CROWLEY, LOUISIANA

September 9, 2013

 

The Acadia Parish School Board met on this the 9th day of September at 5:00 p.m., in a regular session at Crowley, Louisiana, with President presiding Mr. Douglas J. LaCombe. Members present were, Mr. James Higginbotham, Vice-President, Mr. Israel Syria, Mr. Gene Daigle, Mr. John Suire, Mr. David Lalande, Mr. Milton Simar, Mr. Lynn Shamsie, and Secretary-Treasurer, and Superintendent John E. Bourque.   

 

2)         Mr. Syria led the prayer.

 

3)         Mr. Simar led the pledge of allegiance.

 

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

                        NO CHANGES

 

            5)         Read and approve minutes of the August 5, 2013 board meeting and the August 26, 2013 special session.

      Reading of the minutes of the August 5, 2013 board meeting and August 26, 2013 were dispensed (copies of minutes were sent to member prior to this meeting) and upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, minutes of the August 5, 2013 board meeting and August 26, 2013 special session were approved.

 

6)                 Presentation: DO-Re-Mi by Jenny Krueger.

      Ms. Jenny Krueger, Executive Director of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, made a presentation of the Do-Re-Mi Program which focuses on the needs of pre-school and kindergarten students wherein the population has a significantly high free and reduced lunch rate.  An overview of a 30 minute per week pilot program serving all students in Crowley Kindergarten, Rayne Central Kindergarten, and the pre-school/kindergarten students at Church Point Elementary School was presented.  Ms. Krueger asked board members to observe and monitor the pilot this year, and thereafter, consider funding some of the program next school year.

 

ACTION ITEMS:    

            NONE

 

ROUTINE ITEMS:

 

1)         Consider recommendation of the Personnel, Insurance, & Curriculum committee regarding a Worker’s Compensation Insurance Proposal for 2013-2014.

            Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Simar, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved the continuation of the Excess Worker’s Compensation Insurance Proposal from New York Marine for 2013-2014 with a premium amount of $103,130 wherein the annual increase was $1,212.

 

2)         Consider recommendation of the Personnel, Insurance & Curriculum committee regarding Community Representatives for the 2013-2014 Head Start Program.

            Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved Ms. Amber Guillien of Rayne.  Bryan Hensgens of Church Point, and Micheal Leonards of Roberts’ Cove as Community Representatives for the 2013-2014 Head Start Program.

 

3)         Consider recommendation of the Personnel & Insurance committee regarding the Onsite Visit Policy changes for the 2013-2014 Head Start Program.

            Upon a motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved the Onsite Visit Policy changes for the 2013-2014 Head Start Program which included a focus on classroom observations using the CLASS instrument and the certifying six staff persons from the Acadia Parish Head Start Program as assessors.

 

4)         Consider recommendation of the Personnel & Insurance committee regarding Personnel Policy changes for the 2013-2014 Head Start Program.

            Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved the Onsite Visit Policy changes for the 2013-2014 Head Start Program which included performance standards, the supervision of children, eating with children, behavioral management, the Class Assessment model, and cell phones.

 

5)         Consider recommendation of the Personnel & Insurance committee regarding the Annual Audit Report for the 2012-2013 Head Start Program.

Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved the Annual Report for the 2012-2013 Head Start Program.

 

6)         Consider recommendation of the Personnel & Insurance committee regarding the request to conduct 4-H Achievement Day on Friday, May 9, 2014.

            Upon motion by Mr. Daigle, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved the request to conduct 4-H Achievement on Friday, May 9, 2014 at Midland High School wherein the event will be considered an approved school activity.

 

7)         Consider recommendation of the Budget & Finance committee regarding financial support for the 2013-2014 Choices Program in the same manner as provided in 2012-2013.

            Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Lalande, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved $2,500 for the 2013-2014 Choices Program which will be conducted in March 2014.

 

8)         Consider recommendation of the Budget & Finance committee regarding the renewal of a five year lease with Community Outreach/Welcome House.

            Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved the renewal of a five year property lease, at a $250 per year rate, with the Community Outreach Corporation/Welcome House.

 

9)         Consider recommendation of the Budget & Finance committee regarding the Head Start facility leases with Our Mother of Mercy in Rayne and Our Mother of Mercy in Church Point for 2013-2014.

            Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved the 2013-2014 leases with Our Mother of Mercy in Rayne at $1,350 per month and Our Mother of Mercy in Church Point at $1,900 per month.

 

10)       Consider recommendation of the Budget & Finance committee regarding Head Start’s revised 2013-2014 budget resulting from the sequestration adjustments.

            Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved the 2013-2014 Head Start budget as revised due to sequestration.

 

11)       Consider recommendation of the Budget & Finance committee regarding the Templin Forestry Prospectus for Timber Sales on 16th Section lands.

            Upon motion by Suire, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved Templin Forestry’s Prospectus for Timber Sales, with an estimated value between $55,000 - $60,000, on Section 16, Township 7 South, Range 1 East, for the purpose of processing the advertisements, bidding, acceptance and/or rejection of a bid received, and harvesting thereafter if a desirable bid was received and approved.

 

12)       Consider the recommendation of the Budget and Finance committee regarding a request from Pride Oil.

            Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Lalande, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved a proposal for a gal, oil, and mineral nomination, with a minimum of $300 per acre and a minimum of 25% royalty payments on Section 16, Township 7 South, Range 1 West, from Pride Oil in order for the formal nomination procedure to proceed.

 

13)       Consider the recommendation of the Budget and Finance committee regarding authorizing Mr. Gerard Caswell, board attorney, to structure a short term lease with Simon Farms.

            Upon a motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Daigle, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved a short term interim lease with Simon Farms, at no charge, but with the Acadia Parish School Board named as a additional insured on a policy of at least $1,000,000 for the tract described as the North ½ of Section 16, Township 11 South, Range 1 East, for a period to begin on September 10, 2013 and ending on November 30, 2014 wherein the purpose of the lease is to permitting Simon Farms the opportunity to begin clean up, restoration, and farming preparation.

 

14)       Consider the recommendation of the Budget and Finance committee regarding a report on the status and needs of South Rayne Elementary.

            Members of the Board acknowledged a status report provided by Mr. Steve Jones, Supervisor, pursuant to the collaboration and cooperation among and between our insurance adjuster and representatives, the State Fire Marshal’s Office, law enforcement and officials of the City of Rayne, and other relative to the status of South Rayne Elementary School after the fire during the morning hours of Wednesday, August 14, 2013. Further, members of the Board noted their Declaration of a State of Emergency adopted in a Special Meeting on August 26, 2013.

 

15)       Consider the recommendation of the Budget and Finance committee regarding comments from the Superintendent concerning a budgetary matter.

            Upon a motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Lalande, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board authorized the distribution of the 2013 Louisiana Legislature’s action to provide one-time funding in the gross amount of $528 for teachers, certificated, and professional employees with indexing as appropriate wherein said funds would be paid on November 8, 2013.

 

16)       Consider dates for next committee and board meetings.

            Upon motion by Mr. Suire, seconded by Mr. Lalande, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the committee meetings will be held on September 18, 2013 and the board meeting will be October 7, 2013.

 

17)       Correspondence.   

            NONE

 

DISCUSSION ITEMS:  NONE

 

CONSENT ITEMS:

 

            Upon motion by Mr. Simar, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, consent items 1 through 3 were approved to be taken in globo.

 

1)         Consider assignments and changes of professional employees.

            Upon motion by Mr. Simar, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board approved assignments and changes of professional employees.

 

2)         Consider retirement notification of employees.

            Upon motion by Mr. Simar, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, retirement notification of employees was approved.

 

3)         Receive Sales Tax Report.

            Upon motion by Mr. Simar, seconded by Mr. Higginbotham, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the board received the sales tax report which showed a year to date increase of 8.67%.

 

SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS:   

 

            Mr. Bourque commented about board members being encouraged to visiting schools when possible, employee appreciation for the recently declared jean day, and a one-on-one text messaging system.

 

There being no other business to come before the Board, upon motion by Mr. Simar, seconded by Mr. Syria, and carried by a unanimous voice vote, the meeting adjourned at 6:02 p.m.

 

____________________________

Douglas J. LaCombe, President

 

ATTEST:

 

____________________________

John E. Bourque, Superintendent