09-04-2007

Home | Up

DATE, TIME, PLACE OF MEETING

The Calcasieu Parish School Board met in the Conference Room of the Calcasieu Parish School Board, located at 1732 Kirkman Street, Lake Charles, Louisiana, on Tuesday, September 4, 2007 at 4:45 p.m. The meeting was called to order by Bryan LaRocque, President. The prayer was led by R.L. Webb; the pledge was led by Chad Guidry.

ROLL CALL

The roll was called and the following members were present: Joe Andrepont, Annette Ballard, Billy Breaux, Randy Burleigh, Mack Dellafosse, Clara Duhon, Chad Guidry, Fred Hardy, Bill Jongbloed, James Karr, Bryan Larocque, Jimmy Pitre, Elray Victorian, and R.L. Webb.

Dale Bernard was absent.

MINUTES APPROVED

On a motion by Mr. Andrepont and seconded by Mr. Webb, the Minutes of August 7, 2007 were approved. The Supplemental Agenda was approved as part of the regular agenda on a motion by Mr. Dellafosse and seconded by Mr. Breaux.

PRESENTATIONS

Recognition of War Veterans Receiving Honorary High School Diploma

Mr. Wayne Savoy, Superintendent, introduced Mr. Atlas James Johnson and Mr. Dale Henry Smith, two veterans who recently received their high school diplomas from the State Board of Education. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Smith were not able to finish high school, due to their military duties. Mr. Savoy presented a certificate from Calcasieu Parish Schools to both Mr. Johnson and Mr. Smith.

PERSONNEL PACKET/EXECUTIVE SESSION

The Board did not adjourn into Executive Session. Mr. Gary Anderson, Assistant Superintendent of Administration and Personnel, requested a motion supporting the recommendations as listed in the personnel packet. On a motion by Mr. Karr and seconded by Mr. Webb, the motion carried.

Mr. Anderson requested a motion supporting the recommendation of Beth Fraser as Principal of Barbe High School. On a motion by Mr. Pitre and seconded by Mr. Jongbloed, the motion carried.

Mr. Anderson requested a motion for permission to advertise for the position of Assistant Principal at Gillis Elementary. On a motion by Mr. Webb and seconded by Mr. Andrepont, the motion carried.

Mr. Anderson requested a motion for permission to advertise for the position of Assistant Principal at J. I. Watson Middle School. On a motion by Mr. Webb and seconded by Mrs. Ballard, the motion carried.

Mr. Anderson requested a motion for permission to advertise for two positions for Assistant Principal at Barbe High School. On a motion by Mrs. Ballard and seconded by Mr. Jongbloed, the motion carried.

Mr. Savoy explained that one of the positions is to replace Beth Fraser and the other is the current acting position, to make it a permanent position. There is not a new position being created at Barbe, but due to an assistant principal being moved from Barbe to S. J. Welsh Middle School, there is now an added assistant principal position at S. J. Welsh Middle School to help out with the increased enrollment.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Curriculum and Instruction Committee, August 23, 2007

Mr. Webb, Chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Committee, gave the following report on the committee meeting of August 23, 2007. The two changes to the 2007-2008 Pupil Progression Plan are the addition of the Elementary Alternative School and the state-mandated changes in format for the remediation policy. On behalf of the committee, Mr. Webb made a motion to accept. There was no second needed and on a vote, there was no opposition.

Next, Mr. Webb reported on the results from the TAP Survey. This was for informational purposes only. The Minutes from the C&I meeting are available as a part of the Official Minutes, available on request.

Mr. Victorian asked how much of the General Fund is used for the program and how much comes from EEF money and Title money.

Mr. Karl Bruchhaus, Chief Financial Officer, answered that it is unknown at this time, depending on how much Title money and EEF money is available at the time of the payout.

Mr. Victorian said that he felt that TAP was a good thing for our school system and people transferring into Lake Charles needed to see this type of thing in our schools.

Mr. Andrepont said that if the faculty does not “buy in” to what is being brought to them, then the purpose is being defeated. He said that he knows that the program is working in some of the schools in his district and he knows that there are schools in the system where TAP is not doing what it is intended to do. He said he knows that staff is aware of this and hopes that there is an evaluation process in those schools that are not performing and that the program should be eliminated in those schools or the program tweaked, with changes made. He said that he felt that the entire program should be tied to results; if we don’t get the results then we don’t pay the money.

Mr. Dellafosse said his issue is the amount of money that is being paid and that part of the program is working, while part is not.

Sue Way, TAP Coordinator, spoke regarding the money paid to the Master Teachers at the TAP schools. She said that a $7,000 supplement was a suggestion from TAP, the limits being from $7,000 to $12,000, with a $3,000 to $7,000 supplement for Mentor Teachers. Calcasieu Parish gives $3,000, the bottom number of the recommendation. The Curriculum Assistants are paid as Assistant Principals.

Mr. Savoy said that there are seven schools that are TAP schools, but not Title I schools. Mr. Bruchhaus said that the source of their TAP funding comes from other grants (Milken Foundation, Title II, EEF, General Fund.)

Mr. Dellafosse questioned why Title I schools have to use their funds for TAP and that they should still be entitled to the same benefits as the seven TAP schools that are not Title I, that are getting to use other funding.

Mr. Savoy said that with Title I money, we have to be very careful that we are not supplanting General Fund money. If we are doing something with Title money that we would normally do with General Fund money, then we would be supplanting that, with a duplication of services.

Mr. Savoy said that the with the seven non-Title TAP schools, for any supplemental activities that need to be provided, the only way to do that is with grant money.

Mr. Bruchhaus said that the question has to be asked, when you quantify supplanting vs supplementing, is this a service I would be providing anyway, even if I didn’t have grant funding.

In the past, in the case of TAP, the answer would have been no. Were those grants not available, TAP would not have begun in this parish.

Mrs. Duhon asked Mrs. Way about the teachers in TAP schools receiving a supplement. Mrs. Way said that teachers in the TAP schools are eligible for $2,000; some may get more, some less. She said that part of the money is given on the basis of their evaluation and part is on the basis of whether the school grows and if the students in their classroom grew. This is for all teachers in the school; career teachers, mentor teachers, and master teachers.

Mrs. Way said that the master teachers are held to a higher standard and must have a score of 4 out of 5 on their evaluations.

She said that there is a research company for the TAP foundation that handles all of the evaluation scoring.

Mrs. Way said that the payouts for last year should be in October or November of this year and the payouts for this year will be next year.

Mr. Savoy wanted to clarify that the 1.7 million dollars that is coming out of the General Fund for these supplements is for last year and the scores that we have not seen yet from last year. He wanted everyone to understand that we are going to have to do it again next year, for the scores for this year.

Mrs. Duhon did not want that confused with the supplemental services that will be provided to Reynaud Middle School, due to their SI3 designation.

Mr. Jongbloed said he went from not being a proponent of TAP to being a proponent of TAP, after viewing the presentations of the Principals from the TAP schools at the committee meeting. He said he is still bothered by the negative responses on the TAP survey.

Mr. Burleigh asked if low performing schools would be better served if Title I money was spent on other programs to help the school and TAP was funded by grant money, not their Title I money. He said that he just wanted the money spent in the right place, no matter where it is coming from.

Mary Morris spoke to the Board regarding the funding for the TAP program and No Child Left Behind.

Mr. Hardy said that we should call the TAP program the “greased pig” situation, as it seems that no one seems to understand what we are talking about. He said his question about TAP is when does a teacher graduate from the program? He said he felt the TAP concept was good, but work was needed on implementation.

Mr. Hardy said that he had expected a report from C&I regarding TAP at this Board meeting. Mr. Leo Miller, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, replied that what was being reported on at this time is what took place at the last C&I meeting and that the things that he recommended are things that will be done in the future.

Mrs. Ballard said she applauds any efforts by any educator in Calcasieu Parish who is working for continuous improvement. She said that we should never graduate, but learn something new every day.

Mr. Savoy wanted to re-emphasize that the General Fund would have to pick up some of the expense if TAP continues, as some of the grant money may no longer be available.

Mr. Dellafosse made a motion to send this discussion back to the C&I Committee, for them to come up with recommendations to improve the plan. He would like to see the teacher supplement be tied to performance, instead of a guaranteed amount. Mr. Hardy seconded the motion. Mr. Victorian did not want to set a timetable on the plan. Mr. Andrepont said he supported the motion, as it was result driven and he thinks that is what everyone wants. The motion carried.

Mr. LaRocque apologized for the lengthy discussion, without a motion on the floor. He said that the purpose of committee meetings is for this type of discussion.

Mr. Webb continued with his committee report on plans for low performing schools. This was for information purposes only, with no action to be taken.

Mrs. Duhon asked Mr. Miller for a personal copy of the School Improvement Plan for Reynaud Middle, Johnson Elementary, and Pearl Watson Elementary Schools.

Administration and Personnel Committee, August 28, 2007

Mr. Jongbloed, Chair of the Administration and Personnel Committee, gave the following report. The first item on the committee agenda was the renaming of the football stadium at W.W. Lewis Middle School to the Joe Mount Stadium.

On behalf of the committee, Mr. Jongbloed made the motion to accept. There was no second needed and upon a vote, there was no opposition.

The following items are for informational purposes only, as they are policy changes that are mandated as a result of the legislative session.

Policy JDD, Suspension of Students

This policy reflects the new language on expulsion upon the fourth suspension. It also takes the word “mandatory” out of the policy, which gives the Superintendent or staff the right to make that recommendation for expulsion. On behalf of the committee, Mr. Jongbloed made a motion to accept. There was no second needed and upon a vote, no opposition.

Policy JDE, Expulsion

This policy defines the length of an expulsion when a student reports to an alternative site. It still gives the Superintendent the right to modify those lengths if certain requirements are met. On behalf of the committee, Mr. Jongbloed made a motion to accept. There was no second needed and upon a vote, no opposition.

The Minutes from the A&P meeting are available as a part of the Official Minutes, available on request.

TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION

Permission to Declare Items as Surplus for Auction, September 15, 2007

On a motion to accept by Mr. Dellafosse and seconded by Mr. Webb, the motion carried.

Washington-Marion High School Choir Trip to Hattiesburg, MS

On a motion to accept by Mr. Burleigh and seconded by Mr. Breaux, the motion carried.

BID REPORTS

Phase II, Vinton High School, New Library & Misc. Improvements