CROWLEY, LOUISIANA

APRIL 11, 2005

The Acadia Parish School Board met on this the 11^th day of April 2005, at 5:00 p.m., in a regular session, with President Lyle C. Johnson presiding.  Members present were Mrs. Ezora J. Proctor, Mr. Lynn Shamsie, Mr. John A. Suire, Mr. Roland J. Boudreaux, Mr. Gene Daigle, Mr. Shirley Vige’, Dr. Robert L. McManus, and Superintendent John E. Bourque, Secretary-Treasurer.

2)         Reverend Chris Campo of the Parkerson Avenue Baptist Church, led the prayer.

3)         Sarah Vincent, Jon Ross Schitoski, and Serena Lebine, students from Ross Head Start, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

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

Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, Routine Item 8a (CONSIDER HEAD START TRAVEL TO THE NATIONAL NHSA CONFERENCE) was added to the agenda.

5)         Read and approve minutes of the March 7, 2005, meeting.

Reading of the minutes of the March 7, 2005, board meeting was dispensed with (copies of minutes were sent to each member prior to this meeting) and adopted as submitted, upon motion Mrs. Proctor, seconded by Mr. Shamsie, and carried by a unanimous voice vote.

6)         Recognize Josh Paul LeJeune a student at Iota Middle School.

Mrs. Debra Seibert, principal at Iota Middle School, introduced Joshua Paul LeJeune, recognizing him as a young hero.  He achieved academic and civic success despite progressive hearing loss.  He will be recognized at a luncheon at the governor’s mansion next month.

7)         Recognize Margaret Trahan and Sarah Berthelot of United Way who will present awards for Acadia Parish.

Ms. Sara Berthelot recognized various schools and the Head Start for their levels of participation and financial support to United Way.

ACTION ITEMS:

1)         Consider Personnel/Insurance Committee’s recommendation regarding policy revision relative to punishment for possession and use of alcohol.

This information was previously presented to the Personnel/Insurance Committee to reinstate  policy which was left out of the recent policy manual revision.  Upon motion by Mr. Shamsie, seconded by Dr. McManus, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, policy revision relative to punishment for possession and use of alcohol was approved.

ROUTINE ITEMS:

1)         Consider Personnel/Insurance Committee’s recommendation regarding employees’ recommendation for the 2005-06 school calendar.

Upon motion by Mrs. Proctor, seconded by Mr. Vige’, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved the 2005-06 school calendar, and twelve month employees’ calendar.

2)         Consider Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding bids received for removal of buildings from school property.

Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, a bid of $111.11 to remove a portable building at Church Point High was awarded to Gerald Heard, and a bid of $20.00 to remove a tractor shed at Mire Elementary was awarded to Randy Leonards.  No offers were received on the gymnasium at Crowley Kindergarten.

3)         Consider Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding proposed software acquisitions and respective funding sources.

Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Vige’, and carried by a roll call vote of 5 to 2, proposed software acquisitions and respective funding sources were approved.

YEA:          Proctor, Suire, Daigle, Vige’, McManus

NAY:         Shamsie, Boudreaux

4)         Consider Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding adjustment of school lunch prices.

Upon motion by Mrs. Proctor, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a roll call vote of 5 to 2, the Board approved an increase in the price of school lunch by 25 cents.

YEA:          Proctor, Boudreaux, Daigle, Vige’, McManus

NAY:         Shamsie, Suire

5)         Consider Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding Sales Tax Collection software.

Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved purchasing Sales Tax Collection software with the APSB covering the entire cost of this application, maintaining the 12 percent collection fee for now at an approximate cost of $45,000.

6)         Consider Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding a request from Ms. Melanie Venable, principal at Mire Elementary, to purchase a building to replace a teacher aide building.

Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Vige’, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board granted permission to Ms. Venable to purchase a building to replace a teacher aide building.  The building was destroyed by Hurricane Lili.  A 12' X 12' with 8' ceiling fire-code approved building with one door and one fire-approved window will cost 48,599.  The cost will be shared by Mire Elementary and the PTC.

7)         Consider Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding budget priorities for 2005-06.

Mr. Mike Leonards presented anticipated increases in retirement and health insurance for next year.  The estimated cost is approximately $1.2 million.  No action was taken.

8)         Consider selection of uninsured motorist and medical payments coverage for fleet policy.

Mr. Mike Leonards reviewed the merits and costs of waiving uninsured motorists and medical payments coverage for fleet insurance.  Upon motion by Mrs. Proctor, seconded by Mr. Shamsie, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, rejection of uninsured motorist and medical payments coverage for fleet policy was approved.

8a)       Consider Head Start travel to the National NHSA Conference.

Mrs. Sondra Myers asked for approval to attend the National NHSA Conference, if Head Start funds are available.  Upon motion by Mr. Vige’ seconded by Mrs. Proctor, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board granted Mrs. Myers permission to send up to four persons if a review of Head Start budget information for April 12, 2005, shows that the funds will not be needed for other costs.

9)         Correspondence

There was no correspondence to report.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

There were no discussion items to address.

CONSENT ITEMS:

Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Dr. McManus, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the following action was taken:

1)    New assignments and changes of professional employees were approved as submitted.

2)    Received notification of retiring employees.

3)    Received the monthly sales tax report showing a year-to-date increase of 28.86 percent.

4)    Granted permission to Catherine A. Scott, cafeteria technician, Armstrong Middle School, for leave without pay from March 2005, to August 2005, for medical reasons.

5)    Granted permission to Shirley M. Guillory, site supervisor, Church Point Head Start, for leave without pay from April 12, 2005, to June 7, 2005, for medical reasons.

SUPERINTENDENT’S COMMENTS:

Superintendent Bourque thanked the schools and faculty for their efforts in the recent statewide testing.  Mrs. Proctor invited the Board to attend Crowley’s Day of Prayer on May 5^th.

CLOSING:

There being no other business to come before the Board, at 5:35 p.m., upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the meeting adjourned. ______________________________

Mr. Lyle C. Johnson, President

ATTEST:

_____________________________________

Mr. John E. Bourque, Superintendent