School Board adopts $51 million budget
The Concordia Parish School Board adopted a $51 million consolidated budget for 2009-2010 during its regular meeting Thursday night following a public hearing.
The budget includes anticipated revenue of $51,396,000 and expenditures of $50,679,00, resulting in an excess of revenue of $767,000.
Business Manager Tom O'Neal said the loss of 146 students in this school year's enrollment, which totals 3,742, will result in the loss of state Minimum Foundation Program funding of about $967,000. He said the state provides $3,855 for each student enrolled.
"We will absorb this loss without employee loss or pay reductions," he said.
He said the 13th check (sales tax fund) check for all personnel is funded in the budget with teachers receiving $400 and support personnel $200. "We will review the funding source for a possible mid-year adjustment," said O'Neal.
The general fund teacher supplements of $600 is also being funded.
"This budget continues to provide for additional general fund supplement for all full time personnel in the amount of $1,000," he said, which is funded by property tax and paid in two increments during December and May.
Capital projects previously approved by the board and included in this year's budget are the replacement of flat roofs on all student facilities, lowering ceilings and replacing lighting at Vidalia Lower Elementary, Vidalia Junior High and Ferriday Upper, installation and/or replacement of air-conditioning systems at high school gyms and a review of the feasibility of gym seating replacement at Ferriday and Vidalia Junior High Schools.
Roof replacements are on tap for Ferriday Upper, Vidalia High and the Title 1/Special Education administrative buildings.
Board member Fred Butcher asks that the $15 per student allotment to schools be increased.
"It is difficult for high schools and elementary schools to make it on this," said Butcher, who added that he thought schools are heavily burdened with fund-raising activities.
Board President Gary Parnham said he thought schools should "follow the trail of money" more closely. "Every penny taken in needs to be on a receipt," he said. "We do need to do a better job of management in some areas."
In other action, the board approved the payment of invoices for the month of August totaling $1,315,562, and took under advisement bids for paper.
The board also agreed to incur debt and sell bonds totaling $1.8 million for school construction to be paid from its construction millage, and voted to reduce academic meetings from three a year to two. One will be held in the fall and one in the spring.
In personnel matters, the board approved the following:
Resignations:
Christian Hughes, teacher, Ferriday Upper Elementary, effective August 21, 2009.
Threasa Simpson, school food service technician, effective August 14, 2009.
Tashanda McKeal, secretary, Concordia Education Center, effective September 18, 2009.
Leave:
Kristy Arthur, speech pathologist, Monterey High School, maternity leave upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave, effective September 29, 2009-November 13, 2009.
Linda Cain, paraprofessional, Ferriday Lower Elementary, extended medical leave, upon exhaustion of accumulated leave.
Loretta Blankenstein, superintendent, Central Administrative Office, maternity leave upon exhaustion of accumulated sick leave, effective Friday, September 25; through Friday, November 6, 2009
Appointments:
Ernestine Marshall, special education teacher, Vidalia Upper Elementary, effective August 6, 2009, for the 2009-2010 school year.
Mary LeBlanc, teacher, Ferriday High School, effective August 6, 2009, for the 2009-2010 school year.
Gary Paul Parnham Jr., administrative trainee, Vidalia High School, effective August 14, 2009.
Charles Sproles, administrative trainee, Vidalia Jr. High School, effective August 14, 2009.
Melissa Doughty, administrative designee, Vidalia Lower Elementary; effective August 14, 2009.
Brenda Logan, administrative designee, Vidalia Jr. High School, effective August 14, 2009.
Melissa Guillot, administrative designee, Ferriday Lower Elementary, effective August 14, 2009.
Jane Carpenter, administrative designee, Ridgecrest School, effective August 14, 2009.
Robin Romans, school food service technician, Vidalia Lower Elementary, effective September 11, 2009.
Linda Byrnes, school food service technician, Vidalia Jr. High, effective September 11, 2009.
Jessica Bullock, secretary, Monterey School, effective September 16, 2009.
Dustin Miller, teacher, Ridgecrest School, effective September 11, 2009, for the 2009-2010 school year.
Terrence Robinson, teacher, Ferriday Upper Elementary, effective September 11, 2009 school year.
Coaching Appointment Changes for 2009-2010:
Gary Paul Parnham, head softball coach, Vidalia High School, effective 2009-2010 school year.
Amanda Wingfield, assistant softball coach, Vidalia High. School, effective 2009-2010 school year.
Russell Wagoner, rescind volunteer softball head coach, Vidalia High School, for 2009-2010 school year. |
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