PROCEEDINGS OF THE ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

RESERVE, LA - Meeting of April 19, 2012

ITEM 1:  The Chair called the meeting to order and read the following call:

HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD

Parish of St. John the Baptist

Dear Board Member:

Upon call of the President, the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board will meet

in regular session at Godchaux Grammar Cafeteria, Reserve, Louisiana, on Thursday, April 19, 2012, at 6:00 p.m.

An agenda for the meeting is attached.

Sincerely, s/Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D.

Superintendent/Secretary

The Chair called for a moment of silent meditation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.  

ITEM 2.  ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS:

PRESENT: Messrs. Keller, DeFrancesch, Wise, Bacas, Triche, Sanders.

ABSENT:  Jack, Burl, Jones, Johnson, Nicholas.

There were 6 members present, 5 absent.

ITEM 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Meeting of February April 3, 2012. 

A motion was made by Dr. Keller, seconded by Mr. Triche, to accept the minutes of the April 3, 2012 meeting as printed and published. There were no objections.

The motion carried.

6 Yeas – Keller, DeFrancesch, Wise, Bacas, Triche, Sanders.

5 Absent –Jack, Burl, Jones, Johnson, Nicholas.

Mr. Jones arrived at 6:03 p.m. and was recorded as present.

Mr. Jack arrived at 6:04 p.m. and was recorded as present.

ITEM 4. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT.  Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D., Superintendent.

a.  School Board Proposition.  Dr. Millet read the following report:

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board is asking voters to vote on a proposition on the April 21 election ballot that would allow the school district to borrow $11.6 million to pay for continued capital improvement projects in local schools.  The proposition will not increase taxes.  The proposition will allow the school board to renew an existing bond issue to borrow the money.

The school district’s tradition of strong financial management and historically low interest rates will allow the school board to borrow these capital improvement funds without asking for additional taxes.   The school district simply needs the approval of voters to borrow the money that is needed to invest in our capital improvements plan.

Some of the proposed capital improvement projects to be included in the $11.6 million investment include:

·         Security system installations and upgrades

·         Technology upgrades

·         Purchase of 10 new busses

·         Roofing repairs & rehabilitations

·         HVAC & electrical replacements and repairs

·         Paving and drainage system rehabilitation

·         Kitchen equipment repairs and replacements

·         Restroom renovations

·         ADA and Code compliance upgrades

Our school system has been working hard to deliver on our promise to the community to provide quality education facilities.   In 2008, we began a ‘first phase’ of major improvements, which included the construction of two new elementary school buildings, technology and security upgrades and the installation of handicap-accessible playgrounds at each of our elementary schools. This additional funding will allow us to continue our efforts.  Facility improvements have been part of the district’s primary focus to raise academic achievement. 

Our priority in St. John Schools is to advance student learning.  We are doing that with improved curriculum and classroom teaching strategies, and we are doing that with improved technology and by creating safer, more appropriate learning environments on our campuses. We’re excited about the progress we’re making, and with continued support from our community, we know we can continue to build a system of excellence.  We ask everyone to please exercise their right to vote on Saturday, April 21^st. 

ITEM 5. EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS BY THE BOARD OR STAFF. 

a.  Resolution to the family of Francis “Patat” Guidry.  Dr. Millet read the following resolution into the record and the family was presented with a plaque with a copy of the resolution. 

RESOLUTION

ST. JOHNTHE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

RESERVE, LA

WHEREAS, Mr. Francis “Patat” Guidry served the St. John the Baptist Parish community for 4 years as a school board member, and   

WHEREAS, Mr. Guidry served the State of Louisiana and this parish, the worthiness of his service will always be remembered; and

WHEREAS, the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board recognizes his dedication and commitment, this is a resolution of sympathy forwarded to the members of his family; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this school district desires to send a copy of this Resolution to his family in total recognition of the value and the love this system has for him  and wishes his family well in their bereavement and that this Resolution be made part of the official record on this date, April 19, 2012, subscribed therein.

b. Resolution to the family of Leonard Schexnayder.  Dr. Millet read the following resolution into the record and the family was presented with a plaque with a copy of the resolution. 

RESOLUTION

ST. JOHNTHE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

RESERVE, LA

WHEREAS, Mr. Leonard Schexnayder served the St. John the Baptist Parish School System for 38 years as a teacher, supervisor and assistant superintendent; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Schexnayder served the schools, faculties and staff of this parish, the worthiness of his service will always be remembered; and

WHEREAS, the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board recognizes his dedication and commitment, this is a resolution of sympathy forwarded to the members of his family; and

THEREFORE  BE IT RESOLVED,  that this school district desires to send a copy of this Resolution to his family in total recognition of the value and the love this system has for him and wishes his family well in their bereavement and that this Resolution be made part of the official record on this date, April 19, 2012, subscribed therein.

Resolution to the family of Susan Satterlee.  Dr. Millet read the following resolution into the record and the family was presented with a plaque with a copy of the resolution. 

RESOLUTION

ST. JOHNTHE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

RESERVE, LA

WHEREAS, Ms. Susan Satterlee served the St. John the Baptist Parish School System for 38 years as a teacher; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Satterlee  served the schools, students, faculties and staff of this parish, and the worthiness of her service will always be remembered; and

WHEREAS, the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board recognizes her dedication and commitment, this is a resolution of sympathy forwarded to the members of her family; and

THEREFORE  BE IT RESOLVED,  that this school district desires to send a copy of this Resolution to her family in total recognition of the value and the love the system has for her and wishes her family well in their bereavement and that this Resolution be made part of the official record on this date, April 19, 2012, subscribed therein.

c.  Teachers of the Year

Our schools nominated leading teachers to compete for district teacher of the year in the categories of elementary, middle, and high school grades.  The judges for this competition were Mrs. Kim Bourgeois, LA Federal Credit Union Business Development Coordinator and St. John Chamber of Commerce member, Ms. Josie Clement, retired Director of Curriculum, and Dr. Leigh Ann Beard, Director of Human Resources.

·         Elementary Teachers of the Year

·         Middle School Teachers of the Year

·         High School Teachers of the Year

St. John the Baptist Parish Teachers of the Year

Elementary Teacher of the Year:  Shontrece Lathers, Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School

Ms. Shontrece Lathers started her teaching career in St. John Parish at Lake Pontchartrain Elementary in 2006.  She has taught 1^st and 3^rd grade.  She graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education 1^st – 5^th grade and in 2011, she received a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from Southeastern Louisiana University.  In February 2006, November 2006, and September 2007 she was Lake Pontchartrain Elementary's Teacher of the Month and in 2010 she was a teacher of the year nominee through the L’Observateur Newspapers Teacher Appreciation Program.  In a letter of recommendation, Ms. Margaret Hastings, principal of Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School states “Ms. Lathers is an incredible and successful third grade teacher. She is dedicated to the welfare and academic success of her students. She is a highly requested teacher on my staff, due to her excellent reputation for academic excellence and structured environment. Ms. Lathers demonstrates hard work ethics and professional integrity. She is an asset to our school and the educational profession. Her passion and dedication for raising the bar and closing the achievement gap truly make her an outstanding Teacher of the Year.”

Middle School Teacher of the Year:  Ms. Shanna Beber, LaPlace Elementary School

Ms. Shanna Beber has taught 1^st grade, 3^rd grade, and 6^th grade math and science at Lake Pontchartrain Elementary and LaPlace Elementary. Ms. Beber received a Bachelor of Art in Elementary Education Pre-K through 8^th grade at Nicholls State University in 2002, a Masters in Educational Leadership from Walden University in 2008, and she is currently working on a Doctorate of Education in Teacher Leadership.   A few of Ms. Beber’s recognitions include: St. John the Baptist Parish Elementary School Teacher of the Year in 2006; Rotary Club Teacher of the Quarter in 2006; Model/Master Classroom in Mathematics from 2005-2008; Model/Master Classroom in Reading from 2003-2008; and New Orleans Saints Teacher of the Week for December 3^rd of 2006. In a letter of recommendation, Ms. Alison Cupit, principal of LaPlace Elementary School states “Teaching comes from the heart and so does love and kindness. Ms. Beber is constantly working with her students, who respect her without reserve. Ms. Beber’s class shows respect, discipline, intelligence and admiration for each other, for their teacher, and for anyone who enters her classroom.  She is a wonderful role model for all who come in contact with her. She takes time to listen, help and oftentimes goes overboard for her students. Her class is always busy and of course, as a result, she produces excellence in education.”

High School Teacher of the Year:  Ms. Janice Lubin, West St. John High School

Ms. Janice Lubin received her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in 1985 and a Master of Business Administration in 1988 both from Clark Atlanta University.  She received her teaching certificate in Business Education from Nicholls State University in 2011. Ms. Lubin began her teaching career in St. John the Baptist Parish. She is presently teaching Business Education to grades 9 through 12 at West St. John High. Ms. Lubin was the Teacher of the Month for West St. John High in 2011 and she takes an active leadership role within the school. For example, Ms. Lubin is a part of the Motion Leadership Team; she is a participant in WSJH’s professional learning community; and she is the career-tech department chairperson. In addition, she has conducted professional development training in the area of technology. In a letter of recommendation, Ms. Erica Merrick, principal of West St. John High School, states “Ms. Lubin’s distinguishing characteristic is her relentless dedication to her students. As the principal, I often receive phone calls and emails from Ms. Lubin asking for my input on classroom ideas and projects. She also deeply believes that community must be a part of her classroom, as she invites guest speakers and parents to her class regularly. Also, Ms. Lubin serves as an advisor to eight 12^th grade young ladies. She does not take this role as an advisor lightly. Ms. Lubin researches scholarships and coaches them in their personal statements. Ms. Lubin’s goal for her advisory group is to have 100% of them accepted into a college or vocational school.”

OUTSTANDING SCHOOL SUPPORT EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR

Tonight we would like to recognize the Outstanding School Support Employees for St. John the Baptist Parish:

Elementary Outstanding Support Staff of the Year:  Ms. Carolyn Young, Garyville / Mt. Airy Magnet School

Ms. Carolyn Young started her para-professional career in St. John Parish in 1988.  She has worked on the campuses of East St. John Elementary and Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet school. In a letter of recommendation, Mr. Glenn Chenier, principal of Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet School states “Ms. Young works tirelessly to meet the needs of all students, especially those under her immediate supervision. She has offered her guidance to our schools In-School Suspension Program to ensure all requirements for the effective implementation and operation are met. During an evaluation of our program earlier this school year, our I.S.S.P. received a perfect score in compliance with all mandates. Mrs. Young realizes that all students can learn. Her daily routines reflect that belief. She is remarkable and outstanding; she fulfills our school's vision which is to be the best in the state. Her actions and words are reflective of that vision while personifying our faculty's motto: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work.”

Middle School Outstanding Support Staff of the Year:  Ms. Jo Ann Byers, Lake Pontchartrain Elementary

Ms. Jo Ann Byers started her career as a lunch technician at East St. John High in 1994. She has worked at Fifth Ward Elementary and Lake Pontchartrain Elementary where she is currently the lunch manager. In a letter of recommendation, Ms. Margaret Hastings, principal of Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School states “Ms. Byers worked tirelessly with the Free/Reduced lunch form applications, securing for Lake Pontchartrain the highest percentage since I have been principal: 90% free/reduced lunches for this school year. This year my cafeteria staff has completed their duties in a positive and supportive manner, and I contribute this achievement to the respectful leadership of Ms. Byers. As a person, Ms Byers is kind and respectful. She makes it her business to be friendly to everyone, therefore becoming a blessing to those she meets. Never once have I observed a negative or critical spirit displayed by Ms. Byers. She has truly been an asset and excellent addition to the staff of LPE.”

High School Outstanding Support Staff of the Year:  Ms. Teckla Holder, East St. John High School

Ms. Teckla Holder began working in St. John the Baptist Parish in 1997 as a para-professional. In addition to that job, Ms. Holder has been the cheerleading coach at East St. John High for the last twenty years.  In a letter of recommendation, Ms. Patricia Triche, principal of East St. John High School states “Her dedication to our students extends far beyond the normal school hours as she has to be in attendance at all athletic events and summer camps.  She spends endless hours with our girls to ensure their safety and excellent performance for our school. Ms. Holder is also our senior class sponsor.  She is responsible for coordinating all senior activities leading up to graduation.  She is also responsible for making sure all details are coordinated and in place for our graduation ceremonies. Ms. Holder also takes the lead in organizing our annual senior class trips. Students who are alumni of ESJH are always coming back to see her because she has always been such an integral part of their memories while at ESJH.  Ms. Holder has wonderful rapport with our faculty and staff as well as our students.”

The President declared a recess at 6:38 p.m.

A motion was made by Mr. Bacas, seconded by Mr. Triche, to reconvene in Regular Session.  There were no objections and the Board reconvened in Regular Session at 6:50 p.m.

ITEM 6. PERSONNEL MATTERS: Dr. Leigh Ann Beard, Director of Human Resources.

a.   Personnel Changes.  None

ITEM 7.  BUSINESS AND FINANCE:  Mr. Felix Boughton, Executive Director of Business and Finance

a. Authorize administration to accept bids on the sale of Second Ward property.  

A motion was made by Mr. Jack, seconded by Dr. Keller, to table this item.  There were no objections.

The motion carried.

9 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Keller, DeFrancesch, Jones, Wise, Bacas, Triche, Sanders

2 Absent – Johnson, Nicholas.

b. Quarterly Budget Report.  Mr. Boughton stated that this item was for information purposes only.  He stated the good news with finance is it looks as if next fiscal year we are scheduled to recover money from the state, so we should be able to write next year's budget with no new budget cuts for the first time in three years.  He stated that he plans to have the introduction of the budget at the May 17 meeting, and ask for the board to adopt it at the June 7th meeting.

c. Board to consider a request from Tri-Parish Trophies to extend Bid 12.18 Awards/Incentives Items for twelve months at current bid prices. 

A motion was made by Dr. Keller, seconded by Mr. Bacas, to approve the request by Tri-Parish Trophies to extend Bid 12.18 Awards/Incentives Items for twelve months at current bid prices.

A substitute motion was made by Mr. Wise to solicit bids for the Awards Items.  This motion failed due to the lack of a second.

Upon roll call on the original motion to approve the request by Tri-Parish Trophies to extend Bid 12.18 Awards/Incentives Items for twelve months at current bid price, there were:

8 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Keller, DeFrancesch, Jones, Bacas, Triche, Sanders

1 Abstention – Wise

2 Absent – Johnson, Nicholas

The motion carried.

d.  Request Board approval to solicit the following bids and/or proposals:  Bid 13.08-Bus Parts; Bid 13.09-Copier/Computer Paper; Bid 13-10-Office Supplies; Bid 13-11-Instructional Materials; Bid 13.12-General Maintenance; Bid 13.13-Electrical Supplies; Bid 13.14-Air Conditioning; Bid 13.15-Plumbing Supplies; Bid 13-16-Custodial Cleaning Supplies; Bid 13-18-Award Items (predicated on previous agenda item).

A motion was made by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Triche, to approve the solicitation of the following bids and/or proposals:  Bid 13.08-Bus Parts; Bid 13.09-Copier/Computer Paper; Bid 13-10-Office Supplies; Bid 13-11-Instructional Materials; Bid 13.12-General Maintenance; Bid 13.13-Electrical Supplies; Bid 13.14-Air Conditioning; Bid 13.15-Plumbing Supplies; Bid 13-16-Custodial Cleaning Supplies; Bid 13.18-Award Items (predicated on previous agenda item).  Due to the approval of Item 7c, this motion will delete Bid 13.18-Award Items.

There were no objections.

The motion carried.

9 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Keller, DeFrancesch, Jones, Wise, Bacas, Triche, Sanders

2 Absent – Johnson, Nicholas.

e.  CSRS – Monthly Progress Update on the Master Plan and Program Management Services provided by CSRS, Inc.

Mr. Floyd Luster, CSRS, gave the Board an update on all ongoing projects.

ITEM 8. OLD BUSINESS. 

ITEM 9.   NEW BUSINESS.

a. Rev. Nicholas, Board Member – Kelly Service Substitute Teacher Hiring Practices

b. Executive Session – Legal Discussion on “Consent Order and Judgment”; “Worker’s Compensation”

The President stated that Item 9a and 9b would be deferred until the May 3, 2012 meeting.

c. Lloyd LeBlanc, Board Attorney – Legal Update.  None.

ITEM 10. ADMINSTRATIVE MATTERS: a. Committee Reports. None.

ITEM 11. BOARD-RELATED ITEMS OF INTEREST. 

ITEM 12. ADJOURNMENT: The agenda having been completed, and there being no further business, Mr. Jones offered a motion for adjournment, seconded by Mr. Bacas. There were no objections. The meeting adjourned at 6:59 p.m.

________________________________                            ________________________________

Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D., Secretary                                Patrick H. Sanders, President