ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

DECEMBER 7, 2005

BREAUX BRIDGE, LOUISIANA

MINUTES

The St. Martin Parish School Board convened on this day at 5:00 P.M. at the Breaux Bridge Instructional Center with the following members present: Messrs.,  

Mark Hebert, President, Floyd Knott, Steve Fuselier, Anthony Wiltz, James Blanchard, Richard Potier, Rodney Ledoux, Frederic Stelly, and Mrs. Barbara Latiolais.

            ABSENT:        Mr. Paulma Johnson    

The meeting was called to order by Mr. Mark Hebert, President.  Superintendent Haaga opened the meeting with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

On the motion of Mr. Stelly, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the minutes of the Regular Meeting of November 2, 2005.

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Stelly, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, and carried, the Board approved the minutes of the Special Meeting of November 16, 2005.

            ABSTAINED:              Mr. Wiltz

            ABSENT:                    Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Potier, seconded by Mrs. Latiolais, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the December Sales Tax Salary Supplement in the amount of $500 to professional employees and $357 to paraprofessional employees.

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson    

A motion was made by Mrs. Latiolais and seconded by Mr. Stelly to renew the current Superintendent’s contract.

A substitute motion was made by Mr. Wiltz and seconded by Mr. Blanchard to not renew the current Superintendent’s contract.  The substitute motion was then voted on and tied.  The President exercised his right to vote and voted in opposition to the motion.  The motion failed as follows:

            FOR:                Mr. Fuselier, Mr. Wiltz, Mr. Blanchard, and Mr. Potier

            OPPOSED:      Mr. Knott, Mrs. Latiolais, Mr. Ledoux, Mr. Stelly, and Mr. Hebert

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

A motion was made by Mr. Ledoux and seconded by Mrs. Latiolais to add to the agenda consider and/or approve extension of Superintendent’s contract.  The motion carried as follows (2/3 vote needed to add an agenda item):

            FOR:                Mr. Knott, Mr. Fuselier, Mrs. Latiolais, Mr. Ledoux, Mr. Stelly, and Mr. Hebert

            OPPOSED:      Mr. Wiltz, Mr. Blanchard, and Mr. Potier

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

Mr. Potier made a motion to extend the contract of Superintendent Valerie Haaga by 3 months.  The motion died for lack of a second.

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

Mr. Knott made a motion to suspend the paragraph specifically addressing the time frame (on or before January 1, 2006) in which the Board would address the Superintendent’s contract.  The motion died for lack of a second.

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

A motion was made by Mr. Stelly and seconded by Mrs. Latiolais to extend the contract of Superintendent Valerie Haaga by 9 months.  The motion carried as follows:

            FOR:                Mr. Knott, Mr. Fuselier, Mr. Wiltz, Mr. Blanchard, Mrs. Latiolais,

                                    Mr. Ledoux, and Mr. Stelly

            OPPOSED:      Mr. Potier

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Ledoux, seconded by Mr. Blanchard, and unanimously carried, the Board approved a request for waiver of sales tax penalties as recommended by administration for the following:

            a)         Cargill Incorporated

            b)         Pathfinder Energy Services

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Ledoux, seconded by Mr. Knott, and unanimously carried, the Board approved a resolution to refinance Series 2000 Bonds (attached as Exhibit A).

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Ledoux, and unanimously carried, the Board approved to assign the following projects to Boudreaux and Devillier

Architectural Services:

            a)         Demolition of the old Cecilia Junior High School building and canopies and demolition of the old cafeteria at Catahoula Elementary

            b)         Re-roofing of gym at Teche Elementary

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Stelly, and unanimously carried, the Board approved a request for permission to advertise for the following projects:

            a)         Demolition of the old Cecilia Junior High School building and canopies and demolition of the old cafeteria at Catahoula Elementary

            b)         Re-roofing of gym at Teche Elementary

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Ledoux, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved a resolution to advertise for an oil and gas lease in Section 36, Township 14 South, Range 13 East, located in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana.

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Wiltz, seconded by Mr. Blanchard, and unanimously carried, the Board approved a paid up lease on Section 36, Township 14 South, Range 13 East, located in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana.

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Ledoux, seconded by Mr. Blanchard, and unanimously carried, the Board approved an agreement with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office for School Resource Officers for the 2005-2006 School Year.

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Wiltz, seconded by Mr. Ledoux, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the renewal of a contract with Forethought Consulting, Inc. for Policy Updating Service in the amount of $2,250 for the period from January, 2006 to December, 2006.

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Fuselier, seconded by Mr. Wiltz, and unanimously carried, the Board approved an addendum to the St. Martin Parish School Bus Driver’s School

Bus Regulations and Operations Policy Handbook.      

            ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Wiltz, seconded by Mr. Ledoux, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the following resolution declaring December, 2005 as (B.A.M.) Board Appreciation Month:

WHEREAS, the St. Martin Parish School Board Superintendent, Directors, Supervisors, Administrators, Professional and Paraprofessional Personnel have selected the month of December 2005 for the observance of Board Appreciation Month (B.A.M.) to acknowledge the contributions made to the St. Martin Parish School District by the dedicated service of its School Board Members and has made elaborate plans for the execution thereof, and

WHEREAS, B.A.M. gives the general public the opportunity to acknowledge the fact that your public service as a School Board Member is vital to the educational process, essential to shaping the young minds of St. Martin Parish students, thus impacting their destiny.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Superintendent, Directors, Supervisors, Administrators, Professional and Paraprofessional Personnel of the St. Martin Parish School District, in official session do hereby publicly announce to you, our School Board Members, that we are aware of and do appreciate your sacrifice of time, sincere devotion, and the indefatigable patience with which you have dedicated yourselves to the educational development of the children of this parish, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we will do our utmost in assisting and supporting you in all your noble endeavors.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

Consider and/or approve purchase of property from David Thibodeaux and family which adjoins the Parks Primary School property on LA 31 in Parks was tabled until the property is appraised by the School Board.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

A motion was made by Mr. Blanchard and seconded by Mr. Wiltz to approve a recommendation to shorten the annual number of work days for maintenance workers, bus maintenance workers, and the energy manager, matching the schedule of Central Office workers.  The motion carried as follows:

FOR:                Mr. Fuselier, Mr. Wiltz, Mr. Blanchard, Mrs. Latiolais, and Mr. Potier

OPPOSED:      Mr. Knott, Mr. Ledoux, and Mr. Stelly

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Knott, seconded by Mr. Ledoux, and unanimously carried, the Board approved settlement in the claim of Melissa Joseph on behalf of her minor child Curtis Joseph versus the St. Martin Parish School Board in the amount of $2,138.00.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Ledoux, seconded by Mr. Wiltz, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the following Professional Personnel Changes:

APPOINTMENTS:

Champagne, Teresa, (Tentative) Fine Arts Teacher/LA 4, Itinerant; effective January 11, 2006.

Wilson, Errin, School Psyschologist, Special Services; effective December 1, 2005.

MEDICAL LEAVES:

Huval, Frances Melissa, Mild/Moderate, Cecilia Senior High; effective November 4, 2005.

Hypolite, Sandra, Business, St. Martinville Senior High; effective November 3, 2005 through January 3, 2006.

Sonnier, Sedrick, GED, St. Martinville Senior High; effective October 28, 2005.

Thibodeaux, Shirley, Mild/Moderate, Breaux Bridge Junior High; effective November 11, 2005 through January 3, 2006.

Trahan, Angela, 1^st grade, Breaux Bridge Primary; effective January 29, 2006 through March 9, 2006.

MATERNITY LEAVES:

Broussard, Abigail, Family and Consumer Science, Cecilia Senior High; effective April 11, 2006 through May 23, 2006.

Darbonne, Stephanie, Math, St. Martinville Elementary; effective December 13, 2005 through February 12, 2005.

Usie, Nicole, Math, Cecilia Senior High; effective February 11, 2006 through March 25, 2006.

DROP/RETIREMENT PROGRAM:

Sonnier, Janice, Librarian, Cecilia Senior High; effective March 21, 2006.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Ledoux, seconded by Mr. Potier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the following Paraprofessional Personnel Changes:

APPOINTMENTS:

Calais, Marie, Bus Driver, Breaux Bridge area; effective December 8, 2005, to replace Albert Williams who has resigned.

Charles, Emma, part-time Custodian, Early Learning Center, effective December 8, 2005.

Courville, Nicky, Bus Driver, Breaux Bridge area; effective December 8, 2005,  to replace Florence Prade who has retired.

Olivier, Tina, Bus Driver, Cecilia area; effective December 8, 2005, to replace Judy Huval who has retired.

TRANSFER:

George, Lynette, from a Food Services Technician at St. Martinville Senior High to a Food Services Manager at St. Martinville Primary; effective January 11, 2006, to replace Margaret Savoy who is retiring.

MEDICAL LEAVE:

Castille, Myra, Teacher Aide, Early Learning Center; effective November 30, 2005 through January 11, 2006.

EXTENDED MEDICAL LEAVE:

Babineaux, Rose, Bus Driver, Cecilia area; effective October 10, 2005.

      MATERNITY LEAVE:

Hypolite, Missy, Teacher Aide, Breaux Bridge Junior High; effective October 19, 2005  through November 30, 2005.

      RESIGNATION:

Houston, Harold, Custodian, St. Martinville Elementary/Nature Trail; effective November 18, 2005.

RETIREMENTS:

Chevalier, Renella, Food Services Technician, Cecilia Junior High; effective December 1, 2005.

Cormier, Joseph George, Custodian, Cecilia Junior High; effective January 1, 2006.

Kennison, Emiline, Food Services Technician, Cecilia Primary; effective December 1, 2005.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Ledoux, seconded by Mr. Potier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the extra pay coaching stipend for Colette Murphy for assisting with volleyball at Cecilia Senior High School.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mrs. Latiolais, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the request for extra employee pay for Rose Washington for the Evening Family Literacy Program.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Fuselier, seconded by Mr. Blanchard, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the request for extra employment pay for Kim Girouard, Regina Guidry, Morgan Guillory, Patricia Theriot, Angela Toncrey, Sera Centanni, and Barbara Neveu for the Parks Primary After-Care Program.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

A motion was made by Mr. Blanchard and seconded by Mr. Stelly to approve the two-year contract renewal for Al Blanchard, Principal of Cecilia Junior High School.

Mr. Knott made a substitute motion, seconded by Mr. Ledoux, to extend Al Blanchard’s, Principal of Cecilia Junior High, contract through the month of June, 2008.   The substitute motion unanimously carried.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson

On the motion of Mr. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Wiltz, and unanimously carried, the Board approved to rescind previous board action of termination and accept a letter of resignation from the probationary employee who was dismissed effective October 19, 2005.

ABSENT:        Mr. Johnson    

On the motion of Mr. Ledoux, seconded by Mr. Stelly, and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned.

_____________________________              _________________________________

SECRETARY                                                          PRESIDENT