The Beauregard Parish School Board met in regular session Thursday, June 9, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. in the Central Office Board Room. The following board members were present: David Vidrine, Charles Hudson, Martha Jackson, Darrin Manuel, Wesley Taylor, Don Gray, L. D. Spears, Kathy Bruner, Ray Bowman, Cassie Henry, and Student Representative Kailey Bailey.
Timothy J. Cooley, Superintendent, was present and acted as secretary.
The Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance were led by Cord Ensminger.
David Vidrine began by stating that he would entertain a motion to adopt the agenda, as presented. Upon hearing no discussion, Charles Hudson offered a motion to adopt the agenda, which was seconded by Ray Bowman and approved.
The first agenda item was to consider adopting the minutes of the May 12, 2016, regular school board meeting, as published in the official journal. Don Gray offered a motion to adopt the May 12, 2016, minutes, which was seconded by Kathy Bruner. Upon voting, the minutes of the May 12, 2016, regular school board meeting, as published in the official journal, were adopted.
The Superintendent’s Report began with a summary of scholarship awards from the 2016 graduating classes of Beauregard Parish, with board members hearing that graduates would have the opportunity to claim more than $7 million in scholarship awards. In addition, Mr. Cooley stated that of the 383 graduates in the parish, 243 of them would be eligible for TOPS (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students.)
Board members learned that grant funding had enabled every classroom in the parish to receive a new Emergency Preparedness Guide. This color-coded, spiral-bound flip chart would be more readily accessible than the binder-based emergency handbook currently in classrooms.
Next, Mr. Cooley asked Terrie Smith to share information regarding the Jump Start program, which will be fully implemented during the 2016-2017 school year. According to Ms. Smith, Jump Start is a program which will enable students to graduate work-ready, with some type of industry-recognized career certification, preparing them for work and/or higher education opportunities. Preparations have actually been underway for several years, according to Ms. Smith, who went on to explain how the program was structured and how students would achieve the career credentialing.
To conclude the Superintendent’s report, Mr. Cooley announced that tax supplement checks would be issued the week of June 13-17, with full-time certified staff receiving $1,931.50, support staff receiving $1,287.67, and retirees receiving $126.22, all amounts gross, before taxes.
The next agenda item was to consider approval of the Superintendent’s contract. Mr. Vidrine reminded board members that a proposed contract had been provided for review, in each board member’s folder, at the Monday committee meetings. Charles Hudson offered a motion to accept the proposed contract, which was seconded by Ray Bowman. Upon voting, board members voted unanimously to approve the Superintendent’s contract.
Next Kim Hayes, introduced District Attorney Jimmy Lestage, Myrna Cooley, and Mary Sowells, advising board members that they would be presenting information on the TASC (Truancy Assessment and Service Center) program. Mr. Lestage spoke to board members about the goals of keeping kids in school through graduation, helping them become productive, successful adults, and preventing them from falling into the criminal justice system. Ms. Cooley explained the components of the TASC program and how it is implemented to benefit students and their families.
Mr. Vidrine read the next item, “To announce a meeting to be held on July 14, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. at the Beauregard Parish School Board Central Office, 202 W. Third Street, Deridder, LA, to adopt the millage rates for 2016.” Lesia Casanovas explained that the Beauregard Parish Tax Assessor’s office would have information available that would be needed to adopt the millage rates at the July 14, 2016, regular board meeting, and stated that reading this item satisfied a portion of the notification requirements. In response to a question from a board member, Mr. Cooley stated that new guidelines required a public announcement, publication in the official journal, and notifying the state legislators for Beauregard Parish.
Board members were informed that it was time to select the official journal for the Beauregard Parish School Board for the 2016-2017. According to Lesia Casanovas, Louisiana Revised Statute 43:141 states that the school board must appoint an official journal in June of each year. It was recommended to appoint the Beauregard Daily News as the official journal. Charles Hudson offered a motion to appoint the Beauregard Daily News as the official journal for 2016-2017, which was seconded by Cassie Henry; and upon voting, the motion was approved.
Next, board members were asked to consider Athletic Training Services contract proposals. James Herrington states that the proposals both cover all of the schools, subject to board approval, and that all services are provided at no cost to the school system. Further, Mr. Herrington stated that both contracts cover a minimum of three visits per week, $1 million liability insurance and both have a 90-day termination clause for either party. Mr. Herrington advised board members that, after talking with principals and reviewing satisfaction surveys, he recommended leaving the athletic trainer agreement as is, but extending it to two years instead of one. In response to a question, board members were reminded that last year, the agreement was to allow Beauregard Memorial Hospital to provide services to DeRidder High School, and the Center for Orthopaedics would service Merryville High School, Singer High School, South Beauregard High School, and East Beauregard High School. Wesley Taylor offered a motion to enter into a 2-year contract for Athletic Training Services, with Beauregard Memorial Hospital serving DeRidder High School, and the Center for Orthopaedics serving East Beauregard High School, Merryville High School, Singer High School, and South Beauregard High School. The motion was seconded by Don Gray, after which Mr. Herrington answered several questions from board members. Upon voting, the motion to enter into a 2-year contract for Athletic Training Services, with Beauregard Memorial Hospital serving DeRidder High School, and the Center for Orthopaedics serving East Beauregard High School, Merryville High School, Singer High School, and South Beauregard High School was approved.
The next agenda item called for board members to consider changes in the Support Personnel Manual. Mr. Herrington requested that the board remove the stipulation that new hires for the Mechanic I and Mechanic II positions hold licensure or certification. He explained that, given the current growth in the area, finding applicants that hold mechanic certification or licensure was becoming difficult, and recommended removing that requirement for Mechanic I and II applicants. He emphasized that the requirement for experience (1 year for Mechanic I applicants, and 3 years for Mechanic II applicants) would remain, as would the licensure/certification requirement for Mechanic III applicants. Mr. Newsom assured board members that he felt that removing the licensing restriction for Mechanic I and II would not compromise the quality of service, but would allow skilled and capable applicants who simply did not possess the credential, to apply for available positions. Kathy Bruner offered a motion to approve removing the licensing/certification requirement in the Support Personnel Manual for Mechanic I and II job description, which was seconded by Charles Hudson and approved.
Lesia Casanovas advised board members that it was time to consider the lease agreement with Valley, Inc., for use of the cafeteria facilities at the Title I/Media Center for senior meals from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. Ms. Casanovas stated that the Beauregard Council on Aging would continue to contract with Valley, Inc., to provide senior meals using the facilities at the Title I/Media Center, and recommended approving the lease agreement, noting that there had been no changes to the agreement. Upon motion of Ray Bowman, seconded by Kathy Bruner, board members approved the lease agreement with Valley, Inc., for use of the cafeteria facilities at the Title I/Media Center for senior meals from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.
Next, board members heard recommendations from the Finance Committee and voted to approve the following motions, without additional discussion:
a. Motion to approve the Fiscal Agency Agreement for 2017.
b. Motion to approve a decrease in the number of consecutive days a support substitute must work from 21 days to 11 days, before affecting the rate of pay.
Upon motion of Kathy Bruner, seconded by Darrin Manuel, board members voted to consider the following items in globo, and upon motion of Wesley Taylor, seconded by Darrin Manuel, board members approved awarding bids for the following food items for school cafeterias:
1. Bread and Bakery Products bid to Flowers Baking Company of Baton Rouge, LLC, for the 2016-2017 school year for the amount of $55,120.50.
2. Milk and Related Products bid to Mid-State Marketing, LLC, for the 2016-2017 school year for the amount of $267,900.00.
3. Frozen Food bid for items in Group A to William George Company, Inc., and for items in Group B to Oasis Foods, Inc., and items in Group C to Nardone Bros. Baking Company for the 2016-2017 school year.
4. Produce bid to William George Company, Inc., for the 2016-2017 school year.
5. Staple Foods bid for items in Group A to William George Company, Inc., and for items in Group B to Oasis Foods, Inc. for the 2016-2017 school year.
6. Paper Goods bid for items in Group A to William George Company, Inc., and for items in Group B to Oasis Foods, Inc., and for items in Group C to West Central Wholesale, and for items in Group D to Long's Products for the 2016-2017 school year.
Next, board members considered recommendations from the Building and Grounds Committee. The first of these was a motion to dispose of one portable building on the South Beauregard campus, after declaring it surplus and not needed. Mr. Hudson offered a motion to use this portable building at Merryville High School to store track equipment. After learning that this building was in rather poor condition and there were other storage options available, Mr. Hudson withdrew his motion. Ms. Simmons verified that bids would be accepted for the building, but if no bids were received, the board would allow the building to be sold. Mr. Ramsey noted that after this building was removed to allow construction of the band hall, one additional building would remain to be removed. In addition, Mr. Ramsey advised board members that another building might also be available on the site of the Beauregard Alternative Program. According to Mr. Ramsey, either of the last two buildings might be repurposed for storage at Merryville High School or another facility. After additional brief discussion, the motion to dispose of one portable building on the South Beauregard campus, after declaring it surplus and not needed was approved, upon voting.
The next recommendation was a motion to add providing additional space at South Beauregard Elementary to the list of approved pending projects. There was a lengthy discussion of the anticipated growth in the South Beauregard community, and it was emphasized that a plan was needed to accommodate the expected influx of new students, once the ongoing housing development in that area neared completion. A suggestion was made to postpone taking action on the recommendation until a plan could be developed for funding the approved projects, and it was noted that such scrutiny was not proposed for any of the previously approved projects. Mr. Ramsey stated that additional classroom space could be made immediately available, by reconfiguring some of the existing classroom space, if the need presented itself. A voice vote on this recommendation was inconclusive; and in a roll call vote requested by Mr. Manuel, Martha Jackson, Darrin Manuel, Wesley Taylor, Kathy Bruner, Ray Bowman, and Cassie Henry voted in favor of adding additional space at South Beauregard Elementary to the list of approved pending projects. Voting against the recommendation to add additional space at South Beauregard Elementary to the list of approved pending projects: Don Gray, Charles Hudson, David Vidrine, and L. D. Spears. The motion passed 6-4.
The final recommendation from the Building and Grounds Committee was a motion to add construction of an auxiliary, multi-purpose room for DeRidder High School Band to the list of approved projects. Citing concerns about funding and the need to prioritize the projects, Kathy Bruner offered a motion to table this motion, which was seconded by L. D. Spears. Upon voting, the board approved the motion to table adding construction of an auxiliary, multi-purpose room for DeRidder High School Band to the list of approved projects, pending the Building and Grounds Committee meeting for a needs assessment to prioritize the approved construction, by a margin of 9-1 (Taylor).
There being no further business, upon motion of Kathy Bruner, seconded by Ray Bowman, the meeting was adjourned by general consent.
President Secretary