PROCEEDINGS OF THE ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
RESERVE, LA - Meeting of August 19, 2010
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, August 19, 2010, at 6:00 p.m.
An agenda for the meeting is attached.
Sincerely, s/Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D.
Superintendent/Secretary
The Chair called for a moment of silent meditation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS:
PRESENT: Messrs. Jack, Burl, Sanders, DeFrancesch, Jones, Johnson, Wise, Bacas, Ory, Triche, Keller.
ABSENT: None
There were 11 members present.
ITEM 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Meetings of July 29, 2010 and August 5, 2010. A motion was made by Mr. Jack, seconded by Mrs. DeFrancesch, to accept the minutes of July 29, 2010 and August 5, 2010 as printed and published. There were no objections and the motion to approve the minutes passed unanimously (11 Yeas, 0 Nays).
ITEM 4. SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D., Superintendent. Dr. Millet stated that Mr. Elton Oubre would give a report on the student count for the first days of school. Mr. Oubre stated that St. John the Baptist Parish Schools are up 111 students as compared to the 9th day of school last year. This figure includes all students in all grades with the exception of Head Start students. Dr. Millet thanked Marathon for donating school supplies to students at East St. John Elementary School and also to NFL Player Tysn Jackison, former West St. John High School student, for donating supplies to every student at West St. John Elementary School. Mr. Bacas stated that he had visited most schools the first week of school and he saw lots of beautiful classrooms, well-dressed and well-behaved students and many teachers using the new Promethean Boards. He congratulated CSRS and the designer of the temporary walkways at LaPlace Elementary for a superb job. He thanked Dr. Millet, principals, asst. principals, teachers, staff and custodians at all schools for a fantastic start of school.
Dr. Millet stated the following: Tonight, I think everyone who worked in the schools today are feeling the good tiredness of our first 2 weeks very well spent. All the tasks, large and small, were important enough to be done thoroughly and carefully and everyone, teachers, principals, bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, support personnel, and our central office staff should be commended for a job well done opening schools for the 2010-2011 school year. I thank each and everyone of you for your dedication and I am quite certain it will continue through the year. Many thanks to those board members who visited our schools during our first two weeks. As I went to each school, many of our teachers, parents, and students shared such good comments with me. So often, all we hear is the negative – so now, through pictures and slides, I want to TELL YOU SOMETHING GOOD – that I saw at all of the schools – our opening week of school.
A PowerPoint presentation was shared highlighting the first days of school
Dr. Millet continued: “As you are well aware, the state has shown continuous progress and in 4th and 8th grade math and ELA, St. John outperformed the state in the area of promotional standards.
We are so very proud of our teachers and students. These reports are very encouraging as it shows that we are placing the emphasis in the right places: curriculum, instruction, technology, and professional development. We have created a step by step, almost scripted, summer school curriculum for 4th and 8th grade. We also spent one day on teacher professional development for all 4th and 8th grade summer school teachers, which was full of information on the curriculum and instruction that we expected to place during the 20 or so days of summer school. Many thanks to our administrators, principals and summer school teachers.”
The following test results slides were shared:
OPEN HOUSE 2010
August 18 Leon Godchaux Accelerated Program
August 23 East St. John Elementary
August 24 Lake Pontchartrain
LaPlace Elementary
August 26 Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet School
August 30 West St. John High School
LaPlace Elementary
August 31 West St. John Elementary
LaPlace Elementary
Sept. 1 Fifth Ward Elementary
Sept. 2 East St. John High
Sept. 9 John L. Ory Magnet
Sept. 16 Emily C. Watkins
ITEM 5. EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS BY THE BOARD OR STAFF.
a. Ms. Bernett Ambres – Elite Ladies Club. Ms. Ambres presented Mr. Ivory Peterson and Ms. Marciano Lewis of Sunshine Express a plaque and gift for providing limousine service for the Elite Ladies Club to attend a 4-star ball held in Baton Rouge. Ms. Lewis accepted on behalf of Sunshine Express.
ITEM 6. PERSONNEL MATTERS: Dr. Leigh Ann Beard, Director of Human Resources.
Personnel Changes (Requires action by the Board). Dr. Beard presented the following Personnel Changes for approval:
I. PROFESSIONAL
A. New Hires
1. Shelly Chauvin, Teacher, John L. Ory/Lake Pontchartrain Elementary
2. Donnell Becker, Teacher, Fifth Ward Elementary
B. Resignations
1. Hope Ballard, Teacher, LaPlace Elementary, August 4, 2010
2. Robert Payne, Teacher, Garyville/Mt. Airy, August 10, 2010
3. JoAnn Proctor, Teacher, Fifth Ward, August 2, 2010
C. Extended Sick Leave
1. Scarlette Pourciau, Teacher, LaPlace Elementary, August 5, 2010-August 27, 2010
D. Sabbatical
1. Mary Perrin, Teacher, John L. Ory, Fall 2010
II. CLASSIFIED
A. Extended Sick Leave
1. Reina Kennedy, 10-Mth Secretary, Lake Pontchartrain, July 22, 2010-September 6, 2010
A motion was made by Mr. Wise, seconded by Mr. Bacas, to accept the Personnel Changes as presented. There were no objections and the motion passed unanimously (11 Yeas, 0 Nays).
ITEM 7 BUSINESS AND FINANCE: Mr. Felix Boughton, Executive Director of Business and Finance
a. CSRS – Monthly Progress Update on the Master Plan and Program Management Services. Mr. Floyd Luster and Mr. Todd Mann gave an update on all ongoing projects including East St. John High School Field House, West St. John Elementary, East St. John Elementary, Fifth Ward Elementary, Garyville Mt. Airy Magnet, Lake Pontchartrain Elementary, Stadium Upgrades, School Board Office, John L. Ory, LaPlace Elementary and Intercom Upgrades.
Mr. Sanders stated that he attended the East St. John High School Field House walkthrough and was very pleased with the job. He stated that he spoke to Mr. Chris Pellegrin and asked that CSRS handle all financial issues, including paying invoices in a more timely manner, with the contractors.
Mr. Jack stated that he wanted to thank administration and Mr. Floyd Luster for getting everything ready for the first day of school. He commended Mr. Luster for a job well done.
b. Mr. Felix Boughton – Request Approval of Comprehensive Budget for 2010-2011. Mr. Boughton stated that the budget presented is a very conservative one and the finance committee had met and recommended approval of the budget presented.
A motion was made by Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mr. Triche, to approve the Comprehensive Budget for 2010-2011.
The President opened the floor for public participation. Ms. Jennifer Frizzell introduced herself as a parent of a student at Emily C. Watkins. Ms. Frizzell expressed concern over the fact that the school system is not collecting the full amount of Medicare monies available. Dr. Millet stated that this was currently being addressed.
There were no objections and the motion to approve the comprehensive budget for 2010-2011 passed unanimously (11 Yeas, 0 Nays).
c. Mr. Phillip Johnson and Mr. Clarence Triche, Board Members – Request to waive fees for the St. John Association for Retarded Citizens’ Annual Mardi Gras Ball.
A motion was made by the whole Board to waive fees for the St. John Association of Retarded Citizens’ Annual Mardi Gras Ball. There were no objections and the motion passed unanimously (11 Yeas, 0 Nays).
ITEM 8. OLD BUSINESS.
a. None.
ITEM 9. NEW BUSINESS.
a. Dr. Leigh Ann Beard – Request approval of Revised School Calendar for 2010-2011. Dr. Beard stated that a revisal was necessary due to the changes caused by the four furlough days that all employees will take this academic year.
A motion was made by the whole Board to accept the Revised School Calendar for 2010-2011. There were no objections and the motion passed unanimously (11 Yeas, 0 Nays).
b. Mr. Albert Burl, Board Member – Request Board approval for three private football teams to be allowed to use Joe Keller Stadium for all home games.
A motion was made by Mr. Burl, seconded by Ms. DeFrancesch, to approve the use of Joe Keller by three private football teams for the following dates: August 29th, September 18th, September 25th, October 9th, October 17th, October 23rd, and November 6th or 13th, 2010 and the use of the ESJH practice field for October 2nd and October 16th, 2010. There were no objections and the motion passed unanimously.
c. Mr. Lloyd LeBlanc – None.
ITEM 10. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS:
a. Committee Reports. None.
ITEM 11. BOARD-RELATED ITEMS OF INTEREST. A motion was made by Mr. Ory, seconded by Mr. Triche, to waive Board policy and open discussion to waive fees for the use of West St. John High School by New Jerusalem Baptist Church to hold a funeral/wake and the benefit supper being held by Mr. Pierce on Saturday, August 21, 2010. There were no objections and the motion to open discussions passed unanimously (11 Yeas, 0 Nays).
A motion was made by Mr. Ory to charge only the actual costs for use of the facility as determined by the finance department to both New Jerusalem Baptist Church and Mr. Pierce.
A substitute motion was made by Mr. Jack, seconded by Mr. Ory, to waive all fees for both parties. Upon roll call, there were 11 Yeas and 0 Nays and the motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Wise asked Mr. Lloyd LeBlanc, Board Attorney, if it was legal for the Board to waive all fees. Mr. LeBlanc stated that he was asked by the Board a year ago to seek an opinion on this topic. He stated that after he contacted the Attorney General’s Office, he had advised the Board and has continued to advise the Board for the past 12 months that it is not legal to waive fees on the use of public school buildings.
Mr. Jack thanked Tyson Jackson for all the school supplies delivered to students at West St. John Elementary School. He also asked that the Board remember his pastor, Rev. Johnson in their prayers.
Mr. Ory stated that he recently became aware that the prices being charged by local vendors for school uniforms had gone up. He stated that parents often have to come up with several hundred dollars to outfit their children for school. Mr. Sanders suggested that administration mimic what the neighboring parishes are doing and have uniforms without logos. Dr. Millet stated that administration was already considering doing that for next school year. Mr. Wise asked if that time line could be moved up to include this year. Dr. Millet stated that administration would discuss and consider doing so.
Dr. Keller reminded the Board members that there will be an Ethic Seminar, conducted by Tom Daley, in the Board meeting room on Wednesday, August 25, 2010 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
ITEM 12. ADJOURNMENT: The agenda having been completed, and there being no further business, Mr. Ory offered a motion for adjournment, seconded by Mr. Triche. There were no objections. The meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.
_______________________________
Gerald J. Keller, Ph.D., President
__________________________________
Courtney P. Millet, Ph.D., Secretary