CROWLEY, LOUISIANA

AUGUST 6, 2007

The Acadia Parish School Board met on this the 6^th  day of August 2007, at 5:00 p.m., in a regular session at Crowley, Louisiana, with President. Roland J. Boudreaux presiding.  Members present were Mr. Israel G. Syria, Mr. Douglas J. LaCombe, Mr. Lynn Shamsie, Mr. John A. Suire, Mr. Gene I. Daigle, Mr. James Higginbotham, Mr. Milton R. Simar, and Secretary-Treasurer, Superintendent John E. Bourque.

2)         Mr. Syria led the prayer.

3)         Mr. Daigle led the pledge of allegiance.

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

Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the agenda was revised by adding Routine Item 1a (CONSIDER SUPERINTENDENT’S RECOMMENDATION FOR TECHNOLOGY INSTRUCTIONAL COORDINATOR), Routine 8a (CONSIDER ACCEPTANCE OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION ON RAYNE HIGH SCHOOL TRACK), Routine Item 8b (CONSIDER ACCEPTANCE OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION FOR THE RICHARD ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM ADDITIONS) Consent Item 7 (CONSIDER A REQUEST FROM LISA B. THIBODEAUX, TEACHER AT ESTHERWOOD ELEMENTARY, FOR A SABBATICAL LEAVE FROM AUGUST 14, 2007, THROUGH JANUARY 11, 2008, (2007 FALL SEMESTER FOR MEDICAL REASONS) and Consent Item 8 (CONSIDER ALLOWING JACKIE LEBLANC, TEACHER AT MERMENTAU TO RESIGN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SABBATICAL LEAVE.  SHE HAS RELOCATED MORE THAN 50 MILES AWAY).

5)         Read and approve minutes of the July 2, 2007, meeting.

Reading of the minutes of the July 2, 2007, meeting was dispensed with (copies of minutes were sent to each member prior to this meeting) and adopted as submitted, upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote.

6)         Recognize Dr. Marclo Polonco, candidate for coroner.

Dr. Marclo Polonco, candidate for coroner, briefly addressed the Board, announcing his candidacy for Acadia Parish Coroner.

ACTION ITEMS:

1.         Consider employment of administrative and supervisory personnel

After discussion, upon motion by Mr. Shamsie, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the policy to employ administrative and supervisory personnel was adopted.

The Interview Team shall send in writing to the Superintendent the three top candidates, along with the applications and other relevant information, for his review.  After review, the Superintendent shall recommend one of the three applicants to the Board and the Board will act on that recommendation

Professional Preparation                                   Points

                  Master’ Degree plus 30 graduate hours              2

Specialist’ Degree                                              4

Doctor’ Degree                                                 6

The Personnel Supervisor shall be a non-voting member of the interview team in all interviews relating to administration and/or supervision.  The Personnel Supervisor will act as facilitator for the team.

ROUTINE ITEMS:

1.         Consider authorizing the Superintendent to advertise for Supervisor of Special Education.

Mr. John Doughty, Supervisor of Special Education, recently retired. Upon motion by Mr. Shamsie, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Superintendent was authorized to advertise for Supervisor of Special Education.

1a.       Consider Superintendent’s recommendation for Technology Instructional Coordinator.

Superintendent Bourque recommended Mr. Bryan Alleman from a field of 11 applicants.  He will replace Mr. Jessie Joubert who recently retired.  Mr. Alleman briefly addressed the Board, thanking it for this appointment and committing himself to the task at hand.

2.         Consider approval of the Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire.

Upon motion by Mr. Shamsie, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the Board approved the Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire.

3.         Consider the Personnel/Insurance/Curriculum Committee’s recommendation regarding revised job descriptions.

Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the following revised job descriptions were approved by the Board.

Job description has been revised to match the current duties of the position and standardize the Professional Growth and Ethics portion (in accordance with state requirements).

Mr. Steve Jones               Supervisor of Maintenance/Warehouse/Transportation and Energy Management

Mrs. Margaret Jones        Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Mrs. Jill Doga                   Supervisor of Media and technology

Ms. Dianna Guidry           Supervisor of Adult and Community Education/Testing and Evaluation

Ms. Dana Leger               Coordinator of Technology Instruction

Mrs. Linda Stemplewski  Instructional Facilitator

4.         Consider the Personnel/Insurance/Curriculum Committee’s recommendation regarding personnel policy revisions for Head Start.

Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Simar, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, personnel policy revisions for Head Start were approved.

5.         Consider the Personnel/Insurance/Curriculum Committee’s recommendation regarding revisions to the local evaluation policy.

Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Simar, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, revisions to the local evaluation policy were approved.

6.         Consider the Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding physical therapy services for extra curricular activities.

Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, physical therapy services for extra curricular activities were approved at a cost of $14,000 per year.

7.         Consider the Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding renewal of hurricane victims’ grant for Head Start.

Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote,  renewal of hurricane victims’ grant for Head Start was approved.

8.         Consider the Budget/Finance Committee’s recommendation regarding requests for release from agricultural contracts.

Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote,  the Board granted permission to farmers requesting release from agricultural contracts.

9.         Consider dates for the next committee and board meetings

Upon motion by Mr. Lacombe, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the next committee meetings will be held Wednesday, August 15, 2007, and the next board meeting will be held on Monday, September 10, 2007.

10.       Correspondence

Superintendent Bourque presented an article the Education Technology magazine highlighting the work of Jill Doga in Acadia Parish.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:        There were no discussion items to address.

CONSENT ITEMS:

The following action was taken by the Board.

1)         Upon motion by Mr. LaCombe, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, assignments and changes of professional employees were approved.

2)         Upon motion by Mr. Simar, seconded by Mr. LaCombe, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, retirement notification of employees was received.

3)         Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Suire, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the monthly sales tax report showing a year-to-date increase of 71.65 percent was received.

4)         Upon motion by Mr. Shamsie, seconded by Mr. Simar, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, a request was granted to Anne L. Snyder, teacher at Mermentau Elementary, to rescind sabbatical leave.

5)         Upon motion by Mr. Simar, seconded by Mr. LaCombe, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, a request was granted to Sandra Richard, teacher at Iota Middle School sabbatical leave for the 2007 Fall semester for medical reasons.

6)         Upon motion by Mr. Simar, seconded by Mr. LaCombe, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, a request was granted to Kimberly McBride, teacher at Iota High, for a sabbatical leave for the 2007 Fall semester for medical reasons.

7)         Upon motion by Mr. Shamsie, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, a request was granted to Lisa B. Thibodeaux, teacher at Estherwood Elementary, for a sabbatical leave from August 14, 2007, through January 11, 2008 (2007 Fall semester) for medical reasons.

8)         Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, a request was granted to Jackie LeBlanc, teacher at Mermentau, to resign immediately following sabbatical leave.  She has relocated more than 50 miles away.

SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS:

Superintendent Bourque commented on the back-to-school principals’ meeting.  He had positive comments about pay increases for all employees.  He reported on the condition of school campuses looking good for opening in a few weeks.

CLOSING:

There being no other business to come before the Board, upon motion by Mr. LaCombe, seconded by Mr. Simar, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the meeting adjourned at 5:50 p.m.

______________________________

Roland J. Boudreaux, President

ATTEST:

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John E. Bourque, Superintendent