CROWLEY, LOUISIANA

NOVEMBER 4, 2002

1)         The Acadia Parish School Board met on this the 4^th  day of November 2002, at 5:00 p.m., in a regular session, with President John A. Suire presiding.  Members present were Mr. Lyle C. Johnson, Mr. Bill Pinac, Kitty M. Valdetero, Ms. Wadie H. Bias, Mr. Lynn Shamsie, Mr. John H. Quebodeaux, Mr. Nolton J. Senegal, Mr. Roland J. Boudreaux, Mr. Rodney J. Trahan, Mr. Johnnie L. Smith, Mr. Charles F. Daigle, Mr. Shirley Vige’, Dr. Robert L. McManus, and Secretary-Treasurer Mr. John E. Bourque.  Mr. Woody M. Marceaux and Mr. Paul K. Bellon were absent.

2&3)    Mr. Nolton Senegal led the prayer and Pledge of Allegiance.

4)         Consider approval of a revised agenda, if there are any changes.

            The agenda was revised by adding Consent Item 5 (CONSIDER REQUEST FROM BRENDA R. JOUBERT, TEACHER, IOTA HIGH SCHOOL FOR SABBATICAL LEAVE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE 2003 SPRING SEMESTER.), upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Trahan, and carried by a unanimous voice vote.

5)         Read and approve minutes of the October 7, 2002, meeting

            Reading of the minutes of the October 7, 2002, meeting was dispensed with (copies of minutes were sent to each member prior to this meeting) and adopted as submitted, upon motion by Mr. Senegal, seconded by Dr. McManus, and carried by a unanimous voice vote.

ACTION ITEMS:

1)         Consider recommendation of the Budget/Finance Committee regarding proposed policy for placement of newly hired classified employees.

            Upon motion by Mr. Senegal, seconded by Ms. Valdetero, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the following policy regarding hiring and placement of classified employees was adopted by the Board.

                           CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES HIRING AND PLACEMENT POLICY

            Only years of experience in a full-time or a permanent part-time position with the Acadia Parish School Board will be applied when hiring classified employees.  No credit will be given for substitute experience or experience with another school district.

ROUTINE ITEM: 

1)         Consider recommendation of the Budget/Finance Committee regarding adoption of a budget for a hurricane damage fund.

            Mr. Bourque updated the committee on the status of hurricane damage throughout the parish.  The scope of work has been identified by the insurance company, APSB staff, and Mr. Bill Ackal.  Six sites are expected to exceed the $100,000 deductible.  Meetings have been held with FEMA to begin the process of documenting the uninsured portion of APSB loss.  FEMA will reimburse 75% of allowable cost, and the State will cover another 10%.

            Upon motion by Mr. Senegal, seconded by Ms. Valdetero, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board adopted the following budget for hurricane fund.

                                                                                    2000-2001       2001-2002       2002-2003

                                                                                    Actual               Projected           Budget

            REVENUES:  

            Interest on Investments                                            0                    0                     5,000

            FEMA Proceeds                                                     0                    0                 505,000

            Transfers from General Fund                                   0                    0                   90,000

            Insurance Proceeds                                                 0                    0              1,400,000

        TOTAL REVENUE & SOURCES                                                                    2,000,000

            EXPENSES:

            Architect Fees                                                       0                    0                    20,000

            Repair & Upkeep of Bldgs.                                   0                    0                  470,000

            Major Roofing Repairs                                          0                    0                1,300,000

            Upkeep of Grounds                                               0                    0                     30,000

            Repair of Equipment                                              0                    0                   180,000

                   TOTAL EXPENSES                                     0                    0                2,000,000

            NET INCOME (LOSS)                                       0                    0                              0

2)         Consider recommendation of the Transportation/Facilities and Budget/Finance committees regarding proposals received for solid waste disposal.

            Upon motion by Mr. Boudreaux, seconded by Mr. Johnson, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board accepted the low proposal of $3,152.00, basic monthly fee, from Roll-Off Containers LLC. for solid waste disposal.                                    

3)         Consider recommendation of the Transportation/Facilities and Budget/Finance Committees regarding a request from Branch Elementary School to air condition the gymnasium.

            Upon motion by Mr. Trahan, seconded by Mr. Vige’, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board granted permission to Mr. Keith Cahanin, principal of Branch Elementary School, to air condition the gymnasium using available funds in the amount of $17,500 accumulated by the Parent/Teacher Organization.  Some additional wiring may be necessary at a cost of approximately $1,500, to be paid by the school.  

4)         Consider recommendation of the Transportation/Facilities and Budget/Finance Committees regarding upgrade of bus routing software.

            Upon motion by Mr. Shamsie, seconded by Ms. Bias, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved Edu-Log school transportation software upgrade to a Windows version at an estimated cost of $6,000.  Currently, three thousand dollars ($3,000) are available; another $3,500 must be budgeted to complete this upgrade.

5)         Consider recommendation of the Budget/Finance Committee regarding placement of recently hired classified employees.

            Upon motion by Mr. Senegal, seconded by Dr. McManus, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, placement of recently hired classified employees was approved as recommended by the Budget/Finance Committee.

6)         Consider recommendation of the Budget/Finance Committee regarding a request from Church Point High School to lease two copiers.

            Upon motion by Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Vige’, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board granted permission to Mr. Lee Bellard, principal at Church Point High School, to lease two Panasonic copiers at a cost of $239.40 per month with a service contract cost of $225 per year per machine.  These copiers will replace a Xerox copier currently leased at $151.54 per month (expires December 2003) and a Panasonic copier at $157.57 per month (expires October 2004).

7)         Consider recommendation of the Budget/Finance Committee regarding the September signing incentive.

            Mr. Senegal motioned and Dr. McManus seconded to approve the Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation to alter the method of distributing the signing incentive for new employees hired since the original payment was made in September.  This change is being made because the pay-back provision originally adopted is not enforceable.

            An amendment to change the dates of payment from December to December 15^th , and from June to the last day of school was offered by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Dr. McManus, and adopted by a unanimous voice vote as stated below.

            All newly hired professional employees will receive a signing incentive of $1,000.  Newly hired classified employees will receive $750.  Distributing will be handled as follows:

1.         Incentive shall be paid in two installments prorated based on days worked in each respective time period and contingent upon continued employment throughout each time period.

2.         The first half of the year installment will be paid in December with the regular monthly check.  Employee must work through December 15^th to be eligible for the incentive.

3.         The second half of the year installment will be paid in June with the regular monthly check.  Employee must work through the end of the Spring term to be eligible for the incentive.

8)         Consider recommendation of the Budget/Finance Committee on resolution regarding group health insurance.

            Upon motion by Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Quebodeaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board adopted the following resolution regarding group health insurance.

                                                                  RESOLUTION

                                                         QUALITY HEALTHCARE

WHEREAS,     the necessity of quality healthcare for all is undeniable; and

WHEREAS,     the health of the employees of any organization is a high priority; and

WHEREAS,     recent trends in health insurance premiums and health care in general suggest a continued upward spiral; and

WHEREAS,     the escalating costs of insurance premiums and of healthcare in Louisiana and across America is an unpleasant reality; and

WHEREAS,     the Acadia Parish School Board and the school system as a whole recognize affordable health insurance as an essential commodity to ensure quality health care for its employees; and

WHEREAS,     the increasing cost of health insurance makes this vital necessity cost-prohibitive for many school system employees; and

WHEREAS,     the State Legislature has supplemented the State Group Employees' Health Insurance by ninety-two million dollars in an effort to keep their insurance premiums down, while twenty-three school systems with private carriers that do not participate in the State Plan have not received this benefit; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Acadia Parish School Board strongly encourages the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana Legislature to allocate funding within the Minimum Foundation Program or in another way which they deem appropriate and feasible, to assist all Louisiana school systems with group health insurance premiums, including those systems who participate in the State Group Health Insurance Plan as well as those who have private carriers or allow the districts with private carriers to enter the State Group health Insurance Plan on an equal status with other systems, without penalty from experience ratings or vesting schedules; and

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution is sent to the Office of the Governor of the State of Louisiana, the members of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the office of the State Superintendent, members of the State Legislature, the Louisiana School Boards Association, the National School Boards Association, Louisiana School Systems, local governing authorities, and local news media.

9)         Consider recommendation of the Budget/Finance Committee regarding request for rollover of Head Start funds.

            The Head Start Center in Rayne was heavily damaged by Hurricane Lili.  Classes resumed Thursday, October 24, 2002, with temporary certification.  Mrs. Sondra requested permission to carry forward unexpended funds of $115,000 to next year.  Upon motion by Ms. Valdetero, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, Mrs. Sondra Myers, principal of the Head Start Program, was given permission to carry forward unexpended funds of $115,000.

10)       Consider recommendation of the School Calendar Panel regarding revision of the 2002-03 school calendar.

            Mr. Bourque commended the Employee Calendar Panel for their work to revise the 2002-2003 school calendar needed to make-up days missed due to Hurricane Lili.  He suggested using minutes to make-up one day and to cancel Monday, March 3, and Wednesday, March 4, the days surrounding Mardi Gras.

            Upon motion by Ms. Valdetero, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the following days will be used for make up purposes:

            Monday, October 28          Staff Development Day             2 hours 45 minutes

            Friday, December 20          Christmas Early Dismissal         2 hours

            Thursday, April 17              Easter Early Dismissal               1 hours

            Thursday, May 29              Last Day for Students               45 minutes

            Tuesday, January 21           Parent Conference Day             1 day

            Monday, March 3              Mardi Gras Holiday                   1 day

            Wednesday, March 5         Mardi Gras Holiday                   1 day

11)       Consider going into executive session to discuss pending litigation (APSB vs Folmar docket #74,607-J).

            At, 5:32 p.m., upon motion by Mr. Quebodeaux, seconded by Mr. Shamsie, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board went into executive session to discuss pending litigation (APSB vs Folmar docket #74,607-J).

            At 5:50 p.m., upon motion by Mr. Quebodeaux, seconded by Mr. Trahan, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board reconvened into regular session.

12)       Correspondence

            Board members received copies of correspondence from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) regarding an on-site review of the Acadia Parish School Board Head Start Program; Child Care Advocacy Newsletter reporting progress for Head Start children; information of APSB coverage with North American Solutions a public school insurance and risk management and property/casualty program; and an article from Mr. Bourque titled The Price of Success.  A charge showing the schedule of rates and charges for architectural and engineering services was provided to each Board member.  Mr. Bourque provided copies of The Blueberry Story: Teacher Gives Businessman a Lesson written by Jamie Robert Vollmer.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

1)         Discuss school loan program.

            Suggested guideline (listed below) for revolving loans to schools were presented and discussed.  A question was asked if the Credit Union could handle the transactions for the Acadia Parish School Board.

Maximum amount $100,000 total parish-wide

Schools shall submit project for approval, and must be for capital outlay, improvements, or renovation

Schools must have at least 2 of estimated cost available

Payback with no interest over 5 years maximum

Submit detailed plans for payback

Funds collected may be lent out again - not to exceed $100,000 parish-wide

Schools are bound by terms, regardless of change in school-level administrators or contributing organizations

Maximum loan per school not to exceed $25,0000

Subject to review by Budget/ and Finance Committee and approval by the School Board

CONSENT ITEMS:

              Upon motion by Mr. Quebodeaux, seconded by Mr. Pinac, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board took the following action on consent items:

1)          Approved assignments and changes of professional employees.

2)          Received sales tax report showing a year-to-date decrease of 53.11%.

3)          Granted request to Amy S. Smith, teacher, Martin Petitjean Elementary, for maternity leave from 10-17-02 through 1-10-03 (45 days).

4)          Granted request to Susan Ohlenforst, secretary, South Crowley Elementary, for maternity leave from 10-09-02 through 1-06-03 (47.5 days).

5)          Granted request to Brenda R. Joubert, teacher, Iota High School, for a sabbatical leave for professional development for the 2003 spring semester.

SUPERINTENDENT’S COMMENTS:

              Superintendent Bourque commended the National Guard for their assistance with the hurricane clean-up.  He recognized Mr. Sherman Wilson and pointed out that Mr. Wilson’s picture now hangs on the boardroom wall.  Mr. Wilson then addressed the Board and thanked them for this recognition.

CLOSING:

              There being no other business to come before the Board, upon motion by Mr. Trahan, seconded by Mr. Senegal, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the meeting adjourned at 6:58.p.m.

_____________________________

John A. Suire, President

ATTEST:

_____________________________________

Mr. John E. Bourque, Superintendent