PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1996.

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, Tuesday, February 6, 1996, at five-thirty (5:30) o'clock p.m.  The meeting was called to order by the Honorable Ernest Lynn White, President, who declared that the Board, after prayer by Brother Farrell Marr, and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, was ready for the transaction of business.

Members present were the Honorable Ernest Lynn White, Mr. Eddie L. Coleman, Sr.,

Mrs. Marie Cowan, Mr. Mike Grantham, Mrs. Polly Miley, Mr. Charles Partridge, and Mrs. Georgia Washington.

Members absent:          Mr. Manson E. Nelson, Sr. and Mr. Sam Williams, Jr.

It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mr. Coleman and carried to approve minutes of January 9, 1996, as corrected.

Mrs. Gloria Dangerfield, Assistant Director of Business Affairs, presented invoices for January and answered questions.  It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mrs. Washington and carried 6-1, with Mr. Grantham voting no, to approve invoices in the amount of $1,974,279.09.

Mrs. Dangerfield presented the Financial Report and answered questions.

Dr. Mary Eidt, Supervisor of Administrative Services and Staff Development, informed the Board that she, Mrs. Patty Bellis, and Mrs. Pam Hilton, had recently attended the International Paper Company EDCORE conference in Shreveport, Louisiana. After briefly describing the conference, Dr. Eidt introduced Mrs. Hilton, who described her project entitled "Mathematical Scientists at Work," and Mrs. Bellis, who commented on her project "LEAD: Leadership for Empowering Academy Development."  These projects were awarded approximately $9000 each by EDCORE for the 1995-96 school year.

It was moved by Mrs. Miley, seconded by Mr. Coleman, and carried unanimously to approve the second reading for policies DC, DFL, DJED, EBBG, GBRIB, GCD, IKDC, JBC, JBD, JDD, JDE, JGC, and JGCD.

At the request of Mr. Grantham, Superintendent Lee briefly reviewed the expenditures of the Project Fund.

Dr. Pete Peterman, Assistant Superintendent, provided an update of curriculum projects.  He recognized Ms. Katharine Calhoun, LASIP Project Coordinator, who presented information on a $52,500 leadership project funded by LASIP to provide summer classes for teachers from Concordia and Catahoula parishes.  Dr. Peterman also reported on Vocational Education Week (February 12-17); Tech/Prep Consortium activities with Avoyelles Parish and Catahoula Parish School Boards and Shelby M. Jackson Technical School; and new federal nutrition standards for School Food Service.  Dr. Peterman also updated the Board on maintenance projects including the weekly rotation for the crew to spend an entire day at a single school, the three-man roofing crew, the air conditioning at FUE, and the upcoming air conditioning of dining halls at VJH and VUE in March and FJH in April to complete Phase I of air conditioning cafeterias.  Phase II will be the installation of air conditioning in the cafeteria kitchens.  Mr. H. L. Irvin, Supervisor of Supportive Services, reported on ice storm damage.

Following discussion about the upcoming National School Boards Association Convention in Orlando, Florida, April 13-16, it was moved by Mr. Partridge and seconded by Mr. Grantham not to send delegates this year.  The motion failed 2-5, with Mr. Grantham and Mr. Partridge voting yes.  It was agreed that two members would attend and that interested members would notify Superintendent Lee.

Superintendent Lee recommended that the Board approve a proclamation in support of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).  It was moved by Mr. Coleman, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried unanimously to approve the following proclamation:

                                                               PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) was created by the Constitution of 1974 to supervise and control the public elementary and secondary schools, post secondary vocational-technical schools and programs except in colleges and universities, and special schools under its jurisdiction, and

WHEREAS, BESE shall have budgetary responsibility for all funds appropriated or allocated by the state for those schools, as provided by law, and

WHEREAS, this governmental agency was created to provide the citizens of Louisiana the basic democratic principle of public representation, and

WHEREAS, BESE, for these last twenty-one (21) years has admirably administered to the needs of the State Department of Education and thus to each and every student in the state, and

WHEREAS, there is strong conjecture presently among prominent state governmental officials to abolish the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Concordia Parish School Board go on record opposing any plan to eliminate the democratic process, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Concordia Parish School Board petition Governor Foster and all members of the Legislature not only to preserve the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, but to provide stronger legislation that will perpetually guarantee the citizens of Louisiana their democratic right for educational representation.

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Mr. Butcher informed the Board of problems which had been encountered in locating a dealership which would lease a car to the Board for driver's education.  Mr. O'Neal also stated that the cost for the amount of insurance required by the dealerships is prohibitive.  Mr. Butcher and Mr. O'Neal recommended that the most cost-effective method would be for the Board to purchase a car for driver's education classes and insure it under Concordia Parish School Board fleet insurance.  It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mrs. Washington and carried unanimously to secure a car for driver's education through a municipal lease or by purchasing it.

It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried unanimously to authorize a request that the State Mineral Board advertise for a mineral lease on Section 16 T2N R7N.

It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mr. Coleman and carried unanimously to advertise for an agricultural or grazing lease on Section 6 T7N R9E.

Superintendent Lee distributed a suggested schedule for Board committees to meet to select a chairperson and to establish meeting dates.

President White distributed information for Superintendent Lee's observation and asked that the material be returned a week prior to the next Board meeting.

It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mrs. Miley and carried unanimously to adjourn at 6:37 p.m.

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James E. Lee, Superintendent                                                 Ernest Lynn White, President