PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA, TAKEN AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1997.
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, February 4, 1997, 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 Rev. Richard Lisk, 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. Manson E. Nelson, Sr. Mr. Ricky Raven, Mrs. Georgia Washington and Mr. Sam Williams, Jr. Absent were Mr. Mike Grantham and Mr. Charles Partridge.
Mrs. Patricia Bellis, Coordinator of Grants and Public Information, introduced Mr. Billy Lee, representing Louisiana Hydroelectric Partnership. Mr. Lee presented the Sidney A. Murray Citizenship Award to the following students:
MHS 4th grade Paul Orr
5th grade Ryan Kemp
FUE 4th grade LaKeith Lewis
5th grade Jamie Anderson
VUE 4th grade Brittany Neely
5th grade Leah Warshaw
RES 4th grade Amber Harrigill
5th grade Jesse Chelette
Mr. Grantham arrived during the presentation of awards.
Mr. Glenn Daniels, Concordia Parish County Agent, thanked the Board for their past cooperation with the Cooperative Extension program. He introduced Mrs. Debbie Bairnsfather, who is the new Home Economist.
It was moved by Mr. Coleman, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried unanimously to approve minutes of January 7, 1997.
Mrs. Gloria Dangerfield, Assistant Director of Business Affairs, presented invoices for January and the monthly Financial Report. It was moved by Mr. Coleman, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried, 7-1, with Mr. Grantham voting no, to approve invoices in the amount of $2,244,272.79.
It was moved by Mr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Coleman and carried unanimously to add a legal issue to the agenda for consideration during the executive session.
It was moved by Mr. Coleman, seconded by Mr. Williams, and carried 7-1, with Mr. Grantham voting no, to go into executive session at 5:50 p.m. to discuss a legal issue and personnel matters.
It was moved by Mrs. Washington, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried unanimously to return to open session at 6:44 p.m. President White announced that while in executive session, the Board had discussed a legal issue and personnel matters for which no action was required.
Mr. Raven stated that he had requested information from Dr. Ben Hunter, Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance, regarding truancy and dropouts. He stated that he would like to bring this matter up again later after more information has been gathered. Mr. Coleman questioned whether proper procedures had been followed. There was discussion regarding whether the superintendent's office should be responsible for researching such matters when a board member is seeking additional information.
Mr. Raven stated that he had requested that the 8 cents per mile bus operational allotment be placed on the agenda in order to look into the possibility of helping bus drivers with their expenses. Following discussion, it was moved by Mr. Raven and seconded by Mr. Grantham to implement an 8 cents per mile bus operational allotment. Following additional discussion, it was moved by Mr. Grantham and seconded by Mr. Raven to amend the motion to request that the Board look at the possibility of implementing the allotment and to have information brought to the Board at the next meeting. Superintendent Lee commented that this was the fourth time the item has been placed on the agenda and had been defeated each previous time. He stated that the purpose in operating under Robert's Rules of Order is to keep a disgruntled minority from monopolizing the Board's time by continuing to return to items which have been previously defeated. President White stated that during the discussions with employees in 1995 it was agreed that employees who were not considered for increases at that time should be given consideration before anyone else receives additional increases and that he had committed to supporting that proposal. Superintendent Lee stated that teacher assistants, SFS technicians, school secretaries and clerical personnel were the four groups who had not received increases in 1995. Following additional discussion, there was a roll call vote on the amendment with the following result:
YES: Mr. Grantham, Mr. Raven, Mr. Williams
NO: Mr. Coleman, Mrs. Cowan, Mr. Nelson, Mrs. Washington, President White
President White opened the floor for discussion on the original motion. Superintendent Lee read the following reasons to oppose this motion:
1. An $800 dollar step increase was approved in November 1995, replacing the 8-cents operational supplement. The advantages of the salary adjustment over the operational supplement are:
A. More drivers benefitted.
B. The 8 cents did not help the drivers with the shortest routes who needed it most.
C. The 8-cents was never intended to be permanent.
2. There are four groups of employees who were not a part of the last proposal for salary base increases. We need to bring them in before we re-visit a group we have already helped by increasing their salary.
3. School Bus operators are already being paid at the rate set on the state schedule on operational reimbursement.
4. Administrators and teachers who travel on school business are reimbursed below the state schedule by 2 cents per mile and 7 cents per mile below the federal schedule.
5. From the General Fund, school bus operators receive $800 per driver. From the General Fund, teachers receive only $600 per teacher.
6. School bus operators work an average of 15 hours per week, five hours below the minimum numbers of hours required to be considered fulltime employees by the retirement system. The Board declared them fulltime employees which allows them to remain in the retirement system and makes them eligible for state health insurance. The Board pays one-half of the cost of their health insurance. The employer's portion of retirement for school bus operator costs the system $22,656.12 per year.
7. School bus operators work an average of 15 hours per week or 540 hours per year. The salary of a beginning bus operator is $9629 or $17.83 per hour. Teachers work 35 hours a week (during the school day, not including after school time spent in preparation, paper grading, etc.) or 1260 hours per year. A beginning teacher makes $15.41 per hour.
The motion to implement the 8 cents per mile bus operational allotment failed 2-6, with Mr. Raven and Mr. Grantham voting yes.
Mr. H. L. Irvin, Supervisor of Supportive Services, reviewed the work done on air conditioning of the dining rooms and kitchens and reported that he had been monitoring the temperatures in the kitchens to determine the need and the feasibility of air conditioning kitchens. It was agreed to review the original motion and subsequent Board action on this matter.
Superintendent Lee reported on the need for an additional special education bus in the Wildsville-Clayton-Ferriday area and asked that the Board purchase a special education bus and hire a driver to provide additional bus service in that area. Mr. Irvin stated that the length of the route now requires that special education students spend an excessive amount of time on the bus. It was moved by Mr. Coleman, seconded by Mrs. Washington and carried 7-1, with Mr. Grantham voting no, to purchase an additional special education bus through the appropriate purchasing procedures.
It was moved by Mr. Nelson, seconded by Mr. Coleman and carried unanimously to approve the use of the VJH gym for the Dwayne Albert Summer Basketball Program.
Dr. Pete Peterman, Assistant Superintendent, informed the Board of the need to add a day to the school calendar to make up time lost to inclement weather on January 13 and 14, 1997. It was moved by Mr. Coleman, seconded by Mrs. Washington and carried to approve the revised calendar, which adds an additional school day on February 11, 1997, with February 10, 1997, remaining a holiday.
Superintendent Lee requested that the Board pass agenda item VI. G.
It was moved by Mr. Coleman, seconded by Mr. Grantham and carried unanimously to approve the following resolution:
WHEREAS, the Concordia Parish School Board at a special meeting on March 15, 1994, established school uniforms as the official attire for Concordia Parish public school students; and
WHEREAS, Louisiana Revised Statute §17:416.7 states as follows: Each city or parish school board may adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to implement a school dress code which includes the use of uniforms, and which allows each parent or guardian the option of using such uniforms...; and,
WHEREAS, the Concordia Parish School Board, after thorough consideration and research, now deems the wearing of school uniforms a means of improving student safety and the educational climate; and
WHEREAS, the Concordia Parish School Board has further instructed school administrators to conduct a parent survey and said survey indicates strong parental support for school uniforms at all grade levels; now,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Concordia Parish School Board does hereby request the Legislature of the State of Louisiana to revise Louisiana Statute §17:416.7 to allow local school boards the option to require the wearing of school uniforms by students in all grade levels; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Governor, the State Superintendent of Education, and the members of the Concordia Parish Legislative delegation.
•••
It was moved by Mr. Coleman, seconded by Mr. Williams and carried unanimously to approve
personnel items as follow:
Return from Sabbatical Leave
Susan Randall, Teacher, VUE, effective 1/15/97
Return From Extended Sick Leave
Sherry Byrnes, Secretary, Sales Tax, Central Office, effective 1/6/97
Sabbatical Leave
Reneice Jackson, Teacher, FHS, effective 1/16/97-5/30/97
Military Leave
Eddie Carter, Janitor, FHS, effective 1/31/97
Maternity Leave
Zulieka Moore, Teacher, FHS, effective 2/24/97-4/11/97
Karen Nelson, Sp. Ed. Teacher, MHS, effective 5/5/97-5/30/97
Karen Weeks, Teacher, VLE, effective 2/20-3/31/97
Extended Sick Leave
Beverly Adams, Teacher Assistant, FHS, effective 1/9/97-2/20/97
Mary Duncan Curry, Teacher Assistant, FKC, effective 1/13/97-3/7/97
Betty Minor, Sp. Ed. Teacher, FLE, effective 1/1/97-3/14/97
Retirement
Maude Barksdale, SFS Technician, VLE , effective 9/9/96
Charlotte White, Teacher, FLE, effective 2/7/97
Appointments
Essie Lee, Sp. Ed. School Bus Operator, effective 2/5/97
Patricia Morris, Teacher Assistant, RES, effective 1/15/97
Virginia Robertson, Teacher, FHS, effective 1/15/97
Jason Stanley, 10-month Janitor, VHS, effective 2/5/97
Pearlie Wills, School Bus Operator, effective 2/5/97
It was moved by Mr. Nelson, seconded by Mr. Raven and carried to adjourn at 7:50 p.m.
_______________________________ ______________________________
James E. Lee, Superintendent Ernest Lynn White, President