CROWLEY, LOUISIANA

MARCH 6, 2006

            The Acadia Parish School Board met on this the 6^th day of March 2006, at 5:00 p.m., in a regular session, with President Lyle C. Johnson presiding.  Members present were Dr. 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 James Proctor, pastor of the First Church of God in Christ and former principal of Rayne High School, led the prayer.

3)         Bethany Benoit, Carrington Yokum, and Nakeisha Washington, students at Crowley Kindergarten, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

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

There were no changes to the agenda.

5)         Read and approve minutes of the February 6, 2006, meeting.

Reading of the minutes of the February 6, 2006, board meeting was dispensed with (copies of minutes were sent to each member prior to this meeting) and adopted as submitted, upon motion by Dr. McManus, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote.

6)         Recognize Acadia Parish outstanding Students of the Year.

Lyle Carrier representing the fifth grade, Marae Courville representing the eighth grade, and  Alex Wimberly representing the twelfth grade were recognized by Mr. Cal Simar, supervisor, as the Acadia Parish winners in the Student of the Year competition.

7)         Recognize schools that achieved recognized or exemplary academic growth during the 2004-2005 accountability cycle.

Branch Elementary, Central Rayne Kindergarten, Iota Elementary, Martin Petitjean, South Rayne Elementary, Mermentau Elementary, Midland High, Richard Elementary, Ross Elementary, South Crowley Elementary, and Mire Elementary were recognized for academic growth during the 2004-2005 accountability cycle.  Mrs. Margaret Jones presented flags to the principals.

ACTION ITEMS:

There were no actions items to address.

ROUTINE ITEMS:

1)         Consider issuing a one-time supplement from accumulated sales tax collections.

Superintendent Bourque went over the proposal to distribute excess funds from the sales tax collections.  1)  One-time payment on March 10, 2006, in the amount of $496 for professional employees and $326 for support employees, subject to withholding of 10% federal income tax, 2% state income tax, and 1.45% Medicare, and retirement as applicable.  2)  Payable to all permanent active employees, excluding substitutes, regardless of funding sources.  3)  Permanent active employees hired after January 1, 2006, will receive one-half of the amounts indicated.  4)  Excluded from this supplement are board members and the superintendent.  5)  Checks will be distributed to each school in the normal fashion, however, no direct deposits will be made.  Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the proposed one-time pay supplement from accumulated sales tax collections was approved.        

2)         Consider the Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding midyear budget revisions.

Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the midyear budget revisions were approved as recommended by the Budget/Finance Committee.

3)         Consider the Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding long-term allocation of funds for special maintenance needs.

Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Mr. Boudreaux, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, long-term allocation of funds of $3,000,000 for special maintenance projects, based on student enrollment at the ward level, was approved as recommended by the Budget/Finance Committee.

4)         Consider the Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding application for a Head Start grant for the 2006-07 year.

Upon motion by Mr. Vige’, seconded by Dr. McManus, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Head Start Program refunding application for 2006-07 was approved.

5)         Consider the Personnel/Insurance Committee’s recommendation regarding the acquisition of additional computers for teachers.

Upon motion by Dr. Proctor, seconded by Mr. Suire, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved the purchase of 50 computers for teachers to use in their day-to-day preparation of instructional lessons.  This will provide computers for 27 teachers presently without, and spares to use in the event a unit goes down.

6)         Correspondence

Superintendent Bourque noted that the LSBA Convention will begin Thursday, March 8, 2006, in Baton Rouge.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:  

1)         Discuss proposed changes in the homebound instruction policy.

Mrs. Ellan Baggett, supervisor, went over proposed changes in the homebound instruction policy, which was discussed further by the Board.  This will be discussed again at the committee meeting this month.

CONSENT ITEMS:

Upon motion by Mr. Shamsie, seconded by Dr. McManus, 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 44.50 percent.

4)         Granted a request to Jacqueline Hanisee, teacher at Mermentau/Estherwood Elementary, for sabbatical leave for the Fall 2006 semester, for professional development.

SUPERINTENDENT’S COMMENTS:

Superintendent Bourque commended Students of the Year, congratulated schools that achieved recognized or exemplary academic growth during the 2004-05 accountability cycle, and voiced his pleasure that the one-time pay supplement for employees was made possible.

CLOSING:

There being no other business to come before the Board, upon motion by Mr. Boudreaux, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the meeting adjourned at 5:44 p.m.

_____________________________

Mr. Lyle C. Johnson, President

ATTEST:

______________________________

Mr. John E. Bourque, Superintendent