ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

JANUARY 5, 2011

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. Aaron Flegeance, President, Floyd Knott, Mark Hebert, Russel C. Foti, James Blanchard, Steve Fuselier, Richard Potier, Robert E. Hollier, Frederic Stelly, and Ms. Wanda Babin.

 

                ABSENT:               None

 

                The meeting was called to order by Aaron Flegeance, President.  Superintendent Lavergne opened the meeting with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance.

 

Mr. Mark Boyer, Board Attorney, swore in the existing and newly elected Board Members, as follows:

 

                Steve Fuselier, District I                                      Robert E. Hollier, District VI

                Wanda Babin, District II                                     Richard Potier, District VII

                Aaron Flegeance, District III                              Frederic Stelly, District VIII

                James Blanchard, District IV                              Floyd Knott, District IX

                Russel C. Foti, District V                                     Mark Hebert, District X

 

Board President Aaron Flegeance opened the floor for nominations for President of the Board.  On the motion of Mr. Potier, seconded by Mr. Fuselier, Mr. James Blanchard was nominated for President.

 

                The nominations for the office of President were closed unanimously.

 

                Mr. James Blanchard was elected President of the St. Martin Parish School Board for the year 2011.

 

                The newly-elected President of the St. Martin Parish School Board, Mr. James Blanchard, called for the acceptance of nominations for Vice-President of the Board.  On the motion of    Mr. Knott, seconded by Mr. Hebert, Mr. Steve Fuselier was nominated for the office of Vice-President.

 

                The nominations for the office of Vice-President were closed unanimously.

 

                Mr. Steve Fuselier was elected Vice-President for the St. Martin Parish School Board for the year 2011.

 

Ms. Ellen Taylor, Secretary of Human Resources, was recognized as the Taylor and Sons December Employee of the Month.

 

Eight Educational Leadership Academy Graduates were recognized and honored.  The meeting was recessed for ten minutes for refreshments.

 

Board President James Blanchard made the following appointments:

 

                                Steve Fuselier, Transportation Committee Chairman

                                Wanda Babin, Education Committee Chairman

                                Floyd Knott, Finance Committee Chairman

                                Robert E. Hollier, Insurance Committee Chairman

                                Russel C. Foti, Discipline Committee Chairman

                                Mark Hebert, Athletic Committee Chairman

               

                A motion was made by Mr. Hebert and seconded by Mr. Stelly to remove the Cecilia Primary and Breaux Bridge Senior High custodian appointments from Paraprofessional Personnel Changes until the February Board meeting.

 

                A substitute motion was made by Mr. Potier and seconded by Mr. Flegeance to remove the Cecilia Primary custodian appointment only.  The substitute motion was then voted on and failed as follows:

 

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

                OPPOSED:             Mr. Hebert, Mr. Foti, Mr. Stelly, and Ms. Babin

                ABSTAINED:            Mr. Knott and Mr. Hollier 

 

                The original motion was then voted on and carried.

 

                FOR:       Mr. Knott, Mr. Hebert, Mr. Foti, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Hollier, and Mr. Stelly

                OPPOSED:             Mr. Flegeance, Mr. Potier, and Ms. Babin

                ABSTAINED:            Mr. Fuselier

 

                On the motion of Mr. Hebert, seconded by Mr. Stelly, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the following consent agenda items:

  1. Minutes of the December 1, 2010 meeting

  2. Request for waiver of sales tax penalties for CenturyTel of Evangeline LLC

  3. Recommendation of the administration for the acceptance of bids on Parks Middle School Fire Replacement Equipment to La Food Service Equipment ($9,495) and Alack Refrigeration ($15,272)

  4. Resolution authorizing President and Vice-President to conduct transactions for and on behalf of the School Board

  5. Support for Iberia Comprehensive Community Health Center to apply for funding to provide mental health services for JCEP and ELC, as well as a mobile dental unit to provide services to all schools

  6. Resolution supporting the efforts of the St. Martin Land Company’s efforts in negotiations with Goodrich Petroleum Corporation in reference to well 25 in the Plumb Bob field

  7. Policy revisions for inclusion in the St. Martin Parish School Board Policy Manual:

     

    ABE, School Superintendent Legal Status

    BBBC, Board Member Continuing Education

    CBB, Superintendent Powers and Responsibilities

    CBD, Employment of Superintendent

    DFE, Investments

    DFL, Sale of Buildings and Land

    DJED, Bids and Quotations

    EBC, Buildings and Grounds Security

    GBD, Employment of Personnel

    GBM, Personnel Transfer

    IDBB, Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug and Substance Abuse Education Program

    JBCC, Student Assignment

    JCDAB, Student Alcohol and Drug Use

    JGFHA, Student Biometric Information

    II, Testing Program

     

  8. Policies:

 

Mr. Russell Champagne with Kolder, Champagne, Slaven and Company presented the audit report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.

 

A motion was made by Mr. Stelly and seconded by Mr. Flegeance to move 6th grade students from Breaux Bridge Elementary to Breaux Bridge Junior High.

 

An amendment to the motion was made by Mr. Knott and seconded by Mr. Potier as follows:  Parents with students zoned at Breaux Bridge Elementary and Breaux Bridge Junior High may apply to attend other schools in the parish as follows:

 

Those living north of I-10 in the Poche Bridge area may apply to attend schools in Cecilia.  Those south of I-10 the parents may petition to have their kids attend either Parks or Catahoula providing that parents provide their own transportation, there is enough space at the receiving schools, and the request for a transfer is done prior to a certain date approved by the administration.

 

A second amendment to the motion was made by Mr. Knott and seconded by Mr. Flegeance to allow the Superintendent to hire professors at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to discuss the reconfiguration with him and staff and share ideas on how it should be at the next Board meeting.

 

The second amendment was then voted on and failed, as follows:

 

FOR:       Mr. Knott, Mr. Flegeance, Mr. Foti, Mr. Potier, and Mr. Hollier

OPPOSED:             Mr. Hebert, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Fuselier, Mr. Stelly, and Ms. Babin

 

The amendment was then voted on and failed, as follows:

 

FOR:       Mr. Knott, Mr. Potier, and Ms. Babin

OPPOSED:             Mr. Hebert, Mr. Flegeance, Mr. Foti, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Fuselier,

Mr. Hollier, and Mr. Stelly

               

A motion was made by Mr. Potier and seconded by Mr. Knott to waive the Public Participation policy and allow the parent to speak on the reconfiguration (2/3 vote needed to waive the policy).  The motion was then voted on and carried, as follows:

 

FOR:       Mr. Knott, Mr. Flegeance, Mr. Foti, Mr. Fuselier, Mr. Potier, and Mr. Hollier

OPPOSED:             Mr. Hebert, Mr. Blanchard, and Mr. Stelly

ABSTAINED:            Ms. Babin

 

Ms. Kelly Belote, parent of student at Breaux Bridge School, appeared before the Board to discuss the reconfiguration of the Breaux Bridge Schools.

 

The original motion was then voted on and failed, as follows:

 

FOR:     Mr. Flegeance and Mr. Stelly

OPPOSED:             Mr. Hebert, Mr. Foti, Mr. Blanchard, Mr. Fuselier, Mr. Potier, and Ms. Babin

 

ABSTAINED:                       Mr. Knott and Mr. Hollier

 

Board Member Floyd Knott requested information pertaining to bus routes and discussed the following:

  1. Return to Work Policy

  2. Future Bond Issues

  3. Preliminary General Fund Budget -- Fiscal Year 2011-12

Board Member Steve Fuselier discussed the hiring of an assistant for the Supervisor of Transportation.

 

On the motion of Mr. Hebert, seconded by Mr. Flegeance, and unanimously carried, the Board approved the following Personnel Changes:

  1. Professionals
     

    APPOINTMENTS:

     

    Bergeron, Allison, Remediation, Breaux Bridge Elementary; effective January 6, 2011. (Certified)

    Carrere, Erin, Math, Cecilia Senior High; effective January 12, 2011. (Certified)

    Stromer, Eric, 3rd grade, Parks Primary; effective December 21, 2010. (Certified)

     

    ONE SEMESTER APPOINTMENT:

     

    LeBlanc, Khristy, Social Studies, Breaux Bridge Senior High; effective January 5, 2011 through May 30, 2011. (Certified)

     

    FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE:

     

    Johnson, Edna, Teacher, JCEP; effective January 5, 2011 through June 1, 2011.

     

    MEDICAL LEAVES:

     

    Aubry, Jessica, Math, St. Martinville Junior High; effective November 22, 2010 through January 17, 2011.

    Robertson, Deirdre, Special Education, St. Martinville Senior High; effective October 28, 2010 through January 7, 2011.

    Thibodeaux, Denice, Health & Physical Education, Cecilia Senior High; effective January 12, 2011 through May 30, 2011.

     

    MATERNITY LEAVE:

     

    Dupre’, Shelly, 6th grade, Cecilia Junior High; effective January 27, 2011 through March 11, 2011.

     

    SABBATICAL LEAVE:

     

    Miller, Robin, Kindergarten, Breaux Bridge Primary; effective January 12, 2011 through June 1, 2011.

     

    TRANSFERS:

     

    Gambill, Timothy, Band Director, Breaux Bridge Elementary/Junior High to Breaux Bridge Junior High/Breaux Bridge Senior High; effective January 6, 2011.

    Laviolette, Joshua, from GED at St. Martinville Senior High to Social Studies at Parks Middle; effective  January 6, 2010.

    Senegal, Shondra, from Social Studies to 5th grade at Parks Middle; effective January 6, 2011.

     

    RESIGNATION:

     

    Guidry, Roxanne, 6th grade, Parks Middle; effective December 15, 2010
     

  2. Paraprofessionals

  1. APPOINTMENTS:

     

    Champagne, Linda, Part-time Food Services, St. Martinville Senior High; effective January 6, 2011.

    Stelly, Cecile, Food Services Technician, Breaux Bridge Junior High; effective January 6, 2011.

     

    MEDICAL LEAVES:

     

    Celestine, Angelina, Food Services Technician, Breaux Bridge Primary; effective October 25, 2010 through November 25, 2010.

    Meche, Todd, Network Manager, Instructional Center; effective December 2, 2010.

    Williams, Patricia, Part-time Food Services Technician, Early Learning Center; effective December 2, 2010.

     

    TRANSERS:

     

    Guilliam, Sadie, Food Services Technician at St. Martinville Senior High to the Early Learning Center; effective January 6, 2011.

    Kately, Shirley, from a part-time to full-time Custodian at St. Martinville Primary; effective November 10, 2010.

     

  2. Request for extra employment pay for Corita Andrus, Cabrini Benoit, Dana Broussard, Brenda Davis, Mary Jo Franciol, and Niki Thibodeaux for Cecilia Primary’s After-Care Program for month of November, 2010

     

  3. Request for extra employment pay for Theresa Blankenship, Trisha Chauvin, Catherine Guidry, Debbie Guillory, and Angela Toncrey for the Parks Primary After-Care Program for the month of November, 2010

 On the motion of Mr. Hebert, seconded by Mr. Flegeance, and unanimously carried, the Board adjourned.

 

_____________________________            _________________________________

SECRETARY                                                        PRESIDENT