A special called School Board meeting July 17 approved students from Natchez to attend Provencal Elementary/Jr. High School. It also approved the transportation and attendance lines as it relates to Cloutierville, Provencal and Natchitoches City schools.
Boundaries for the Natchitoches/Provencal school zones:
Into Natchitoches would include both sides of Hwy. 494 and up to (not including) Hwy. 119 in Natchez. Continuing down 494 to the Bermuda Bridge (East side only), picking up Cedar Bend, Riverview Drive, Lambre Gin. Coming back down Bermuda Road, picking up St. Pauls Church Road, Pratt Lane, Solomon Lane. Also to include Patrick Road, Mari Street, Melle Street and any streets off of them.
Going to Provencal would include 119 in Natchez, Sowell Street, Johnson Loop, Church Street, Robinson Street, Natchez Place and anything on the west side of Hwy. 494. Bermuda Road and anyone with a hardship in this area will be able to go to either Natchitoches or Provencal.
Items added to the agenda included:
Advertise for bids for online course content system. These funds will be spent in Title I on certain educational material. It was added to the agenda at this meeting to gain time to purchase the material before school starts.
A name change was approved for the Frankie Ray Jackson Senior Technical Center. The new name for this coeducational public alternative school will be “The Natchitoches Parish Technical and Career Center.”
Superintendent Dale Skinner said the students and faculty came up with the name last year. With the Natchitoches Jr. High-Frankie Ray Jackson, there were two schools sharing a common name. This lead to problems with testing scores and general public confusion.
This is not very cost effective for the Parish. Especially since Hwy 120 between Provencal and Flora will be closing for bridge repair starting July 23. Also, closing all the small schools in our Parish has made for a very small inbred school system. Parishes with multiple K-12 schools have schools that residents take pride in supporting–not here. THEY HAVE WONDERFUL SPORT TEAM RIVALRIES. Also those not in this school district should NOT be allowed to attend Provencal school unless they pay the same high property school tax.
Seems to me the best way to improve our school system is the Texas way: school board members are not paid; it is an honor to serve and be elected. Yes, it eliminates much of the politics which destroys the schools and concern for students. Within our board there is always internal fighting and it is costly. No pay- an honor to serve! (I wonder how many of our members would be on board- without pay.
I tried twice to get the board to reduce the monetary “compensation” to the State minimum ($25 per meeting and mileage) obviously these two attempts failed. Incidentally not one taxpayer at those meetings rose to speak in favor of the motions.
It amazes me how a board of elected .members can accomplish so little! I dont think they are capable of running any system. They meet to close one school numerous times without first laying out district lines. Next by drawing out the lines have probably destroyed a high performing school. If that isn’t enough they finally, after years of discussion, got around to renaming FRJTC. To make matters worst they call it a technical school. There’s nothing technical about it except the sign! If I didnt know better I would swear their efforts are a deliberate attempt to destroy the system. First, they spend the system into financial ruin,; then the superintendent runs off dozens of highly qualified teachers, and realigns the schools that will result in student crossing lines or seeking private schools. If one parent is not satisfied with the desired placement of their child they have the right to demand that every child in the parish are attending required school in their district.
Total waste of time on a minor issue that should’ve been taken care of at the last meeting but for the childish tantrum of one board member. Too bad term limits are a couple of terms away.
I think Mr. Metoyer was the only one in compliance with Louisiana Public Meeting Laws. There was no emergency that warranted amending the agenda. It’s a very bad habit to get into, as it denies the public the right to comment.
You can bet the decision was made behind closed doors by white board members before the meeting was held.
No the meeting, agenda and added agenda items were all in compliance with Robert’s Rules of Order and more importantly with the laws of the State of Louisiana.