COLUMBIA SCHOOL DISTRICT

EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER

VOLUME XXII October, 2006 Number 4

REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, SEPTEMBER 14, 2006

The Board of Trustees:

· Approved minutes of previous meeting.

· Acknowledged annual reports from administrators.

· Received the monthly financial status report and heard a report on district facilities.

· Granted a variance with City building codes allowing Ms. Tabitha Idom-Nelson to build a home within ten feet instead of twenty feet of the property line which joins the Jefferson Middle School campus.

· Approved the claims docket for payment of current accounts.

· Received monthly reports on bus repairs/expenses and the use of school buses for special events.

· Approved requests to dispose of the following equipment that is beyond repair: three printers, tag #s 4751, 4805, & 4835; one intercom/PA system, tag #1210; one dryer, tag #887; and one washer, tag #888.

· Approved requests to accept the following proposals for school pictures: Lifetouch to make fall and spring pictures and Interstate Publishing Company to publish a school yearbook at Columbia Primary School (K-1) and Mississippi School Pictures to make school pictures at Columbia Elementary School for the 2006-2007 school year.

· Approved the following fund raiser activities: Columbia Basketball Booster Club to sell advertising signs for the CHS gym; Columbia High School Jazz Catz to hold a shoot out contest, sell hot coffee and hot chocolate at home basketball games, and hold a dance mini-camp on November 4, 2006; Columbia High School Chorus to sell Winter Wonderland Collection items October 27 through November 8, 2006; Columbia High School CoHiAn Staff to sell sweet treats and fiesta Italian items; and Columbia High School Basketball Boosters to hold a Little Wildcat Basketball League.

· Approved out-of-state field trips requests: Columbia Elementary School Challenge classes to visit the Gulf Coast Exploreum in Mobile, AL, on January 12, 2007; Columbia Primary School third grade classes to visit Red Bluff Farms in Folsum, LA on October 23, 2006; and Maryanne Simpson, Sydney Mire, Robert Knight, Anne McCain, Phelix Shoemaker and the Columbia High School senior class to attend the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond, LA on November 14, 2006.

· Approved requests for permission to travel out-of-state.

· Approved the Title VI Rural and Low Income Schools Application in the amount of $53,163.00 and the accompanying statement of assurances.

· Granted Mrs. Renee Pounds, Food Service Supervisor, permission to pursue a grant from the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association for upgrading the milk coolers at Columbia High School and Jefferson Middle School.

· Authorized the district to initiate procedures to clear the central office annex building from the district’s property located at 607 Owens Street.

· Approved the District's Test Security Plan and the accompanying Statement of Assurances for the 2006-2007 school year.

· Authorized the District to advertise for bids for a District IP Video Surveillance System.

· Accepted the lowest and best bid received from Moore Oil Company for transportation fuel for the 2006-2007 school year.

· Approved a request to declare four (4) school buses and one (1) automobile as surplus property and granted authorization to advertise same for sale by sealed bids.

· Adopted a resolution authorizing the District to borrow $299,400.85 from its Sixteenth Section Principal Fund to cover the cost of (5) new school buses, cameras, and radios.

· Accepted employment resignations submitted by Cynthia M. Hampton as a bus driver, Faye M. Jefferson as a cafeteria worker, and Priscilla Watts as a bus driver.

· Approved the employment of the following persons for the 2006-2007 school year:

Ø Ernest Ryals as a regular bus driver;

Ø Cynthia M. Hampton and Priscilla Watts as substitute bus drivers;

Ø Jerri Jones, Cathy Cotton, Angela Johnson, and Celia Broom as tutors for an after-school program at Columbia Elementary School;

Ø Vickie Crowther, Donna Davis, Janis Dillon, Dana Gabriel, Nilia Jeanfreau, Annabelle Looker, Angie Pittman, Patrick Robertson, Jennifer Schoenfeld, Margaret Williams and Candace Woodroof as substitute teachers pending completion of the next scheduled substitute workshop and the results of a current background check as required by State law;

Ø Shawee Peters as a full-time cafeteria worker at Jefferson Middle School;

Ø Laura Horne and Nilia Jeanfreau as substitute cafeteria workers;

Ø Debbie Rowell be paid for additional time worked as secretary for food services; and

Ø Scott Fitzgerald as Fast Pitch Softball coach.

· Approved the expenditure of district improvement funds to purchase TI-83 PL calculators and calculator overhead kits for Columbia High School.

· Discussed confidential legal matters in executive session.

· Gave second approval of School Board Policies JCBJA “Random Drug Testing” and JCBJB “Suspicion-Based Drug and Alcohol Testing”, effective January 1, 2007.

· Accepted a proposal from Health Works LLC for drug screening.

· Was informed that bids will be received and opened on October 23, 2006, for a baseball scoreboard.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

CENTRAL OFFICE

Aleise Henry, October 6

Marietta James, October 16

COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL

Gayle Alford, October 7

Donna Bass, October 9

Claire Beaugh, October 8

Bruce Ratcliff, October 21

JEFFERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL

Grace Beard, October 24

Merl Morman, October 6

COLUMBIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Linda Kennedy, October 8

Rene' Sims, October 25

Heather Singley, October 30

COLUMBIA PRIMARY SCHOOL, 2-3

Berry Nell Budjick, October 29

Jeannette Hutchins, October 31

Gus Maily, October 3

Donna Mobley, October 3

Melissa Robbins, October 12

Jan Williams, October 17

COLUMBIA PRIMARY SCHOOL, K-1

Joy Breland, October 23

Robin Murphy, October 4

Valerie Wesley, October 27

FOOD SERVICES

Dessie Moses, October 20

MAINTENANCE

Johnny Edwards, October 15