A number of routine items were considered and forwarded to the full board when committees of the Acadia Parish School Board met.
First, the Budget and Finance Committee received the audit/financial report for the school year ending on June 30, 2018.
The auditing firm of Broussard Poché, reported “no findings” with the exception of one situation in which Child Nutrition had four freezers approved for purchase without proper approval by the USDA.
The board will consider approval of the report at the next regularly scheduled meeting Monday.
The committee also sent to the full board a calendar for revisions of the 2018-2019 budget and for the preparation of the 2019-2020 budget. A review of the Budget-to-Actual Comparisons on the General Fund and Special Revenue Funds is included.
Next, the Budget and Finance Committee recommended advertising for the Official Journal for 2019-2020.
The committee also recommended authorizing Alexis Guillory, accountant, to sign and conduct related transactions on Acadia Parish School Board accounts at Bank of Commerce.
The committee recommended advertising for and conducting a salvage sale on April 25, at the APEC building. The items that will be available at the salvage sale are from an accumulation of equipment no longer used in the school district.
The Personnel, Insurance and Curriculum Committee heard a travel request from Rayne High School FFA to attend the National FFA Land Judging Contest in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, from April 29 through May, 3. The full board will consider that request Monday.
General Manager of Student Transportation Services Russell Lanclos addressed the group with a report on student transportation from STS.
Lanclos reported:
— Over all three recent holidays the bus drivers started the buses when school was out to maintain a running fleet. The long breaks affected some students and drivers with students getting on the wrong bus and missing buses.
— The driver count is about the same. One driver on long-term medical leave returned and another went on long-term medical leave. As of now, five bus drivers are on long-term medical leave, but Lanclos said he is hopeful one will return next month.
— Cold and flu season hit STS hard this year, but substitute drivers were able to fill the routes.
— Four to six new drivers will begin training program. Upon graduation those drivers will be added to the substitute pool.
— There are two recently purchased special needs buses that are currently being repaired. One “loaner” has been sent from Ross (the school bus dealership).
— The safety meeting topics have been backing up and crossing railroad tracks.
— The text messaging system has been helpful in cutting down on student returns for early dismissal.
The committee received and recommended approval of a packet containing a report on Head Start and a review of audit findings.
The committee also approved updates to Acadia Parish School Board Polices, the policy updates were explained by Superintendent Scott Richard as follows:
— GBC-Recruitment: mandated by state law; expands prohibition of hiring anyone with felonies from working in schools.
— GBD-Employment of Personnel: explained as if a bus route becomes available, tenured bus drivers must be notified by a certified letter at residence of open route.
— GBDA-Employment of Retired Personnel: a few job positions were added to an existing list dealing with retired personnel.
— GBRIB-Sick Leave: mandated by state law; has changed to include maternity and adoptive leave, and on the local level a mandate dealing with anticipated return-to-work date, in long-term medical leave that absence must be recertified by doctor every 20 work days.
— GBRIC-Maternity and Adoptive Leave: states that adoptive parents have same opportunity for leave as a maternity leave.
— JBCC-Student Assignment: states that if a teacher is a felon but “grandfathered” in, parents have the option to have student moved to another teacher.
Finally, the committee considered updates to Acadia Parish School Board job descriptions for Lead Teacher/Content Coach and College and Career Readiness Facilitator.
The next regularly scheduled Acadia Parish School Board meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Monday at the Acadia Parish School Board Office.
