2012-07-11

Bogalusa School Board Office-Media Center

Bogalusa, Louisiana

Regular Board Meeting

July 11, 2012

5:30 P.M.

Proceedings of the Bogalusa School Board, Taken At A Regular Meeting That Was Held On Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The Bogalusa School Board met in a Regular Board Meeting at the Bogalusa City School Board Office Media Center located at 1705 Sullivan Drive, Bogalusa, Louisiana, on Wednesday, July 11, 2012 beginning at 5:30 P.M. The purpose of the meeting was to continue addressing matters regarding the 2012-2013 Fiscal Year. The agenda included an Executive Session to address the Superintendent’s Evaluation.

1.) Call to Order

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

2.) Pledge of Allegiance

Superintendent Louise Smith 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,

Mr. Calvin Hymel, Reverend Raymond Mims and Dr. Brad Williams

There was absent: Member-Mrs. Eleanor Duke

At this point President Kates asked for a motion to amend the agenda to delete and add line items in the following manner:

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Reverend Mims to amend the agenda, to delete and add line items. The motion was carried 6-1 with 1 absent.

We are deleting Line items A and B, from the original agenda:

A.) Grant permission to hire an Application Clerk for the first thirty (3) days) of school to complete the application process.

B.) Grant permission to set adult meal prices for Fiscal Year 2012-2013.

On the original agenda, Line item “C” will now be A; Line item “D” will become “B.” We are adding C, D, E, and F.

C.) Accept/Reject the estimated quote price of $117,174.08 for one year for portables at Northside Tech Middle School due to expected increase in enrollment.

D.) Grant permission to remove from “Tabled” status Permission to advertise for Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance.” This was tabled at the 28 June 2012 Special Board Meeting. Superintendent Smith will handle this item.

E.) Consideration to adopt a resolution to schedule an employee Tenure Hearing.

F.) Grant permission to hold a Special Meeting in July. The date will be determined.

At this point President Kates addressed the rest of the agenda items.

5.) Approval of Minutes of Regular Board Meeting-June 20, 2012

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Vice President Kemp to approve the minutes. The motion was carried, 6-0, with 1 absent.

6.) Approval of Minutes of Special Board Meeting-June 28, 2012

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Vice President Kemp to approve the minutes. The motion was not carried at this point. The motion resulted in a Roll Call vote as follow:

YEAS: Dr. Williams, Reverend Mims, Vice President Kemp, Mr. Creel and President Kates

NAYS: Mr. Hymel

Statement from Mr. Hymel: “I was told there would be no voting that night; and there was. I was out of town, and y’all knew it ahead of time.”

The motion was carried at this point 5-1, with 1 absent, to approve the minutes.

7.) Board Officers and Committee Reports

There were none.

8.) Recess to Public Session Kates:

Kenneth Martin stated his address as 2624 South Columbia, Bogalusa. He then stated that he was representing the Bogalusa Federation of Teachers. “I remember about 35 years ago when they hired me at Mandeville High School and I was living in Bogalusa and they told me it’s important that I lived in the community. I asked to stay at home in Bogalusa and they told me that; ‘No, we want you to be a part of the community. And I would just to mention to the board that some of our problems with the young teachers are people that don’t live here. They’re not involved in the community; they don’t know the kids. Our success, if you go back and look at the teachers who have been successful here over the years; the coaches, the teachers; guess what, they all lived here. So they all had a stake in the community after they got off from work. And it’s very important.

I’m sort of known as a person who knows most of the kids. It’s only because I live here and I go to most of the things, from dance recitals to little league games. That diffuses your discipline problems. If you don’t know the kids, you go to church with them. If you don’t know the kids, you’re going to have problems; if you know the kids, their parents, whatever. So, it wasn’t that they didn’t say it, but they told me if you want to be hired here in Mandeville you have to live here. And I think when you get young people fresh out of college. I know some teachers that have come here, and look at the retention sometime that has happened If they don’t make it, they couldn’t handle discipline or whatever, it’s probably because they haven’t had a stake in the community, and that’s very, very important. You’ve got to be able to understand the kids to be able to deal with the kids.

At the Federation of Teachers we look into the future and we think the future’s bright. There are a lot of good things going on in Bogalusa and it’s certainly good enough to live. You do not want to tell anybody that we’re doing great and your kids doesn’t go to school here, all your interest is in somewhere else. I can truly say that they’re my kids. Because I’m here, I’m with the kids, I believe in the kids, and my kids went to school here so I have a vested interest; and I chose to come back here. I’d just like to put that out there to the individuals who recruit new teachers. You get teachers that have been out there 30 years, they’re not going to sell their house to move here; but we’re talking about the young teachers that you bring in here. I think that with human resources or whomever handles that should tell the people about investing in the community and being a part of the community. That’s just my thought.”

Jeffery Simon-Mr. Simon did not clearly state his address, nor was it listed on his “Request for Recognition as a Speaker” card. His voiced concern was regarding discipline problems and the Zero Tolerance and that he had spoken with the Principal at the junior high about the way they schedule the kids in the classroom. “They have them going in groups. Those kids are together all during the day. If they have a problem with one another, there’s no way can they get away from that child, because they’re with that child all day. I brought that up to the principal and also I talked to some of the teachers and they all said that it was some of the problems too. She didn’t care. She told me that there was no way they could change it. And yes, it can be changed. She didn’t want to go through the procedure; she didn’t want to do nothing about it. I feel like that’s a problem. If we’re going to have zero tolerance, we need to do our part, to see what we can do to prevent the problem, instead of adding to the problem.”

Next, Mr. Simon addressed a problem with his child at the junior high; stating that his child received an “F” in P.E. “I asked how you could have an “F” in physical education. So I decided I’d go to the school and sit in some of her classes. I go to the classroom; and you’ve got one group of kids over here; one group over here, one group over here; and the teacher is sitting there drinking her a coke; marking down F’s. What is she doing? She’s a math teacher. She shouldn’t have any business in the P.E. class anyway. You need to put some qualified people where they need to be. Thank you”

There was a question asking, are we going to give him a solution; what were we going to do about it?

Question from President Kates-“Superintendent, do you want to address that?

Response from Superintendent Smith- “I’ll be glad to look into it. We’ve been looking … (This statement was interrupted by Mr. Simon) stating, “Don’t tell me something just to tell me something. I’ve heard that before. Every time we come to a meeting you’ll say we’re going to look into it and nothing’s ever done. Nothing ever changes. It’s always the same.”

Statement from President Kates- “Well, all I can respond to that is, under state guidelines, Board Members, none of us up here can get involved in the day-to-day operations of the school system.”

Question from Mr. Simon- “Well, why are you all here then? Why are y’all here then? We don’t need y’all. We need somebody who’s going to get involved in the system.”

Statement from President Kates- “I’m just explaining to you the law from the state.

Question from Mr. Simon- “Well, why are we paying y’all then? That’s what I’m saying. What are y’all here for if y’all can’t get involved in anything?”

Response from President Kates- If you listen to me, I’m trying to explain the law from the state.”

Statement from Mr. Simon- “You have explained it. You say you can’t get involved.”

Statement from President Kates- “No, we can’t get involved in the day-to-day of the superintendent, that’s her job; her and her supervisors and staff in this board office.”

Statement from Mr. Simon- “Well, maybe we need to change superintendent. Maybe that’s what we need to do. Something needs to be done.”

Statement from President Kates- “Thank you for your comments and thank you for your response.”

Mrs. Wilda Peters- Mrs. Peters asked for more than three minutes. My name is Mrs. Wilda Peters. I live at 1909 Dolly Avenue, Bogalusa. I love Bogalusa, because I left years ago; and if I didn’t like it I wouldn’t be back. I had a daughter to shall I say semi-graduate? “I don’t know how you want to put it, interrupted President Kates.” Mrs. Peters continued, “I say semi-graduate because I’ve been coming to board meetings for years, I’ve been going to the school for years and there has not been a change. We have a teacher that was out; her husband was bringing her work to the children. Then he would pick it up and she in turn would put in grades. You have not taught my child anything. So how do you expect her to pass a test? Because could have opened the book, got the answers; you gave it to her. The sub is there doing nothing, and you got A, A, and then you got a C. When you were there she was making A’s. When you left, the C might be fine, if you were teaching her. You were teaching her when you were there and you’re not going to do anything and you’re going to give her a C? Some of our teachers; not all of you; some of you, are teaching; the rest of you are just there for a check. It’s not right. It’s not fair to the children. You get yours, I got mine. It’s not right. In the street I hear that certain appointments are being made to the board office; Mrs. Hoppen retired. I hear Ms. Varnado; if you’re here, I’m not talking behind your back, is supposed to get that position. Ms. Mingo was supposed to get the position in the board office and that was shot down. She didn’t get it. Now I hear that she’s up for that. Why would you take somebody that doesn’t have the years of service; and somebody have all these years that has worked with our children; can communicate with the parents; get along with the children; and put them in the office now and put Ms. Varnado where she does not need to be. Number one I don’t know if you, Ms. Smith, go to the rooms or the schools and watch teachers and principals for evaluations; that’s part of your job. You have not been here long enough to make that kind of decision. And if you have the board working with you because it’s my cousin or my friend’s daughter, that don’t work. It’s serious. Yes. I don’t like the sound of it, I didn’t. I’m not talking behind your back. I’m telling you. If you’ve made that decision, it’s wrong. And you; and I have a good relationship, but if you do something like that, when your evaluation comes it should be “F” and out. You failed the test. Now, I’m telling you so somebody doesn’t have to come to you tomorrow and say Mrs. Peters said this and Mrs. Peters said that. And you know I’m telling the truth. I’ve been coming, coming, coming, and it’s the same thing all the time. I’m so sick of looking stupid. I think about coming up here in a clown suit sometimes. People are laughing at us from state to state. Number one we can’t get along here, so how are we going to get out there and do something for those children? You had 80% percent of the kids that walked across that stage didn’t get diplomas. And I know, I know they’re not all dumb. They’re not being taught. You got the girlfriend-boyfriend thing going on over the children; that’s wrong. Children come to talk to you; you don’t have time. That’s what we; I say we, but I don’t work in the system; that’s what you get paid for; to take time with these children. You don’t know, Little Johnny might be acting a fool because he’s hungry. Did you try to feed him? Did you talk to him? Now I’m going to tell you this and I don’t know how far it’s going to go; but I’m tired of the mess, and if I have to get out there and walk picket and jump up and down for somebody to get the attention that needs to come in here and do something with these schools I will. Thank you.”

There being no one else to come forward, President Kates proceeded with then agenda.

9.) New Business

A.) Grant permission to attend the National Title I Conference in Nashville, Tennessee January 21-24, 2013.

It was motioned by Vice President Kemp, seconded by Reverend Mims to grant permission. The motion was not carried at this point.

When President Kates asked if anyone in the public wanted to speak on this issue, Mrs. Peters stated, “You’re talking about something happening in January, and we can’t take care of what’s going on now. We might not even be here. Jesus might come before then. Mr. Simon added, “How is this conference going to help the system that they’re going to attend?” President Kates replied, “That’s for supervisors to go and get updates on things that are happening in our system.” “In Nashville,” asked Mr. Simon. Yes, says President Kates. Mrs. Peters added, “And we never hear anything about it.” “When they come back they do give reports to the Board on what they did. You may not be present at the board meeting,” says President Kates. The discussion continued with voiced concerns from Mrs. Peters and Mr. Simon, regarding this line item.

President Kates moved to the next line items

The motion was carried at this point 6-1, with 1 absent.

B.) Approval of Revised Budgets, and Financial Statements i.e. General Fund, Food Service, Special Revenue and School Activities for June 30, 2012.

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Mr. Hymel to approve the Revised Budgets and Financial Statement. The motion was carried 6-1 with 1 absent.

C.) Accept/Reject the estimated quote price of $117,174.08 for one year for portables at Northside Tech Middle School due to expected increase in enrollment.

It was motioned by Vice President Kemp, seconded by Reverend Mims to accept the estimated quote of $117,174.08. The motion was not carried at this point.

When President Kates asked if anyone would like to speak on this issue; Mrs. Peters stated, “Yes sir. Why are we wasting money on portable buildings? Build a school. That’s a lot of money for a year. This is over and over and over. Build a school. And you talk about enrollment; no children are coming here now. Last night I heard, flip the schools. Then they talked about teachers moving; inconvenient. They need to be inconvenienced. They aren’t doing anything else. Children might not like to go here. You go where you can go to school. You closed all these other schools and they went somewhere else. What about now? What about now? That’s a lot of money for a portable building. You’ve got a school right there; Columbia Street. I understand that it’s in better shape than the rest of them.” Vice President Kemp stated, “I’m afraid not.” “Well, whatever school you got that’s in good shape you needs to go there and put that one hundred thousand ($100,000) dollars in there to renovate it; instead of putting a portable building. The wind might come and take it away. Of course the Lord can take a brick building; but I feel safer in a brick building than I do in a portable. That’s stupid. That’s stupid; wasting the children’s money,” says Mrs. Peters.

At this point President Kates recognized Mr. Vic Boyles. Mr. Boyles stated, “One thing I need to make you aware of is I spoke with Mike Billings of William Scotsman before I came up here. He’s telling me that if you choose to go this route that the buildings can be delivered the week of the 23rd through the 27^th; which is a major factor. He’s hoping the 23rd and the 24th they could be in here, but he’s also telling me the week of the 23rd through the 27th. The 27th pushes it mighty close.”

Statement from President Kates- “Thank you Mr. Boyles. Do we have anyone else in the public want to speak on this issue? If not, we’ll bring it back to the table. All in favor… Aye. Mr. Hymel stated, “I vote nay. President Kates stated, “I vote nay.

Statement from Mr. Creel- “Can I make a comment Mr. Kates before I vote? Just to address Mrs. Peters. I’m on the facilities and maintenance committee so I pretty much stay abreast of what’s going on. And again, just like in delaying the consolidation I had concerns for children’s safety. Now, as far as that goes, we have our security system, our cameras in place, not only on the premises, but also in the classrooms. That was something that I felt was necessary for that move. And as far as buildings are concerned, in flip-flopping schools with the technology based learning of the tech school, we don’t have the capabilities at the middle school. We can’t put them in place before the beginning of school. So, whatever we do, one way or the other, we are going to affect the learning process plus or minus. Teachers have worked diligently since school has been closed to get their rooms in order and prepare for the upcoming school year. If we had to move not only students and teachers then not only are you affecting the learning process of the students. You’re affecting morale of the teachers in the process. So it’s a double edged sword. It matters not what we do. You can’t please all the people all the time. You can only please some of the people some of the time.” Mr. Simon added, “Well, comfortable kids are going to learn better Kids learn better in a comfortable environment.” Mr. Creel continued, “And that’s my point. Now, the portable buildings, it’s not one portable building, it’s multiple portable buildings. It will actually be an additional eight (8) classrooms. Those portable buildings will have a restroom in them and I think they will provide an environment conducive to learning for those children. I haven’t seen the buildings, I don’t know. But you know it’s (Pausing and not completing this statement).

At this point the discussion continued between Mr. Creel and Mr. Simon regarding the portables whether they were being purchased or rented. Mr. Creel did state that they were being rented. Mr. Simon stated, “A waste. It’s a waste; wasting the kids money. Mr. Creel replied, “You want to spend four hundred-eighty thousand ($480,000) dollars? Who’s going to support a tax….?” (Statement was interrupted by Mr. Simon).

With the discussion continuing, President Kates interrupted the discussion stating, “We’re not going to get into this. I think we had a motion. We need a qualified vote on this issue.” At this point he recognized Vice President Kemp.

Statement from Vice President Kemp- Just to kind-of piggyback on what he said; a couple of things extra. We still don’t know; but we suspect that the middle school will be in AUS, Academically Unacceptable School. If that is the case, the state mandates that we must offer school choice. Because Northside Tech is the same population of students’ grade wise that is the only other choice so we offered it up early so that we wouldn’t be waiting until the last minute. So where hose parents who choose for their child to go that school could, whether it is because it was an AUS-1 school or because that would be a better environment and learning style for their child. So we offered a school of choice. Now, could this have been done earlier? Sure, it may have been done earlier, and then flip-flopping schools may have been an idea. We have three, four weeks left before school; we’ve got to make some quick and crucial decisions to keep the learning environment as steady and as fast-moving as well for these children; and if we flip-flop the schools, we’re disrupting teachers, we’re disrupting the community. We have one year before we consolidate both schools to that high school. That’s our plan. It’s been the plan since day one, and we’re going to do what’s best for our children so that they can succeed. You have to understand, there are state mandates that we do not have control of and it says that we have to offer choice, just like every parent should have a choice where their child goes to school. If you child can get a better education at a school within this system, great, you have that choice, that’s your child. If your child can’t get a better education at one of those schools the state allows you all kind of choices at this time. It’s a whole new world for choice in education. But we’ve got to anchor down, get a job done and educate our children and those things that were stated, yes, that’s not educating children. We’ve got to make sure that those effective teachers, no matter where they’re from, they’re effective and that they’re teaching our children. But when it comes down to it, we’re mandated, and there are certain things that we do not have control of and that the state does.”

The discussion continued between Vice President Kemp, Mrs. Peters and Mr. Simon.

Statement from Mr. Hymel-“I want to explain why I voted no. I voted no because (President Kates interrupted).

Statement from President Kates—“We’ve got to qualify the vote then when we vote everybody can say what they want to say and the reason they voted.”

Statement from Mr. Hymel-I want to explain to everybody why I voted no. I don’t believe that we need to waste this much money. But if our superintendent would have done what the state superintendent told her to do we’d have plenty of money. She didn’t do anything. She didn’t cut one person”

With the discussion continuing, President Kates pounded the gavel for order,

Statement from President Kates-“We’re back at the table. We had some no votes. We have to Roll Call our votes. Roll Call Votes as follow:

YEAS: Mr. Creel, Dr. Williams, Reverend Mims, and Vice President Kemp

NAYS: Mr. Hymel-“Because we didn’t do what we were supposed to do.” President Kates-“I qualify my vote because I was for the merger. I feel that if we would have merged we wouldn’t be in this situation now. I know it would have been an adjustment and contractors could have sectioned off the high school safely and made it where kids could have been going to school for the Fall of the year. So the Board postponed it for a year so that went. That’s why I voted no, because I didn’t want to waste no money. We need to be saving. If we would have closed the two schools we would be in better shape than we are now. We are getting deeper and deeper and deeper in debt; and we’re constantly spending money, you’re hiring people. So that’s the reason I vote no.”

Statement from Mr. Hymel-“But I also believe that if we knew how many students were going to be at Northside we would have made arrangements. We wouldn’t have let it get like this, if we would have known ahead of time; but we didn’t.

The motion was carried at this point 4-2 with 1 absent, to lease the portables at Northside Tech for one (1) year.

D. Grant permission to remove from “Tabled” status Permission to advertise for Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance.” This was tabled at the 28 June 2012 Special Board meeting. Superintendent Smith will handle this item.

It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mr. Hymel to grant permission. The motion was not carried at this point.

“This will be moved off the table. The superintendent said she would handle the item, but in my situation I would like to rewrite the job description. I want the Board to know that because I think we don’t need to hire people in these positions we need to combine them and consolidate them. That’s my saying,” added President Kates.

Statement from Vice President Kemp-“We’re just removing it right, we’re not voting on it?”

Response from President Kates-“No we’re not voting on it. She removed it to put it in her hands to handle it. So, I just wanted to make my statement on how I felt about it. I think both jobs should be consolidated and handed to another supervisor.”

Statement from Mr. Hymel- “We don’t have to have a supervisor; we can have a coordinator.

Statement from President Kates-“I don’t think we need that. We’re just taking it off the table.

The motion was carried at this point 6-0, with 1 absent.

E.) Consideration to adopt a resolution to schedule an employee Tenure Hearing.

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Vice President Kemp to adopt the resolution. The motion was not carried at this point.

At this point President Kates asked for public input.

Question from Mr. Simon- “What are you talking about?

Response from President Kates-“This is a hearing between the teachers. Now we bring it back to the table.

Statement from Mr. Simon- “But you asked for the public’s opinion.

Response from President Kates- “No, the public won’t be involved in this. But we have to do that according to … (Pausing and not completing this statement).

The motion was carried at this point 6-0, with 1 absent.

F.) Grant permission to hold a Special Meeting in July. Then date will be determined.

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Vice President Kemp to grant permission. The motion was carried 6-0, with 1 absent.

At this point President Kates asked for a motion to enter into an Executive Session.

It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Vice President Kemp to enter into an Executive Session. The motion was carried 6-0, with 1 absent.

10.) Executive Session-Superintendent’s Evaluation

Returning to the Media Center President Kates asked for a motion to resume to regular session.

It was motioned by Mr. Creel, seconded by Vice President Kemp to resume regular session. The motion was carried 6-0, with 1 absent.

Statement from President Kates- “We went into an Executive Session to talk and discuss some personnel issues. We didn’t make a decision yet; but we will discuss it farther. We will talk with that employee. Thank you.

11.) Superintendent Comments-Louise Smith

“If you will, just look in your folder. There is a calendar there and then there’s a couple of letters there. The estimates for the modular buildings are also there. I just wanted to remind you that there is a tenure hearing scheduled for August 2^nd at 4:00p.m; and then there’s one scheduled for August 6th at 4:00 p.m. We need to set a date for a special meeting for the handbook. Also, we need a special meeting for a hearing on the redistricting.

Statement from Attorney Dale Branch- “I don’t know that you need a Special Meeting. What I suggest you do; and there is not much guidance on this, is to put it on the agenda for the next meeting and have Mr. Jenkins here and have a public hearing. I realize we’ve had him here before and the public was here but they didn’t say anything but this time make sure; maybe even take out an advertisement in the paper saying that we are going to have a public hearing on the redistricting plans, and then don’t decide it that night; but let the public have any input, by mail or however, and put it on the agenda for September to vote on whatever plan you all voted for.”

Question from Mrs. Walker- “So it doesn’t have to be put in the paper for the public part?”

Response from Attorney Branch-“Yes, I’ll put it in the paper; put it on your website and all of that.”

Question from Mrs. Walker-“ So I don’t have to be in a format like I do for the mileage?”

Response from Attorney Branch- “No, I’ll just take a little ad out saying we’re having a Special Meeting.”

Statement from President Kates- “We approved another special meeting, another special meeting in in July, but we but we didn’t set any date.” When asked what the meeting would be for, the response was, “For the Handbook.” We’re going to have to do it as soon as possible. It’s going to have to be next week. Talking among themselves, President Kates and the Board had a consensus to hold the Special Board Meeting on Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 5:30PM.

Statement from Mrs. Walker- Mrs. Louise may I address something about the Code of Conduct? Several students have been calling wanting to know about the uniforms and that’s part of the Code of Conduct and I’m thinking if we’re not meeting until the 19th for that, is it the consensus of the Board to go along; I think in the policy it’s stating that high school students are going to be in the black and white only and the New Tech colors are not going to be worn at all at the high school?”

Statement from Mr. Lesley McKinley-BHS Principal- “What we are suggesting is that the high school, regardless of Tech or High School, be in black and white for the purpose, when the full merger takes place next year, we will want middle school in the colors; and it will be also a safety issue because safety is one of the concerns that people have voiced. So if you find that you have a white shirt or a black shirt on the campus at the time when the middle school kids are out there, he is easily identified. So that’s why we are pushing for that.” “Is there some type of emblem for the New Tech they can put on their shirt,” asked Vice President Kemp? “If they choose to,” replied Mr. McKinley.

Mrs. Walker stated that her concern was that parents were calling about buying uniforms. A parent also voiced a concern. Mrs. Walkers also stated that letters will be sent out to New Tech students telling them what their colors are. They’ll be wearing the lime green and orange regarding; according to Mrs. Walker the approximately four hundred (400) students that will be going to New Tech. “We need to get the message out to the parents,” says Mrs. Walker.

A this point President Kates called for Board Members Comments.

12.) Board Members Comments

There were none.

13.) Adjourn

There being no further business to address or comments, President Kates adjourned at 7:15PM

_________________________________________ ________________________________________

Louise Smith Paul D. Kates

Secretary Board President