PROCEEDINGS OF THE ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

RESERVE, LA – MEETING OF JUNE 18, 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 Thursday, June 18, 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: Burl, Keller, Sanders, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Triche, Jones

ABSENT:   Jack, DeFrancesch, Nicholas

There were 8 members present, 3 absent.

ITEM 3.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

ITEM 3a.  Meeting of May 21, 2015.

MOTION BY:     Keller

SECOND BY:    Burl

MOTION:           To approve the minutes of the meeting of May 21, 2015.

No objections.

The motion carried.

Mr. Jack arrived at 6:06 p.m. and was recorded as present.

ITEM 4.  SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT

Supt. Kevin R. George gave the board an update on the progress of Summer School, the first summer school being held in St. John Parish in many years. He stated there are 598 students (K-8) and an additional 115 students (9-12) – for a total of 713 students taking advantage of the newly established summer school. 

Ms. Margaret Cage shared the following:

Mr. Jack publicly commended Ms. Cage for her work, and thanked her for always being helpful and sharing her knowledge.

Ms. Eliza Eugene gave an update on the Homework Hut.  She stated that there will be a “Backpack Giveaway” on July 25^th at Regala Park from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  She stated there would also be a Backpack Giveaway on the Westbank but did not have details yet.

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

ITEM 5a.  Mr. Rodney Nicholas – St. John the Baptist Parish Young Marines – Veterans Day Initiative

Mr. Brian Bertrand stated that November 11^th is Veteran’s Day and is formally requesting that all St. John the Baptist Parish Schools be released and excused from school that day so that all students and families could attend the Veteran’s Day festivities in St. John Parish.  Mr. Wise explained that the Board had already voted to approve a school calendar, but invited them to ask the high school bands to participate in the parades that day.

The chair declared a 5 minute recess at 6:53 p.m.

MOTION BY:     Keller

SECOND BY:    Burl

MOTION:           To reconvene in Regular Session.

No objections.

The Board reconvened in Regular Session at 6:58 p.m.

ITEM 5b.  Presentation of Retirees

The following employees were recognized for their service.

ITEM 6.  PERSONNEL MATTERS - None

ITEM 7.  BUSINESS AND FINANCE

ITEM 8.  OLD BUSINESS

ITEM 8a.  Mr. Felix Boughton – Request approval of Amended Budget for 2014-15

MOTION BY:     Keller

SECOND BY:    Jack

MOTION:           To approve the Amended Budget for 2014-15 as presented.

No objections.

Upon roll call, there were:

8 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Keller, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Triche, Jones

0 Nays

2 Absent – DeFrancesch, Nicholas

1 Not Seated - Sanders

The motion carried.

Note:  The Amended Budget for 2014-2015 can be viewed at the School Board Office, 118 West 10^th Street, Reserve, LA

ITEM 8b.  Mr. Felix Boughton – Request approval of Comprehensive Budget for 2015-16

MOTION BY:     Jack

SECOND BY:    Burl

MOTION:           To approve the Salary Schedules for 2015-16 as presented, but with exception:

EXCEPTION:  Add the Summer Athletic Transportation in the budget and reduce the maintenance budget by $30,000.

No objections.

Upon roll call, there were:

8 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Keller, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Triche, Jones

0 Nays

2 Absent – DeFrancesch, Nicholas

1 Not Seated - Sanders

The motion carried.

Note:  The Comprehensive Budget for 2015-2016 can be viewed at the School Board Office, 118 West 10^th Street, Reserve, LA

ITEM 8c.  Mr. Felix Boughton – Request approval of Salary Schedules for 2015-16

MOTION BY:     Wise

SECOND BY:    Triche

MOTION:           To approve the Salary Schedules for 2015-16 as presented.

No objections.

Upon roll call, there were:

8 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Keller, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Triche, Jones

0 Nays

2 Absent – DeFrancesch, Nicholas

1 Not Seated - Sanders

The motion carried.

Note:  The Salary Schedules for 2015-2016 can be viewed at the School Board Office, 118 West 10^th Street, Reserve, LA or on the district’s webpage:  www.stjohn.k12.la.us

ITEM 8d.  Ms. Page Eschette – Request Approval of Policies/Policy Changes – EDD:  School Bus Scheduling and Rerouting; JBH:  Attendance Reports for Student Drivers; GBRIBB:  Medical Leave Assistance Program

MOTION BY:     Wise

SECOND BY:    Wallace

MOTION:           To approve Policies/Policy Changes – EDD:  School Bus Scheduling and Rerouting; JBH:  Attendance Reports for Student Drivers; GBRIBB:  Medical Leave Assistance Program.

No objections.

Upon roll call, there were:

8 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Keller, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Triche, Jones

0 Nays

2 Absent – DeFrancesch, Nicholas

1 Not Seated - Sanders

The motion carried.

EDD:  SCHOOL BUS SCHEDULING AND ROUTING

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board shall provide school bus transportation for all students living more than one mile from the school that they are assigned to attend.  Students living within one mile of the school may be allowed to ride a school bus when the School Board determines that conditions exist to warrant such transportation.  Other students may be provided with school bus transportation in accordance with regulations of the Louisiana Department of Education.

A reasonable time shall be established for each route and the bus driver shall be expected to adhere to this schedule.  By the same token, students shall be expected to be at their respective bus stop when the bus arrives.  Once a bus route has been established, the bus driver shall not alter or change assigned routes without order of the Superintendent or his/her designee.  Any bus driver who feels a road is unsafe or dangerous shall report such dangerous condition to the Superintendent or his/her designee, and the bus driver may be allowed not to travel the road with the prior approval of the Supervisor of Transportation, until the Superintendent or his/her designee determines said road is safe or improved, or the situation has been rectified.

Buses must be routed so that no more than one bus will travel the same route, except in cases of definite apparent necessity.  Each scheduled route will be planned in full consideration of the established limits for individual schools.

During inclement weather, bus drivers may be directed to make more frequent stops.  In discharging pupils who must cross the highway, the responsibility of safe crossing rests with the driver.

Bus drivers for the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board shall follow all federal laws, Louisiana state laws, and local procedures for the loading and unloading of students.

New Policy:  September 22, 2011

Revised:  May, 2015

Ref:      La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:158, 32:1; Board minutes, 9-22-11.

JBH:  ATTENDANCE REPORTS FOR STUDENT DRIVERS

In accordance with state law, students are obligated to attend school regularly, and be in attendance a minimum number of days during the school year.  In order for a minor to obtain or renew a driver’s license or learner’s permit for the operation of a motor vehicle, the minor shall present evidence to the Office of Motor Vehicles that the minor is enrolled and is attending school or a recognized program or has completed the required minimum units of credit for graduation.  Such documentation shall be verified by the principal on forms provided by the Louisiana Department of Education, and said documentation shall be valid for ninety (90) days from the date of issuance.

A student who does not meet the required minimum school attendance provisions may be subject to denial or suspension of his/her driver’s license or learner’s permit.  It is the policy of the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board to provide written notification of a minor student who has been determined by the principal to be a dropout or habitually absent or tardy to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles for denial or suspension of driving privileges.

In addition, a minor student’s driver’s license or permit may also be suspended when written notification is received by the Office of Motor Vehicles from the principal that the minor student has been expelled or suspended from school or assigned to an alternative educational setting for ten (10) or more consecutive school days.  Such disciplinary action shall be limited to expulsions, suspensions, or alternative educational assignments for infractions involving the sale or possession of drugs, alcohol, or any other illegal substance, the possession of a firearm, or an infraction involving assault or battery of a member of the school faculty or staff.

The School Board, through the principal, shall provide written notification to any minor whom the principal has determined to be a dropout or habitually absent or tardy and his/her parent or guardian that the principal intends to subject the minor to driver’s license denial or suspension.  The written notification shall advise the minor of his/her right to seek a hearing of the School Board of such determination or to make a request of the School Board to obtain a hardship waiver within fifteen (15) days of the mailing of the notification.  The principal shall send a copy of the notification to the School Board.

If the School Board is notified of a request for a hearing or a request for a hardship license within fifteen (15) days after the date of mailing the written notification, the School Board shall hold a hearing to make a determination upon such request.  If no such request is received by the School Board, or if the School Board determines after a hearing that such student is a dropout or is habitually absent or tardy and is not entitled to a hardship waiver, then the School Board shall provide written notification to the Office of Motor Vehicles that the minor’s license should be suspended or denied.

HARDSHIP WAIVER

The School Board may waive the attendance requirements for any minor for whom a personal, family, or economic hardship requires the minor to have a driver’s license for his/her own, or his/her family’s employment or medical care as provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:226.  The minor or his/her parent or legal guardian may present other evidence that indicates compliance with attendance requirements outlined in state law at the waiver hearing.

The School Board shall notify the Office of Motor Vehicles of the outcome of the minor’s hardship waiver hearing within twenty-four (24) hours after conducting the hearing.

DEFINITIONS

Dropout, for purposes of this policy,means a person fifteen (15) years of age or older but less than eighteen (18) years old, who was enrolled in a school and withdrew or who was enrolled at the end of the previous school year and is not enrolled on October first of the following school year or who has more than ten (10) consecutive days of unexcused absences from school or fifteen (15) days total unexcused absences during a single semester.

Dropout does not mean a person who:

            a.         is temporarily absent due to illness, suspension, or expulsion;

b.         is attending or has graduated or completed another educational program approved by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education;

c.         transferred to a nonpublic school, a correctional institution, or an approved home school program or moved out of state.

Habitually absent or tardy is when either condition continues to exist after all reasonable efforts by a principal or other appropriate authority have failed to correct the condition after the fifth (5^th) unexcused absence or fifth (5^th) unexcused occurrence of being tardy within any month or if a pattern of five (5) absences a month is established or as otherwise provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:233. 

Minor means an unemancipated child who is at least fifteen (15) years of age but less than eighteen (18) years of age.

New policy:  December 2, 2010                         

Revised:  September, 2014

Ref:      La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:221, 17:226, 17:233, 17:416, 32:414, 32:431, 32:431.1; Board minutes, 12-2-10.

GBRIBB:  MEDICAL LEAVE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

(SICK LEAVE BANK)

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board recognizes that major illnesses and catastrophic injuries may warrant the need for additional sick leave by an employee.  The Board shall create and maintain a Sick Leave Bank which provides an opportunity for employees to donate sick leave days, which in turn may be used by employees in emergency situations when their own sick leave days have been exhausted.

Receipt of sick leave days from the Sick Leave Bank shall be based on a written application submitted by an employee to the Superintendent and/or his/her designee.  Assessment and any decisions regarding the granting of days from the Sick Leave Bank shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent.   His/her decisions shall be final, and such decisions shall not be subject to review by the School Board or subject to the Board's grievance procedures.

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board recognizes that major illnesses and catastrophic injuries may warrant the need for additional sick leave days. The sick leave donation option provides a means for School Board employees to donate additional sick leave for use by an eligible recipient as a result of a medical necessity of the employee or employee’s immediate family.  Immediate family member shall mean a spouse, parent, or child of the employee.

Donations of sick leave days shall be made to the Sick Leave Bank Medical Leave Assistance Program, and not directly to individual employees, shall be made by notarized Acts of Donation, and shall be made in accordance with other provisions of this policy.  Once executed, any donation made shall be irrevocable.

The term “day” is defined as a full contractual workday. 

ADMINISTRATION OF SICK LEAVE BANK

Donations of sick leave days shall be made directly to the Sick Leave Bank.  Three (3) separate accounts shall be established within the Sick Leave Bank:  one for teachers, one for bus operators, and one for school employees.  Donations to the Sick Leave Bank shall be credited to the appropriate account depending on the classification of the donor.

Applications for receipt of donated sick leave days from the Sick Leave Bank shall be in writing and include a statement from a licensed physician certifying a medical necessity for the employee to be absent from work.  The application shall be submitted at least twenty (20) work days prior to the anticipated beginning date of leave.  In cases of extenuating circumstances, the Superintendent may waive or alter the application deadline.  Upon review of the applications, if questions about the validity or accuracy of the certification arise, the Superintendent may require additional medical certification as outlined under Extended Sick Leave in policy GBRIB, Sick Leave.

Medical necessity shall be the result of a catastrophic illness or injury, which means a life-threatening,  chronic,  or incapacitating  condition  of the employee  or a member  of his/her immediate family.  Immediate family member shall mean a spouse, parent, or child of the employee.

All records generated in the administration of the Sick Leave Bank, as well as the confidentiality of applicable records, shall be properly maintained by the Superintendent and staff in accordance with statutory provisions.

Donor Eligibility

1.         Employees who wish to donate accrued sick leave days shall have been actively employed by the School Board for a period of thirty-six (36) consecutive months as of the date of the intended donation.

2.         Only employees with a balance of more than fifty (50) sick leave days as of the date of the intended donation shall be permitted to donate to the Sick Leave Bank.  No donation shall be permitted which causes the donor’s sick leave balance to fall below fifty (50) days.  A maximum of ten (10) days may be donated in a fiscal year.  An individual may make only one (1) donation in a fiscal year.

3.         Employees wishing to donate sick leave shall complete the appropriate Act of Donation Form.   The donation shall irrevocably relinquish all future claims and rights to such donated sick leave.  The days donated shall be permanently deducted from the total number of accumulated sick leave days the employee has on the date the donation is approved.

4.         All donations shall be strictly voluntary.

5.         No transfer shall become valid until all forms, verifications and signatures have been completed and signed by the Superintendent.

6.         All donations shall be in units of whole days.

DONOR ELIGIBILITY OF SICK/EMERGENCY LEAVE DAYS

1.         Only employees with thirty (30) days or more of accrued leave from previous years may donate from that account. An employee with less than thirty (30) days of accumulated sick leave cannot donate any sick leave days.

2.         Employees may donate sick leave days for the current year only. A maximum of ten (10) days may be donated. In the event of extenuating circumstances, more days may be donated with the approval of the Director of Human Resources.

3.         Sick leave, once donated and used, is permanently removed from the donor’s account.

4.         In the event the recipient returns to work prior to receiving the donation, the sick days may be returned to the donor after execution of proper documentation.

Recipient Eligibility

1.         Recipients shall be actively employed by the School Board at the time that medical necessity is determined.

2.         Recipients shall have been employed by the School Board for at least thirty-six (36) consecutive months as of the date of the intended usage.

3.         Employees who are recipients shall have exhausted all current and accumulated sick leave and have used all days of extended sick leave and any other applicable leave to which the employee may be entitled.  In addition, those employees who receive annual leave shall have exhausted all annual leave time before becoming eligible to receive sick leave days from the Sick Leave Bank. 

4.         The maximum number of sick leave days that may be granted to a recipient at one time shall be twenty (20) work days. 

5.         Of those days granted, any remaining unused at the end of the fiscal year shall be returned to the Sick Leave Bank.

6.         A separate application shall be submitted for each occasion that an employee may request receipt of sick leave days from the Sick Leave Bank.  Each application shall include necessary documentation attesting to medical necessity. The physician’s certification must address circumstances relative to each separate request.  The separate application requirement may be waived by the Superintendent as circumstances may warrant.

7.         Donated sick leave shall not be used on an intermittent daily basis.

RECIPIENT ELIGIBLITIY OF SICK/EMERGENCY LEAVE DAYS

1.         Employees may only use donated sick leave for a medical necessity. Medical necessity shall be the result of a catastrophic illness or injury, a life-threatening, chronic, or incapacitating condition, as certified by a physician, of the employee or a member of his/her immediate family. 

2.         Donations shall be made to a specific employee.

3.         No employee may seek donations until appropriate documentation of eligibility has been received.

4.         In order to receive donated leave, the employee must be employed as a full-time employee of St. John the Baptist Parish School Board. In addition, the employee must have exhausted all current and accrued sick leave and extended sick leave earned since employed by the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board.

5.         Those employees who receive annual leave shall also be required to exhaust all annual leave before becoming eligible for donated leave.

6.         Individuals shall not be eligible for the Medical Leave Assistance program once they qualify for Worker’s Compensation and/or disability retirement.

7.         The maximum number of sick leave days that can be granted in any one fiscal year shall be the remaining number of workdays an employee is scheduled to work.  If more days are donated than are approved on the request form, the personnel supervisor shall hold the donation until it becomes known that the employee does not need more days to cover this illness/injury.

ADMINISTRATION OF SICK LEAVE

Recipients shall be required to complete and submit the appropriate forms to the Supervisor of Personnel (or designee).  The Personnel Office shall process all requests with the attached documentation:

1.         The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board Physician’s Certification Form completed and signed by the employee, administrator, and physician

2.         The completed St. John the Baptist Parish School Board Medical Leave Assistance Program Recipient Form

The Director of Human Resources (or his/her designee) shall review the recipient’s application and verify that the recipient has used all sick leave, accrued sick leave, extended sick leave and/or annual leave.  The recipient’s request for participation in the Medical Leave Assistance program would then be posted by the personnel office.

A donating employee at a higher or equal pay grade than the employee receiving the donated days (donee), may donate days at a one day donated/one day received rate.

In the event the donor’s rate of pay is less than the donee’s rate of pay, then the donee shall receive the fractional value of each day donated by comparing the salaries.

Once a donor submits the St. John the Baptist Parish School Board Medical Leave Assistance Program Donor Form, the personnel office shall verify the donor’s availability of volunteered sick leave days.  Donation to recipient’s account shall be made on the basis of date of donor form received.

Miscellaneous Provisions

1.         The Superintendent shall be authorized to make determinations and clarifications of these provisions.  All determinations and clarifications made by the Superintendent shall be final.

2.         All transactions shall become part of the permanent personnel files of the employees.  Act of Donation Forms shall be placed in donor personnel files depicting the actual number of days deducted from accrued sick leave days on file after the donation is made.

3.         The number of days withdrawn from the Sick Leave Bank shall not exceed the number of days available within the appropriate account of the Bank.

New policy:  October 18, 2012

Revised:  March, 2015

Ref:      La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:81, 17:500.2, 17:1202, 17:1205, 17:1206.2; La. Civil Code, Art. 1541, 1542, 1833; Board minutes, 10-18-12.

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ITEM 9.  NEW BUSINESS

ITEM 9a.  Ms. Terry Charles – Request Approval of Bid Recommendations

MOTION BY:     Keller

SECOND BY:    Triche

MOTION:           To approve the bid recommendations for the Child Nutrition Program, as presented by Ms. Terry Charles.

No objections.

Upon roll call, there were:

8 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Keller, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Triche, Jones

0 Nays

2 Absent – DeFrancesch, Nicholas

1 Not Seated - Sanders

The motion carried.

ITEM 9b.  Mr. Russ Wise – School Board Pay

Mr. Wise stated that in light of the recent budget shortfalls, he has instructed Mr. Boughton, effective next pay period and with the exception of any taxes and deductions required, to donate all of his school board pay back to the school board.

ITEM 9c.  Mr. Felix Boughton – Executive Session:  Approval of agreement of Receipt and Release

MOTION BY:     Burl

SECOND BY:    Sanders

MOTION:  To convene in Executive Session.

No objections.

The motion carried.

The Board convened in Executive Session t 7:10 p.m.

MOTION BY:     Burl

SECOND BY:    Sanders

MOTION:  To reconvene in Regular Session.

No objections.

The motion carried.

The Board reconvened in Regular Session at 7:19 p.m.

MOTION BY:     Keller

SECOND BY:    Jack

MOTION:           To accept the Receipt and Releases as related to Emily C. Watkins Elementary School.

No objections.

Upon roll call, there were:

9 Yeas – Jack, Burl, Keller, Sanders, Johnson, Wise, Wallace, Triche, Jones

0 Nays

2 Absent – DeFrancesch, Nicholas

The motion carried.

10.  ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

ITEM 11.  BOARD ITEMS OF INTEREST

Mr. Jones made the following announcements:

• The School Board Retreat will take place July 1-2, 2015 at the Embassy Suites in New Orleans

• The July Board meeting is being moved from July 16^th to July 23^rd and will be held at West St. John Elementary School at 6:00 p.m.

• The Executive Committee will meet July 22^nd at 1:00 p.m. and immediately following, the Land and Facilities Committee will meet at 2:00. Both meetings will be held in the Media Center at the School Board Office.

ITEM 12.  ADJOURNMENT - The agenda having been completed, and there being no further business, there was a

MOTION BY:     Sanders

SECOND BY:    Wallace

MOTION:           Motion for adjournment.

No objections.

The meeting adjourned at 7:22 p.m.

________________________________

Kevin R. George, Secretary

________________________________

Keith A. Jones, President