Bogalusa School Board
Bogalusa, Louisiana
Regular Board Meeting
January 30, 2014
5:30 P.M.
Proceedings Of The Bogalusa School Board, Taken AT A Regular Meeting That Was Held On Thursday, January 30, 2014
The Bogalusa School Board met in a Regular Board Meeting at the Bogalusa School Board Office Media Center, located at 1705 Sullivan Drive, Bogalusa, Louisiana, on Thursday, January 30, 2014 beginning at 5:33 P.M., for the purpose of addressing matters that were presented on Monday, January 27, 2014, at the Committee Meeting, during the receipt of updates from supervisors, focusing on the start-up of 2014, regarding matters that may have a district wide impact on operations, for the remainder of the 2013-2014 School Year. The agenda included presentations.
1.) Call to Order
President Adam Kemp called the meeting to order at 5:33 P.M.
2.) Pledge of Allegiance
Superintendent Willie “Toni” Breaux led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3.) Prayer
Rev. Raymond Mims delivered the opening prayer.
4.) Roll Call
There were present: President, Mr. Adam Kemp; Vice President, Mr. Curtis Creel; Members: Mrs. Eleanor Duke, Mr. Calvin Hymel, Mr. Paul Kates, Rev. Raymond Mims, and Dr. Brad Williams
There was absent: None
5.) Presentations: Louisiana School Board Association Artwork Winners-April Nobles, Supervisor
Artwork Contest Winners
NOTE: Prior to the presentation, Mrs. Nobles stated that none of the winners were present, and she asked that this be placed on the agenda for February’s Board Meeting. However, toward the end of her talk, one of the winners, namely Sierra Fland, did come in, and Mrs. Nobles made the presentation to Sierra. She also, thanked Mrs. Ellen Vercellotti for coming. She is the teacher to one of the winners.
K-4th Grades Division
Ø Jalisia Jackson-4th Grade-Central Elementary School (No show)
Ø
5th -8th Grades Division
Ø Gustavo Ramos- 8th Grade-Bogalusa High School (No show)
Ø
9th-12th Grades Division
Ø Sierra Fland-12th Grade-Bogalusa High School
Mrs. Nobles stated that the theme to Sierra’s artwork was “I Love Louisiana.” She received the original of her coloring, and a plaque. Sierra’s mother was present, and Mrs. Nobles recognized her.
Recognition Of LSBA Certified School Board Member-Superintendent Willie “Toni” Breaux
Certificate For Earning Twenty (20) Or More Hours Credit In School Board Members Training For 2013:
Prior to the presentations, Superintendent Breaux stated, “The 2013 LSBA Certified Board Members Certificate, January 30, 2014, Regular Board Meeting. As mandated by Act 705, each year School Board Members are required to receive School Board Member Training. Those Board Members receiving twenty (20) or more, approved hours, meet the requirements to be classified as a Louisiana School Board Associations Certified School Board Member. At this point Superintendent Breaux presented the certificates to six (6) of the seven (7) School Board Members. “Also, I would like to say that Rev. Mims has been sick this year, off-and-on. He’s had some problems, but he’s doing a lot better now, but he was unable to receive all of the required hours, due to illness. Thank you,” says Superintendent Breaux. Those receiving the certificate were:
Ø Adam B. Kemp
Ø Curtis Creel
Ø Eleanor W. Duke
Ø Calvin F. Hymel
Ø Paul D. Kates
Ø Dr. Brad Williams
*Note: Due to medical reasons, Rev. Raymond Mims was unable to attend any session for 2013, and did not meet the requirements.
6.) Approval of Minutes of Regular Board Meeting-December 18, 2013
It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Mr. Hymel, to approve the minutes. The motion was carried unanimously.
7.) Board Officers and Committee Reports
Mr. Curtis Creel-Mr. Creel thanked Mr. Boyles for the cold weather updates as related to the good maintenance up keeping of the facilities, and the fact that there were no major problems, like busted pipes, during the recent cold weather.
President Adam Kemp-“I would just like to say real quickly, that at the Committee Meeting I had announced some Board Committees, I would like to go over those, one last time, for clarification.” At this point he began to name the committees as follow:
Personnel & Curriculum Committee
Mrs. Eleanor Duke, Chairperson
President Adam Kemp
Rev. Raymond Mims
Maintenance & Facilities Committee
Mr. Calvin Hymel, Chairperson
Vice President Curtis Creel
Mr. Paul Kates
Child Welfare, Nutrition & Transportation Committee
Rev. Raymond Mims, Chairperson
Mr. Calvin Hymel
Dr. Brad Williams
Finance Committee
Mr. Paul Kates, Chairperson
Vice President Curtis Creel
President Adam Kemp
Technology Committee
Dr. Brad Williams, Chairperson
Mrs. Eleanor Duke
President Adam Kemp
President Kemp continued, “Also, while we’re in the discussion of committees, one thing I would like for us to consider; I don’t know if we have to act on it, but when we attended the Louisiana School Boards Association, one of the main suggestions that we came back with was to have Honorary School Board Members. The School Board Members are actually students, one from each school. They would come to each Board Meeting, and sit in front. They would actually report to us, the positive things going on at their school, during that month, along with their Principals. We need to start listening to our students, that’s who we’re here for, so each school will be responsible, for going back, and choose two (2) students from the high school; one at the junior high school level; and one at the high school level; then one (1) from every school. It will be up to the school how they select that student. Also, we’re getting parents and guardians involved. So, I just ask that we consider this. One of the school systems said they were doing this, and they had a lot of positive things to say about it. I think the more positive we are, and then our students coming in telling us what they’re seeing positive, that would be positive. I don’t know if we have to vote on it, but before the next meeting, have them to nominate a person from each school to represent.” He asked that the Principals and parents accompany those students as well.
Another thing at the Student of the Year announcement the other night, they had asked that we actually meet all of the candidates, not just one person or persons who were selected, but all candidates. And, I definitely agree to that. We want an “Open Door Policy” to our Board Meetings, and an “Open Door Policy” to our schools,” said President Kemp.
8.) Recess to Public Session
There was no one to come forward to address the Board or the public.
9.) New Business
A.) Approval of December 2013 Financial Statements, i.e., General Fund, Food Service, Capital Improvement Funds, Special Revenue, and School Activities, and Revised Budgets.
It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Mrs. Duke, to approve the line items. The motion was carried unanimously.
B.) Grant permission to discard additional District-Wide Fixed Assets, i.e., IDEA
It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Dr. Williams, to grant permission. The motion was carried unanimously.
C.) Grant permission to distribute to all full-time employees the 2014 12-Mills check on Friday, February 28, 2014.
It was motioned by Dr. Williams, seconded by Rev. Mims, to grant permission. The motion was not carried unanimously, at this point.
Question from Superintendent Breaux-“It says to distribute to all full-time employees. We have some people here that work three (3) days a week, is that considered full-time? You can call them full-time employees, but they don’t work like the full-time employees. We work five (5) days a week, and they work three (3); or they work two (2); or they work four (4). I just want a decision from you all.”
Question from Rev. Mims-“Do they have benefits?”
Question from President Kemp-“And how are they classified?” Superintendent Breaux posed those questions to Mrs. Deloris for a response.
Response from Mrs. Walker-“Yes, they have benefits. They receive benefits.”
Statement from Rev. Mims-“I think they’re full-time then.”
Statement from Superintendent Breaux-“I just wanted to know, because that might be a question.”
The motion to grant permission to distribute the 2014 12 Mills Check to all full-time employees on Friday, February 28, 2014 was carried unanimously, at this point.
D.) Approval of Policy File EFAA-Employee Use of Social Media.
It was motioned by Mr. Creel, seconded by Mrs. Duke, to approve the policy. The motion was carried unanimously.
E.) Grant permission to enter into a contract with New Millennium Education Services.
It was motioned by Reverend Mims, seconded by Dr. Williams, to grant permission. The motion was not carried unanimously, at this point.
Question from Mrs. Duke-“Can the regular School Board, like we are; can we be in charge of the Charter School?”
Response from Superintendent Breaux-“Yes ma’am. We’re Charter IV, we can. It would be our Board, not another Board. And, that was one of the things, we wanted to keep it in house; and Charter IV, is where you use your own Board Members. So, you all will be completely over the school. The difference is, the rules and regulations won’t be the same, and we can get some extra money to help our kids. But, as far as the governing, it is governed by the same Board.”
Question from President Kemp-“Would we have to follow Act 1 with the Charter School?”
Response from Superintendent Breaux-“No. Actually with the Charter School, it’s a lot more lenient, you make your own rules and regulations for the Charter School.”
Question from President Kemp-“Did we get a copy of this contract?”
Response from Mrs. Walker-“Yes, it’s in your folder. I tried to email them to you all, but different emails; Ms. Adams let me know that some of you have different email addresses, so, it will be in your personal emails, probably at home. I sent it to the Bogalusa one, but most of you all don’t receive that one.”
Question from Mr. Paul Kates- “I don’t mind supporting this. The problem is, we entered into another contract with another program; something similar, but I need to know if our employees; our teachers; our principals, are they going to buy into this, and put their whole heat into it, because we spent money on another program. Calvin and I traveled to Georgia and South Carolina, and people came in and tried to help us turn our system around, and people did not buy into it. I just don’t want this system spending out more money, and our teachers, and our principals are not going to buy into what’s going on. I need to know if they are going to be dedicated to doing it. That’s my problem with this, because we’re going to be spending money out of this district to support this.”
Question from Rev. Mims-“Isn’t there a price added in this that we can get back out of this, if it…… (Pausing and not completing this statement). Mrs. Walker interrupted stating, “I think in the contract, it tells you it’s month-to-month.” Rev. Mims continued, “I think with that lead way, and if we see that it is not working, that we have the option to get out of it. I think that since we are attempting to do something to keep our kids, and perhaps even to bring back kids; and with options to be able to bail out if we see it’s not working, then I think that perhaps with that kind of option, we should be able to proceed. That’s my view, personally.”
The discussion continued with different voiced concern. “We are losing a lot of our high performance students, and I think it’s one more avenue for us to consider. Entering the contract doesn’t mean that we’re definitely going to do it. We’re entering the contract, to look at, explore, and go ahead and get the research and the data collected to bring it to the table, and say at some point, here is my final plan. This is what we’re going to do. This is how we’re going to do it. I did some research on the consultant, and got nothing but positive things. Everything I could find came back top-notch,” said President Kemp. Mrs. Duke voiced a concern on the selection of teachers, should we enter into this contract. Superintendent Breaux responded stating, “Anyone can apply. You can be inside the system, or outside of the system. With a Charter IV School we don’t really have any guidelines, we make our own.” Mr. Kates voiced concern was that all children be treated fair. “The grant that the consultant is writing, “Believe and Succeed,” will bring in more money than the MFP will give us. We will still get MFP for those kids, but we are going to get additional funds,” said Superintendent Breaux “Well it’s your job Superintendent, to see to it that we don’t forget the other students,” says Rev. Mims. “Yes sir; and I will not. I will not,” said Superintendent Breaux. When Mr. Kates asked where the school will be housed, Superintendent Breaux stated, “Well, the school that I had in mind Mr. Kates, and it’s nothing etched in stone, I talked with the supervisors; and I’ll tell you why; is Superior Avenue. We’ll have to do some renovating, but it’s perfect, for what we’re going to do,” says Superintendent Breaux. Mr. Creel stated that another Type IV Charter School in the State of Louisiana is in Avoyelles Parish. He stated that he had spoken to the Superintendent during the LSBA Conference, and she stated that there was a struggle at the beginning finding the right staff. That was the biggest hurdle, but the enrollment has increased by forty-seven (47%) percent. Mr. Kates stated, “Everybody have to buy into this, and they have got to love what they’re doing."
At this point President Kemp asked if there were any comments from the public. Ms. Phlesher Mingo, Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance and Transportation stated, “I just want to say this that I have a question first about if we open up this school, when kids have a behavior issue, will they be able to be put out? That’s one question a parent asked me, and I told them that I would ask that question.” Responses varied, one being it will depend on the circumstances. Next, she addressed Mr. Kates concerns about the possible opening of the other school.
The motion was carried unanimously at this point to grant permission to enter into a contract with New Millennium Education Services.
NOTE: To listen to the taping of this meeting, and additional voiced concerns, an appointment may be arranged through the Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent’s office.
10.) Personnel-Karla McGehee
There were questions of concerns at Monday night, January 27, 2014 Committee Meeting, regarding the 2013-2014 Job Adjustments. Therefore, prior to addressing the agenda, Mrs. McGehee presented to the Board and public, based on our School Board Policies, the process of hiring personnel. She summed it up by indicating that decisions made, are solely up to the Superintendent. Next, she brought their attention to Act 1. Again, she pointed out, that the Superintendent is in control of all personnel actions. “So, I just wanted you to be aware of the policies. The first two (2) are our policies; and the last one (1) is Act 1”, says Mrs. Mcgehee. “If the school fails we fail, and we don’t have any say so,” says Mr. Hymel.
Additional New Hires
Yolanda Magee-Business Teacher-Bogalusa High School 9th-12th Grade
Bridget Penton-Classroom Teacher-Central Elementary
Jennifer Porter-Music Teacher-Bogalusa High School 6th-8th Grade
2013-2014 Resignations
1. Louis Beninato-Maintenance Worker-District Wide
2. Olevia Riley-Food Service Technician
2013-2014 Job Adjustments
Taryn Spikes-IT Facilitator-Northside Community Resource Center
Kyle Harry-Technology Assistant-Northside Community Resource Center
11.) Superintendent Comments-(Mrs.) Willie “Toni” Breaux
“I was talking to Dr. Williams, and I told him one of our plans is to go out. I have the list of all the addresses of kids; I don’t have the names because the state has to send those in because they have to verify that they are in Ward 4. We’re planning on going out to some of those places. We’re going to try and put names with those places, if we can. We are going to go door-to-door. Dr. Williams told me that if it was a certain time of the day; and I know he does have a practice that he would walk with us. I thought that was great. And, I would like to invite any other Board Member who has some time, to walk with us.
I would also like to thank the Board for at least giving this Charter School a chance. We don’t know, but I promise you; and you’ll be working with me, and I’m going to put my heart in it, working with you. It is going to be based on the staff that we pick. I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Kates when he said that, but we just can’t sit back, relax, and let things continuously happen, because then we’re not going to make any progress. I do know that we’ve already lost fifty (50) kids from Central Elementary, to the Charter School for next year. I am going to try and get some of those kids back. We are going to have to change our image, at these schools, especially that parent-friendly image, because they don’t feel accepted when they go to these schools. And, I do want it known that we do have some good teachers that I am proud of. Those teachers should be commended, and recognized,” concluded Superintendent Breaux.
12.) Board Members Comments
Mr. Calvin Hymel- Mr. Hymel voiced a comment regarding the selection of the staff for the Charter School. “I just hope we get the best, qualified person. I don’t care who they are, or where they come from, just get the best, qualified person.”
Mr. Curtis Creel- Mr. Creel’s comment was regarding putting a trip together to visit the Type IV Charter School in Avoyelles Parish.
President Mr. Adam Kemp-President Kemp’s comment was regarding things being done in positive manner; and sending ourtpositive messages. He also addressed the supervisors stating, “When we have meetings, and we ask you if you have something to present, don’t say you have nothing to present. Tell us something that has gone on that month; something in your department that affected children progress and success. Tell us something,” concluded President Kemp.
At this point President Kemp asked if there were any more comments. There were none, and he adjourned.
13.) Adjourn
There being no further business to address, or comments, President Kemp adjourned at 6:30PM.
__________________________ __________________________
(Mrs.) Willie “Toni” Breaux Adam B. Kemp
Secretary Board President