Superintendent Dale Skinner announced at the March 7 School Board meeting that changes were made to the school reorganization plan that was approved last month.
According to a handout, the School Board’s Curriculum Team made these changes after receiving community, teacher and parent input on the reorganization. These changes were made, “in order to have schools with lower, more manageable numbers.”
Weaver- PreK, K and First Grade (600 students)
Parks- Second, Third and Fourth Grade (586 students)
LP Vaughn- Fifth and Sixth Grade (395 students)
NJH- Seventh and Eighth Grade (403 students)
East- Magnet (400 students)
The board’s initial reaction was to put this up for a vote at April’s meeting. Skinner said he’d like to get the board’s approval as soon as possible so they could move forward with their planning. Eugene Garner made a motion to suspend the meeting rules and add this as an agenda item to Wednesday night’s meeting. Tommy Melder seconded the motion but it failed because Emile Metoyer, Steven Harris, Rhonda Guidroz and Ralph Wilson voted against it.
Skinner then asked for a Special Called Meeting to be held Tuesday, March 13 at 5 pm to discuss and vote on this item. Also added to the March 13 agenda was an item to create a part-time website advisor position
In other business, Supervisor of Business Affairs Richard Foshee presented the board with a Tax Report and Budget Update. January tax collections were $1.5 million, which is up from last year. When the 1/2 cent sales tax increase, which started in July, is factored in there’s no growth. “We’re not seeing an increase,” said Foshee. “The decrease is so minor I’d call it flat.” Foshee also said the revenues are exceeding the expenditures in the Food Services, Title I, and General Funds. “We’re trending to be below budget in these three areas,” he said.
Agenda items included:
Approve compensation for back travel wages for Superintendent
Permission to advertise for timber bids on Posey Road Tract
Approve addendum to Pupil Progression Plan
Approve 2018-2019 School Calendar
Receive presentations for RFPs for Student Transportation Services
Adopt resolution to support Louisiana State Association of School Personnel Administrators’ resolution calling for the creation of a Task Force to address the shortage of certified teachers
Approve bid solicitation for all Natchitoches Parish District 7 improvements listed in the recent bond proposal (Fairview, Goldonna and Lakeview). Skinner said they’re trying to get rolling on the work to get things done before the next school year.
Approve memorandum of understanding for approval for the School Empowerment Network to work with the Weaver campus next year. This is a school redesign grant that the School Board received approval on, which will be used to help with the school reorganization
They need to quit sending the kids in payne subdivision all the way to Fairview to go to school
The board members need to visit the George Parks campus and the Weaver campus before voting on this item. The Parks campus is more suitable for the PreK – 1st grade students because there are bathroom facilities in the Pre-K rooms and close by for K and 1. Weaver does not have this. Weaver would be better suited for the 2-4 grade level students. I am very happy to see the other changes and think they are wise decisions. I am confident if the board members look inside the buildings and compare them they will agree! I am urging parents and employees to give these “grade level groupings” a chance. I believe as a retired teacher and ex board member that this will benefit our children! It will help with instruction, and also limit so many social and “school hopping “ issues! God Bless the children of Natchitoches Parish !
Skinner is running for god next,he thinks he can do what ever he wants
and this is why the kids will suffer and the parish.If enough people got together and lawyered up sue the school board and Skinner.
Public meeting “rules” are state laws, you can’t just “set them aside”. The superintendents desire certainly did not qualify for amending the agenda, which would have been the proper motion. There is a reason there is an agenda. It serves the purpose of public notification, should the public wish to attend. People holding a public position are required by law to know the rules that govern them. I didn’t see the article mention that Mr. Garner was informed by a fellow member that his motion was illegal. Sitting here shaking my head in disbelief, no wonder the school system is such a mess.
One of the big (and obvious) reasons kids are not going into teaching is because the pay is too low!