BOGALUSA SCHOOL BOARD OFFICE – MEDIA CENTER
Bogalusa, Louisiana
Regular Board Meeting
Thursday, October 27, 2022
5:00 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 Thursday, October 27, 2022. The purpose of the meeting is to address information received from Department Supervisors, on Tuesday, October 24, 2022, 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, X Mrs. Breaux, X Mrs. Duke, A Mr. Kemp, X Mr. Killingsworth, X Dr. Williams
1.) Approval of Minutes of Regular Board Meeting September 27, 2022. It was motioned by Mr. Creel. A second was made by Mr. Killingsworth. No public comments. The motion passed with unanimous approval.
2.) Board Office Committee Report – Mr. Creel reported that the Finance Committee met this week to discuss the distribution of the check,s but it is my understanding we have not received the final amounts and do not know percentages. Mrs. Breaux stated she does not approve 100% and she is not going to approve until she has the final percentage. Mrs. Walker said she would get with Ms. Breaux before distribution. Mr. Killingsworth asked if we were doing something different with this disbursement from before. Ms. Breaux has had numerous calls from teachers and she just wants to know % before distribution. As a school board member I want to know.
3.) Public Session – Roniqua Watkins, 707 Mississippi Avenue, Bogalusa, LA. She began by expressing her opinion on open and fair government and how concerned she is if the new board, we are about to elect, continues to operate as this board does. My heart is full to hear BHS students saying every point counts when the leadership of our schools has provided with the war cry that at least lets them know that every bit of effort they put in to school work matters. At the same time, I truly mourn for them for having so much pressure to be better to be great when the adults charged with administering the learning environment do not always exhibit the same zeal. Many of them starve for eight hours rather than eating the breaded, coated, warmed processed food that we have even seen have ants. The restrooms are not clean so they impact their physical being to get home to relieve themselves. The board meetings are conducted in the least organized manner possible. Teachers in the community are silenced from voicing concerns with the bang of the gavel from dress codes to sales tax checks. Yet we have a tragic shooting and we see our Superintendent march with the band, paperdolls and cheerleaders to show that she is their protector and put her life on the line. We have seen the board and administration rally to make sure our children aren’t denied their ability to be athletes at home in front of family, loved ones and friends, an honor they have earned. What will BCS School Board look like to students, parents and friends after November 8? I can only hope that all of the people who are asking for a spot on this board yet never attend a meeting or work through any issue know that every vote counts. Change is more than getting on the board. It is understanding the will of the people who do not want things to stay the way they have always been. A new board should equal a new look. Thank you to those who have served and will hopefully be just as involved. For those incumbent I hope you will be open to change, review old policies and procedures, require documents be made available prior to discussion, learn how to make a motion, use your email address along with your new colleagues make this a meeting the community desires to attend for change. A knowledgeable educating community reflects future generations.
Patricia Keller, 1622 Normel Keller St., Bogalusa, LA Good evening! I came tonight to thank the board for aligning the sales tax but I am still concerned and confused because I thought on Tuesday night there was no plan to take monies from the teachers, but now it seems it is still not clarified. One of the problems the community has is that we do not want our children’s education sabotaged. All across the county they can’t find teachers. We as citizens voted for the that sales tax so that we can keep our teachers. If we take that money and put it elsewhere and don’t compensate teachers and that is what we voted for. I thought that was resolved but now I am not sure. I hope the board does the right thing. We must give teachers everything they have earned. The sales tax should be put to the salaries of the teachers.
4.) Old Business – Approval of Personnel Plan with Job Descriptions. President Kates asked for a motion to bring off the table. It was motioned by Mrs. Breaux. Mr. Creel made a second. The motion passed with unanimous approval. Mrs. McGehee presented the changes made to include changes made to Grad Coach and Superintendent’s Administrative Assistant job descriptions. It was motioned by Mr. Creel to accept the changes. Mrs. Breaux made a second. No public comments. Roniqua Watkins asked that the chair read into the record the changes that were reflected. Ms. Breaux asked Mr. Creel to read it and Mr. Creel accepted, then Mrs. McGehee was asked to read the changes for the Grad Coach, she stated that we added # 6 which is says they are to coordinate getting students in technical college dual enrollment. Superintendent’s Administrative Assistant she was also given jobs to work with Mr. McKinley and his paperwork for Maintenance and Transportation. Roniqua Watkins continued with questions for the chair “What is the appropriateness of adding the Superintendent’s secretary as a maintenance person’s secretary. A secretary left and we did not hire a new secretary and Ms. Day accepted taking those additional responsibilities. No additional compensation was given just duties. It was motioned by Mr. Creel. A seconds was made by Mrs. Breaux The motion passed with unanimous approval.
a. Approval of JGB Wellness Policy. It was motioned by Mr. Creel. A second was made by Mr. Killingsworth. Roniqua Watkins asked for the changes. Ms. Randazzo, CNP and Mr. Creel explained the changes to page 4 (Water issues) and Page 9 (Definitions). Mrs. Watkins wanted an answer to what kind of water bottles can they bring to school. Can they bring their own container from home? Superintendent Tanner explained during the pandemic we were not allowed to drink from water fountains and they are referring to another pandemic, hurricane, etc. that we can provide clean water and they could bring in clear water bottles. Roniqua Watkins asked the chair to make this clarification to the policy. Superintendent Tanner explained that it is in the student handbook and in the Code of Conduct. Everything has been clarified and if they board votes we can certainly add it. The motion passed with unanimous approval.
b. Approval of September, 2022 Financial Statements, General Fund, Food Service, Special Revenue, School Activities and Revised Budgets. It was motioned by Mr. Creel. Mrs. Duke made a second. No public comments. Ronique Watkins asked for a copy and Deloris Walker gave it to her. Motion passed with unanimous approval.
c. Approval to distribute Sales Tax checks. It was motioned by Mr. Creel. Mrs. Breaux made a second. The motion passed with unanimous approval.
d. Approval of a Resolution to Support of LASS Accountability Proposal. President Kates read the resolution description. Mrs. Breaux asked about changes and President Kates explained the changes. Roniqua Watkins asked if the current changes were in the resolution and if so resolution needed to be read in its entirety to the record. Mr. Kates stated he read the resolution and asked for her comments and she did not speak up then. Mrs. Watkins continued telling the President how to run the meeting. He gaveled her and ask for order. It was motioned by Mr. Killingsworth. Mr. Creel made a second. Motion passed with unanimous approval.
6.) Superintendent Tanner Comments – Superintendent Tanner thanked everyone for coming. She began by stating we have a very important game tonight, in just a few minutes, and it is very important that she be there as everybody comes through the gates. You know we have been in constant communication with the LHSAA and they are not wanting to allow us to hold our November 4, 2022 Lumberjack Football vs. Albany or any other games in Bogalusa since the unforeseen shooting outside of our stadium at our homecoming game. She expressed her disappointment in the decision and the 3 principals who voted No for us to not hold our Senior Night at our stadium. They do not think we have the ability to keep everyone safe. She then handed them each an email from commissioner Eddie Bonine and the questions we asked of him because he has made the decision that we cannot play at our stadium due to the violence in our city. Mrs. Tanner said he said he would pass his decision down from the bench. Superintendent Tanner sent to him our new safety plan on Tuesday on how to keep our kids, their kids, fans and community safe. The schools who voted not to have our game was Albany, Jewel Sumner and Pine. He said he would allow game if we find a neutral school to travel to. All expenses for this will be at our expense. She asked that everyone reach out to see about getting this over turned. We have worked hard to address all of the negativity and safety issues and feel we are ready and prepared for holding our home games in our stadium. It is our Senior Night and it is not fair to our kids. Superintendent has calls to our attorney to see what we can do about this. In the morning I will be finding out who will pay for police if we have to go to another school because protection in a place we know nothing about. There are so many avenues that are not right for our children and costs that we have to incur. Whatever we have to do, we will do it with our heads held high and we will go win a ballgame. This is not fair to our kids. Mr. Killingsworth suggested that we mention to him that the state championship is held in New Orleans, LA the murder capital of the country. No matter what happens, we have asked for a list of schools that have been moved, canceled or forfeited due to violence in their communities. Superintendent and Board asked that everyone reach out to the LHSAA, Eddie Bonine, and give him your opinion of his decision.
7.) Board Comments – Mr. Killingsworth would like the letter posted so that it can go viral. Mrs. Breaux said another thing we can do is blast it out on Face Book. Mr. Creel wanted to tell Dr. Keller about the sales tax and explained that when the state gave a raise our system took it upon themselves to match that for our employees. This board is not against teachers in getting their supplemental check but that was a cost that came out of our General Fund so we are looking at the tax receipts so that we can put it back in the general fund before distribution. I have not had the opportunity to discuss it with anyone. This board is the financial steward to this system. We must be open minded to a certain extent and I feel we have been in a position of a zero fund balance and law says we cannot operate in the red. We are not in that position now, but it could change at any minute. We do not want to take any money from the teachers.
8.) President Kates asked for any further comments, there were none. Meeting adjourned
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Lisa Tanner, Superintendent Paul Kates, President