Bogalusa School Board

Bogalusa, Louisiana

Special Board Meeting

June 22, 2011

5:30P.M.

Proceedings Of The Bogalusa School Board Taken At A Special Board Meeting That Was Held On Wednesday, June 22, 2011

The Bogalusa School Board met in a special session at the Bogalusa School Board Office, in the Media Center, located at 1705 Sullivan Drive, Bogalusa, Louisiana on Wednesday, June 22, 2011, beginning at 5:30P.M. The sole purpose of the meeting was to conduct a candidate interview with Dr. Daniel Slack utilizing the process for selection of a Superintendent for Bogalusa City Schools, set forth by McPherson & Jacobson Consulting Firm.  The agenda included an Executive Session.

1.)        Call to Order

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

2.)        Pledge of Allegiance

President Kates 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

Prior to the Executive Session, President Kates stated, ”Dr. Slack, we’re going to be fair with you.  Like every other candidate, our first question will be in open session; after that we’ll go into Executive Session; and the first question is; tell us about yourself and why you want to be the Superintendent of Bogalusa City School System?” 

Response from Dr. Daniel Slack-”In telling you who I am, I’d like to start with graduating from high school from a small town in Michigan called Dad Axe.  From there I went to a university in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan; Central Michigan University; and earned my Bachelors Degree in Mathematics and Science education in Elementary Education; from there I traveled to the state of Missouri and implemented my Bachelors Degree by getting hired at a high school teaching math and science, I did that for ten years.  During the last five years of doing such, I decided to continue on with my education, and that second five years, I went to night school and summer school and earned my first Masters Degree in High School Counseling.  At the end of that ten year period, I decided that I’d like to implement other skills and abilities, I went ahead and got hired at Gainesville, the south border; the Arkansas border of Missouri as a high school Counselor.  I did that for three years.  At the end of the second year, Bill who was Principal at the time that I worked with encouraged me to go ahead and get my Administrative Licensure and Superintendent certificate; so I went ahead and pursued that; but after a year of doing that; at the end of that third year at Gainesville, I had earned six credits, over the year; I told Bill, this wasn’t going to work, I want to get this thing done; I resigned the position under good conditions and went full time to Missouri State and essentially earned my second Masters in Principalship; and Specialist in Superintendentcy.  At that point, when I left Gainesville, I was employed with Missouri State, I was fortunate enough to get a job with them while going to school there.  I was employed with the Department of Educational Administration as a Graduate Assistant for the department.  At termination of two years, I earned my degree.  I wanted to implement my skills; I became a high school Counselor; a high school Principal.  I did that for a period of two years; wanting to pursue the efforts of Superintendent I went ahead and was employed Gainesville, Missouri as Superintendent/Vice Principal because of the district size.  I held those two positions simultaneously for two years. At the end of those two years, I went ahead; and was employed at Climax Springs as Superintendent.  Prior to Climax Springs in the second year of my employment with Gainesville, I started my doctorate work at Nova Southeastern University out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Continued with Climax; was their Superintendent for four years; and another opportunity opened up at East Carter for Superintendent.  I have been at East Carter; this is year three.  If you look at those moves; every move that I made was promotional.”

 Dr. Slack asked President Kates to repeat the second part of the question.  He responded, ”From my perspective; and my perspective only, I looked at Bogalusa and discovered your vacancy out of Omaha, Nebraska through the consulting firm that you used out of Omaha, Nebraska; McPherson.  Number one that began the search by telling me something about your district and your attitude toward finding the very, very best Superintendent you can find; bring in some people, let’s do a national search.  Now, to continue a little bit further, I don’t just apply for every position that’s out there; I’m a little selective in which positions I have applied for.  I think that telling me something about your school district that tells me something about the progressive attitude of where you want to go.  I think you were a school district progressive enough to try and perform a national search and I was progressive enough because of who I am to want to apply,” concluded Dr. Slack.

At this point President Kates thanked Dr. Slack and stated, ”At this time I would like to get a motion to go into Executive Session, so we can finish our interview.”

5.)        New Business

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Hymel to enter into an Executive Session.  The motion was carried unanimously.

A.)        Executive Session-Superintendent Candidate Interview- Dr. Daniel Slack

Returning to the Media Center, President Kates stated, ”To call this meeting back to order, can I get a motion to bring this session back?”

It was motion by Mr. Hymel, seconded by Mr. Creel to resume the special session.  The motion was carried unanimously.

Statement from President Kates-”We’ve just come out of our last interview with Dr. Daniel Slack.   We have finished our interviews for today.  The meeting is adjourned.”

6.)        Adjourn

There being no further business to address, President Kates adjourned at 7:00P.M.

_______________________________________            _______________________________________

Stephanie Hoppen                                                                      Paul D. Kates

Secretary to the Board                                                               Board President