DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / August 26, 2000

LUTCHER – St. James Parish School employees will likely be paying morefor their health insurance program soon.

Increases have been avoided in the past eight years by adjusting the health plan offered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield, said Lionel Porta Jr, director of business services. But high claims last year will cause rates toincrease more than 40 percent.

Porta and representatives of Marsh USA, a consultant company for employee benefit programs, informed the school board of the upcoming changes during the Aug. 22 meeting.Last year Blue Cross and Blue Shield was paid $1,986,612 in pool premiums for its health coverage. However, the insurance company paidout $2,217,985 in claims to the employees.

Due to the premium inadequacy, the rates are scheduled to be increased by 41.4 percent. This would increase the total premium cost to $2,994,021.Marsh USA consulted other insurance companies for their rates, but other rates would increase the amount paid anywhere from 41 to 82 percent.

Marsh USA concluded that the increase asked by Blue Cross and Blue Shield was fair according to the amount of claims made by school employees in the last 12 months.

Neither Porta nor Marsh USA was prepared to make a recommendation to the board as to a course of action, but the board must make a decision by Oct. 1 if it intends to change carriers, and Oct. 12 if not. A specialmeeting may be held if determined necessary.

In another matter the board is looking to fill food service positions with qualified personnel. With people resigning or retiring the school systemhas tried to fill the positions with temporary workers due to financial trouble with the food service department, said Porta. Using temporarypersonnel has been a way to cut the budget, the largest amount of money being spent on personnel.

Manpower Staffing, a global staffing company with an office in LaPlace, was on hand to propose to the board what they could bring to the table.

Kim Bourgeois of Manpower said they would hire the employees under their company and offer competitive benefits to those who would work in the school cafeterias. Bourgeois assured the board their referrals would beManpower’s number one priority.

The school system would pay Manpower $9.01 per hour for its employees,less than $3 more than the current wage offered. The amount would payfor the employee’s work, benefits and Manpower’s price.

Board member George Nassar was concerned for those part-time workers who have been working as substitutes for the schools in the past years so that they could become full-time employees with benefits. Bourgeoisassured Nassar that Manpower’s benefits were competitive and reiterated their priority for the board’s referrals. No current full or part-timeworkers would be displaced by Manpower’s employed workers, she added.

Also, the board approved a technology assessment, costing $4,995, by Bellwether Technology Corp.. The assessment will determine the bestcourse for the continued implementation of technology, mainly through the proposed technology centers for Lutcher and St. James high schools.Bellwether will gather information on the current technology equipment and facilities of the schools and produce a policy for the advancement of technology use in the parish school system.

“This is an excellent was for a school system that has been acquiring technology to know where they want to go with it,” said Frank Fudesco, senior education executive.

In other news, St. James High School Principal Josephine Oubre reportedthat their back-to-school day was a success.

Also, ACT scores have improved since last year. Lutcher High Schoolimproved its scores to an average 18.4, and St. James High Schoolimproved to 16.4. The state average score is 19.6.

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