PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2022

 

 

The School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, met in Regular Session at the Vidalia City Hall Meeting Room in Vidalia, Louisiana, on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at 6:00 p.m.  The meeting was called to order by Mr. Fred Butcher.  Mr. Butcher, 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, Ms. Angela Hayes, Mrs. Lisette Forman, Mr. Ricky Raven, Mr. Matt Taunton, and Mr. Fred Butcher.

 

Mr. Butcher presented the outgoing board members with plaques acknowledging their years of dedicated service to the Concordia Parish School System:

           

            Dr. Raymond Riley, District 2 – 23 years,

            Mr. Ricky Raven, District 3A – 22 years,

            Mr. Warren Enterkin, District 5A - 10 years.

 

Ms. Ana-Alicia Gouda, with the LSU AgCenter, was recognized and gave an update on the 4-H Program in Concordia Parish Schools and highlighted some of their activities.  She also asked that the board approve the local support agreement for the current year.  The agreement is listed on the agenda for approval.

 

Superintendent Bachus introduced the winners of the 2022 Christmas Card Art Contest, showed their winning drawings, and gave them each a gift bag along with extra copies of their Christmas cards:

 

                                 1st Place                                2nd Place                                3rd Place

K – 2                         Susie Nguyen, VLE                Malakai Polk, FLE                  Trinity Anderson, FLE

Grades 3-5                 Tyrann Crockett, VUE             Emmorie Deason, VUE           Mia Martinez, VUE

Grades 6-8                 Madelayne Wagoner, MHS     Allie Lipscomb, VJH               Sadie Sanders, MHS

Grades 9-12               Kayleigh King, MHS                Blaise Bass, MHS                   Chloe Smith, MHS

Gifted & Talented        Miracle Corey, FHS                Asia Mayberry, FHS               Braedyn Moss, VJH

          

Marco Gonzalez with Volkert, Inc., was unable to attend the meeting so Superintendent Bachus gave an update on the Monterey High School Gym based on an email received that day from Gonzalez.  Mr. Butcher stated that he just spoke to Gonzalez before this meeting and there is a possibility that the first game may be played in the new gymnasium during the second week of January.

 

Committee Reports were presented.  (See attached.)

 

Dr. Brenda Moore, Director of Child Welfare and Attendance and chairman of the Special Finance Committee, gave a presentation on the recommendations of the Special Finance Committee meeting. 

1)    Job descriptions need to be examined and updated.

2)    Pay tables need to be examined and simplified when necessary. The committee decided to table non-instructional directors and supervisors’ scales to be done when all scales are examined. 

3)    When an employee takes on the responsibilities of a vacant position, meaning a salaried position, they are to be compensated for 20% of the base starting salary for the vacant position. Of course, we put in some other procedures related to this recommendation:  That a person be evaluated informally monthly and evaluated formally yearly, and the employee shall not work the vacated position for more than a year.  This will be a year-to-year agreement.

4)    When an hourly employee takes on a vacant position, they are to be compensated for time and a half for the additional hours worked.  When a paraprofessional fills in as a long-term substitute not to exceed a school year, they are to be compensated at the substitute rate of pay for that period. A long-term substitute is defined as an employee working more than 10 consecutive days in that position.

5)    The final recommendation is that the instructional supervisors and directors are paid for 260 days.  This makes their daily rate off because they work 240 days.  This error will be corrected by adding the money lost as a supplement. 

 

After some discussion, Mr. Butcher asked for a roll call vote.  It was moved by Mrs. Parker, seconded by Mr. Carson and unanimously carried to move the recommendation for employees handling two positions to the section “Items for Discussion and Appropriate Action” so it could be considered for approval at this meeting.

 

Mr. Warren Enterkin – Yes

Mrs. Dorothy Parker – Yes

Dr. Raymond Riley – Yes

Mr. Derrick Carson – Yes

Mr. Matt Taunton – Yes

Ms. Angela Hayes – Yes

Mrs. Lisette Forman – Yes

Mr. Ricky Raven – Yes

Mr. Fred Butcher - Yes.

 

The vote was unanimous.

 

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mrs. Parker, and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of the November 10, 2022, meeting.

 

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mrs. Parker, and unanimously carried to approve the invoices in the amount of $5,328,638 for the month of November 2022.

 

Mrs. Rhonda Moore, Director of Human Resources, presented the personnel report.  The report was available in the board members’ binders.  Mrs. Moore asked for board approval to terminate the last two employees named in the report.  She reported there have been numerous attempts to contact them to no avail.  They basically abandoned their positions.  Mr. Butcher asked for a motion to terminate according to the school board policy.   It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mrs. Forman and unanimously carried to terminate employment for those two employees listed in the report under “Terminations.”

 

Concordia Parish School Board

Regular Meeting

Personnel Announcements

December 8, 2022

 

Leaves:

Alisha Parker, Paraprofessional, Ferriday Lower Elementary School, maternity leave, effective November 1, 2022 through February 6, 2023.

Katelynn Boone, Teacher, Vidalia Junior High School, maternity leave, effective January 3, 2023 through February 15, 2023.

Laurel Crouch, Teacher, Monterey High School, maternity leave, effective November 28, 2022 through February 3, 2023.

Crystal Cage, Teacher, Vidalia Lower Elementary School, maternity leave, effective October 17, 2022 through December 16, 2022.

Tamantha Miller, Assistant Principal, CPAMST, maternity leave, effective October 24, 2022 through February 13, 2023.

Ferman Washington, SFS Maintenance Tech, Central Administration, return from family medical leave, effective November 14, 2022.

 

Appointments:

Marilyn Jackson, School Secretary, Vidalia Junior High School, effective November 28, 2022.

Suzy Geter, Secretary/Bookkeeper, Maintenance /Child Welfare and Attendance, Central Administration, effective November 21, 2022.

Brandi Lipsey, School Nurse (LPN), Special Populations (MHS), effective November 28, 2022.

Aaron Henderson, 12 Month Janitor, Vidalia Lower Elementary School, effective November 28, 2022.

Carl Ray Thompson, Jr., 12 Month Custodian, Monterey High School, effective December 7, 2022.

 

Resignations:

Hatorri Brice, JAG Specialist, Vidalia Junior High School, effective November 7, 2022.

 

Terminations:

Jason Ellis, 12-month custodian, Monterey High School, effective December 8, 2022.

Anthony Turner, 10-month janitor, CPAMST, effective December 8, 2022.

 

It was moved by Mr. Taunton, seconded by Mr. Raven, and unanimously carried to table the update on the central office building to the January meeting.

 

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mrs. Forman, and unanimously carried to set the meeting dates and committee meeting dates for 2023 as presented with the February dates being corrected as noted by Dr. Riley, the committee meeting date is February 6, and the board meeting date is February 9.

 

Superintendent Bachus reported that an architect has done a walk-through at Concordia Parish Academy to look at safety issues and upgrading the building from its open floor plan to the standard floor plan currently called for by the state fire marshal.  Mr. Butcher remarked that the building could probably be grandfathered in since it was in existence before the current standards.  Other board members agreed but wanted to look at the safety issues.

 

It was moved by Mr. Raven, seconded by Mrs. Parker, and unanimously carried to approve the Local Support Agreement between the school board and LSUAg Center.

 

It was moved by Dr. Riley, seconded by Mrs. Parker, and unanimously carried to approve the job description for athletic directors as presented.

 

Superintendent Bachus presented a new Teacher Incentive Plan, which is funded by grants, with several changes from the plan she introduced in August.  She requested approval of this plan which includes all teachers that are proficient and highly effective, whether certified or not, and also requested that teachers get incentive pay based on the superintendent’s contract regarding success in attaining goals that have been set.  The amount is $500, the same as the superintendent’s contract, which Superintendent Bachus said is only fair since she cannot reach these goals by herself.  One other change in the Teacher Incentive Plan has $1,000, but it was only for Ferriday schools. This current plan is for all schools.

 

This is all funded through grants.  This change is on 100% performance, not certification.  This will be funded this year.  This money has to be allocated by September 30, 2023.  For principals, this incentive pay is based on the entire school’s performance.  The teachers’ incentive pay is based on their individual performance.  Mr. Raven asked if the administrative staff in the central office was included in the incentive pay as well.  Superintendent Bachus confirmed that they were included.  It was moved by Mr. Carson, seconded by Mrs. Forman, and carried to approve the new Teacher Incentive Plan provided that the incentives are 100% funded by grants.  Mr. Butcher voted no, saying there needed to be more details to the plan.

 

Mr. Carson requested that the next item, #H Update on Resurfacing of the ballfields at VHS and FHS, which he requested to be added to the agenda, be tabled until next month.

 

Mr. Carson requested that the next item, #I Proposal for a Superintendent/Board Member Retreat, which he requested to be added to the agenda, be tabled until next month when the new board members join the board so all members can discuss a date to get together and set out agendas and goals to make financial plans for the future.  Mr. Butcher asked to have someone from LSBA to attend the retreat being discussed and also the school board attorney.  Mr. Butcher asked Mr. Carson and Superintendent Bachus to arrange an agenda for the retreat and make it available to board members prior to the next meeting in case they would like to add anything to it.

 

Mr. Butcher announced that he has received all of the board members’ evaluations of the superintendent and will pull all of that information together.  Between now and the Christmas holidays Mr. Butcher will call a special board meeting.  He asked for the liberty of writing a letter to Superintendent Bachus if there is any need for additional information pertaining to her evaluation.  She can bring any additional information requested to the special meeting.   

 

There was no Executive Session.

 

Superintendent Bachus made the following announcements:

 

·         Any board members interested in attending the Annual LSBA Convention in March 2023 please let Cindy Sanders know as soon as possible so that she can register everyone.

 

·         Everyone please take a moment and look at the schools’ performance scores.

 

·         She recognized our Special Education program especially in our elementary schools.  We still have some work to do in our middle schools and high schools, but this week, Ashley Prunty, Director of Special Education, went to Baton Rouge to the state department to serve on a panel on Special Education, and Concordia Parish was recognized as being second in the state for growth in the area of Special Education.

 

It was moved by Dr. Riley, seconded by Mr. Raven and unanimously carried to adjourn at 7:20 PM.