PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1994.
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 Tuesday, September 6, 1994, at six-ten (6:10) o'clock p.m. The meeting was called to order by the Honorable J. W. Calhoun, President, who declared that the Board was ready for the transaction of business.
Members present were the Honorable J. W. Calhoun, Rev. Johnnie Brown, Mrs. Marie Cowan, Mr. Jerry King, Mrs. Polly Miley, Mr. Manson Nelson, Mr. Charles Partridge, Mr. Walter Stampley and Mrs. Georgia Washington.
Members absent: None
Superintendent Lee announced that President Calhoun had requested an addendum be added to the agenda. It was moved by Mr. Partridge and seconded by Mr. King to hear the addendum. Following discussion, a roll call vote was taken with the following result:
YEAS: Rev. Brown, Mr. Calhoun, Mr. King, Mr. Partridge
NAYS: Mrs. Cowan, Mrs. Miley, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Stampley, Mrs. Washington
The motion to hear the addendum failed 5-4.
Following a lengthy discussion on the use of Robert's Rules of Order in the conduct of Board meetings, Mr. King asked whether there is a time limit on when a member who was not on the prevailing side of an issue may bring a matter back before the Board. Superintendent Lee referred the question to the Parliamentarian, Mr. Richard Alwood, who stated that he could find no time limit in Robert's Rules of Order; therefore a person who was in the minority on a question may not properly place the issue on an agenda.
Mrs. Gloria Dangerfield, Assistant Director of Business Affairs, presented invoices and answered questions. It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Rev. Brown and carried to approve invoices in the amount of $2,582,184.25.
It was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mr. Nelson and carried to approve minutes of the August 2 and August 16, 1994, meetings.
Superintendent Lee recognized two teachers who were awarded competitive grants at Vidalia Junior High School. Mrs. Erma Davis is directing an 8(g) project for 39,472 to integrate the subject areas of social studies, English, reading and mathematics and to use cooperative learning with eighth grade students. Mrs. Pam Hilton received a $1000 EDCORE John Hinman Fellowship to study the use of non-traditional student assessment techniques in her seventh grade mathematics classes.
Superintendent Lee presented his annual message to the Board as follows:
PROGRESS REPORT
Concordia Parish Schools
September 6, 1994
This is the third mid-calendar-year progress report I have presented during this administration. Since this year will be the final one under my current contract, I have decided to recap some of the highlights over the past 2 1/2 years. In the interest of time, I won't attempt to list all our achievements; however, I am proud to say that I believe our system has made tremendous progress during this short period of time.
In the area of curriculum and instruction, we have made great strides toward implementing some ambitious systemwide goals which are tied to specific changes that can be measured. Seventy-two percent of our overall budget is dedicated to the instructional program.
Among the improvements we have made are the upgrading of computer labs, the purchase of new student desks, and the renovation of the high school business departments and guidance labs. We have also increased the instructional and vocational allotments to provide additional teaching materials and to reduce the amount of fees parents are asked to pay. As part of an effort to provide more vocational offerings, we are in the initial stages of developing a Tech/Prep Program jointly with Shelby M. Jackson Memorial Technical Institute. This program will integrate vocational/technical skills with the academic curriculum and result in a better trained workforce for our parish.
In addition, we have begun the task of coordinating our textbooks parishwide. Just this year, you earmarked over $100,000 for k-5 reading textbooks to replace the seriously outdated materials our children had been using. For the first time, we have provided the newly adopted textbooks for all our children across grade levels.
We have given our teachers the help they need to give greater attention to their students by providing additional teacher aides at the lower elementary level. In addition, each school now maintains a well-equipped teacher work room with the necessary equipment and supplies to prepare teaching materials. You have already approved guidance counselors at the elementary level, and we are in the process of identifying the personnel we want to assign to these important positions.
We have begun a study of the kindergarten curriculum to improve the learning opportunities offered these students and to lower the retention rate among pre-schoolers. Several of our kindergarten teachers and the three principals are serving on a committee to develop a checklist that more accurately depicts the kinds of skills we believe are important for kindergarten children to master.
We have also begun a Leadership Academy for potential administrators. Because a number of our principals and supervisors are nearing retirement, we feel it is important to identify and provide pre-service training for the individuals who will guide our schools into the 21st century.
We have provided a number of staff development activities for our teachers to improve our instructional program. During the 1993-94 school year, nearly 200 hours of inservice training were provided for teachers and administrators. These activities have been funded by federal and state money through a number of grants, including the $153,000 LaSIP project "Finding New Limits".
Our teachers and administrators have been successful in obtaining in excess of $240,000 in grant monies, other than the usual Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 funds, for the 1994-95 school year. They have been aggressive in seeking out and writing proposals to provide funds for staff development and curriculum improvement projects which we could not otherwise afford.
Along with workshops for certified personnel, we have begun to offer inservice training and motivational speakers for our support personnel. Additional training has been provided for our employees in the safety sensitive areas, including transportation, maintenance, and school food service. We are continuing to pay up to $50 per employee for their annual physicals. In addition, we purchased video cameras to improve student safety on the school bus.
In order to work more closely with parents to improve student achievement, we have
established Parent Centers in Ferriday and Vidalia, and we have increased the number of Parent Conference days from one per year to two. We are currently in the process of planning a Parent Workshop for October 15.
We have addressed the high dropout rate, as well as the issue of discipline, by developing an Alternative Center for at-risk students in grades 6 through 8 in 1993-94 and by expanding the Center to the high school grades this year.
All eleven of our schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
In area of business and fiscal management, I am, first of all, most proud of the fact that during this administration, the system has gone from a three-year $1.374 million deficit in FY 90, 91 and 92, to a two and one-half year $174,733 surplus in FY 93 and 94.
Because of increased public confidence and support as a result of prudent fiscal management and greater harmony among Board members, we were able to pass an additional one-cent dedicated sales tax with a seven year cap. We must continue to be worthy of this public trust by maintaining our careful management of finances.
The improved harmony among Board members is, I believe, at least partially the result of adopting and conforming to Roberts' Rules of Order and of appointing a knowledgeable person to serve as parliamentarian. Structuring our meetings according to these universally accepted standards allows us to disagree without being disagreeable.
Restructuring the Business Department has, in my opinion, led to a more efficient operation under one Business Director. This, in turn, has increased our accountability to you as a Board and to the public.
Communications between the school system and the community and between the superintendent's office and the Board have greatly improved as a result of regular newspaper articles, letters to the editor and "Top of the Morning" columns, and weekly "FYIs". The development of CUBE, Citizens United for Better Education, was a positive outcome of the sales tax election. This group of citizens helps us keep in touch with the needs of the community.
For the second year you have participated in a superintendent's evaluation. An annual evaluation of the superintendent is extremely important in maintaining a good, harmonious working relationship between the superintendent and the Board. The link between the school board and the superintendent must be the strongest in the entire chain of united effort toward better schools.
Over the last 6 years, our facilities have suffered because of financial constraints. As our financial situation has improved and with the passage of the one-cent sales tax last year, we have begun an ambitious program of improving our buildings and grounds. Among all of the other physical improvements we have begun, we have spent over $580,000 in the last two years on roofs at several schools. We are tonight opening bids for the roof package at Vidalia High School.
We have also salvaged one of our buildings which was unused and deteriorating and turned it into an asset for the system. Clayton School building is being completely renovated with the costs being shared with LaSalle Community Action for its Head Start classes. In addition, our lease with LaSalle will earn the system $1 million over the life of the agreement.
We hope to totally eliminate all portable buildings in the near future. At the same time, we have begun to develop plans for accommodating growth in student population if the parish population increases, as we believe it will.
As we plan for this school year, there are two important points we must keep in mind:
1. First, we must continue to monitor our expenditures to make sure that we do not revive deficit spending which strangles all the energy out of our educational program.
2. Secondly, we must work toward accomplishing the goals we have set for our system. One goal we have been working toward is improving the academic performance of our students. To help in this effort, we are planning a teen summit when we will be discussing and developing strategies with the student leaders in grades 6 - 12. Another way we will support this effort is the continuation of a strong staff development program to help teachers target methods to improve student achievement.
The Super Saturday Parent Day scheduled for October 15 will provide an opportunity for us to discuss with parents what we need to do to help them help us do a better job of educating our children. We believe that a powerful partnership between parents and educators will lead to improved achievement among our students. We invite our business partners to continue to assist us in these efforts as they have in the past.
There are also two statewide issues I feel we must continue to be actively involved with:
1. Equitable funding through the Minimum Foundation Program is vital to our educational program. By joining 30 other parishes in a suit against the state, we may ensure that equitable funding becomes a reality.
2. A dual-track curriculum is a critical need in our schools. Although fewer than one-fourth of our students go on to college, 100% are required by the state to complete a college-preparatory curriculum.
We face many challenges, but we must never lose sight of the fact that our children are our future and that it takes all of us to provide the best possible education for them. Working together, we can bring true meaning to our slogan, "Education is Everybody's Business." It is my prayer that we will continue to place the best interests of our children foremost in our minds and hearts.
•••
Superintendent Lee recommended that the Board approve the Consolidated Budget FY95 as presented during the Public Hearing held earlier. It was moved by Mr. Stampley, seconded by Mrs. Washington and carried unanimously to approve the FY95 budget.
Superintendent Lee recommended that the Board accept the Fiscal Agent Agreement submitted jointly by Concordia Bank and Trust Company and Louisiana Central Bank and opened at the August 16, 1994, meeting at which time the bid was taken under advisement. Mr. O'Neal reported that he had discussed the terms of the agreement with representatives of each bank and minor changes had been agreed to. It was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mr. Partridge and carried unanimously to approve the Fiscal Agent Agreement.
It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Rev. Brown and carried to open bids for VHS roof package. The following bids were submitted:
Brown Industries $ 70,900
Winnsboro Roofing $ 68,300
Because the bids were higher than anticipated, Superintendent Lee recommended that the Board take the bids under advisement until the September 20, 1994, Board meeting. It was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Miley and carried 8-1, with Mr. Partridge voting no.
It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mr. Stampley and Mrs. Washington and carried to approve the following resolution in support of a National Science Foundation grant proposal:
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Concordia Parish School Board recognizes the need to reform kindergarten through grade 12 mathematics programs in the full spirit of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; and,
WHEREAS, the mathematics our students need for life in the 21st century is very different from that of traditional programs, and increasingly rapid societal change requires us to create a climate of lifelong learning; and,
WHEREAS, the process of reform in the areas of mathematics and science has been initiated through the efforts of the Louisiana System Initiatives Program, which envisions an extension of the program to the larger educational reforms embodied in Goals 2000; and,
WHEREAS, as a fundamental aspect of mathematics reform, the Board fully recognizes the need to rethink and revise assessment practices, both in the classroom and in systemwide standardized tests in the manner of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) program which is developing and demonstrating standards-based testing that is more conceptual and less formally computational; and
WHEREAS, the Board is committed to seeking ways to make the testing program consistent with problem-solving, critical-thinking and number sense as defined by the NCTM Standards as guided by work force needs of the 21st century; and
WHEREAS, the Board welcomes the opportunity to work with the National Science Foundation, Northeast Louisiana University, the personnel of the Louisiana Systemic Initiatives Program, and fellow educators in Catahoula Parish; now,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Concordia Parish School Board pledges its support for the proposal submitted by Concordia and Catahoula Parishes to the National Science Foundation on behalf of our children and, through them, of our whole society.
•••
It was moved by Mr. Stampley, seconded by Mr. Partridge and carried unanimously to approve the following resolution:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the following millages are hereby levied on the 1994 tax roll, on all property subject to taxation by the Concordia Parish School Board:
1. Constitutional 3.15 mills
2. Additional support for maintaining
and operating of parish schools 25.00 mills
Superintendent Lee stated that the millage rates are the same as last year.
Mr. Julius Huhn, Director of Chapter 1, presented information and answered questions about the Concordia Parish Administrative Leadership Academy for prospective administrators in the school system. It was moved by Rev. Brown, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried to approve the following members of the Advisory Board:
Jack Bairnsfather Principal, MHS
Patricia Bellis Librarian, FLE
Fred Butcher Principal, FHS
Erma Davis Teacher, VJH
Mary Eidt Supervisor of Elementary Education
Arijo Green Assistant Principal, FJH/VHS
Julius Huhn Director of Chapter 1
Gary Parnham Principal, VLE
Lester Peterman Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction
Walter Stampley School Board Member
Delores Thomas Teacher, FUE
Beatrice Williams Chapter 1 Reading Supervisor
Daisy Williams Teacher, VUE
Superintendent Lee stated that the next item on the agenda had been requested by Mr. King. Mr. King informed the Board that although he had voted for the male aides, he has since developed concerns about their appointment to kindergarten classes. President Calhoun recognized a parent in the audience who stated her opposition to male aides in kindergarten. Mr. Gary Parnham, principal at VLE, stated his strong support for the male aides remaining with the kindergarten classes. Ms. Tanya Mallory, a kindergarten teacher at VLE, also stated her support for the male aide. Following lengthy discussion, Mr. King made a motion to move the male kindergarten aides to other positions at a higher grade level. The motion was seconded by Mr. Stampley. The motion failed 6-3 with Mr. King, Mr. Partridge, and Mr. Stampley voting yes.
The next item, proportional share of Hydroelectric Power Plant sales tax for retirees, was also placed on the agenda by Mr. King, and he stated that he had made this request for discussion purposes only. He requested that a list of retirees who would be affected, a copy of the attorney general's opinion and the cost to the Board to pay their proportional share be sent out to Board members.
Superintendent Lee reported that Rev. Brown had requested that the Board discuss a policy for hiring substitutes. Following discussion, it was decided to continue the current procedure of hiring employees.
It was moved by Mrs. Miley and Mr. Stampley, seconded by Rev. Brown, and carried 7-2 to go into Executive Session at 7:35 p.m. to discuss personnel matters. Mr. Partridge and Mr. King voted no.
It was moved by Mrs. Miley, seconded by Mr. Nelson and carried to return to Open Session at 7:55 p.m. Superintendent Lee reported that the Board discussed personnel items not requiring action at this time.
It was moved by Mr. Stampley, seconded by Mr. Nelson and carried unanimously to approve personnel items en globo as follows:
Resignations:
Pamela McMichael, SFS Technician, VHS, effective 8/30/94
Janice Roberts, SFS Technician, FJH, effective 8/26/94
Appointments
Eliza Cage, 2.5 hr Sweeper, RES, effective 8/17/94
Darrell Green, 8.0 hr Janitor, FUE, effective 8/18/94
Darlene Smith, SFS Technician, VUE, effective 8/17/94
Linda Woods, Child Search Coordinator, FEC, effective 8/17/94
Bernadette Young, Guidance Counselor, MHS, effective 8/15/94
Maternity Leave
Leigh Ann Webber, Teacher, FKC, effective 10/24/94-1/3/95
Military Leave
Joyce Ivory, Teacher, VJH, effective 8/22/94-9/2/94
It was moved by Mr. Stampley, seconded by Mr. Nelson, and carried unanimously to adjourn at 8:00 p.m.
_____________________________ _____________________________
James E. Lee, Superintendent J. W. Calhoun, President