson, seconded by Dr. Riley, and unanimously carried to draw up specs and obtain bids for the intercom systems and video surveillance systems.

After discussion on the lighting at the softball field at MHS, it was moved by Dr. Riley, seconded by Mr. Pere and unanimously carried to allow the business director to get with the proper persons in order to have the lighting installed at the Monterey softball field at a cost of $23,756.00.

Mr. Tom O’Neal gave an update on the Syrah Technologies Industrial Tax Exemption Program.  He indicated that he had received a notice that the project had been approved on February 23, 2022, by the Louisiana Board of Commerce and Industry.  Explaining that the Louisiana Administrative Code provided that local governmental entities be provided a 30-day period following such notice to determine the necessity of any additional action on the approval process.  We can take no action, which would leave us in the same position, but Mr. O’Neal stated he would like to see us go on record as continuing our support of the Syrah expansion project as we did this past December.  It was moved by Mr. Enterkin, seconded by Mrs. Forman and unanimously carried to authorize Mr. O’Neal to send a letter stating our continued support of the Syrah expansion project.

Mr. O’Neal presented the sealed bids for the portable air purifier project for 300 units as follows: 

It was moved by Dr. Riley, seconded by Mrs. Forman and carried unanimously to take these bids under advisement.

Mr. O’Neal gave an update on the redistricting project, letting board members know that Dr. Bill Blair, our demographer, will need to meet with each of them before holding a public meeting with both the school board and the police jury.

Mr. O’Neal recommended extending the leases on the Lake St. John property, which is $9,310 annually and the Frogmore Plantation property, which is $63,600 annually.  The Frogmore lease and the granted two-year option is terminated.  The Lake St. John property was an assigned lease and did not have a similar option to extend.  It was moved by Dr. Riley, seconded by Mr. Raven and unanimously carried to extend both leases for three years with a two-year extension option.

Supt. Watson presented for approval the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with CPSB, the Governor’s Office, and NOLA Education, LLC which will implement a Star Academy Pilot Program at Ferriday Freshman Academy.  In the December meeting Supt. Watson informed the board members of a $660,000 grant which had been awarded for Ferriday Freshman Academy.  In addition, we have been awarded $1.6 million over a 3-year period for the Star Academy which will pay the salary of the administrator and any administrative staff, making funds available to the other schools.  You asked for the attorneys to look over the agreement, which they did, and made a few minor changes which are marked.  Mr. Butcher asked for a short meeting before the next board meeting to discuss how this program will improve the Freshman Academy. He asked Mr. O’Neal to schedule a working session to go over the annual budget for the district. 

There was no executive session.

Supt. Watson made the following announcements:

        ·           There are several dates you should be aware of, such as June 7-30 for Summer Bridge Program for grades K-8.

           ·        Our high schools will have ACT Bootcamp coming up as well as summer internship opportunities and vocational opportunities, such as welding, MR, and jobs due to our partnership with Louisiana Workforce.

Dr. Riley noted that the May regular meeting will need to be changed to the following week because of graduation week.  Mr. Butcher agreed the May meeting should be on May 19, instead of May 12.  It was moved by Dr. Riley, seconded by Mr. Raven and unanimously carried to change the May regular meeting date to May 19.

It was moved by Dr. Riley, seconded by Mr. Raven, and unanimously carried to adjourn at 8:15 p.m.