2021-09-30

Bogalusa School Board Office-Media Center

Bogalusa, Louisiana

Regular Board Meeting

Thursday, September 30, 2021

5:30 p.m.

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 September 30, 2021. The purpose of the meeting is to address information received from Department Supervisors, on September 27, 2021, during the Committee Meeting, regarding updates and approval requests.

Call to Order – President Paul Kates

Pledge of Allegiance – Superintendent Lisa Tanner

Prayer – Curtis Creel

Roll Call: X President Kates, X Vice President Creel, A Mrs. Breaux, A Mrs. Duke, A Mr. Kemp,

X Mr. Killingsworth, X Dr. Williams

1.) Approval of Minutes of Regular Board Meeting August 26, 2021. It was motioned Mr. Creel. A second was made by Dr. Williams. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

2.) Board Office Committee Report – Mr. Creel reported that maintenance committee was working on getting equipment for outstanding projects.

3.) Recess to Public Session – Joseph D. Smith, 15054 Hwy. 1073, Bogalusa, LA I am here tonight to remind everyone AGAIN that in spite of recent activity by our football team – that we are failing academically. And we are not just barely failing. As indicated by the DOE and Legislative Office statistics that I presented last month – we don’t just have the baddest band in the land—we also have the worst school in the land. This while having the highest paid teachers and spending the most per student. Mr. Cody, the statistics you discounted last month are not my statistics. You should explain to the group why they are not relevant. Furthermore, if you and your counterpart have evidence that the kids are doing better (than in the last five years,) I’d like to see that too as long as it pertains strictly to academics. School board and Superintendent, we need drastic change. My background teaches that I shouldn’t present problem without a solution. Here is what I would insist upon if I were a school board member or a superintendent. 1) I would have every paid employee who has ever been a teacher, teaching at least one class 2) I would not have non-certified teachers while I have previously certified teachers sitting around in the administration building. 3) The substitute program would also be facilitated by administrative employees and not doctor do good off the streets. You may refer to last month’s minutes for a few other important recommendations. I have been to numerous committee and school board meetings and have not once heard any of you talk academics. Not once!!! Why is our front line of defense not talking about fixing the problem at every meeting? Isn’t academics the core mission? So I have to ask you school board and superintendent, what are your solutions? What are your action plans? What do you think the problems are? You have been in place for a very long time, when can we expect to see academic improvement? Mrs. Eleanor Duke, you are elected based upon your teacher credentials. Does it concern you that we have high school seniors who can’t multiply? Mrs. Breaux, you served in just about all capacities as an educator. What are you doing to improve these academic shortfalls? 3) Mr. Creel, Mr. Killingsworth and Dr. Williams none of you are educators!! What have you brought to the table? What makes you think that you are a viable school board member. 4) Mr. Kemp, you are from the mighty St. Tammany School district, what have you done to improve our schools. No, really, let’s talk about it. We have a failing school system. We need to disregard time and talk about these issues. We are entitled to turn this thing around. I ask, for the sake of our future, that each of you examine yourselves to see if you are the right person to lead our school system. If not, then move aside or take the outlined actions to make us better.

Monique Morris – 1029 Lona Rester, Bogalusa, LA I am very concerned parent of an 8^th grader at BHS. The lack of communication and transparency when it comes to things going on at BHS is poor and we need to know our kids are safe. Parents are frustrated and want to be heard. We are frustrated to hear BHS happenings in the streets or on social media before we hear what is going on from the authorities at BHS or SBO. Please hear our voice and help us be heard and please keep us informed.

Kenny Martin – 2624 S. Columbia Street, Bogalusa, LA, I would like to present a proposal for “Get Out the Vote/ Voter Registration for high school students. We would like to set up dates and times to go the school to get students registered to vote. Superintendent Tanner said she thought this was already being done through the Registrar of Voters, Randy Strickland. Superintendent Tanner told Mr. Martin that she would check with Mr. Strickland and get back with him.

4.) New Business

a. Approval to amend Code of Conduct Dress Code: Hoodies, Clear Book Bags, Fighting-Zero Tolerance It was motioned Dr. Williams. A second was made by Mr. Creel. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

b. Approval for Federal Programs to advertise for ERATE Bids. It was motioned Mr. Creel. A second was made by Mr. Killinsworth. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

c. Approval of A Resolution confirming an election date change pursuant to Executive Order of the Governor; confirming the date to canvass the returns of the election; and providing for other matters in connection therewith. November 13, 2021 to December 11, 2021. It was motioned Dr. Williams. A second was made by Mr. Creel. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

Roll call vote as follows: Y Vice President Creel, A Mrs. Breaux, A Mrs. Duke, A Mr. Kemp, Y Mr. Killingsworth, Y Dr. Williams, Y President Kates

d. Approval of revised budgets and financial statements for August, 2021.General Fund, Special Revenue, Food Service; and School Activities. It was motioned Dr. Williams. A second was made by Mr. Killingsworth. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

e. Approval of resolution authorizing the Superintendent to sign the required Louisiana Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist form reflecting the section of or rejection of Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Bodily Injury Coverage. It was motioned Mr. Creel. A second was made by Dr. Williams. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

f. Approval of Central Elementary School Classroom Roof Replacement. It was motioned Mr. Creel. A second was made by Dr. Williams. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

g. Approval to discard System-wide Fixed Assets. It was motioned Dr. Williams. A second was made by Mr. Killingsworth. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

h. Approval of Larma 2021-2022 General Liability Insurance. It was motioned Dr. Williams. A second was made by Mr. Creel. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

i. Approval of Forethought Policy Update: School Board Ethics-BE, Curriculum-ID, Kindergarten-IDCC, Education of Students with Exceptionalities-IDDF, Cameras in Special Education Classrooms-IDDFC, Compulsory School Attendance Ages-JBA, School Admission-JBC, Public School Choice-JBCE, Student Records-JR. It was motioned Mr. Creel. A second was made by Mr. Killingsworth. The motion passed with unanimous approval.

8.) Superintendent Comments- Thanked everyone for coming and asked that Ms. Morris make an appointment to come see her to see if she could help rectify some of her concerns.

9.) Board Member Comments – President Kates wanted to express to everyone that the board is not responsible for the day to day operations of the schools. The board has one employee, the Superintendent. He also stated that he felt we were going in the right direction

10.) Meeting adjourned

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Lisa Tanner, Superintendent Paul Kates, President