ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / July 24, 2000

EDGARD – It seems negotiations between the St. John Parish School Boardand the St. John Parish Association of Educators isn’t quite finished.An agenda item at Thursday night’s board meeting in Edgard called for the board to ratify the new contract after two months of negotiations.

However, the matter was removed from the agenda because it seems that both sides are still talking things over.

“It’s just a matter of some small details,” said SJPAE president Herman Clayton. “We are still in negotiation.”Before the meeting got started school board attorney John Diasselliss administered the oath of office to LaRue Speights, who is taking over the District 8 seat on the school board. She replaces Richard DeLong, whoretired at the beginning of the month.

In a money matter the board reluctantly agreed to pay a change order of $45,098 to have Siemens provide temporary air conditioning in Glade School.

During the summer, Glade School was used as a LEAP remediation center. Asa result, the Siemens Corp. could not do the necessary work on the airconditioning system. In order for the school’s janitorial and maintenancecrews to clean up the school for the upcoming year, there has to be air- conditioning.

According to Superintendent Chris Donaldson, without air conditioning the wax on the floors will not dry, and Glade has a severe problem with humidity.

“I was principal out there when we didn’t have A/C,” said Donaldson, “and the mold was so bad that the walls and desks turned black.”However, C. J. Watkins was puzzled by the administration’s decision to usethe Glade School.

“Using LEAP remediation is a poor excuse for a change order of $45,000,” said Watkins. “We didn’t have to put the remediation in Glade. Now Siemenswill get an extra $45,000. This is very poor administration.”Matthew Ory agreed. “We should have received information on this in May,and we could have saved some money.”Felix Boughton, executive director of business and finance, defended the administration by saying Leon Godchaux Junior High had also been picked for LEAP remediation, but transportation problems made that choice impossible.

In the end the board voted in favor of the change order, with Watkins and Dowie Gendron casting their votes “reluctantly.”In other school board business: Donaldson named Joyce Pierce as Outstanding School Support Employee.

Pierce is a special education aide at Fifth Ward Elementary.

Human Resources Director Alfred Donaldson told the board that 27 new teachers have been hired and four full-time bus drivers are now on board. Healso said the pool of substitute bus drivers is down to two and more are needed.

The board renewed the contract with Kelly Services for substitute teachers. Alfred Donaldson said he is very pleased with the program, and hehas not receive any negative feedback on the Kelly substitutes. The contractwith Kelly is $100,000, but Donaldson said the substitute program saves the school board about $30,000 a year.

The board agreed to continue the In-School Suspension Program and added to the program to hire three more teachers for ISSP. Even though Watkinsexpressed doubts as to whether the three teachers were needed, Leroy Mitchell said, “We don’t want a wishy-washy program. We should plan for theyear and not day-by-day.”Also, all students who are suspended will be required to attend ISSP and not given the option of staying at home.

More was heard on the Qualified Zone Academy Bond that will be used to finance the $3.5 million performance contract with Siemens Corp. The boardwill use McLiney and Co. to handle the financing. McLiney told the board thatnot only will the bond be interest-free, but every time the board makes a payment on the loan interest will be added to the board’s bank account. Also,to qualify for the loan, a contribution of $350,000 was made by the National Educational Foundation, a non-profit organization. The NEF will use the moneyfor 175 scholarships of $2,000 each for internet training. Scholarshiprecipients will get on-line training in computers.

Elton Oubre, supervisor of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, asked the board to adopt the 2000-2001 Student Code of Conduct Handbook. There are a fewchanges from last year’s regulations regarding in-school suspensions. Theboard accepted the handbook and also approved the $3,400 needed to print up the book.

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