Bogalusa School Board

Bogalusa, Louisiana 

Regular Board Meeting

March 31, 2011

5:30 P.M.

 

 

Proceedings Of The Bogalusa School Board Taken At A Regular Board Meeting That Was Held on Thursday, March 31, 2011

 

The Bogalusa School Board met in a regular session at the Bogalusa School Board Office, in the Media Center, located at 1705 Sullivan Drive, Bogalusa, Louisiana on Thursday, March 31, 2011, beginning at 5:30P.M., for the purpose of addressing matters in light of budget cuts across the State of Louisiana, and the affect it will have on the District.  There were also two presentations.

 

1.)        Call to Order

President Paul Kates called the meeting to order at 5:30P.M.

 

2.)        Pledge of Allegiance

Interim Superintendent Stephanie Hoppen led the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

3.)        Prayer

Reverend Raymond Mims delivered the opening prayer.

 

4.)        Roll Call

There were present:  President, Mr. Paul Kates; Vice President, Mr. Adam Kemp; Members: Mr. Curtis Creel, Mrs. Eleanor Duke, Mr. Calvin Hymel, Reverend Raymond Mims and Dr. Brad Williams.

 

There was absent:  None

 

At this point President Kates called for the presentation from McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C. Consulting Firm.

 

5.)        Presentations

 

 

”Mr. President, lady, gentlemen of the Board, we are very please to be here this evening to tell you about the services we provides for School Boards.  I’m Loe Dunn with McPherson and Jacobson; and this is Dr. Gerald Keller.  Dr. Keller, I’ll allow him to tell you a little about his background, then we will move forward.”  ”I am Gerald Keller.  I am very familiar with this building.  I taught several classes for Southeastern here on School Finance; and I taught a satellite class here on finance; so I’m very familiar with this School Board Office.  I work at Southeastern, but I’m a former Superintendent of Schools in St. John the Baptist Parish; and also I’m currently a School Board Member in St. John Parish; been a School Board Member for sixteen  (16) years.  I’ve been Board President for ten (10); and I gave it up this year.  I have taught in all angles including every school level with the principals and Superintendents; and I work at the university.”   Ms. Dunn continued, ”Like I said I’m Loe Dunn.  I am Campus Dean for Louisiana Technical College-Bastrop Campus.  I have been a School Board Member for twenty years (20) up until December 31st this past year.  I have been working with McPherson and Jacobson since 2002.  We’re here to tell you about the services that we provide.   McPherson and Jacobson’s headquarter is located in Omaha, Nebraska; however  we have seventy-five (75)consultants working across the U.S., in twenty-three (23) states which includes the District of Columbia.   We have been conducting searchers since 1991; and one thing that we brag about is our retention rate.  For the superintendents that we have placed in the last five (5) years, ninety-two percent (92%) are still working in their spot; eighty-seven percent (87%) within the last ten (10) years; and we have fifty percent (50%) of them that are working with us that we’ve placed.  We do not select superintendents for school districts, we provide a decision making model for you.  We take all of the drudgery out of the work.  We do everything from A-Z.  We develop interview questions; we do reference background; we do everything for the Board.  We feel that this is such a cumbersome task, that you have individual lives that you have to live.  We have a main office in Omaha Nebraska that has a full time staff that takes care of all of our clerical and business needs; so everything goes to that office and is satellite out to us.  But, as I said, we do not select superintendents, we work with the Board; get their criteria; and we provide the decision making model.  We make sure that equal involvement is provided for all Board Members.  We do not tell one something that we do not tell all of them.  We do manage this process in a timely way.  We develop a calenda that we propose to you; and you know every time that we’re going to do this and that; the dates are outlined of course.  We have high levels of involvement from all facets and that is what we like the most.  We involve the community in this process.  We involve the internal stakeholders and the external stakeholders; meaning that we involve the principals, the administrators, the teachers, the support staff; as well as Student Government or Student Council.  We have an open process; we’re very transparent; we conduct business in an open session.  When we go out into the community and visit with those stakeholders that you want us to visit with perhaps your Chamber of Commerce and other organizations, it gives us an opportunity to assess your organizational needs, because we ask you four questions.  What are the good things about Bogalusa?  What are the good things about Bogalusa School District?  What are the criteria that you are looking for in your next superintendent?  Then the final question we ask; what are the challenges that he or she will face when they arrive in this district?  And it gives you a better glimpse of the perception that the public has about the school district. We recruit candidates, we don’t just accept applications.  If we feel that someone is a good fit we will actively recruit that individual to come and be a candidate in this district. We do not recruit within our own organization; but we do recruit.  As a matter of fact, we are currently doing Little Rock City School District; and we are recruiting some high profile candidates for that particular position.   We do background check. We make sure that there are no stones that’s left unturned.  We provide fair and equitable treatment to all candidates.  And, again as I said we manage it in a timely process because we develop a calendar that you will know the next step of the process; timely communication.  We present the highest qualified candidates for the position.  We do not keep a data of candidates.  We recruit according to the criteria that the Board has established.  We are committed to assist with the transition of the superintendent.  After the marriage with the Board; we do what is called Phase V where we enhance superintendent and Board relationship.  We develop performance objectives for the upcoming year.  That becomes a template for the evaluation for six (6) months as well as a year.”

 

”Your investment in this would be eight thousand, five hundred dollars ($8,500 +) plus expenses.  And if you do Phase V, which I was talking about enhancing Board and superintendent relationship, that would be an additional thousand ($1,000).  And I know you see that little parenthesis, plus expenses.  Expenses would be your mode of advertisement.  If you wanted to advertise regional; in Louisiana there is a law that we have to advertise in population of more than one hundred thousand (100,000); am I right Mr. Attorney?  ”Yes,” replied Attorney Branch.  ”We have to make sure that we advertise at least twice in a circular newspaper that reaches more than that population; and that would be an expense on your part.  We suggest that you advertise through AASA, because that’s where most of your educational leaders; that’s a periodical that they read, plus the fact we have that online as well.  We have advertisement too; through our firm, because we have a website; a very impressive website that Dr. Keller will talk to you a little bit about; and it get eighty thousand hits; at least eighty thousand hits (80,000) per month; so that would be one portion of your expenses.  The other expenses would be the travel of the consultants to and from here.  Dr. Keller lives within about an hour-an-a-half from here; and I live a little furthe I live up in the northern part of Louisiana; but we stay in a Hotel 6 or a Motel 6; we don’t stay in exclusive five star hotels.  That would be one; about five hundred dollars ($500); if that much for copying and postage and so forth; but the bulk of it would be the advertisement; and the advertisement that you would choose to do.”  Ms. Dunn then turned it over to Dr. Keller who explained Phase I, and stated that she would be back with Phase V.

 

Dr. Gerald J. Keller, Consultant-”We initially start the search with you.  We basically come in here and use a technique called, the Nominal Technique.  We basically want to establish the criteria of what you’re looking for in a superintendent.  In other words, do you want someone in Curriculum and Instruction; you want someone that deals with finance; you certainly want a communicator, someone that will work with you; and work with your community, someone that will go out and reach the community; go into the school and go and work with the community, whether it be a religious group; or Chamber of Commerce; or any of the groups that you have.  So, we want to set down; and we’ll go around and ask each one of you all, what do you want; what are you looking for as far as a superintendent; and then we’ll come up with some criteria, which of course we’ll put into the brochure, when we do the advertisement so forth and so on .  And also establish a timeline, when do you want the superintendent on board; when you want he or she on board; do you want it July 1st; do you want it soone  do you want it September 1st.  I don’t know how critical this is.  And, also as we determine the advertisement menu, we certainly are going to advertise through the universities.  We’ll contact Southeastern; and all the universities.  We’ll contact all the local school boards to notify them that there is an opening here in Washington Parish; and of course your local advertisement; the official journal that you have here and other journals.  That we’ll have to determine, how you want to do it.  Do you want to do a regional search; do you want to do a national search; do you want to do an in-house search; that you will tell us as we develop the criteria, so forth and so on.  Once we get the brochure, we will link it onto our website, and an individual will go in and see what’s available and find out more about Washington Parish; and that brochure will tell more on that.  Once we meet with the board and we establish the criteria, then we go and meet with the stakeholders.  This is a community involvement; and we involve the teachers; we’re going to involve the students; we’re going to work with your office staff; we’re going to work with the maintenance; you set up people.  We’re going to go out and work with the Chamber and the community; and get their inputs, asking them what are the strengths of Washington Parish; what are the weaknesses of Washington Parish; what would you like to see changed in Washington Parish; and we’ll get this input; and of course all of this will be put into something for you and compiled and given to you.  We certainly will contact the applicants and keep them informed; and make sure as she mentioned, recruit if possible, if we see a fit that you are looking for.  We have seventy-two (72) consultants and as soon as you’re sure that you’ll hire us, we’re going to notify these seventy-two (72) consultants and say, ’Look Washington Parish is looking for someone; and this is what they’re looking for, do you know someone?  Notify us, have them apply for the job.  We will also have to determine the compensation for this individual; the salary range, the benefits; etc.  This has to be determined by the Board.  This is your decision.  We will not make those decisions for you; it’s yours.  This is a very important decision; one of the key most important you’ll make as a Board Membe and stability is what you’re looking for in this parish as far as bringing in someone who can bring about some stability for your area.  Phase III is basically, once we set the timeline and we receive the applications, we will evaluate them, we’ll make reference checks; we will call these references and from the calling of these references we’ll ask them for any other references.  You need to tell us what you’re looking fo someone with Phd; EDd; someone with administrative experience, what do you want?  Once we get all the data in on these candidates, we’ll sit down with you and review each of the applicants.  We will probably do some of the screening; I know we will do some of the screening which makes it a lot easier for you; it takes a lot of the politics out of it.   We’ll narrow it down to three (3) or four (4) depending on whatever this Board decides.  We’ll set up the interview questions, in a time frame; we’ll set up a schedule for that individual to come here.  And of course if those individuals are out of parish, you’ll have to pay those expenses; and if they want to bring their spouse; you’ll have to pick up the tab on that too, so we may have to do that; that’s just part of the frills with candidates, okay.  Those that we have not selected, we will contact those individuals.  Phase IV, as I said the interviews; we will also ask you to give us some names of some community people that will be a second set of eyes for you; they will talk to these individuals; and there is a sheet they can basically score this individual and if they see some good things in this individual they will tell you what they think; what they see; now do you have to go with this; no it’s just a second set of eyes.  We will also assist you when it’s time for the final arrangement.  You tell us who it is and we’ll make the contact with these individuals.”   At this point Dr. Keller turned it back to Ms. Dunn.

 

Ms. Loe Dunn-”For your information, I was the lead consultant for Franklinton.  We found their superintendent for them, Franklinton, Louisiana; and he is still with them.”  Ms. Dunn reviewed Phase V, where she earlier described it as the marriage with the Superintendent and the Board. ”We believe in the services that we provide so much so in fact that we provide one year guarantee after everything is completed.  If for any reason the superintendent should leave his or her post, we will come back and do a complete search for only expenses.  If you were to consider selecting us to help you with this task; we would come back in, work with the Board come up with criteria; using the Nominal Group Technique, where we go around; every Board Member have equal involvement; and we come up with the top five (5) qualification in the set criteria; we also help you set salary parameters; because people want to know what you’re going to pay them to come here.  Then the next visit is where the consultants will come in to your community; you will identify the stakeholders that you want to have part in this process; of course your internal stakeholders you always want to include them  because those are the people that will be working with the  superintendent; all of your employees; but what we’ll do is meet with them; we’ll ask them the same questions; we’ll see what they’re looking for in a superintendent, that helps us to better screen for candidates; normally it parallels what the Board is wanting.  After we’ve done that, we will come back and give you a prepared report telling you what the stakeholders said; and that give you a better idea of their perception of the school district and its operation.  We will also come in with interview questions; and we tailor those interview questions according to what we hear from you as well as the stakeholders.  That guides us in developing our interview questions.  After we come back; the last visit we will recommend to you the top three (3); or two (2); and it’s up to the board to accept our recommendation; and we set up a visit for each of those finalist to come to your district; and the stakeholders get a chance to meet with them again to do their own interview process or get acquainted process; then they write up their perception on an input form that we provide.  They do not score them or rank them.  They tell what they like about them; what they were concerned about.  They put that in an envelope; they seal it; and pass it on to a person of contact that you’ve selected; and when the Board gets ready to make its decision, all you have to do is open those envelopes; and most of the time you’re guided by maybe their decision; it gets community buy-in and that’s the beauty of the process. And that’s that.  Do you have any questions,” concluded Ms. Dunn.  There were no questions.  ”It’s been our pleasure.  We thank you for having us; and we look forward to working with you all,” says Ms. Dunn and Dr. Keller.

 

 

”Good afternoon Board, fellow employees, guest; and everybody else.  Tonight, I came here on behalf of Mr. Chick Boyd, who is the President of the Washington Parish Fair.  We want to recognize a young lady of Bogalusa City Schools because she did a great job for us in the fair and for the Bogalusa Community.  She placed a poster in thei it’s called ”My Fai” and she won on the parish level; and it went to state and she won on the state level.  That is a pretty hard task to do down there because if you ever go to the Louisiana Association Fairs and Festival Conventions, they just line up everything; it’s phenomenal and; for us to have one that places there; to me they need a lot of recognition.  I want to recognize Erin Odom tonight. This is her poster and this represents ”My Fair,” and it tells the date.  It has special criteria that you have to follow; and she followed all of the criteria.  She won second place and fifty dollars; and I was very pleased; and very proud.  You talk about community involvement; you talk about showing off for the community; that is the time you want to show off, because everybody is there.  On behalf of Mr. Chick Boyd he did this to recognize you and congratulate you to say keep up the good work; and we hope to see you next year,” concluded Ms. Ard.

 

6.)        Approval of Minutes of Regular Board Meeting-February 24, 2011

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Mrs. Duke to approve the minutes.  The motion was unanimously carried.

 

7.)        Board Officers and Committee Reports

There were no reports at this time.

 

8.)        Recess to Public Session

There was no one to address the public.

 

9.)        Old Business

 

A.)        Accept/Reject quote for HVAC System at Northside Technology Middle School

  

B.)        Accept/Reject quote for HVAC System at Superior Avenue K-4 School

Upon recommendation of President Kates, it was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mrs. Duke to table these two line items indefinitely.  The motion was unanimously carried.

 

C.)        Approval of verbal travel permission via President Paul Kates for Karyn Magee to attend a ”Making Waves of Change Homeless Training” in Mobile, AL, on  April 27-29, 2011.

It was motioned by Vice President Kemp, seconded by Reverend Mims, to approve the travel.  The motion was unanimously carried. (Supporting documents are on file with Mrs. Gill’s Office)

 

D.)        Grant travel permission for Katherine Wallace to attend the Mississippi/Louisiana International Dyslexia Conference in Bay St. Louis, MS, on April 2, 2011

It was motioned by Mrs. Duke, seconded by Reverend Mims to approve the travel.  The motion was unanimously carried.

 

E.)        Grant permission to advertise for Math Manipulative

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Dr. Williams to grant permission.  The motion was unanimously carried.

 

F.)        Approval of Financial Statements for Revised Budgets for February 2011, General Fund, Special Revenue and Food Service

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Vice President Kemp to approve the items. The motion was unanimously carried.  (Supporting documents are on file with the Auditors Records)

 

G.)        Grant permission to discard additional System Wide Fixed Assets

Mrs. Walker stated that the items had not been turned in and she request that this line item be deleted.  The request was granted unanimously.

 

H.)        Grant permission to adjust the dates of April 2011 Committee and Regular Board Meetings, due to Spring Break. The dates are as follow:  Monday, April 18, 2011-Committee Meeting; Thursday, April 21, 2011-Regular Board Meeting.  The meetings will convene at 5:30P.M., in the School Board Office Media Center

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Mrs. Duke to grant permission.  The motion was unanimously carried.

 

I.)         Approval for Bogalusa School Board and SREB to work together in developing specific plans of support to assist, Bogalusa High School, Bogalusa Middle School, Bogalusa New Technology High School and Northside Technology  Middle School, over the next three (3) years. The proposed plan of support is to be presented to the Board for approval, not later than May, 2011; and will include an audit of the Bogalusa City School Board Central Office   

It was motioned by Vice President Kemp, seconded by Dr. Williams to approve.  The motion was unanimously carried.

 

Question from Mrs. Nobles- ”It’s a puzzle that and thank you Mr. Hymel, for giving that to us in Principal’s Meeting, this week. It was only three schools; but here on the agenda says it’s four (4).  This only has Bogalusa High School Bogalusa Middle and Northside Tech; but on the agenda there are four (4) schools, Bogalusa New Tech High is included in that; but it is not included in this proposal.  The Minutes Clerk Ms. Adams stated that this is according to the minutes.  President Kates stated that Bogalusa New Tech High and Northside Tech, would be able, the staff to set in the meeting and listen to the instructions, but they would not be included in the support part of it.  SREB will only support the Middle School and the High School, and the reason for that is we won’t have to pay for them.   They will receive Professional Development.

 

Prior to the Personnel Agenda, President Kates stated, ”At this present time I would like to add this to the agenda.  It is a letter from the high school, and the subject is the auditorium, because the auditorium is in the midst of making repairs.  They make some of their funds by renting the auditorium, so they are asking the Board for a refund due to it not being able to be rented out at this time.  They are requesting the amount of twenty-three hundred dollars ($2,300).”  Mrs. Walker interrupted stating, No, I think it’s twelve hundred dollars ($1,200).  ”Well, that’s what I see the total on here is,” says President Kates.  ”That’s if it is not fixed by May 13th.  We just want to give them twelve hundred ($1,200), I think that’s for March and April missing revenue, and if it extends beyond that then we’ll come back to the Board and address it again; but we feel it will be completed by then,” added Mrs. Walker.

 

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Dr. Williams to amend the agenda adding line item J. Grant permission to reimburse Bogalusa High School the sum of $ 1,200 for loss revenue for March and April due to the auditorium not being operable because to repairs, with the understanding that the Board will come back and address other loss if repairs extends beyond May 13th. The motion was unanimously carried.

 

J.         Grant permission to reimburse Bogalusa High School the sum of $1,200 for the loss of revenue for March and April due to the auditorium not being operable because of repairs, with the understanding that the Board will come back and address other loss if repairs extend beyond May 13th.

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mrs. Duke to grant the permission.  The motion was unanimously carried.

 

Question from Mrs. Duke-”How are they coming with that?”

 

Response from Ms. Ard-”How are they coming?  They’re coming; but they don’t have the bid and all of that.”  ”We just approved that on Monday night,” says Mrs. Walker and President Kates.  ”They are probably going to have to get with Mr. Conerly; and Mr. Conerly is going to have to give us an update on it,” added President Kates.  Ms. Ard continued, ”When we had the meeting it was understood; they knew the timeline back when ever all of those people were in there.  They understood what we were up against; because graduation is a big thing.   We will have graduation unless we have a flood like we had twenty days (20) ago.  If it’s sprinkling rain or whatever, just bring your umbrella,” says Ms. Ard.

 

Statement from Mr. Conerly-”The bid was approved on Monday night.  Mr. Branch reviewed the contract this afternoon.  I will get it to the architect in the morning and once he gets yours and the one from the contractor he will send three (3) copies to Mrs. Hoppen; she will sign them; then an ’Order to Proceed,’ will be issued.  They have forty-five days (45), and that should be May 8th.  Everyday they are late; they are fined five hundred dollars ($500.00); so hopefully we’ll be finished May 8th.  

 

10.)       Personnel-Joanna Dillman

 

SUPERINTENDENT’S RECOMMENDATIONS:

 

HIRE:

     

Substitutes:

 

Substitute Teacher(s)

  1. Leslie Pittman

  2. Sarah Owens

  3. Jase Ellis

  4. Stephanie Talley

  5. Frankie Blackwell
     

Substitute Clerical Staff

  1. Krystal Mondy
     

Substitute CNP Technician(s)

  1. Amber Lamb

  2. Cassie Talley
     

Sabbatical Leave Requests:

  1. Tracy Schmidt- Byrd Avenue Elementary - Medical Sabbatical Leave beginning January 31, 2011 - May 31, 2011
     

RetirementsResignation

  1. Robert Magee- Maintenance Worker- Retirement; Effective date January 18, 2011.

  2. Deborah Adams- Supervisor of Special Populations-Retirement; Effective date April 1, 2011.

  3. John Fornea Jr. - Science Teacher- Bogalusa High School- Retirement; Effective date May 31, 2011.

  4. Scott Gilbert- Bus Driver – Resignation; Effective date March 14, 2011.
     

Positions

  1. Permission to advertise for a Bus Driver position to replace employee who resigned effective March 14, 2011.
     

Question from Vice President Kemp-"For resignation number two (2), I don’t see a replacement for that position; so we’re not going to fill that position at this time."  "At this time we’re going to wait and see how that goes with funding; and we may do that internally.  We may put that up next Board Meeting," says Mrs. Dillman

 

 It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Mrs. Duke to approve the Personnel Agenda.  The motion was unanimously carried.

 

11.)       Interim Superintendent Comments-Stephanie S. Hoppen

Mrs. Hoppen stated that she had no comments.

 

12.)       Board Members Comments

Vice President Adam Kemp-”I know LEAP is going to be before the next Board Meeting, so I wish all the teachers good luck in preparing for next two weeks; students preparing; principals as well.” 

 

President Paul Kates-”I’d just like to say, we want to thank everyone for coming to our Board Meeting tonight; and I want to ask our Board Members you know we said that we were going to get some names of our community people; I’d like you to give those names of the community people to Ms. Adams, so we can get a list, and let the media know that we have selected our community.”  When asked about what the list was fo President Kates stated that it was for the Superintendent search.

 

At that point Vice President Kemp and Mrs. Duke had questions of concern regarding the interview and procedures for the Principal position at Bogalusa New Tech High.  Mrs. Dillman addressed the concern.  President Kates asked if there were any thing else to be addressed.  There were none.

 

13.)       Adjourn

There being no other concerns President Kates adjourned at 6:10P.M.

 

______________________________                            _____________________________

Stephanie S. Hoppen                                                             Paul D. Kates

Secretary to the Board                                                           Board President