MINUTES

ARP INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

REGULAR BOARD MEETING

JUNE 12,   2006

ARP HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY

 

The Board of Trustees for the Arp Independent School District met in Regular Session on

June 12, 2006 in the Arp High School Library at 7:00 p.m. with the following members present:

Dennis Ford                            President

Patty Campbell                       Board Member

Eltara Tyiska                          Board Member

       Jay Carson                              Board Member (in at 7:10)

                                    Montza Williams                     Board Member

                                    Earnest Stroupe                       Board Member

                                    Jackie Lacy                             Board Member

 

Others present were Toney Lowery, Dr. Ron Sterling, Zane Beck, Joy Rousseau, Dwight Thomas, Kyle Waldron, and Yolanda Bruney.  Also present: Rick Boone (Boone & Boone Const.)   JoAnn Andrews, (Linebarger & Assoc.,) Debbie Taliaferro and Janet Shuttlesworth (teachers)

 

INVOCATION:  Given by Montza Williams

 

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS:  

Roll call: Certification that “the provisions of The Open Meeting Act, Section 5551.001 et.seq. of the Texas Government Code have been complied with in connection with public notice of this meeting and quorum is present.”

 

OPEN FORUM: None

 

ACTION ITEMS:

 

5.1     Oath of Office Administered to Newly Elected Board Members.  Yolanda Bruney, notary public, administered oath of office to Eltara Tyiska (place 3), Dennis Ford (place 4), Jackie Lacy (place 5) and Earnest Stroupe (place 7).

5.2     Elect new officers to Board of Trustees.

bulletPresident:  Montza Williams nominated Jackie Lacy, Eltara Tyiska nominated Dennis Ford.  Eltara Tyiska motioned to cease nominations.  Dennis Ford was elected Board President, Vote carried 4-2. 
bulletVice-President:  Eltara Tyiska nominated Jackie Lacy, Earnest Stroupe nominated Montza Williams. Montza Williams motioned to cease nominations.   Montza Williams was elected Vice President of the Board of Trustees, Vote carried 3-2.
bulletSecretary:  Eltara Tyiska nominated Patty Campbell, Earnest Stroupe motioned to cease nominations.  Patty Campbell was elected Board Secretary, vote carried 6-0.
bulletAssistant Secretary: Patty Campbell nominated Earnest Stroupe. Hearing no more nominations, Dennis Ford called for a vote.  Earnest Stroupe was elected Assistant Secretary of the Board of Trustees, Vote carried 6-0.

 

 

5.3     Approve minutes from the May 8th, 2006 Regular Board Meeting.  Toney Lowery,  Patty Campbell, and Dennis Ford pointed out three typographical errors for correction.  The motion was made by Patty Campbell and seconded by Jackie Lacy to accept the minutes as corrected.  The motion carried 6-0.

 

Note: Board Member Jay Carson arrived during discussion of 5.3  – Time 7:10

 

5.4 Consider approving payment of bills (including Arp/Troup SSA) for April 2006:  Jackie Lacy inquired on six checks with a response from Toney Lowery and Zane Beck, The motion was made by Eltara Tyiska to pay the bills as presented with explanation of items of inquiry to be provided to Mr. Lacy.  Jay Carson seconded the motion. The motion carried 7-0.

 5.5 Consider financial and Tax reports:  Dennis Ford inquired about funds with a negative balance. Zane Beck advised that he is in the process of applying for federal funds and waiting on reimbursement.  Motion was made by Eltara Tyiska to accept the financial reports as presented. Patty Campbell seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.

5.6 Consider approving Budget Amendments:  Zane Beck advised that we received play-off reimbursement of approximately $5,000.00 revenue and are adjusting individual accounts to appropriately reflect expenditures. Patty Campbell made the motion to accept the budget amendment, Eltara Tyiska seconded the motion.  Motion passed 7-0.

5.7Consider approving payment of bill for junior high renovations (special ed.):  Bills from Boone & Boone were presented to the board by Rick Boone and he advised that they only lack setting two a/c units level. Jackie Lacy inquired about the fuel charges and Rick Boone advised this was part of the reimbursable costs in the contract.  Eltara Tyiska made the motion to pay the bills as presented. Patty Campbell seconded the motion. The motion carried 7-0.

 

5.8 JoAnn Andrews, with Linebarger, presented  three tax resale properties:

bulletCause No. 20,483-C  passed for resale

Jay Carson made the motion for resale, Montza Williams seconded the motion. Motion passed 7-0.

bulletCause No. 20,676-A     JoAnn Andrews advised that additional paperwork needs to be submitted and will present at the July board meeting.  Eltara Tyiska made the motion to table, Patty Campbell seconded the motion. The motion to table carried 7-0.
bulletCause No. 20,151-A    JoAnn Andrews will present at the July board meeting due to the need for more research.

 

 

 

 

5.9 Consider approving Brown, Bronstad, Habenicht & Rosson, P.C. for the August 31,                  

2006 year end audit.  Mr. Lowery advised that the aforementioned Certified Public Accountants have been auditing our district for several years.  Jackie Lacy made the motion to approve. Earnest Stroupe seconded the motion. The motion carried 7-0.

5.10 Consider approving Memorandum of Understanding for Juvenile Justice Alternative

        Education Program (JJAEP) for the 2006-2007 school year. Montza Williams made

        the motion to approve. Jay Carson seconded the motion.  The motion carried 7-0.

5.11    Consider approving Troup I.S.D. Alternative School Coop. Agreement   Toney  Lowery advised that the agreement be amended as follows:

bulletIf a District desires to withdraw from the Cooperative they are required to give

thirty days notice in writing to the Troup ISD Superintendent. ( as opposed to

 “twelve months”)

         Montza Williams made the motion to approve with the aforementioned amendment.

         Patty Campbell seconded. The motion carried 7-0.

5.12    Consider approving transfer students for the 06/07 school year.  Patty Campbell

inquired about the transfer fee and Toney Lowery explained that eligible students have been “grandfathered” into the district and therefore exempt from tuition charges. Jay Carson made the motion to approve. Earnest Stroupe seconded. The motion carried 7-0.

5.13  Consider building project for elementary campus.    Rick Boone with Boone and Boone Construction presented floor plans of the proposed addition of the six classrooms at the elementary campus. He discussed several issues concerning the proposal….

bulletBuild onto the existing wings
bulletMatch the brick and roof
bulletSalvage  the stripped brick and re-use as much as possible
bulletCeilings will match existing ceilings
bulletHallway would have same appearance and continuity with ceramic tile floor to ceiling
bulletWill include restroom facilities in first hallway only
bulletLooking at split cooling system as opposed to extension of current chilled water system
bulletGoal is to finish by mid-term of 2006-2007
bulletCost estimate is $100.00 square foot.

 

Boone and Boone would function as Project Manager and the Board of Trustees would approve individual contracts in the same manner as the construction of the High School.

Patty Campbell made the motion to proceed with Boone and Boone as Project Manager for the addition at the elementary campus. Eltara Tyiska seconded the motion. The motion carried 5-2.

5.14 Consider approving vehicle use policy. Toney Lowery will be held responsible for appropriation of district resources. Eltara Tyiska made the motion to approve the vehicle use policy for school owned vehicles. Jay Carson seconded the motion. The motion carried 7-0.

5.15 Consider adding an elementary teacher to keep classroom numbers down.  Toney Lowery advised that the elementary principal is requesting an additional elementary teacher for the fourth grade to reduce classroom numbers.  Patty Campbell made the motion to hire an additional teacher at the elementary.  Earnest Stroupe seconded the motion. The motion carried 7-0.

5.16 Consider adding a Content Mastery or Math Teacher to each campus.   Toney Lowery suggested leaving it up to the Site Base Committee on each campus as to which position will best suit their needs.  Dwight Thomas stated that the Junior High would be better suited with a Math teacher. Dr. Sterling stated that the High School needed a math teacher also. Jackie Lacy asked about the elementary preference and Debbie Taliaferro stated that the Elementary campus would want Content Mastery. Jackie Lacy made the motion to hire a Content Mastery or Math Teacher at each campus at the Principal’s discretion.  Earnest Stroupe seconded the motion. The motion carried 7-0.

 

 

INFORMATION ITEMS:

 

6.1    Technology Plan and Needs Assessment Update – Joy Rousseau presented detailed compilation of the district’s technology status with budgetary items for updates.

6.2    Principals to report on TAKS scores by campus.   Joy Rousseau presented TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) scores and information for the elementary campus. Dwight Thomas overviewed his TAKS scores and initiatives for the Junior High campus and Dr. Ron Sterling overviewed his TAKS scores and initiatives for the High School campus.

 

BOARD COMMENTS:   

Toney Lowery commented on the following:

bulletWelcomed new members of the Board of Trustees
bulletThe State of Texas House of Representatives adopted a House Concurrent Resolution in honor of the Arp High School boys’ basketball team capturing the U.I.L. 2A State Championship on March 11, 2006. Submitted by the Honorable State Representative Leo Berman.
bulletSuperintendent’s Honor Roll Banquet, June 13th, 6:00pm  in the High School commons area
bulletSchool Board Training Session, June 24th, 2006,  9:00am   High School Commons

 

Eltara Tyiska stated that he was proud of Arp School District having adjudicated truancy with a program to give guide lines.

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION:  The board went into executive session at 9:25 pm and returned at 9:43 pm

7.1 Resignations:  Letters of resignation were received on the following employees:  Michele Ellis-Thomas, Daniel Morgan, Amy Neel, Betty Swinney and Heather Davis.  Jay Carson made the motion to accept the resignations. Patty Campbell seconded the motion. Motion passed 7-0.

7.2 Personnel: Eltara Tyiska made the motion to hire Mrs. Ruth Forester, Ms. Gretchen Rayburn, Jennifer Roeland , Dina Miley, Holly Roberts, Julie Rhame, and Stephanie Wilkerson at state schedule plus local enrichment subject to assignment.  Montza Williams seconded the motion. Motion passed 7-0.                                           

 

ADJOURNMENT:     Eltara Tyiska made the motion that the meeting be adjourned. The motion carried 7-0. The meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m.

 

 

_________________________________  ATTEST:_____________________________

Dennis Ford, President                                                    Toney Lowery, Superintendent