CROWLEY, LOUISIANA

JULY 11, 2005

 

            The Acadia Parish School Board met on this the 11th day of July 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 Lenford Whitaker, Jr., pastor of First United Pentecostal Church in Crowley, led the prayer.

 

3)         Rose DeJean, a retired teacher who taught at Crowley High School and Special Populations, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

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

Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mrs. Proctor, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the agenda was revised by adding Routine Item 2a (CONSIDER ACTING INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT AT CROWLEY HIGH SCHOOL) and Consent Item 4 (CONSIDER A REQUEST FROM RACHEL D. TOUPS, TEACHER AT IOTA MIDDLE SCHOOL, FOR SABBATICAL LEAVE FOR THE FALL 2005 SEMESTER, FOR MEDICAL REASONS).

 

5)         Read and approve minutes of the June 6. 2005, meeting.

Reading of the minutes of the June 6, 2005, board meeting was dispensed with (copies of minutes were sent to each member prior to this meeting) and adopted as submitted, upon motion by Mrs. Proctor, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote.

 

ACTION ITEMS:

           

There were no Action Items to address.

 

ROUTINE ITEMS:

 

1)         Consider the Superintendent’s recommendation for principal at Church Point Elementary School.

There were three applicants for the principalship at Church Point Elementary School.  Superintendent Bourque recommended Ms. Kim Cummins for the position.  Upon motion by Mrs. Proctor, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, Ms. Kim Cummins was awarded a two-year (10 2  month) contract for the principalship at Church Point Elementary School beginning July 25, 2005, and ending June 30, 2008.   Ms. Cummins was recognized and congratulated by the Board.  She thanked board members for selecting her and pledged continued progress at Church Point Elementary School.

 

2)         Consider the Superintendent’s recommendation for principal at Iota Middle School.

There were two applicants for the principalship at Iota Middle School.  Superintendent Bourque recommended Ms. Debra Siebert for the position.  Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Vige’, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, Ms. Debra Siebert was awarded a two-year (11 month) contract for the principalship at Iota Middle School, beginning July 18, 2005, and ending June 30, 2008.  Ms. Siebert was recognized and congratulated by the Board.  She thanked the Board for its support.

 

2.1)      Upon motion by Dr. McManus seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, Routine Item 2.1) was added to the agenda.

 

Consider authorizing the Superintendent to advertise for an Assistant Principal at Iota High School.

Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, Superintendent Bourque was authorized to advertise for an Assistant Principal at Iota High School.

 

2a)       Superintendent recommended appointing Mrs. Linda Stemplewski as a 12 month helping teacher for high schools, using REAP funds.  He recommended hiring an Acting Instructional Assistant to replace Mrs. Stemplewski at Crowley High.

Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Suire, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board accepted Superintendent Bourque’s recommendation and appointed Mrs. Linda Stemplewski as a 12 month helping teacher for high schools, using REAP funds.  The Board also authorized Mr. Bourque to advertise for an Acting Instructional Assistant to replace Mrs. Stemplewski at Crowley High.

 

3)         Receive and award bids for purchase of five used buses.

Mr. Rex Mills reported that one bid of $48,500 was received for five used buses.  Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Mr. Shamsie, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the bid was awarded to Ross Bus Sales in the amount of $242,500.

 

4)         Consider approval of substantial completion of lighting project at Gardiner Memorial Stadium.

Mr. Ronnie Chaumont recommended authorizing the Budget/Finance Committee to award substantial completion of lighting at Gardiner Memorial Stadium, at the committee meeting next week.  Upon motion by Mrs. Proctor, seconded by Mr. Shamsie, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Budget/Finance Committee was authorized to award substantial completion of lighting at Gardiner Memorial Stadium, at next week’s meeting.

 

5)         Adopt millages for 2005 for parish-wide and maintenance tax.

Upon motion by Mr. Shamsie, seconded by Mr. Vige, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, a resolution was adopted to adopt parish-wide and maintenance millages for 2005 as indicated by the tax assessor.  The rate will remain the same as last year.

 

       2004-Millage                 2005 Millage

Constitutional                                    5.14                                5.14

School Maintenance                          5.01                                5.01

Special School Tax                         15.02                              15.02

Fifth Ward Maintenance                 13.45                               13.45

 

6)         Adopt millages for 2005 for debt service funds.

Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Dr. McManus, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, a resolution was adopted to set debt service millages as indicated.  It was noted that Iota has only two years of payments remaining on their bond issue.

 

  2004                                      2005

Crowley                                      0                                              0

Rayne                                          0                                              0

Church Point                         26.30                                       25.80

Fifth Ward                             18.90                                       18.10

Iota                                         3.40                                         3.80           

     

7)         Consider correction of minutes of February 14, 2005, meeting regarding assumption of a garbage collection contract.

Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mrs. Proctor, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, Routine Item 27 of the February 14, 2005, meeting was corrected to read . . .  Upon motion by Mrs. Proctor, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved the assignment of the garbage collection contract from Roll-Off Containers to Romel Enterprises, Inc., under the same terms and conditions through the contract expiration date in November 2005.

 

8)         Consider a request from Mr. Glenn Carriere to re-subdivide Lot 7, Block 169, near Crowley Middle School.

Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Vige’, and carried by a unanimous voice  vote, the Board granted permission to Mr. Glenn Carriere to re-subdivide Lot 7, Block 169, near Crowley Middle School.

 

9)         Consider a request from the estate of Mr. Beryl Dore Lanier for a conditional use permit for lots 11, 12, 13, block 190, near Crowley Kindergarten.        

Upon motion by Mrs. Proctor, seconded by McManus, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board granted permission to the estate of Mr. Beryl Dore Lanier for a conditional use permit for Lots 11, 12, 13, Block 190, near Crowley Middle School with the understanding that the APSB will sign only after all other landowners have agreed to this modification.

 

10)       Consider adoption of budgets for 2005-06.      

Mrs. Margaret Jones addressed the Board regarding the comprehensive curriculum, a new initiative from the state level.  It was recommended that additional one-time funding of $12.00 per student be provided to acquire the materials necessary for this implementation (a total cost of $112,800).  Superintendent Bourque requested an additional funding of $25.00 per student for special maintenance needs (a total cost of $235,000).  As the result of MFP increases, $890.00 will be permanently added to the teacher pay scale in 2005-06.  Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved the 2005-06 budget with these changes

 

11)       Consider position of Payroll Accountant.

Superintendent Bourque recommended the addition of a Payroll Accountant to handle payroll and other facets of the business office.  The Payroll Accountant will be selected by the Superintendent.  Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Dr. McManus, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved the addition of a Payroll Accountant in the business office to be selected by the Superintendent.

 

12)       Consider Child Nutrition Program bid for milk, dairy products and juice.

Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board awarded bid for milk, dairy products and juice to Foremost Dairy, as recommended.

 

13)       Consider Child Nutrition program bid for bread.

Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Dr. McManus, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board awarded bid for bread to Cotton Holsum Bakery for bread, as recommended.

 

14)       Consider approval of the 2005-06 Head Start Program Plan.

Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Mrs. Proctor, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved the 2005-06 Head Start Program Plan, as recommended.

 

15)       Consider approval of the Head Start grant for Oral Health Initiative Fund.

Upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved the head Start grant for Oral Health Initiative Fund, as recommended.

 

16)       Hear a report on the Spring 2005 LEAP/GEE and IOWA test results.              

Ms. Dianna Guidry reported to the Board results of recent parish-wide testing.  Tests showed significant gains from previous years.

 

17)       Consider a request from Seitel Data, Ltd, for a seismic permit on school property in Rayne.

This item was omitted and will be addressed at committee meeting and the August board meeting.

 

18)       Hear a report on an oil well site assessment on 16th section land.

Mr. Mike Leonards reported that he and the Superintendent met with Mr. Carmouche regarding their assessment of well sites in Acadia Parish.  Their studies showed no severe contamination that warranted further legal action.

 

19)       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 Mrs. Proctor, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the following action was taken by the Board:

 

1)         Approved assignments and changes of professional employees.

2)         Received notification of retiring employees.       

3)         Received the monthly sales tax report showing a year-to-date increase of 37.41 percent.

4)         Granted a request to Rachel D. Toups, teacher Iota Middle School, for sabbatical leave for the Fall 2005 semester for medical reasons.

 

SUPERINTENDENT’S COMMENTS:

 

Mrs. Ellan Baggett and Mr. Sherman Wilson addressed the Board on their efforts to secure highly qualified teachers.  Part of the initiative is to encourage teachers to get a Master’s degree.  Mr. Wilson indicated that consistent with NCLB requirements, Title I funds are being provided to further this endeavor.

 

CLOSING:

 

There being no other business to come before the Board, at 6:27 p.m., upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Mr. Suire’, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the meeting adjourned.

______________________________

Mr. Lyle C. Johnson, President

ATTEST:

_____________________________________

Mr. John E. Bourque, Superintendent