PROCEEDINGS OF THE ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
RESERVE, LA – MEETING OF APRIL 1, 2015
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, 1600 Highway 44, Reserve, Louisiana, on Wednesday, April 1, 2015, at 6:00 p.m.
An agenda for the meeting is attached.
Sincerely, s/Kevin R. George
Superintendent/Secretary
The Chair called for the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
ITEM 2. ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS:
PRESENT: Jack, Burl, Sanders, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Nicholas, Triche, Jones
ABSENT: Keller, DeFrancesch
There were 9 members present, 2 absent.
ITEM 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
ITEM 3a. Meeting of March 19, 2015.
MOTION BY: Nicholas
SECOND BY: Jack
MOTION: To approve the minutes of the meeting of March 19, 2015.
No objections.
The motion carried.
ITEM 4. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
ITEM 5. EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS BY THE BOARD OR STAFF
ITEM 6. PERSONNEL MATTERS
ITEM 7. BUSINESS AND FINANCE
ITEM 7a. Mr. Felix Boughton – Announce intention to levy millages for 2015 at the May 21, 2015 regularly scheduled meeting.
MOTION BY: Nicholas
SECOND BY: Entire Board
MOTION: To announce intention to levy millages for 2015 at the May 21, 2015 regularly scheduled meeting.
No objections.
The motion carried.
9 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Sanders, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Nicholas, Triche, Jones
0 Nays
2 Absent – Keller, DeFrancesch
ITEM 7b. Mr. Peter Montz - Request Board approval to solicit bids for the following bids and/or proposals: Bid 16.08 Bus Parts; Bid 16.09 Copier/Computer Paper; Bid 16.10 Office Supplies; Bid 16.11 Instructional Materials; Bid 16.12 General Maintenance; Bid 16.13 Electrical Supplies; Bid 16.14 Air Conditioning; Bid 16.15 Plumbing Supplies; Bid 16.16 Custodial Cleaning Supplies; Bid 16.18 Award Items
MOTION BY: Wise
SECOND BY: Nicholas
MOTION: To approve the solicitation of bids for the following bids and/or proposals: Bid 16.08 Bus Parts; Bid 16.09 Copier/Computer Paper; Bid 16.10 Office Supplies; Bid 16.11 Instructional Materials; Bid 16.12 General Maintenance; Bid 16.13 Electrical Supplies; Bid 16.14 Air Conditioning; Bid 16.15 Plumbing Supplies; Bid 16.16 Custodial Cleaning Supplies; Bid 16.18 Award Items.
No objections.
The motion carried.
9 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Sanders, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Nicholas, Triche, Jones
0 Nays
2 Absent – Keller, DeFrancesch
ITEM 7c. Ms. Terry Charles – Request board approval to advertise for bids for the SY 2015-2016 for Bread, Milk, Staples, Frozen Foods, Meat/Meat Products, Cleaning Supplies, Paper Supplies, Large and Small Equipment for cafeterias
MOTION BY: Sanders
SECOND BY: Wise
MOTION: To approve the solicitation of bids for the SY 2015-2016 for Bread, Milk, Staples, Frozen Foods, Meat/Meat Products, Cleaning Supplies, Paper Supplies, Large and Small Equipment for cafeterias
No objections.
The motion carried.
9 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Sanders, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Nicholas, Triche, Jones
0 Nays
2 Absent – Keller, DeFrancesch
ITEM 7d. Mr. Felix Boughton – Notice is hereby given that at its meeting to be held on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 6:00 p.m., at the Godchaux Grammar Cafeteria, 1600 Highway 44, Reserve, Louisiana, the Parish School Board of the Parish of St. John the Baptist, State of Louisiana, plans to consider adopting a resolution ordering and calling an election to be held in School District No. 1 of the Parish of St. John the Baptist to authorize the levy of an ad valorem tax.
MOTION BY: Wise
SECOND BY: Sanders
MOTION: To announce: Notice is hereby given that at its meeting to be held on Thursday, May 21, 2015 at 6:00 p.m., at the Godchaux Grammar Cafeteria, 1600 Highway 44, Reserve, Louisiana, the Parish School Board of the Parish of St. John the Baptist, State of Louisiana, plans to consider adopting a resolution ordering and calling an election to be held in School District No. 1 of the Parish of St. John the Baptist to authorize the levy of an ad valorem tax.
No objections.
The motion carried.
9 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Sanders, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Nicholas, Triche, Jones
0 Nays
2 Absent – Keller, DeFrancesch
ITEM 8. OLD BUSINESS
ITEM 8a. Ms. Heidi Trosclair – Request Approval of the 2015-2016 School Calendar
MOTION BY: Sanders
SECOND BY: Jack
MOTION: To approve the 2015-2016 School Calendar as presented.
No objections.
The motion carried.
9 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Sanders, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Nicholas, Triche, Jones
0 Nays
2 Absent – Keller, DeFrancesch
St. John the Baptist Parish School System
School Calendar 2015 – 2016
August |
|
5 – 6 7 |
Professional Development Days Teacher Work Day |
10 |
First Day of School for Students |
17 21 |
First Day for Kindergarten/Universal PreK/LA4/Model Early Students First Day for HeadStart Students |
|
|
|
|
September |
|
7 |
Labor Day Holiday |
21 |
Professional Development Day – No School for Students |
|
|
October |
|
9 |
End of First Nine Weeks |
12 – 13 |
Fall Break – Schools Closed |
|
|
November |
|
2 23 – 27 30 |
Professional Development Day – No School for Students Thanksgiving Holidays EOC Testing Begins |
|
|
December |
|
18 |
End of Second Nine Weeks |
21 – 31 |
Christmas Holidays |
|
|
January |
|
1 |
New Year’s Holidays |
4 |
Professional Development Day – No School for Students |
5 |
Students Return to School |
18 |
Martin Luther King Holiday |
|
|
February |
|
8 – 12 22 |
Mardi Gras Holidays Professional Development Day – No School for Students |
|
|
March |
|
1 14 – 18 |
ACT Testing 3rd- 8th Grade State Testing (Phase I—ELA/Math) |
16 |
End of Third Nine Weeks |
25-31 |
Easter Holidays |
|
|
April |
|
1 4 |
Easter Holidays Students Return to School |
5 – 6 13 |
LEAP/iLEAP Testing (3rd- 8th Science/Social Studies) Explore/Plan Testing |
25 – 29 |
EOC/3rd- 8th Grade State Testing (Phase II—ELA/Math) |
|
|
May |
|
25 |
Last Day for Students / End of Fourth Nine Weeks |
26 |
Records’ Day |
Item 8b. Ms. Page Eschette – Request Approval of Policies: JBCD: Student Transfer and Withdrawal; ABCD: School Board Member Method of Election; BCB: Rules of Procedure; BCBH: Minutes of School Board Meetings; BCBK: Executive Sessions; GBRHA: Sabbatical Leave; DE: Debt Limitations; DFD: Tax & Bond Elections and Sales
MOTION BY: Triche
SECOND BY: Sanders
MOTION: To Approve Policies: JBCD: Student Transfer and Withdrawal; ABCD: School Board Member Method of Election; BCB: Rules of Procedure; BCBH: Minutes of School Board Meetings; BCBK: Executive Sessions; GBRHA: Sabbatical Leave; DE: Debt Limitations; DFD: Tax & Bond Elections and Sales.
Upon roll call, there were:
8 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Sanders, Johnson, Wallace, Nicholas, Triche, Jones
0 Nays
1 Abstention - Wise
2 Absent – Keller, DeFrancesch
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
JBCD: STUDENT TRANSFER AND WITHDRAWAL
SCHOOL ZONE TRANSFERS
Employees of the system may enroll their children in the school in which they work. Every student attending a school in the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School System shall attend the school which is located in the school district boundaries in which their parents, custodial parent, guardian or any person or persons having legal custody of said student is legally domiciled. Documentation regarding legal residence shall be based on submission of appropriate proof, such as a utility bill.
No student shall be allowed to attend and be enrolled in a school in another district except under the following circumstances:
1. For academic reasons as certified to by the principal of the school of the residence of said child.
2. For documented and verified emergencies, which require the student to temporarily reside in another district which does not have transportation to the student's school of primary residence.
If any parents, custodial parent, guardian or any person or persons having legal custody, under a court order, of a student desire(s) to have this student attend and be enrolled in a school located outside of their school district (boundary) normal attendance district, they shall make a written request to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance, giving their name and relation to said student, their legal domicile, the school in which is in their school district (boundary) the student would normally enroll, the school to which they would like the student to attend transfer and the reasons why the child should be allowed to attend the school in another district like to transfer. A copy of this written request shall be given to the principal of the school in the student's district attendance zone, and to the principal of the school outside of the district which the student would like to attend, and the Supervisor of Transportation. The two (2) principals and the Supervisor of Transportation shall provide any comments they may have concerning said request to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance within two (2) days from receipt of a copy of the request.
If the reasons for the request satisfy one of the above mentioned exceptions and does not adversely impact the educational consideration of the student, the two (2) affected schools, and or the transportation of students, the request shall be granted within two (2) days. Otherwise, the request shall be denied. The reasons for the denial shall be given in writing, within two (2) days, to the person making the transfer request. If the person making the request does not believe the request was justly denied, they may make a written request to the Superintendent to review the denial. This request must shall be made within two (2) days of the receipt of said written reasons for denial.
If requested, the Superintendent shall review the request for transfer and may grant such request, and notify the person making the request, within two (2) days, if in his/her determination, one of the above mentioned exceptions has been satisfied and said transfer can be made without adversely impacting the educational considerations of the student, the two (2) affected schools, and or the transportation of students. Otherwise the request shall be denied. The reasons for the denial shall be given in writing, within two (2) days, to the person making the request. If the person making the request does not believe the request was justly denied by the Superintendent, they may make a written request to have the School Board review the Superintendent's denial within two (2) days of the receipt of said written reason for denial. The Superintendent shall place this matter on the agenda at the next regularly scheduled School Board meeting.
The School Board shall schedule a hearing to review this matter at said meeting and shall advise the person requesting the review of their decision to grant or deny the transfer request in writing within five (5) days from the date the matter was reviewed.
Employees of the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board may enroll their children in the school in which they work.
MAJORITY TO MINORITY STUDENT TRANSFER
The school district shall permit a student attending a school on the East Bank, in which his/her race is in the majority, to choose to attend another school on the East Bank where space is available, and where his/her race is in the minority. The school district shall provide transportation to any such student.
The school district shall permit a student attending a school on the West Bank in which his/her race is in the majority to choose to attend another school on the East Bank where space is available, and where his/her race is in the minority. The school district shall provide transportation to any such student with the understanding that the school district cannot be held responsible should circumstances beyond its control exist which prevent the student from reaching school on time.
TRANSFERS FROM EAST ST. JOHN HIGH SCHOOL TO WEST ST. JOHN HIGH SCHOOL
The School Board shall permit students attending grades 9-12 at East St. John High School to request a transfer to West St. John High School. Applications for transfer shall be submitted by August 1 to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance in the same manner as all other transfer requests as outlined above in this policy. Should any student granted such a transfer wish to transfer back to East St. John High School, he/she shall be required to submit an application for such as required for all transfers.
The School Board reserves the right to limit the number of approved transfers. Should a large number of students request to transfer from East St. John High School to West St. John High School, a lottery process shall be used to randomly select the students who may transfer.
Students permitted to transfer shall provide their own transportation. The School Board shall not be responsible for transporting students transferring from East St. John High School to West St. John High School.
WITHDRAWAL
Students shall be required to attend school in accordance with statutory provisions. Students may be permitted to withdraw from school however, if approved by the Superintendent and Board. Such withdrawal must be in accordance with such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Board.
Revised: August, 1991
Revised: August, 2001
Revised: April, 2009
Revised: December 2, 2010
Revised: March, 2015
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:221, 17:226, 17:227; Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education; Board minutes, 6-17-76, 8-25-88, 7-31-89, 4-9-91, 4-2-09, 12-2-1
ABCD: SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER METHOD OF ELECTION
School Board members shall be elected by qualified voters of St. John the Baptist Parish in accordance with statutory requirements.
All members shall be elected at the time of United States Congressional elections and shall serve for four-year concurrent terms. The term of each member shall begin on January 1, following his/her election and expire on December 31, four (4) years later. Effective January 1, 2014, School Board members shall be limited to three (3) consecutive four-year terms.
Revised: September, 2014
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:52, 17:60.4, 17:71.2, 17.71.3.
BCB: RULES OF PROCEDURE
The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board has adopted the following Rules of Procedure in order to facilitate the conduction of School Board business:
1. TIME, PLACE AND AGENDA OF REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
A. The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board shall hold regular meetings of the Board at 6:00 P.M. on the first and third Thursday of the month, to consider those items contained on the agenda prepared for that meeting, and each meeting shall be conducted in accordance with these Rules of Procedure.
B. Except as otherwise provided in these Rules of Procedure, all meetings of the School Board shall be held at its domicile and offices at 104 West 10th Street, Reserve, Louisiana. Once every six (6) months, however, regular meetings shall be held at a West Bank school site. (Last meeting in January and last meeting in July.) Upon School Board approval a change to the venue of any regular scheduled meeting can be made.
C. A regular meeting of the School Board may be cancelled, or time and place thereof changed, by a motion or duly adopted at a regular or special meeting of the School Board. Notice of such change and notice of the agenda for any regular School Board meeting shall be given by:
1) Posting a copy of the notice, and agenda, on the front door of the School Board office; or by publication of same in the official journal of the School Board no less than twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, before the meeting; and,
2) Electronically mailing a copy of the notice, and agenda, to any member of the news media who requests notice of such meetings; any such member of the news media shall be given notice of all meetings in the same manner as is given to members of the School Board.
3) Providing notice and a copy of the agenda on the School Board’s official website no less than twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, immediately preceding the meeting.
D. At any regular meeting of the School Board, no business may be transacted which does not come within the purpose or purposes set forth in the agenda for the meeting, except upon unanimous approval of the members of the Board present at that meeting. The motion to add an item not on the agenda shall identify the item with reasonable specificity, including the purpose for the proposed addition to the agenda, and shall be entered into the minutes. In keeping with state law and School Board policy, prior to any vote to add an item to the agenda, there shall be an opportunity for public comment on the motion.
2. SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE BOARD
A. Special meetings of the School Board may be called only by the President or by a majority of the entire School Board except that, when the President is out of the parish, ill, or otherwise unavailable, the Vice President of the School Board may call a special meeting of the School Board.
B. No special meeting may be called except upon written notice to the members of the School Board, Superintendent, and public or by a motion adopted at an official School Board meeting. Such written notice must be signed by the President, Vice President, or a majority of the members of the entire School Board, as the case may be. Such written notice must be electronically mailed at least twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, prior to the time of such special meeting. In the event that electronic mail is not available, other options of delivery include: United States mail (postage prepaid) or hand delivery; additionally, the Superintendent shall attempt to contact all School Board Members by telephone. Such written notice shall also be posted on the front door of the School Board office and forwarded to any member of the news media who has requested to be sent copies of such notice.
C. The written notice required herein, or the motion adopted at an official School Board meeting, shall state the date, time and place of such special meeting and shall specify the matters to be considered at such meeting. No matter or item not stated in the agenda for the special meeting shall be considered by the School Board at such meeting except upon unanimous approval of the members of the School Board present at that meeting. The motion to add an item not on the agenda shall identify the item with reasonable specificity, including the purpose for the proposed addition to the agenda, and shall be entered into the minutes. In keeping with state law and School Board policy, prior to any vote to add an item to the agenda, there shall be an opportunity for public comment on the motion.
D. In cases of extraordinary emergency, the time and notice requirements of this Section shall not be required; provided, however, that the person or persons calling such special meeting shall give such notice thereof as they deem appropriate and circumstances permit, including notice to the news media in the same manner as notice is given to School Board members, and provided further that the existence of an extraordinary emergency and waiver of the time and notice requirements must be approved by a favorable vote of a majority of the total School Board at such special meeting.
E. Finance and Curriculum Meeting - The School Board shall hold a special Finance and Curriculum meeting on either the Tuesday or Wednesday, at least one week prior to the last meeting of the month. At these meetings, no official action of the School Board shall take place. The purpose of these meetings shall be:
1) To receive reports and recommendations from the Superintendent for possible School Board action.
2) To allow the Assistant Superintendents and members of their staff to give reports and make recommendations for possible School Board action.
3) To allow citizens of the community to present to the School Board ideas or potential programs that may be of interest to the school community.
F. STUDENT HEARINGS - All review hearings on student expulsions and early readmittances shall be held on the second Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at the School Board meeting room.
G. TENURE HEARINGS - All tenure and other hearings shall be held on the second Thursday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at the School Board meeting room.
H. SCHOOL BOARD RETREATS – School Board retreats shall be held each year on the second weekend in January and the second weekend of June.
3. QUORUM AND VOTE NECESSARY FOR AFFIRMATIVE
A. No meeting of the School Board may be officially convened and conducted unless a quorum (simple majority of the total membership of the School Board) is present.
B. Except as provided in Sections II(C), V(A), (G) and (H), VI(A), (C) (D), VIII, IX(B), X(E), and XII hereof, any motion, resolution or other action of the School Board shall be deemed valid only upon a favorable vote of a majority of the members of the total School Board taken at a properly called regular or special meeting of the School Board which is open to the public in accordance with Sections 11-28 of Title 42 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes, as such statute may be now or hereafter amended.
C. Should a quorum cease to be present after a meeting has been officially convened, the presiding officer shall recess the meeting for such time as is deemed appropriate to attempt to re-establish a quorum and may thereafter declare the meeting adjourned if such presiding officer determines that quorum cannot be obtained within a reasonable time.
4. VOTING PROCEDURE AND REQUIREMENTS
A. Voting shall be by the use of an electronic voting board which will reflect simultaneously a "yes," "no," or "abstain" vote for each and all members present. When the voting board does not correctly reflect the voting intent of a member of the School Board, that member may correct his/her vote by immediately advising the presiding officer of such error prior to announcement of the vote by the presiding officer.
B. When the voting board is not available, the vote may be taken by a show of hands or by roll call of the members present at the discretion of the presiding officer. Each School Board Member must be present in his/her seat in the School Board meeting room in order to have his/her vote counted on the voting board or otherwise; and no School Board Member or other person may cast a vote, in any manner, for another member of the School Board.
C. There shall be no voting by proxy and no voting by secret ballot.
D. In determining whether a particular motion, resolution or action of the School Board has received the requisite number of "yea" votes, an "abstention" shall not be counted and that member shall be considered as not voting. This rule shall apply regardless of whether the required number of favorable votes must be of the total membership of the School Board, of those members present, or, of those members present and voting.
5. SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AGENDA
A. The Superintendent with the approval of the President, shall prepare a written agenda for each regular School Board meeting which shall list the specific items of business for which School Board action is required and, except for "Administrative Matters" as described in Section VIII hereof, no matter may be considered by the School Board which has not been listed on such agenda except after a motion to suspend these rules to consider a specific item has been adopted by unanimous approval of the members of the School Board present at that meeting. The person requesting suspension of the rules must include in such motion the specific matter or item to be considered and the action being requested of the School Board for such motion to suspend the rules to be properly before the School Board for vote. In keeping with state law and School Board policy, prior to any vote to add an item to the agenda, there shall be an opportunity for public comment on the motion.
B. No business, item or matter may be placed upon the agenda for any School Board meeting except at the discretion of a member of the School Board or the Superintendent, and no business matter or item not listed on such agenda may be considered by the School Board or discussed at the meeting without a suspension of the rules as provided hereinabove.
C. The agenda for any particular meeting of the School Board shall be considered as closed as of 2:00 p.m. on the Thursday immediately preceding such School Board meeting and the Superintendent is hereby specifically prohibited from placing any item, with the exception of items under "Administrative Matters," on the agenda after that time regardless of who makes the request. The agenda shall not be changed less than twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, prior to the scheduled time of the meeting.
D. Upon the agenda being closed, the Superintendent shall immediately prepare the written agenda and forward the same by electronic mail to each member of the School Board, the Superintendent, the School Board's General Counsel, and all newspapers and television and radio stations who have submitted a written request for such notification and agenda. The Superintendent shall, at the same time, post a copy of the agenda on the front door of the School Board office building, and on the School Board’s official website, and have copies available for interested citizens. In the event that electronic mail is not available, other options of delivery to School Board members include: United States mail (postage prepaid) or hand delivery.
E. Each item on the agenda shall be listed separately and described with reasonable specificity. Before the School Board may take any action on the agenda item, the presiding officer shall read aloud the description of the item.
F. Any citizen or organization may request consideration by the School Board of an item concerning matters within the jurisdiction of the Board at a particular School Board meeting by submitting such request in writing to the Superintendent, together with a brief explanation of the subject matter and the action requested of the School Board, by 2:00 p.m. on the Thursday immediately preceding the week in which consideration is requested. Within twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, after the written request is received, the Superintendent shall notify the citizen or organization making such request as to whether or not the Superintendent has placed such item on the agenda.
G. The written agenda prepared by the Superintendent shall list the business of the board for a particular meeting in the following order:
AGENDA FOR REGULAR MEETING OF _____________.
1). Call to order, invocation and pledge of allegiance.
2) Student presentation on individual school.
3) Roll call for determination of a quorum present.
4) Approval of minutes.
5) Educational presentations and recognitions by the School Board or staff.
6) Superintendent's Report.
7) Personnel Changes.
8) Unfinished Business. Under unfinished business will be listed items from previous agendas which were not completed and/or which were specifically deferred to this particular meeting. These items shall be listed exactly as they appear on the previous agenda.
9) New Business. Recommendations of the Superintendent and/or School Board Committees. Under the Item "New Business" shall appear those items requested for the agenda by the Superintendent, a member of the School Board, or a School Board Committee prior to the closing of the agenda. The Superintendent's recommendations and reports and recommendations of the School Board Committees shall be listed first, followed by other items that are requested. All agenda items dealing with the following cannot be voted on at the meeting they are introduced: 1) curriculum changes; 2) budget adoptions or revisions - all; 3) student attendance zones; 4) School Board member district lines or changes; 5) teacher allotments; 6) bond issues; 7) tax proposals; and 8) major policy changes in School Board policy -- example, the way the School Board operates. They will be submitted for a vote at the subsequent meeting. All material covering these items will be distributed at or before the meeting they are introduced. Any change in policy must be done by the motion to waive policy and by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the School Board. All agenda items requiring action by the School Board must be stipulated following each item - example, (Requires action by the School Board).
10) Administrative Matters. Matters under this item are limited to those presented by the Superintendent under the authority of and in accordance with Section VIII of these Rules of Procedure.
11) School Board Related Items of Interest
12) Adjournment. Meetings of the School Board may be adjourned on motion of the presiding officer or any member of the School Board and will carry unless objections are raised. In the event objection to the adjournment is raised, a vote shall be taken on the motion to adjourn, without need of a second to the motion, and the meeting shall be adjourned on the vote of majority of the members present and voting.
No matter, item, business or subject which is not specifically listed on the agenda of a particular meeting may be considered or discussed at a School Board meeting except after a motion to suspend the rules to consider such matter has been duly made, seconded and carried by upon unanimous approval of the members of the School Board present at that meeting.
H. Subject to the exceptions listed below, no item, matter, subject or business which has been considered and voted on at a previous School Board meeting, regardless of the nature of the motion voted upon and regardless of the outcome of the vote, may be considered at a subsequent School Board meeting until after the expiration of the sixty (60) days from such vote, unless a motion to suspend the rules to reconsider such item has first been duly made, seconded and carried by the favorable vote of two-thirds of the total membership of the School Board. This prohibition shall not apply where the previous motion was to defer action on the item for a specific period of time or until a specific School Board meeting or where the previous motion was to refer the matter to staff personnel or to a committee of the School Board for further study. This prohibition shall also not apply to consideration of items supplemental to an item previously acted upon, but shall apply only where the purpose of the item is to change previous School Board action.
6. CONDUCT OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
The purpose of School Board meetings is to allow the duly elected representatives of the people to consider and act upon matters of importance to the operation of the school system which are within the jurisdiction and authority of the School Board. It is in the best interests of the citizens of this parish that such meetings be conducted in an orderly and expeditious manner which permits full presentation of information and viewpoints by interested citizens, followed by thorough discussion among the School Board, the Superintendent and designated members of the staff, and concluded with debate and final decision by the School Board on those items of business listed on the agenda. To that end, the following rules shall govern the conduct of all meetings of the School Board and its committees and sub-committees.
A. The President of the School Board, or in his/her absence, the Vice President of the School Board, shall serve as the presiding officer until a temporary chairman for that meeting has been elected by a majority vote of those School Board members present and voting.
B. After the call to order, invocation, pledge of allegiance, student presentation, roll call, and action on the minutes of any previous meeting, the presiding officer shall call, in the order listed on the agenda, first the items under new business, and shall recognize first the Superintendent or the School Board member who caused such item to be placed on the agenda. The Superintendent or School Board member shall then explain the item, and make or recommend, as the case may be, such motion as he/she shall desire.
After such motion receives a second, the presiding officer shall open the floor for community input not to exceed five (5) minutes for any one individual or group or organization. The presiding officer shall, with the approval of the School Board, set a time limitation on an agenda item. At the conclusion of public input, the presiding officer shall recognize any members of the School Board, the Superintendent and members of the staff designated by the Superintendent, who wish to be heard on that item, in the order the presiding officer deems advisable. Each School Board member shall be allowed ten (10) minutes to express his/her initial views on any agenda item, motion, substitute motion, or amendment related to each agenda item and five (5) minutes for further comment. No member of the School Board or staff shall speak without first being recognized by the presiding officer.
Items of business not on the agenda may not be suggested from the floor for discussion except by unanimous approval of the members present at a meeting. The motion to add an item not on the agenda shall identify the item with reasonable specificity, including the purpose for the proposed addition to the agenda, and shall be entered into the minutes. In keeping with state law and School Board policy, prior to any vote to add an item to the agenda, there shall be an opportunity for public comment on the motion.
C. After discussion by the member of the School Board and the Superintendent has been completed, the presiding officer shall call for the vote upon the pending motion or any amendments or substitute motions which may have been made. During School Board discussion of any agenda item, any School Board member, at any time, may move the question on any pending motion, substitute motion, amending motion, etc. and thus conclude further discussion of same, provided there is an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting on the motion for the previous question.
D. The presiding officer of any meeting shall conduct such meeting in accordance with the Rules of Procedure and shall have authority to make rulings or interpretation of these Rules of Procedure and any other matter or question which may arise with regard to conducting the meeting, including recognition of speakers, whether a speaker is out of order, etc. The decision of the presiding officer shall be final, unless appealed by a School Board member to the entire School Board as set forth hereinbelow.
Any member of the School Board who disagrees with a decision by the presiding officer may appeal such decision to the total School Board. Such appeal may be taken by a statement to that effect and no second is required. The presiding officer shall immediately call for a vote on the question of whether or not the ruling of the presiding officer shall be sustained. Upon a favorable vote of a majority of those School Board members present and voting, including the presiding officer, the rules of the presiding officer shall have been sustained.
E. In the conduct of meetings of the School Board any question not covered by these Rules of Procedure shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, Revised.
7. ORDER AND DECORUM AT SCHOOL BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
It is in the public interest, and the public demands, that meetings of the School Board or its committees, in handling the public's business, be conducted in an orderly and dignified manner. To this end, the following rules are established for the conduct of all persons, including School Board members and staff members, attending a meeting of the School Board or its committees:
A. No signs, posters, placards, etc. shall be affixed to the walls, doors, etc. of the School Board office building or any room therein, except by the School Board staff in connection with School Board business and then only with permission of the Superintendent. No sign, placard, or poster which is carried by hand shall be permitted in the School Board office building or any of its rooms.
B. All persons attending meetings of the School Board or of its committees must be recognized by the presiding officer before speaking. In return, the presiding officer and other School Board members shall courteously receive the comments made by such persons.
C. Any person who fails or refuses to obey the rulings and directions of the presiding officer, or otherwise disrupts the meeting in any manner, shall be requested by the presiding officer to leave the meeting room for the remainder of the meeting. If any person refuses to follow the directions of the presiding officer, the presiding officer shall cause such person to be removed from the meeting as may be authorized by applicable laws of the State of Louisiana.
8. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
Administrative matters shall be limited to matters of administration which the Superintendent believes should be brought to the attention of the School Board and/or matters which have come to his attention after the agenda for that meeting was officially closed and which he believes need immediate action by the School Board. Any items under "Administrative Matters" which require School Board action may be considered only after suspension of the rules by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the total membership of the School Board.
9. OPEN MEETINGS AND EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
A. All meetings of the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board, all committees of the School Board, and/or any other body created or established by the School Board shall be open to the public and shall be held in accordance with the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§42:11 - 42:28 of the Louisiana Open Meetings Law, and these Rules of Procedure.
B. The School Board, its committees and other bodies created or established by it may go into Executive Session by a vote of two-thirds of the members present for the purposes permitted by, and in accordance with, the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§42:11-42:28 of the Louisiana Open Meetings Law. The School Board may go into Executive Session at any time and regardless of whether the matter to be discussed in Executive Session is listed on the agenda. No person, other than a General Counsel, shall be admitted to an Executive Session of the School Board without permission of the School Board President.
10. COMMITTEES OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
A. All committees of the School Board, whether standing committees, and all other bodies created or established by the School Board preferably should hold their meetings during the afternoons of the weeks that the School Board is not having a regular meeting. The time and place of such committee meetings may be changed after due notice and in accordance with these Rules of Procedure.
B. If a committee goes into executive session in accordance with these Rules of Procedure, no person other than a School Board member, the Superintendent, and the General Counsel shall be admitted to such executive session without permission of the committee chairman.
C. The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board is accountable to the community and values and promotes open communications with the residents of the school community. The School Board’s work is to facilitate comprehensive discussions of school district matters.
School Board Standing Committees
School Board appointments to the School Board Standing Committees shall be made by the School Board President at the direction of the School Board.
Standing committees shall be guided by the following Rules and Procedures:
1) All committees of the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board, whether standing committees and all other bodies created by the Board, shall hold their meetings at the domicile and office of the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board at 118 West 10th Street, Reserve, Louisiana. The time and place of such committee meetings may be changed after due notice.
2) Committee meetings shall be announced in the same manner as regular or special meetings and should be governed by provisions of the Open Meetings Law.
3) Within the Louisiana Public Records Act, committees may have access to school personnel and District information. However, all access to personnel and information shall be coordinated with the Superintendent.
4) Committees shall report to the School Board on a regular basis. Each report shall be in written form with a copy for each School Board member and the Superintendent. A copy of the minutes of each meeting should be forwarded to the Superintendent’s office for filing.
5) In order to encourage free and open exchange of thoughts and ideas, committee meetings shall be conducted as informally as possible. Committees are subject to the following:
a. The chairperson of each committee shall begin the committee meetings by calling on the person who placed an item on the agenda and asking him/her to explain the item and the action or recommendation sought from the committee.
b. Following a motion and second to that effect, the members of the committee shall discuss the motion and any substitute or amending motions made in connection with that item.
c. Following such committee discussion, and immediately prior to any vote on that item, the committee chairperson shall inquire of the audience if there are person(s) who wish to be heard on that agenda item and/or any motions under consideration by the committee.
d. Chairperson may limit discussion of an item on the basis of time.
e. Each person appearing before a committee shall be required to first identify themselves and the group or organization that he/she represents, if any.
f. After all such persons have presented their comments to the committee; the committee chairperson shall ask if there are any committee members who would like to make additional comments.
g. If amendments or substitute motions are proposed by members of the committee, the chairperson shall again provide opportunity for public input as to such amendments or substitute motions.
h. At the conclusion of all comments by the audience and committee members, a voice vote of the members present should be made on the motion (s) before the committee.
i. A simple majority of the membership present at the meeting is needed for a motion to pass or fail.
j. For those items stipulated as requiring two-thirds majority, the concurrence of members present is required.
k. Any motion for action must be initiated by a committee member and subsequently seconded by a committee member.
6) The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board Finance/Auxiliary, Personnel, and Communication/Pupil Services Standing Committees shall be composed of seven (7) members. A quorum is required for committees to take action and is composed of four (4) members.
7) Standing committees include the following membership:
a. Two appointed School Board members;
b. School Board President or School Board designee;
c. School Superintendent’s designee; and
d Two employees; and
e. One parent or community member.
8) School Board Appointments
a. The term of office for each School Board standing committee is two (2) years. The term begins in January of even numbered years.
b. School Board member chairs each committee meeting and he/she will be selected by the majority vote of the committee membership.
9) School Board Agenda Items
a. An agenda must be established for each meeting of each committee and public notice thereof. The agenda for each committee meeting shall be closed at noon on the last Friday prior to the week in which the committee is meeting and only School Board members, committee members, the Superintendent or his/her designee may place an item on the agenda for any committee meeting of the proposed agenda item and the action on that item which is being sought.
b. No item or matter which is not on the official agenda of a committee for a particular meeting of that committee may be discussed or considered at such meeting except after unanimous approval of the membership present and voting to suspend the rules to consider such items.
c. The Superintendent, or his/her designee assigned to a particular committee, shall be responsible for seeing that any committee recommendation requiring action by the School Board is placed on the agenda for the next School Board meeting with a brief explanation of the subject matter of the item.
d. No item considered by a committee shall be placed on the agenda for a School Board meeting unless the committee is requesting action by the School Board on such item or the committee specifically votes to place such item on the School Board agenda for School Board discussion. However, this provision shall not be construed in such a manner as to limit the right of an individual School Board member, or the School Superintendent, to place an item on the School Board agenda that he/she so desires.
10) School Board Standing Committee Elections
a. To qualify for service on the Finance/Auxiliary, Personnel or Communication/Pupil Services Committees, an employee in the appropriate category (teacher or support personnel) must:
i. Have three (3) years successful work experience in the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board System
ii. Be currently employed full-time by the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board
iii. Sign an official nominating ballot indicating his/her understanding of the responsibilities if elected to represent his/her peers
iv. Agree to serve on the committee to which he/she will be assigned
11) Teacher category (regular and special education): classroom teacher, guidance counselor, speech therapist, disciplinarian, curriculum coordinator, pupil appraisal
12) Support personnel category: maintenance workers, bus drivers, bus aides, secretaries, food service personnel, custodians, warehouse workers, teacher aides
13) Parents or community members wishing to serve on a committee must:
a. Be a voting resident of St. John the Baptist Parish
b. Cannot be an employee of the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board
c. Sign an official nominating ballot indicating his/her understanding of the responsibilities if elected to represent his/her peers
d. Agree to serve on the committee to which he/she will be assigned
14) School administrators are not eligible to serve on any standing committees
15) Standing Committee Election Process
a. Each principal and site base administrator must distribute nomination ballots to all parents
b. Each principal/site administrator must select a building representative to distribute to all employees and collect ballots.
c. Each employee must sign a written documentation that he/she was issued a nomination ballot for each committee. This document must be returned with the nomination ballots.
d. Principals and site base administrators are to forward nomination ballots to the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board Personnel Department.
e. Ballots are to be distributed the first Wednesday of December and must be returned by the third Wednesday of December. No nomination ballots will be accepted after 4:00 p.m.
f. An official ballot will be compiled and distributed to employees by the second week of January.
g. Ballots will be color coded and distributed to individuals in each category (teachers-blue; support personnel-yellow; parent-community-white) and returned to the Personnel Department.
16) School Board Committee Replacements
a. Attendance at School Board committee meetings is essential
b. If a committee member misses over fifty percent (50%) of the meetings over a six-month period, or misses three (3) meetings in a row without a valid excuse, that committee member forfeits his/her seat on that standing committee and will be replaced
c. Replacement will come from the list of candidates who qualified for the election ballot
17) The respective School Board standing committees shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
FINANCE/AUXILLIARY COMMITTEE (7 MEMBERS)
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü Review and report on accounting and purchasing procedures;
ü Recommend the annual budget schedule;
ü Represent the School Board during the various budget preparation states;
ü Represent the School Board in public meetings where public matters are discussed;
ü Monitor the cafeteria and transportation programs;
ü Develop and recommend a maintenance and replacement schedule for buildings and grounds;
ü Conduct periodic inspection of school facilities and report to the School Board; and
ü Recommend studies and provide School Board liaison to administration on matters pertaining to transportation, security, space, and community use of facilities.
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE (7 MEMBERS)
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü This committee deals with all matters related to personnel such as:
§ Assisting in the establishment of new positions and aid in the development of job descriptions
§ Assisting in the development of personnel policies
§ Reviewing of policies, procedures, or action affecting personnel
§ Reviewing of implementation of federal and state mandates regarding personnel
§ Reviewing of budgetary (salary) recommendations
COMMUNICATION/PUPIL SERVICES COMMITTEE
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü Conduct or coordinate curriculum studies undertaken by the School Board
ü Report to the School Board on the status of the curriculum and suggest areas in need of study
ü Periodically study and report on student progress and on standardized test results
ü Study and recommend textbook usage
ü Evaluate curriculum in view of school population trends
ü Recommend budget changes in view of curriculum developments
ü Assume responsibilities for extra-curricular and co-curricular activities
ü Encourage the formation and growth of community groups concerned with the District and provide the School Board liaison with these groups
ü Advise on behalf of the School Board the public relations policy adopted by the School Board
ü Advise School Board liaison on matters pertaining to public relations
ü Advise and recommend School Board action on public relations program of the administration including the continuing education program
STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü Develop a consensus-based vision of what the school district can be
ü Create working environment that equips and sustains progress toward the vision
ü Articulate common values to guide decision-making and problem solving
ü Demonstrate leadership that supports shared responsibility, decision-making, and problem solving
ü Establish motivational conditions that ensure growth in community, system, school and interpersonal capacities
Membership: As per contract with Louisiana Alliance for Education Reform
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (3 MEMBERS)
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü Review and develop the Superintendent’s contract
ü Assist in the annual Superintendent’s evaluation
ü Review the School Board’s policy manual of operation and make recommendations on policies to the full School Board for approval
Membership: School Board President, Vice-President, and School Board President’s appointment
LANDS AND FACILITIES COMMITTEE (5 MEMBERS)
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü Develop and recommend a maintenance and replacement schedule for building, grounds, and major mechanical systems;
ü Review periodic inspection reports of school facilities and report to the School Board;
ü Recommend studies and serve as the liaison to administration on matters pertaining to facilities, security, space and community use of facilities;
ü Monitor all matters involving procurement, public bid, construction projects, awarding of contracts, awarding of leases and right of ways, 16th Section Land issues;
ü Receive project status reports from the School Board’s engineers and architects on all public works projects.
Membership: The Land and Facilities committee shall be composed of five (5) members of the School Board, approved from recommendations of the President. This committee shall have a chairperson from its membership, who shall be elected by the members of the committee. The term of appointment shall be for a period of two (2) years or the remaining term of the member, whichever is shorter. Nothing herein shall prevent membership on a committee for consecutive terms.
18) School Board SJAE Contract Committees
INSURANCE COMMITTEE
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü Provide input into the selection process for determining the providers for the employee’s medical, prescription drugs, life insurance, vision, and dental insurance plans
ü Review quotes for medical plans for school employees
ü Receive and analyze school insurance reports
Membership: Five (5) members appointed by the St. John Association of Educators and five (5) members appointed by the School Board.
CALENDAR COMMITTEE
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü Shall meet no later than March 1 of each school year for the purpose of constructing a school calendar applicable to the following school year
ü The tentative calendar should be submitted to all employees for comments and the final draft of the school calendar should be submitted to the school board for adoption
Membership: Fifty percent (50%) of the membership should be appointed by the St. John Association of Educators and the remainder should be designated by the Superintendent.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü Review programs now in progress
ü Identify problems relating to curriculum development
ü Stimulate studies and research
ü Assist in finding consultant help when needed
ü Make recommendations based upon the results of study and research
ü Make recommendations based upon the results of study and research
ü Make recommendations on the adoption of textbooks, library books, and other instructional materials
Membership: Three (3) teachers appointed by the St. John Association of Educators; two (2) administrators appointed by the School Board; one (1) parent/community member; and one (1) School Board member.
19) State Mandated Committee
DISCIPLINE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE
Duties and Responsibilities:
ü Review all School Board discipline policies and make recommendations to the School Board for appropriate revisions to such policies
ü Review and recommend changes of student dress code
Membership: 16 members as follows:
ü Five (5) classroom teachers to be elected by their peers with at least one teacher each representing elementary, middle or junior high, and high school
ü One (1) special education teacher to be elected by their peers
ü Two (2) guidance counselors to be elected by their peers
ü Two (2) principals to be elected by their peers, one representing an elementary school and one representing a high school
ü One (1) school bus operator to be elected by their peers
ü One (1) child welfare and attendance supervisor
ü One (1) School Board member to be elected by their peers
ü The local Superintendent or his/her designee
ü Two (2) parents to be appointed by a method as provided by rules and regulations adopted by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
11. OFFICERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD: ELECTION THEREOF
A. Pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:54, the School Board, at its first meeting in January of odd numbered years, shall elect a President and a Vice President from its membership for a term of two years, or expiration of his/her term in office, whichever is shorter. The term of office of such officers shall terminate upon the election of their respective successors. The officers may be removed during their term of office by a majority vote of the total School Board.
B. The elections of these officers shall be conducted in the following manner:
1. The office of President of the School Board shall be filled first from nominations by other School Board members, which nominations do not require a second.
2. If more than one person is nominated for the office of President, a vote shall be taken after nominations are closed. All School Board members, including the nominees, may vote but may vote for only one nominee.
3. If a nominee receives the votes of a majority of the members of the total School Board on the first ballot, that nominee shall be declared elected.
4. If no nominee receives a majority of the votes of the total School Board on the first ballot, a second vote shall be taken between the two nominees receiving the most votes. If there is a tie vote between more than two candidates for the highest number of votes, or between two or more candidates for the second highest number of votes, all such candidates shall be included in the run-off election.
5. In the run-off election, the nominee receiving the greatest number of votes shall be declared elected, provided, however, that such nominee must have received the vote of a majority of the total School Board.
6. In the event of a tie vote, or in the event of no nominee receiving the favorable vote of a majority of the total School Board, voting shall continue until a nominee receives the vote of the majority of the total School Board.
C. After the office of President has been filled, the office of Vice President shall be filled in the same manner as set forth above.
12. REPEAL OR SUSPENSION OF RULES OF PROCEDURE
These Rules of Procedure may not be repealed or amended except by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the School Board.
13. SEVERABILITY
If any provision, item, section, paragraph, clause or phrase of this act, or the application thereof, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision, item, section, paragraph, clause, phrase or application of these Rules of Procedure which can be given effect without the invalid provisions, items, section, paragraphs, clauses, phrases or applications, and to this end the provisions of these Rules of Procedure are hereby declared to be severable.
Revised: September, 1985 Revised: March 21, 2013
Revised: February, 1989 Revised: September 4, 2014
Revised: June, 1989 Revised: October, 2014
Revised: June, 1991 Revised: November, 2014
Revised: January, 1992
Revised: March, 1995
Revised: April, 1995
Revised: July, 1998
Revised: June, 2004
Revised: September, 2007
Revised: November 6, 2008
Revised: March, 2009
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:81, 42:11, 42:12, 42:13, 42:14, 42:15, 42:16, 42:17, 42:18, 42:19, 42:20, 42:21, 42:22, 42:23, 42:24, 42:25, 42:26, 42:27, 42:28; Jackson v. Assumption Parish School Board, App. 1 Cir. 1995, 652 So2d 549, 1994-0901 (La. App. 1 Circ. 3/3/95) ; Board minutes, 11-8-84, 8-8-85, 2-1-89, 2-28-91, 10-17-91, 12-18-94; 2-16-95, 5-7-98, 3-18-04, 8-16-07, 11-6-08, 12-4-08, 3-21-13, 9-4-14, 9-18-14.
BCBH: MINUTES OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board shall require written minutes of all of its open meetings be kept. Such minutes shall include:
1. The date, time, and place of the meeting.
2. The names of members of the public body recorded as either present or absent.
3. The substance of all matters deliberated, and, at the request of any member, a record, by individual member, of any votes taken.
4. Any other information that any School Board member requests be included or reflected in the minutes.
The Superintendent shall be responsible for keeping all minutes of the School Board in a book provided for that purpose and, within twenty (20) days after the meeting, present them to be published one (1) time in the official journal of the School Board. The minutes shall be mailed to each member as soon as reasonably possible following the meeting. The acts of the School Board shall be attested to by the signatures of the President and Secretary to the School Board and shall be filed and maintained in its administrative offices as public records and shall not be moved therefrom.
The School Board shall post on its website a copy of the School Board minutes made available for publication and shall maintain a copy of those minutes on its website for at least three (3) months after the posting. The School Board shall post the minutes on its website within ten (10) days after publication in the official journal.
All minutes of the School Board shall be public records and shall be made available within a reasonable time after the meeting, except where such disclosures would be inconsistent with statutory provisions. In addition, transcribed minutes of meetings shall reflect total transactions of School Board considerations and when approved shall bear the signature of the Secretary and President.
OFFICIAL JOURNAL
The School Board shall select through public advertisement and bid, a newspaper as the official journal of the School Board to publish all official minutes of School Board meetings, as well as all other legal advertising. The official journal shall meet all qualifications as outlined in state law and any others the School Board may prescribe.
New policy: December 2, 2010 Revised: September, 2014
Revised: September 22, 2011
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 42:12, 42:13, 42:20, 43:141, 43:144, 43:145; Board minutes, 12-2-10, 9-22-11.
BCBK: EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board shall be authorized to hold meetings that are closed to the public upon formal motion made, seconded, and carried by two-thirds (2/3) of its members present at an open meeting for which proper notice has been given. The reason for holding a meeting closed to the public and the vote of each member on the question shall be stated in open meeting.
Executive sessions shall be limited to matters allowed to be exempted from discussion at open meetings, however, no final or binding action shall be taken during such a closed meeting and the meeting shall not be used as subterfuge to defeat the purposes outlined in the statutes.
Executive sessions shall be attended only by members of the School Board, the Superintendent, and any other persons designated by the School Board. All matters discussed in any closed meeting shall be regarded as confidential by all persons in attendance and shall not be divulged to the public.
Executive sessions may be held for the following reasons:
1. Discussion of the character, the professional competence, physical or mental health of a person, provided that such person is notified in writing at least twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, before the scheduled time contained in the notice of the meeting at which such executive session is to take place, and that such person may require that such discussion be held at an open meeting. However, an executive session shall not be used for discussion of the appointment of a person to the School Board or, except as provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §39:1593(C)(2)(c), for discussing the award of a public contract. In cases of extraordinary emergency, written notice to such person shall not be required; however, the School Board shall give such notice as it deems appropriate and circumstances permit.
2. Strategy sessions or negotiations with respect to collective bargaining or litigation, when an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the School Board. Attached to the written public notice of the meeting shall be whether or not such matters will be discussed in an executive session. The notice shall indicate the following:
A statement identifying the court, case number, and the parties relative to any pending litigation to be considered at the meeting.
A statement identifying the parties involved and reasonably identifying the subject matter of any prospective litigation for which formal written demand has been made that is to be considered at the meeting.
In cases of extraordinary emergency, such notice shall not be required; however, the School Board shall give such notice of the meeting as it deems appropriate and circumstances permit.
3. Discussion regarding the report, development, or course of action regarding security personnel, plans or devices;
4. Investigative proceedings regarding allegations of misconduct;
5. Cases of extraordinary emergency, which shall be limited to natural disaster, threat of epidemic, civil disturbances, suppression of insurrections, or the repelling of invasions, or other matters of similar magnitude; and/or
6. Any other matters now provided for or as may be provided for by the Legislature.
Louisiana statutes do not prohibit the removal of any person or persons who willfully disrupt a meeting to the extent that orderly conduct of the meeting is seriously compromised.
Revised: August, 1989
Revised: September 22, 2011
Revised: September, 2014
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 42:12, 42:13, 42:14, 42:16, 42:17, 42:19, 42:24, 42:25, 42:28; Board minutes, 9-22-11.
GBRHA: SABBATICAL LEAVE
The Superintendent may grant sabbatical leave for the purpose of professional or cultural improvement or for medical leave to all teaching personnel in accordance with statutory provisions. Teaching personnel shall include any person employed by the Board who holds a valid teaching certificate issued by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and any social worker, guidance counselor, school nurse, audiologist, educational diagnostician, speech-language pathologist, or school psychologist employed by the Board who holds the appropriate valid professional ancillary certificate issued by the Louisiana Department of Education.
ELIGIBILITY (moved from below)
Sabbatical leave may be granted on the ratio of two (2) semesters for twelve (12) or more consecutive semesters of active service within the employ of the Board or one (1) semester for six (6) or more consecutive semesters of such service.
At no time may more than five percent (5%) of the total number of teachers employed in a school system be on leave. Selection of employees among those who qualify for sabbatical leave must be based on years of continuous service and other criteria as specified by statute.
MEDICAL SABBATICAL LEAVE
A teacher may make application for medical sabbatical leave, which shall be accompanied by a statement from a licensed physician certifying that the leave is medically necessary.
If the Superintendent, upon review of the application, questions the validity or accuracy of the certification, the Superintendent may require the applicant, as a condition for continued consideration of the application, to be examined by a licensed physician selected by the Superintendent. In such a case, the Board shall pay all costs of the examination and any tests determined to be necessary. If the physician finds a medical necessity, the leave application shall be granted.
If the physician disagrees with the certification of the physician selected by the applicant, then the Superintendent may require the applicant, as a condition for continued consideration of the application, to be examined by a third licensed appropriate physician whose name appears next in the rotation of physicians on a list established by the local medical society for such purpose and maintained by the School Board. All costs of an examination and any required tests by a third physician shall be paid by the Board. The opinion of the third physician shall decide the issue.
The opinion of all physicians consulted shall be submitted in the form of a sworn statement. All information contained in any statement from a physician shall be confidential and shall not be subject to the public records law.
SABBATICAL LEAVE FOR PROFESSIONAL OR CULTURAL IMPROVEMENT
Every person on sabbatical leave for the purpose of professional or cultural improvement, shall during each semester of leave, pursue a program of study, earning at least nine (9) undergraduate credit hours, provided such hours directly improve the person's skills and knowledge as a teacher, or six (6) graduate credit hours, or be certified as a full‑time student at an institution of higher learning accredited by the respective State Board of Education or territorial board in which such institution is located. If less than fifteen (15) weeks is spent as specified above, the number of weeks less than fifteen (15) shall be spent in either of the two (2) alternatives specified below:
1. Pursue a program of independent study, research, authorship or investigation which involves an approximately equivalent amount of work and which is approved by the Board.
2. Engage in travel which is so planned as to be of definite educational value and which has been approved by the Board.
Final authority for granting such leave shall rest with Superintendent.
PROCEDURE FOR APPLICATION
1. Application for sabbatical leave shall be made on a form provided by the Superintendent. Applications shall be sent to the Superintendent by registered mail at least sixty (60) days preceding the beginning of the semester of the scholastic year for which leave is requested, except that when a teacher or other professional employee has become sick during a semester and requests medical sabbatical leave, it shall be sufficient if the application is mailed thirty (30) days prior to the date upon which the requested leave is to commence.
The Superintendent shall inform the teacher of the approval or denial of sabbatical leave at least thirty (30) days preceding the beginning of the semester of the school year for which the leave is requested, except that, where a teacher has become sick during a semester and has requested medical sabbatical leave, the Superintendent shall inform the teacher of approval or denial of such leave as soon as possible after receipt of his/her request for leave.
2. Whenever, in accordance with statutory provisions, some of the applications cannot be granted, from among those which would otherwise be granted, those to be granted shall be determined in the following manner:
A. Preference in every case shall be given to the applicant who has rendered active service in the school system for the greatest number of consecutive semesters immediately preceding the period for which leave is requested.
B. Where any two (2) applicants rank equally in point of continuous service, preference in every case shall be given to the applicant who has rendered service in the school system for the greater total number of semesters.
C. Where any two (2) applicants rank equally in both point of continuous service and in point of total service, preference in every case shall be given to the applicant whose date of birth is earlier.
D. In cases where all factors are equal, the tie shall be broken by the drawing of lots in the presence of the employees.
3. Applicants whose applications are filed in the first thirty (30) days of the semester shall be given a preference over those who seek medical sabbatical leave under the special provision relating to sickness during a school semester.
4. Every application for sabbatical leave shall specify all of the following:
A. The period for which leave is requested;
B. Whether leave is requested for the purpose of professional or cultural improvement, or for the purpose of medical leave;
C. The precise manner, in so far as possible, in which such leave, if granted, shall be spent;
D. The semesters spent in active service in the school system from which leave is requested; and
E. The date of birth of the applicant.
The application shall contain a statement, over the signature of the applicant, that he/she shall agree to comply with all sabbatical leave provisions.
COMPENSATION
A teacher granted sabbatical leave shall be paid compensation at the rate of sixty-five percent (65%) of the person's salary at the time the sabbatical leave begins. A teacher on sabbatical leave with pay must continue his/her retirement contribution. Time spent on such leave is considered as active service for retirement purposes.
CONDITIONS OF SABBATICAL
1. Each person granted sabbatical leave, as a condition of the sabbatical leave, shall be prohibited from being employed during the sabbatical leave by any public or private elementary or secondary school in Louisiana or any other state.
2. Every person on medical sabbatical leave shall be prohibited from undertaking any gainful employment during such leave unless all of the following conditions are met:
A. The teacher can demonstrate that he/she will be working not more than twenty (20) hours a week in a part-time job that he/she has been working for not less than one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the beginning of such leave.
B. The doctor certifying the medical necessity of the leave indicates that such part-time work does not impair the purpose for which the leave is granted.
C. The Superintendent authorizes such part-time work.
Violation of the part-time work provisions shall result in the medical sabbatical leave being rescinded.
3. Each person granted sabbatical leave shall sign an agreement or contract as specified with the Board stipulating that, as a condition of sabbatical leave and in order to be eligible for compensation during such leave, he or she will return to service for one (1) semester for each semester of leave upon completion of the sabbatical leave. Said service shall ordinarily be performed in this School District.
No person who, upon the expiration of his/her sabbatical leave, immediately begins employment with a state-operated educational agency, city, parish, or other local school board, department, school, college or university instead of returning to the school system which granted him/her such leave, shall be required to forfeit that portion of compensation paid to him/her by the State while he/she was on such leave. However, such person shall be required to reimburse the school system any salary paid to him/her by the Board while he/she was on leave, unless the Superintendent opts to exercise the waiver provision as explained under Waiver of Intention to Return to Service Clause below.
As per statutory requirement, any employee taking sabbatical leave who fails to return to service in this School District upon expiration of the leave as specified above for any reason other than incapacitating illness as certified by two (2) physicians, shall forfeit all salary compensation received during the leave period.
The Superintendent shall have the authority to waive this requirement in accordance with its pre-published criteria, as noted under Waiver of Intention to Return to Service Clause below, if he/she deems such to be in the best interest of the School District, provided that such a waiver shall not be of a discriminatory nature against any employee or applicant because of his or her job description, age, race, or sex.
4. An employee on professional sabbatical leave shall observe the above stipulations concerning graduate or undergraduate credit hours to be earned and/or alternatives such as productive research or travel. The Superintendent shall have the authority to require written reports of work done and work to be done at any time during the period of leave. In addition, written reports are required within thirty (30) days after the beginning of each semester of leave and within thirty (30) days after the end of leave.
5. Any employee who fails to comply with statutory provisions may have his/her leave terminated by the Superintendent at any time.
6. Every person on sabbatical leave shall notify the Superintendent of his/her intention to return to work not less than thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the semester in which he/she expects to return.
An employee who has been granted sabbatical leave shall, upon expiration of the leave, be returned to the same position in the same school held at the time of said sabbatical leave was granted unless otherwise agreed to by the individual.
GUIDELINES FOR WAIVING INTENTION TO RETURN TO SERVICE CLAUSE
The return to service provision, as stated in Conditions of Sabbatical, Item 3 above, may be waived by the Superintendent, after careful review and consideration in any of the following instances:
1. Any person whose spouse is transferred out of the parish (job requirement not anticipated before leave) during the time the teacher is on leave or within one (1) year immediately following the termination of such leave (certification must be provided by spouse's employer).
2. Any person who receives a position to the State Department of Education, to another public school system within the State of Louisiana, or to a state-operated educational agency. In such instances, the person granted sabbatical leave, upon the expiration of leave, shall be permitted to retain that portion of compensation paid by the state while he/she was on leave. However, such person shall be required to reimburse the Board any compensation paid by the Board while on leave.
3. Incapacitating illness, as certified by two (2) physicians.
4. Incapacitating illness of member of immediate family (mother, father, sister, brother, husband, wife, child), as certified by two (2) physicians, wherein employee must remain at home to care for said family member, within one year immediately following termination of the sabbatical.
5. Whenever, in the Superintendent’s opinion, such a waiver would be in the best interest of the School District.
Revised: August, 1999
Revised: August, 2003
Revised: September, 2004
Approved: October 15, 2009
Revised: October 18, 2012
Revised: September, 2014
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''11:755, 14:125, 17:1170, 17:1171, 17:1172, 17:1173, 17:1174, 17:1175, 17:1176, 17:1177, 17:1178, 17:1179, 17:1180, 17:1181, 17:1182, 17:1183, 17:1184, 17:1185, 17:1187; Board minutes, 10-15-09, 10-18-12.
DE: DEBT LIMITATION
The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board may, as authorized by the Constitution and laws of the State, borrow money, incur debt, issue bonds, levy taxes, or pledge uncollected taxes or revenues, with the approval of the electorate and the consent of the State Bond Commission. Before incurring any form of debt whatsoever, the School Board is required by law to obtain the consent and approval of the State Bond Commission. The School Board may incur debt and issue bonds for the purposes of acquiring and/or improving lands, purchasing, erecting and/or improving school buildings, and/or for other purposes allowed by state law which, including the existing bonded debt of the School Board for all bonded purposes, may not exceed fifty per centum (50%) of the assessed valuation of all taxable property in the school district as ascertained by the last assessment for the district.
Notification to the State Bond Commission shall be required by the School Board whenever the transfer of funds authorizing indebtedness or payment on outstanding indebtedness has not been made in a timely manner.
RECORDKEEPING
The School Board shall continuously maintain:
1. A list of all Louisiana municipal securities for which the School Board is the issuer or is obligated to repay;
2. A copy of all continuing disclosure agreements relating to the securities to which the School Board is a party;
3. If, pursuant to a continuing disclosure agreement in which the School Board is a party, the School Board shall be responsible for filing notices of charges in bond ratings, a list of current ratings for such securities, if any.
All records required to be kept by the School Board under state law shall be subject to inspection by the legislative auditor and/or the School Board’s auditor.
Municipal securities shall mean bonds, notes, certificates, or other written obligations for the repayment of borrowed money, including obligations to refund any security, which are issued by the School Board.
Revised: December, 1990 Revised: November, 2014
Revised: April, 2009
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:89, 17:1371, 18:1281, 18:1282, 18:1283, 18:1284, 18:1293, 39:471, 39:554, 39:562, 39:821, 39:1410.60, 39:1421, 39:1438; Board minutes, 4-2-09.
DFD: TAX AND BOND ELECTIONS AND SALES
TAX AND BOND ELECTIONS
The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board shall call elections for the public to vote on tax or bond revenue issues. Every bond, tax, or other election at which a proposition or question is to be submitted to the voters shall be held only on one of the dates set forth by state law or, upon proper application to and approval of the State Bond Commission and the Governor, on a date not otherwise provided by statute. The proposition placed on the ballot submitted to the voters in any bond election shall state the kinds and sources of revenues which shall be pledged to retire the bonds, should the proposition be successful.
Public notice of the date, time, and place of any meeting at which the School Board intends to levy, increase, or renew, or continue any ad valorem property tax or sales and use tax or authorize the calling of an election for submittal of such question to the voters shall be both published in the official journal of the School Board no more than sixty (60) days nor less than thirty (30) days before such public meeting and shall be announced to the public during the course of a public meeting no more than sixty (60) days nor less than thirty (30) days before such public meeting; and notice of such meeting shall be written and hand delivered or transmitted by email to each voting member of any governing authority of a political subdivision that is required to approve such a measure previously adopted by another governing authority and to each state senator and representative in whose district all or a portion of the political subdivision is located, no more than sixty (60) days nor less than thirty (30) days before such public meeting. Email delivery shall be made to the official email address of such voting members or legislators and to any other address provided in writing to the School Board by such a voting member or legislator.
If such a meeting is postponed or cancelled, notice of any subsequent meeting to consider taking action regarding property or sales taxes shall be published in the School Board’s official journal no less than ten (10) days before the subsequent meeting.
If consideration of or action upon the tax proposal is postponed, or if no action was taken regarding the tax proposal, then notice of any subsequent meeting to consider the tax proposal shall be published no less than ten (10) days before the subsequent meeting, unless the date, time, and place of the subsequent meeting was announced to the public during the meeting.
If, at a meeting held in accordance with above provisions, the School Board adopts such a measure, the provisions shall not apply to a subsequent meeting if the only action taken at the subsequent meeting is one which results in a change to the previously adopted measure that reduces the rate or term of the tax in the measure and thereby reduces the total amount of tax that would be collected under the measure, or substantially reduces the cost to the School Board of any bond or debt obligation to be incurred by the School Board.
On the date and at the hour and place specified in the notice of election, the School Board, in public session, shall examine and canvass the returns and declare the result of the elections. The result shall be promulgated by one publication in the official journal of the School Board and filed with the Secretary of State and the Clerk of Court.
SALE OF BONDS
If approved by the electorate, the School Board shall adopt resolutions providing for the sale and issuance of school bonds. Said issuance of bonds shall prescribe the form and fix the maturities thereof, and provide for the payment of said bonds in principal and interest.
For all bonds that are required or determined to be sold at public sale upon sealed bids after advertisement, a notice calling for bids containing the maximum amount of bonds to be offered, the source of payment therefore, and such other details as the School Board deems appropriate shall be published one time at least seven (7) clear calendar days before the date scheduled for the receipt of bids for the bonds in a newspaper of general circulation published in St. John the Baptist Parish. Another notice containing the definitive amount of bonds to be sold and such other bidding details as may be deemed appropriate by the School Board shall be published at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the date scheduled for receipt of bids for the bonds one time in either a newspaper of general circulation or a financial journal or newspaper containing a section devoted to municipal bond news published in either the cities of New Orleans, Louisiana, or New York, New York.
General obligation bonds and other bonds secured in whole or in part by ad valorem or sales taxes may be sold as provided for above or may be sold at private sale in the manner determined by the School Board, provided the issuance of any such bonds is approved by the State Bond Commission, and in the case of a private sale, is approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting of the State Bond Commission.
New policy: September 22, 2011
Revised: October 17, 2013
Revised: November, 2014
Ref: Constitution of Louisiana, Art. VI, Sec. 30, Sec. 33; La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''18:1281, 18:1282, 18:1283, 18:1284, 18:1285, 18:1286, 18:1293, 39:570, 39:1421, 39:1422, 39:1423, 39:1424, 39:1424.1, 39:1425, 39:1426, 39:1427, 39:1428, 39:1429, 42:19.1; Board minutes, 9-22-11, 10-17-13.
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ITEM 8c. Mrs. Shanna Beber – Request Approval of Proposed Changes to the 2014-2015 Pupil Progression Plan
MOTION BY: Johnson
SECOND BY: Wallace
MOTION: To approve the proposed changes to 2014-2015 Pupil Progression Plan
Upon roll call, there were:
8 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Sanders, Johnson, Wallace, Nicholas, Triche, Jones
0 Nays
1 Abstention – Wise
2 Absent – Keller, DeFrancesch
Proposed changes to 2014-2015 SJBP Pupil Progression Plan:
Please note the following proposed changes would occur in Section III Promotion K-8 in an effort to align SJBP’s Pupil Progression Plan with new testing policy and this year’s expanded summer remediation program.
2014-2015 Pupil Progression |
Proposed change |
Explanation |
“Standardized tests” |
“Final classroom grades” |
At the conclusion of the 2014-2015 school year, due to the delay in test scores resulting from the administration of new assessments, students must meet the grading criteria of final classroom grades to qualify for summer school with a final grade of “F”. |
“ELA and/or Math” |
“Math and ELA with integrated Science and Social Studies” |
Summer remediation in the past was only offered in Math and ELA. SJBP Summer Remediation for 2015 will offer Math and ELA with integrated Science and Social Studies standards. |
“4th and 8th grades” |
“K-8th” |
In previous years, summer school was offered to 4th and 8th grades only based on high-stakes test scores (LEAP). Now, SJBP summer remediation will be for K-8th grade students. |
“High stakes tests” |
“Standardized tests” |
In previous years, if students did not take the “high stakes tests”, their attendance at summer remediation was mandatory. Now, if students do not take the “standardized tests” (since PARCC is not high-stakes for students this year), their attendance at summer remediation is mandatory. |
ITEM 9. NEW BUSINESS
ITEM 10. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
ITEM 11. BOARD ITEMS OF INTEREST
Rev. Nicholas apologized for not mentioning in the invocation that Ms. Ollie Wallace, a former teacher of SJBP, had recently passed away and would like everyone to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers.
Mr. Jones stated that Mr. Patrick Sanders has been named the Chairperson of the Personnel Committee.
Dr. Keller arrived at 6:12 p.m. and was recorded as present.
ITEM 12. ADJOURNMENT - The agenda having been completed, and there being no further business, there was a
MOTION BY: Keller
SECOND BY: Burl
MOTION: Motion for adjournment.
No objections.
The meeting adjourned at 6:14 p.m.
________________________________
Kevin R. George, Secretary
________________________________
Keith A. Jones, President