Webster Parish School Board Meeting Wrap-up

The Webster Parish School Board held their monthly meeting on Monday.

The Board began the meeting with several recognitions: Students and faculty member recognized were:

• Lakeside High School Students Kamryn Goodson and Lillian Jolly who qualified for the national competition to be held in Atlanta, Georgia at the end of May. Their staff sponsor is Lesa Ward.
• Amy Lee, Teacher of the Year, Richardson Elementary (was unable to attend the May 30^th meeting due to being out of town at a conference.
• Jamie Lewis, Teacher of the Year, Jones Elementary (was unable to attend May 30^th meeting due to being out of town at a conference.
• Jessica Spence, Principal at Jones Elementary, Elementary Principal of the Year
• Walter Ritchie, Principal at Doyline High School, Middle School Principal of the Year
• Rebecca Wilson, Principal at Minden High School, High School Principal of the Year
• Ben Bower was introduced to the board members as the new Assistant Principal at Minden High School.
• Daniel Lee was introduced to the board members as the new Principal at Central Elementary.

Board members approved the new job description for Pre-K and Kindergarten Paraprofessional that was presented for consideration at the May 30 meeting.

Board members also approved the changing of current WPSB Policy GBN that states that non-tenured employees can be terminated upon Superintendent’s recommendation.

Also approved was updating the Disciplinary Hearing Procedures per LA. R.X. 17:441 et. seq;

Board Members agreed to have on the agenda and vote in the July meeting to move teachers to their appropriate step on the pay scale. Steps were frozen ten years ago and in 2017 the pay was unfrozen. However, employees were not moved to their step based on their years of service, but rather where they left off when the pay was frozen. It was noted that during the time of pay freezes, the district saved about $3.5 million.

In an effort to bring employees to their current step, it will cost the district an estimated $350,000 a year. This affects employees that were hired prior to 2017–about 250 employees. If this passes, it will go into effect for the 2023 – 2024 school year.

 

Approved expenditures by district that were approved were:

 

Request for Consolidated District 3 Maintenance Fund:

• Ratify payment for Invoice #238982 from Hol-Mont Sales and Rental to replace an engine on an Exmark Laser X mower for Lakeside Junior/Senior High School in the amount of $3,479.87.
• Central Elementary School to purchase playground equipment for the Pre-School Playground from AAA State of Play for $45,025.00.
• Lakeside Junior/Senior High School to purchase two Chromebooks from DETEL in the amount of $683.00.
• Lakeside Junior/Senior High School to purchase two 15” Notebooks from DETEL in the amount of $2,960.
• Lakeside Junior/Senior High School to purchase two DETEL slimline Desktop PC from DETEL in the amount of $3,282.
• Lakeside Junior/Senior High School to purchase two Rongta POS printers from Amazon to be used for attendance with JCAMPUS in the amount of $161.98.
• Lakeside Junior/Senior High School to purchase two QR Desktop barcode scanners from Amazon to be used for attendance through JCAMPUS in the amount of $99.96.
• Central Elementary to purchase a new LED sign from Main Street LED Signs, LLC for $2,500.

 

Request for Springhill Maintenance Fund:

• Dixie Floors to install 30 Mill wear layer Commercial Vinyl Plank Flooring in the office suite at North Webster High School for the amount of $22,247.60.
• Mechanical Cooling Services to install two new 5-ton HVAC units and duct socks at Brown Upper Elementary School Cafeteria for $24,500.
• Ratify payment Invoice #161551 from Fitzgerald Contractors to repair a 2” water line on the playground at Brown Upper Elementary for $3,108.12.
• Ratify payment Invoice #13046 from Mechanical Cooling Services to repair Air Handler #2 at North Webster High School in the amount of $1,100.
• Ratify for payment Invoice #12425 from Mechanical Cooling Services to replace a boiler circulating pump at North Webster High School in the amount of $4,400.

 

Request for Minden District 6 ½ cent Maintenance Fund:

• Ratify payment for Invoice #272857 from BMS, LLC for office furniture for Phillips Elementary School principal’s office in the amount of $1,497.16.
• Ratify payment for invoice #1-128773199674 from Johnson Controls for boiler repair at Minden High School in the amount of $3,982.36.
• Phillips Elementary School to purchase three office chairs from BMS for $507.
• Approval to accept the low quote from Mark Griffith for $10,676 to paint the annex building hallway at Richardson Elementary School.
• To accept change order #3 for the New Complex for Minden High School Softball for $19,961.50 for additional fencing per request of Minden High Administration.

 

Doyline Maintenance Fund

• Doyline High School to purchase a 22” string mower from Hol-Mont Sales and Rental for $479.99.

 

Shongaloo Maintenance Fund

• Ratify payment for Invoice #12803 from Mechanical Cooling Services to replace and reprogram a gas valve and actuator at North Webster Lower Elementary in the amount of $3,710.

Sarepta Maintenance Fund:

• Mechanical Cooling Services to install a mini-split HVAC system in the IT/Electrical room at North Webster Junior High School in the amount of $7,200.
• Woodson Contracting, LLC to plant purple shrubs to spell out “NWJH” in the east end zone at North Webster Junior High School football stadium for the total cost of $4,000.

The next board meeting to be held on Monday, July10th at 6:00pm.