SCHOOL BOARD PROCEEDINGS

The Avoyelles Parish School Board met in regular session on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. at the School Board Office in Marksville, Louisiana, with the following members present:

Rickey Adams, President; Latisha Small, Lynn Deloach, Jay Callegari, Jill Guidry, and Aimee Dupuy.

Absent: Vice President Robin Moreau, Keith Lacombe, and Chris Robinson.

1. An Invocation was offered by Dexter Compton, Supervisor of Curriculum.

    

2. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America led by Board member Jill Guidry.

    

3. On motion by Lynn Deloach, seconded by Aimee Dupuy, the Board adopted the minutes of the regular Board meeting held on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, as printed and mailed to Board members and published in The Weekly News, official journal of the Board.  MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

    

4. Board President Rickey Adams read a resolution of respect to the late Mary Louise Paul Brown, retired Supervisor of Federal Programs.

    

   On motion by Aimee Dupuy, seconded by Latisha Small, the Board adopted the resolution of respect to the late Mary Louise Paul Brown, retired Supervisor of Federal Programs.  MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

INFORMATION ITEMS:

5. Marcus Guillory with Delta Engineering Group addressed the Board with an update on the Multipurpose Education Complex.

    

6. The Sales Tax Report was presented for the month of June, 2025.  Sales tax collections totaled $1,006,769.76.  Of this amount, the 1% sales tax generated $575,296.49, the 0.25% sales tax generated $143,825.03, and the building and maintenance fund generated $287,648.24.

    

7. The monthly maintenance report on expenditures was presented.

    

8. The following personnel changes were reported for the Board’s review:

PERSONNEL CHANGES

CONSENT ITEMS:

9. Request to approve handbook revisions.

    

10. Request to approve the purchase of the Brolly Platform to be utilized by special education teachers and service providers in the district at a cost of $17,075.00, funded by IDEA-B funds.

     

11. Request to approve the proposal from Bailey Education Group, LLC to provide districtwide customized transition services and support in terms of needs assessment, action planning, and transition planning to be paid out of IDEA-B funds in the amount of $7,900.00.

     

12. Request to purchase ten (10) virtual MindPlay Reading Studio licenses and 2 professional development sessions from Rosemont Education Solutions, funded by IDEA-B funds in the amount of $2,900.00.

     

13. Request to approve a contract with New Direction Solutions, LLC, dba ProCare Therapy, for speech therapist Katherine Clark at the rate of $85.00 per hour, funded by General Funds.

     

14. Request to renew the contract with PC Brocato, LLC, dba School Consultants, at the rate of $85.00 per hour for 40 hours/week to be paid from IDEA-B funds.

     

15. Request to approve the Memorandum of Agreement between Avoyelles Parish School District and the Office of the Government of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for the 2025-26 school year.  It renews our agreement with them to provide our endpoint protection free of charge as well as monitoring our network 24 hours a day.  All of this at no expense to the district.

     

16. Request to approve overnight travel.

     

    On motion by Jill Guidry, seconded by Jay Callegari, the Board approved the consent agenda items.  MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ACTION ITEMS:

17. Dawn Pitre, Supervisor of Special Services, addressed the Board with a recommendation to approve the contract with High Expectation VI Services, LLC to provide services to students who are blind/visually impaired in the amount of $100.00 per hour for direct or consultative services, not to exceed $25,000 per academic year, funded by General Funds.

     

    On motion by Jill Guidry, seconded by Aimee Dupuy, the Board approved the contract with High Expectation VI Services, LLC to provide services to students who are blind/visually impaired in the amount of $100.00 per hour for direct or consultative services, not to exceed $25,000 per academic year, funded by General Funds.  MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

     

18. Assistant Superintendent Thelma Prater addressed the Board with a recommendation to change the Bunkie overflow route to a full-time bus route with assigned roads for pick up.  This position will be advertised and filled according to normal procedures for bidding a route.

     

    On motion by Aimee Dupuy, seconded by Jill Guidry, the Board agreed to change the Bunkie overflow route to a full-time bus route with assigned roads for pick up.  This position will be advertised and filled according to normal procedures for bidding a route.  MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

     

19. Assistant Superintendent Thelma Prater addressed the Board with a recommendation to comply with La. DOE, Title 28 Education, Bulletin 119, that buses must not be backed up/driven in reverse except in situations where there is no safer alternative.  Students will be picked up at the end of the main road.

     

    On motion by Aimee Dupuy, seconded by Jay Callegari, the Board approved Resolution to comply with La. DOE, Title 28 Education, Bulletin 119, that buses must not be backed up/driven in reverse except in situations where there is no safer alternative.  Students will be picked up at the end of the main road.  MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

There being no further business, on motion by Jill Guidry, seconded by Aimee Dupuy, the meeting was adjourned.