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TANGIPAHOA PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MINUTESTuesday, April 21, 2015

Members presentJay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel, Mike Whitlow

Meeting called to order at 6:00 PM

1. OPENING ITEMSA. Pledge of Allegiance (All veterans and active military, please render the proper salute) Izaya Lewis, a student at Hammond Westside Elementary Montessori School, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

B. Patriotic Song A choir of Hammond Westside Elementary Montessori School students sang "The Pledge Song" and "Peace Round".

C. Roll Call

D. Consider approval of Board minutes of March 31, 2015Recommend approval as presented.

Motion by Rose Dominguez, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel, Mike Whitlow

2. PRESENTATIONA. Presentation of Black History Program A group of 5th and 6th grade students from Hammond Westside Elementary Montessori School danced to "It Could've Been Me" and "Imagine Me" and Paul Boyd, a 6th grade student gave a reading as the future Dr. Paul Boyd in honor of Black History.

Miss Danielle Joseph, a 5th grade student from Loranger Middle School, spoke on "What Would Martin Do".

3. AWARDS/RECOGNITIONA. Recognize the recipients of the Enos "Jake" Bailey, Jr. Above and Beyond AwardMs. Bailey-Simmons recognized and presented certificates to the recipients of the Enos "Jake" Bailey, Jr. Award - Ms. Jessie Hart and Ms. Jessie Jackson - Para-Professionals at Hammond Westside Elementary Montessori School.

President Duncan called for a brief recess.

B. Recognize the 2015 You Be The Chemist Award recipientsSuperintendent Mark Kolwe, President Duncan and Ms. Cecilia Lanier recognized the 2015 You Be The Chemist Award recipients.

You Be The Chemist Award Presentation

Champ Cooper Ponchatoula Jr High Slade Foil Lucas Drake Hannah Guerra Lance Drouet Austin Schilling Hunter Harris Lauren WelchHammond Eastside Zachary Kirst Alissa Blanchard Madison Greer Sumner MiddleShamitha Thumma Luke Lewis

Hammond Junior Vinyard

TANGIPAHOA PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM April 21, 2015

Trace Anthon Ann Marie Lacour Isabella Hood Tucker Powell Jaylin Kemp Rebecca Smith West Side Middle Paige FrancisHammond Westside Nathan Gendron District WinnersIndependence Middle Taylor McLain (LMS) – 5th place Destiney Baker Kent Bardwell (SLU) – 4th place Jakayla Washington tied for 2nd and 3rd place are Cooper Coldwell (PJHS)Loranger Middle Ire’yana Zanders (IMMS) Caden Trahan Lauren DeVaney – 1st place Logan Watkins Nesom Ta’Lacia Williams

C. Recognize the 2014-15 LHSAA All-Academic Scholar Composite Team Superintendent Kolwe, President Duncan and Mr. Mark Vining, Athletic Director, recognized the 2014-15 LHSAA All-Academic Scholar Composite Team.

2014-2015 LHSAA All-Academic Scholar Composite Team

School Name Sport

Hammond High Kristen Favalora Volleyball

Loranger High Cole Stevens Football Chealse Sibley Basketball

Ponchatoula High Morgan Hall Cross Country Raylea Willoughby Softball Stephen Allen Football

Sumner High Kayla Sanchez Softball Kristie Sanchez Softball

D. Recognize the Ponchatoula High School JROTCChief Warrant Officer Ira Brown gave an update on the accomplishments of the Ponchatoula High School JROTC. He stated they were designated as a 2014-15 National Honor School. Cadets of the JROTC in attendance were Zachary McSween, Amber Wise, Michael Rodriguez and Miranda Ernest.

E. Recognize the Loranger High School Cheerleaders for receiving national awards Mr. Anderson recognized the Loranger High School Cheerleaders Team for their many accomplishments:

JUNIOR VARSITY:

UCA Midsouth Regional Champions - Non-TumblingLHSAA State Champions - Non-TumblingNational High School Cheerleading Championship - 6th Place - Non-Tumbling

VARSITY:

UCA Midsouth Regional Champions - Non-TumblingUCS Louisiana Regional Champions - Non TumblingNational High School Cheerleading Championship - 7th Place - Non-TumblingWorld School Championship - 3rd Place Bronze Medalist - Non-Tumbling

JUNIOR VARSITY AND VARSITY:

UCA Midsouth Regional Champions - Gameday DivisionUCA Louisiana Regional Championship - 2nd Place - Gameday DivisionLHSAA State Championship - 3rd Place - Gameday DivisionNational High School Cheerleading Championship - 4th Place - Non-Tumbling Gameday Division

President Duncan called for a brief recess.


4. CONSIDER COMMITTEE REPORTSA. Personnel Committee - April 13, 2015Motion to approve.

Motion by Sandra Bailey-Simmons, second by Andy Anderson.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel, Mike WhitlowNot Present at Vote: Walter Daniels

B. Policy Committee - April 13, 2015Motion to approve.

Motion by Andy Anderson, second by Rose Dominguez.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel, Mike WhitlowNot Present at Vote: Walter Daniels

5. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORTS AND/OR RECOMMENDATIONS6. PUBLIC INPUTA. Public InputMr. Eric Brumfield spoke in Public Input.

Ms. Annie Cyprian spoke in Public Input.

Rev. Lafayette Bunches spoke in Public Input.

Rev. Jimmy Richardson spoke in Public Input.

7. PERSONAL PRIVILEGEA. Board Member CommentsMr. Kelly thanked everyone for coming tonight and expressing their thoughts but would like everyone to express the totally of the meeting during their social media time. He believes there are a lot of good things happening in the parish and encouraged everyone to never forget what and who this about.

Ms. Dominguez commended on the Ponchatoula High School Drama Club Program, the Ponchatoula Community and Ponchatoula Chamber for the special day recognizing all the accomplishments of the Ponchatoula High School students.

Mr. Anderson stated he was amazed at the number of children who displayed a high level of education during tonight's program. He stated it was unbelievable and that he wants all students to reach their potential. He stated that poverty needs to be set aside and to train the children and give them theopportunity to learn.

Ms. McDaniel thanked everyone for coming tonight and participating. She stated that the North end students are very important to her and she is very proud of them.

Mr. Daniels stated that he is going to do his best in representing District A. He also stated that Mr. Dominic Diamond, a graduate of Kentwood High School, was elected as the Student Body President at Southern University and wanted to thank him for making that step.

Ms. Bailey-Simmons expressed that tonight was great demonstration of America with the freedom and right to voice individual opinions. She commented that the Hammond Westside Elementary Montessori School's Black History Program was great and was amazed at the talent and heart of the students. She believes this represents the good things happening in School System. She informed everyone on how to nominate someone for the Above and Beyond Award.

Mr. Whitlow stated that watching the students perform tonight was worthwhile. He stated that as he listened to the comments tonight, it reminded him of why he became active in the community. He stated that in 1999 the number of families that lived under poverty in Tangipahoa Parish was 23% and the current statistics have not changed, which is unacceptable to him. He stated this was the main reason he ran for the School Board and his heart is to improve this for communities.

Mr. Duncan wanted to encourage everyone working on the North Tangi Education Committee and thanked them for their passion in their work. He stated that he also started out with the very same issues for improving the Hammond schools and encouraged them not to give up on the process to improve their schools and hopefully work toward a solution.

8. LITIGATION


A. Consider the case of Joyce M. Moore vs. TPSB, USDC, Eastern District of Louisiana, No. 65-15556, Section B(1) There was no business to take up in this matter.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. (7:54 PM)

____________________________ ____________________________Mark Kolwe, Secretary-Treasurer Brett K. Duncan, Board President

Generated by Cynthia Jenkins on Wednesday, April 22, 2015

ATTACHMENTS:Personnel Committee Minutes

Monday, April 13, 2015

Members presentAndy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Brett K Duncan

Others presentRose Dominguez, Jay Kelly, Gail McDaniel, Mark Kolwe, Thomas Bellavia, Bret Schnadelbach, Lionel Jackson, Ron Genco, Theresa Hamilton, Daniel Williams, Joanna Newman, Lisa Fussell and Mark Vining


A. RETIREMENTS/RESIGNATIONS/LEAVES

1. Consider approval of the recommendations for Retirements – Resignations - Leaves

ITEM ARETIRMENTS – RESIGNATIONS - LEAVESNAME POSITION EFFECTIVERETIREMENTS

1) Roxanne Patti Principal – Roseland Elem. 03/24/20152) E. Renee Durio 504 Coord. – Central Office 05/27/2015

RESIGNATIONS

1) Ruby Ricks Teacher – Ponchatoula High 04/17/20152) Robert Lynch Bus Driver – Ponchatoula Jr. High 04/10/2015

LEAVES

1) Carla Joiner SFS Worker – Champ Cooper – Sick leave using sick days first then EML – May 26, 2015.

03/09/2015

2) Raymond Dietz Bus Driver – Perrin ELC – Sick leave using sick days first then EML- May 22, 2015.

02/26/2015

3) Rainey Iasigi Teacher – Roseland Elem. – Maternity leave using sick leave first then up to 30 days of EML – May 26, 2015.

04/13/2015

4) Cline Belcher Para. – Tucker Elem. – Maternity leave using sick days first then up to 30 days of EML – May 26, 2015.

04/27/2015

5) Angela Biandolillo Teacher – Amite High – Sick leave using sick days first May 4, 2015.

04/13/2015

6) Dixie Dedmond Teacher – Ponchatoula Jr. High – Sick leave using sick days first then EML – May 26, 2015

04/13/2015

Recommend approval

Motion by Andy Anderson, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Final Resolution: Motion Carries


Yea: Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Brett K Duncan

Policy Committee of the Whole MinutesMonday, April 13, 2015

Members presentAndy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

Members absentMike Whitlow

Others presentMark Kolwe, Thomas Bellavia, Lionel Jackson, Theresa Hamilton, Bret Schnadelbach, Ron Genco, Daniel Williams, Joanna Newman, Lisa Fussell, Mark Vining


A. SPONSORED POLICIES1. Consider approval of revisions to policy BBC, Board Committees

Motion to approve recommended revisions as corrected.

Motion by Brett K Duncan, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: BBC

BOARD COMMITTEES

The President of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall appoint membership and assign chairmanship to standing committees which may be created by the Board. The President shall be an ex-officio member of each committee. The Superintendent shall serve as the educational advisor to all committees. The meeting days of these committees shall be set by the Board.

Special committees may be appointed by the President or the Board for specific purposes. Upon conclusion of their assignment and report to the Board, the committee shall cease to function. The committee may also be terminated upon approval by the Board. Official action resulting from the committee's assignment shall be reserved and taken only by the Board as a whole.

All committees shall be required to file written minutes of committee meetings with the School Board after each meeting.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

School Board Committees, present and future, with financial responsibility shall be consolidated into one (1) committee to be known as the Finance Committee.

The committee shall be comprised of three (3) members, which shall include two (2) Board Members at large, and the Board Vice President, who shall serve as the committee's chairman. The Board President shall serve as an ex-officio member. Committee appointments shall be for one (1) year terms or consistent with other standing committee terms.

Consultants or other outside individuals of expertise may serve at the committee's discretion on a volunteer basis and shall serve the same term with standing committee members. Such individuals shall be nominated by the committee and approved by majority vote of the Board.

The major responsibility of the finance committee shall be to oversee the financial affairs of the Tangipahoa Parish Public School System, with the exception of Capital Outlay and maintenance


matters. In this regard, the committee shall meet with the staff, at least once a month, and review all school system accounts payable check registers, exclusive of local school funds prior to Board meetings. The finance committee shall also advise and recommend to the Board on other matters that are relevant to financial affairs as assigned by the staff, Board or generated within committee.

This committee shall be responsible for working with the staff or autonomously to constantly search for ways, means, and method of cutting costs, providing maximum efficiency in spending, and delivering the best possible service to the taxpayers at the least possible cost.

STANDING COMMITTEES

The meeting date for any standing Board committee shall be left to the discretion of the chairperson of each committee.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

Business of the Personnel Committee shall be conducted in accordance with the following:

1. Any proposed advertisements that depart from the standard format customarily used for a vacant position must be presented to the Personnel Committee for approval.

2. The minutes of Personnel Committee meetings will include a summarization of concerns expressed by Board members regarding items on the agenda.

I. PURPOSE

The charge of a school board is to establish strategic direction, to set clear education and operations policy to guide management decision-making, to oversee the finances of the school system, and to hire a Superintendent to manage the school system. This work is often times very complex. Therefore, to more properly serve the students and community, the Board is permitted to designate committees to conduct preparatory work on matters that will be considered by the Board as a whole.

II. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY A. The President of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall appoint

membership and assign chairmanship to all Board committees. B. The President shall be an ex-officio member of each committee. C. The Standing Committees outlined herein shall only be terminated by an

amendment of this Board Policy. D. In addition to the Standing Committees established herein, the Board

President may establish “Special Committees” for a specific purposes. Unlike standing Committees, “Special Committees” will cease to exist upon conclusion of their assignment and submission of a final report to the Board on their work.

E. The Superintendent shall appoint members of the administration to serve the needs of the committees.

F. Each Committee Chairman shall determine the Committee’s meeting schedule and agenda.

1. Meetings shall be noticed in the same manner as regular board meetings.

2. The Agenda for each meeting shall be available to the public at the meeting.

3. A copy of all materials prepared for a committee meeting that is given to the members shall be available at the meeting for public review.

4. All committees shall be required to file written minutes of committee meetings with the School Board after each meeting.

G. All committees, including those designated as a “Committee of the Whole,” will report on their work, their recommendations and findings to the full Board for consideration at a duly noticed regular, special or emergency meeting of the Board.


III. STANDING COMMITTEES

The Standing Committees of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board are as follows:

A. FINANCE & AUDIT COMMITTEE

1. This committee shall be comprised of three (3) members, which shall include two (2) Board Members-at-large appointed by the Board President, and the Board Vice President, who shall serve as the committee's chairman.

2. Consultants or other outside individuals of expertise may serve at the committee's discretion on a volunteer basis and shall serve the same term with standing committee members. Such individuals shall be nominated by the committee and approved by majority vote of the Board.

3. The duties of the committee are: Oversee the process for selecting external auditors and

recommending appointment to the Board. Meet with district officers, external and internal auditors, as

necessary. Review the annual financial statements and other sections of

the annual report and consider whether they are complete, consistent with information known to committee members, and reflect appropriate accounting principles.

Understand the scope of internal and external auditors’ review of internal control over financial reporting, and obtain reports on significant findings and recommendations, together with management’s responses.

On an as needed basis, meet separately with the Chief Financial Officer to discuss any matters that the committee or the CFO believes should be addressed.

Identify the Information the Board needs to Receive on a Regular Basis Concerning the Budgeted vs. Actual Financial Data of the District.

Define and Monitor the Board's Role and Decision Calendar for the Board Discussions on the District's Budget and the Role of the Citizens.

Oversee Preparation of the Annual Budget and Financial Statements.

Support Staff in Addressing Issues Raised by the Annual Audit.

Advise and recommend to the Board on other matters that are relevant to financial affairs, except those related to Capital Outlay Projects, as assigned by the staff, Board or generated within committee.

Working with the staff or autonomously to constantly search for ways, means, and method of cutting costs, providing maximum efficiency in spending, and delivering the best possible service to the taxpayers at the least possible cost.

B. PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

1. This committee shall be comprised of 3 (three) members of the Board.

2. The duties of the committee are: Reviews hiring recommendations of the Superintendent. Assists in determining the creation/elimination of district

positions. Reviews and recommends for final approval by the Board of

Job Descriptions and Job Advertisements.


C. POLICY COMMITTEE

1. All members of the Board shall serve on the Policy Committee.

2. The duties of the committee are: Oversee the review of all policies adopted by the Board. Review recommended board action on those policies not

specifically in the purview of another Board Standing Committee.

Evaluate suggestions for Board policy that come from Board members and the public. It may recommend development of policies for adoption.

Establish priorities in policy review and adoption, in consultation with the Superintendent and the administration, and sets review goals and schedules.

D. INSTRUCTIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUPPORT COMMITTEE

1. This committee shall be comprised of no more than 5 (five) members of the Board.

2. The duties of the committee are: To, no less than once each semester, meet with the school

system’s Teacher Advisory Committee for the purpose of exploring ways in which teachers can be better supported by the Board.

To, no less than once each semester, meet with the school system’s Administrator Advisory Committee for the purpose of exploring ways in which administrators can be better supported by the Board.

Review School and District Performance Scores, as well as other evaluation results of the district.

Monitors curriculum adoption and implementation cycle in collaboration with the Superintendent and his/ her designee.

Informs and directs the Board’s annual approval of learning goals in support of the District’s educational mission.

Guides the Board in periodic assessment of progress toward achievement of these goals.

Holds informational meetings with appropriate professional staff members dealing with curriculum items including current and innovative matters.

E. VISION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE

1. This committee shall be comprised of no more than 5 (five) members of the Board.

2. The Committee shall have as its mission the development of effective approaches to long-range planning for the school system's instructional and support functions. It shall be an advocate for and play a leadership role in long-range planning, data driven decision making and shall promote a long-term commitment to keeping all school system stakeholders involved and informed.

3. The duties of the committee are: To provide a forum for considering the direction of the school

system as a whole. To review and evaluate approaches to long-range planning

and related management improvement and organization development practices in both public and private sector organizations.

To recommend ways to implement appropriate planning and


management innovations, to include necessary steps to build leadership, management, and staff commitment and skills.

To make recommendations to the Board concerning strategic planning and the development and updating of a strategic plan for the system including recommendations as to definitions, process, format, content, and timelines.

To review Board policies, existing and proposed, to assess their impact on strategic planning efforts.

To solicit ideas and suggestions for long-range planning initiatives from sources external to Tangipahoa Parish as well as sources within the Parish, including the general public, business and community groups and organizations, parents, PTAs, employee organizations, staff, and elected officials.

To review and analyze, with the help of the superintendent and school system staff, reports and recommendations for long-range planning initiatives from sources both external to and within the Parish.

To review proposed policies and actions recommended by the superintendent or proposed changes to existing policies, to further long-range planning.

To recommend a process by which the Board can provide ongoing leadership and advocacy for long-range planning, including methods for involving all those with a stake in the future of the school system.

To recommend a process for informing and educating the public, elected officials, and School System personnel on long-range planning, including strategic planning, and it goals.

F. CAPITAL OUTLAY

1. All members of the Board shall serve on the Capital Outlay Committee.

2. The duties of the committee are: Reviews the needs and uses of District buildings and

grounds Studies the budgetary impact of proposed improvements Determines how proposed facility improvements should be

prioritized. Recommends for final consideration by the Board, with input

from administration, long and short-term uses and facility improvement plans that are in the best interest of the Parish as a whole.

Revised: August, 1991 Revised: March, 1994Revised: August, 1994 Revised: October 4, 1994Revised: February 4, 1997 Revised: May 13, 1997Revised: June 19, 2012 Revised: Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:55

Board minutes, 5-7-91, 12-7-93, 5-3-94, 10-4-94, 2-4-97, 5-13-97, 6-19-12 Tangipahoa Parish School Board

2. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBRIBB, Sick Leave Bank

Ms. Dominguez requested this item be pulled.

Motion to table this item until the Policy Committee meeting on May 5, 2015.


Motion by Brett K Duncan, second by Andy Anderson.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

3. Consider approval to adopt policy IFAB, Selection of Reading and Supplemental Materials

Recommend approval

Motion by Sandra Bailey-Simmons, second by Brett K Duncan.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

NEW POLICY FILE: IFABCf; IFA, IFAA

SELECTION OF READING AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall ensure each school has procedures in place to determine the suitability of all reading and/or instructional materials. Teachers shall read/view the entire selection to determine if it meets the following requirements prior to assigning to students:

Reflects age/grade level appropriateness Considers cultural differences among students Provides educational value/merit Represents timely and relevant content

New policy:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:81.

4. Consider approval of revisions to policy JCDB, Student Dress Code

Recommend approval

Motion by Sandra Bailey-Simmons, second by Jay Kelly.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: JCDB

STUDENT DRESS CODE

The policy of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall be that no mode of attire shall be considered proper for school wear that disrupts the classroom and/or the school's positive learning environment. In questions regarding student dress and grooming, the principal or his/her designee of each school shall make the final decision as to what is considered proper or improper dress according to the guidelines provided.

The School Board's position is that it wants to teach each student to use good judgment in his/her total appearance so that the attention of others is not distracted from the purpose of the school. Cleanliness and the values of the community shall be a basic consideration.

NOTIFICATION

The School Board shall notify the parent or guardian of each student of the dress code specifications and their effective date.


If the School Board modifies the existing uniform policy, it shall notify, in writing, the parent or guardian of each student of the policy adoption or uniform policy modification at least sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of the new or revised policy. Each school shall display any uniform selected for a reasonable period prior to the proposed effective date for wearing of the uniform.

However, nothing shall prohibit the School Board from requiring a new or revised dress code or uniform policy without the required notice in the event of an emergency. For the purposes of this policy, emergency shall mean an actual or imminent threat to health or safety which may result in loss of life, injury, or property damage.

BODY ARMOR

It shall be unlawful and against School Board policy for any student or non-student to wear or possess on his/her person, at any time, body armor on any School Board property, school campus, at a school-sponsored function, on a school bus or other school transportation, or in a firearm-free zone, with limited exception as enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §14:95.9. School-sponsored functions shall include, but not be limited to, athletic competitions, dances, parties, or any extracurricular activities. A firearm-free zone means any area within one thousand feet of any school campus and within a school bus.

Body armor shall mean bullet-resistant metal or other material intended to provide protection from weapons or bodily injury.

DRESS AND GROOMING GUIDELINES

The dress and grooming of the students shall be that which, in the opinion of the ordinary reasonable person, contributes to the health and safety of the individual and which is non-disruptive to the educational activities and processes of a school. No student shall wear, possess, use, distribute, display or sell any clothing, jewelry, emblem, blade, symbols, sign or other things which are evidence of affiliation with drugs, alcohol, violence or gang related activities or exhibits profane or obscene language/gestures.

Dress Code Regulation

The following regulations apply for grades K-3:

1. Appropriate clothing and footwear shall be worn.

2. Earrings may be worn in ears by females. Earrings shall not be worn by male students at school or any school-related activity.

The following regulations apply for grades 4-12:

1. Hairstyles and mustaches shall be clean, neatly groomed and shall not distract from the learning environment nor be a safety factor for any of the school's curricular offerings. Beards will not be allowed. Any hairstyles that distract from the unique environment of a school shall be dealt with by the principal or his/her designee of that school.

2. Earrings may be worn in ears by females. Earrings shall not be worn by male students at school or any school-related activity.

3. No sleeveless garments shall be worn.

4. No hats, caps, or other headwear shall be worn on school campuses on regular school days, except when a medical condition or religious belief so warrants.

5. Students in grades 4, 5 and 6 will be allowed to wear loose-fitting walking shorts if the bottom of the garment is knee-length. No shorts shall be worn to school by students in grades 7-12.

6. The length of jumpers and skirts shall be knee-length or below.


7. No midriff shirts or blouses shall be worn.

8. Appropriate foot wear shall be worn to school.

9. Students who participate in extracurricular activities (e.g. cheerleaders, spirit group dancers, band members, other drill teams) cannot wear the group's uniform to class.

10. Modifications to the dress code may be made only with the approval of the Superintendent or his/her designee.

11. All pants must be worn at the waistline and if pants have belt loops a belt must be worn.

12. All items of clothing must be worn as intended by design.

13. All shirt tails must be worn tucked inside garments.

UNIFORM REGULATIONS

Pants

All students (boys and girls) pants shall be as follows:

Khaki or navy color twill "slacks" with or without pleats, with or without belt loops (if belt loops, students must wear a belt), with or without pockets.

NO khaki or navy color jeans shall be worn.

NO brand name or label of any type can be displayed on the slacks.

Pants must be bought in the child's appropriate size. No "sagging" no over-sized pants, no wide-legged, no bell bottoms, no cargo, no safari, or carpenter pants shall be allowed.

Shirts

All students K-12 shall have a choice of long or short sleeve, polo style (pull over) or oxford style (button up) white or navy color shirts. Each school shall have an option of a school color shirt to wear (principal's discretion and approval). Turtleneck shirts or shirts with a zipper are not acceptable.

Solid white T-shirts may be worn under regular uniform shirts. The sleeves of the shirts worn under the regular uniform shirts can be long or short and extend past the sleeve of the top shirt. Thermal underwear and turtleneck shirts are not allowed.

Elementary girls shall have an option to wear the "Peter Pan" collar white button up blouse.

Each school principal shall have the option of allowing students to wear a single design school logo T-shirt (short or long-sleeved) designed by and sold by each individual school, in lieu of a polo shirt. The optional T-shirt shall only be allowed on days designated by the school Principal.

Outer Garments

Outside of Buildings:

Students may wear heavy coats or jackets of any color or style outside of school classroom/buildings. Coats and jackets may not have inappropriate insignia, logos, or language, and dusters or trench coats are not allowed.

Inside of Buildings:

Campus and/or classroom Acceptable outerwear for use inside of buildings/classrooms shall consist of navy, white or school chosen color sweater (pull over, vest, button up, zipper, or snap garments) sweatshirt, jacket or windbreaker. These may be pullovers, vests, button- up, zipper, or snap garments. Students/grades Pre-K through 12 shall be


allowed to wear Jackets or sweatshirts with a hood shall be allowed for indoor wear with the stipulation that hoods shall be removed upon entering a building. Jackets or sweatshirts should be blue, white or school chosen color and students should be allowed to wear them in a classroom. A regulation uniform shirt must be worn under all jackets or sweatshirts.

Students shall be allowed to wear school-sponsored organization jackets, sweatshirts and sweaters, i.e. FFA, BETA, athletic, etc. inside buildings and classrooms with the stipulation that the garments should be blue, white or the school chosen color. Outer garments with any other labels are unacceptable.

Shoes

All shoes shall consist of a closed back and front.

No sandals, wedged soles, platforms, high heels, “crocs,” slippers, shower shoes, flip flops, or knee-high shoes shall be allowed.

Jumpers

Optional to wear K-12 in khaki or navy color twill ONLY.

Basic A-line jumper or bib jumper.

Skirts

Skirts may be worn K-12 in khaki or navy color twill ONLY.

Shorts/Skorts

Shorts/skorts may be worn according to School Board policy. Loose-fitting walking shorts are allowed in grades K-6 only, and the bottom of the garment shall be knee-length.

Khaki or navy color twill ONLY.

Belts

Belts must be a solid color (black, navy blue, khaki, or brown) and must be made of a solid material (no cloth, glitter or multicolor)

Designs, emblems, insignias, monograms, logos, holes, studs, etc. are prohibited.

Belts must be the appropriate length for the student’s waist size.

Belt buckles must be plain, standard style.

Elementary students shall be encouraged to wear belts.

Belts shall be mandatory for middle school, junior high school and high school students when wearing slacks or shorts.

SPECIAL OCCASIONS

The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall consider for approval all deviations to the uniform policy for special occasions/events upon written request from the school principal.

1. Positive Behavior Support

A. Once per six weeks to reward students for good behavior.

B. Students may wear uniform pants and school spirit shirt.

2. Charity Events

A. Twice per year.

B. The Superintendent will establish a consistent fee to use throughout the School System.


C. Students may wear jeans with uniform shirt.

D. Staff members may wear jeans.

VIOLATIONS

Violations of the Dress Code shall be addressed as follows:

1. The student shall be sent to the office. If the determination is made that the student is in violation of the Dress Code, the following steps will be taken:

A. The parents shall be notified of the violation; and

B. Requested to bring proper clothing to the school.

2. If the parents cannot be contacted by phone, or if proper clothing is not brought to the school, the student will be sent to a designated area determined by the principal or designee. Also a letter shall be sent home to the parents stating the violation and reminding them that suspension will result in future offenses.

3. Whenever a student has violated the Dress Code a second time, the student may be suspended for one (1) day due to disrespect for authority.

Revised: July, 1988 Revised: May, 2007Revised: September, 1990 Revised: March, 2008Revised: August, 1991 Revised: December, 2008Revised: November, 1992 Revised: March, 2009Revised: September, 1993 Revised: October, 2010Revised: May, 1997 Revised: August 5, 2014Revised: July, 1999 Revised: March, 2015Revised: December, 2000Revised: October, 2001Revised: July, 2007Revised: June, 1989Revised: March, 1993Revised: June, 1995Revised: June, 1999Revised: February, 2000Revised: September, 2001

Ref: Scott v. Board of Education, 304 N.Y.S.S. 2d 601 (1969); Karr v. Schmidt; 460 F. 2d 609 (5th Cir. 1972); La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''14:95.9, 17:81, 17:416.7; Board minutes, 8-5-86, 9-6-88, 1-17-89, 6-19-90, 7-9-91, 8-4-92, 11-17-92, 7-6-93, 4-18-95, 3-18-97, 4-20-99, 6-14-99, 7-20-99, 12-7-99, 10-16-00, 5-15-01, 9-4-01, 6-19-07, 11-6-07, 3-4-08, 12-9-08, 3-17-09, 10-5-10, 8-5-14.

5. Consider approval of revisions to policy JGCD - Administration of Medication

Mr. Bellavia requested this item to be tabled until the May 5, 2015 Policy Committee meeting.

Motion to table this item until the Policy Committee meeting on May 5, 2015.

Motion by Brett K Duncan, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

B. 2012 LEGISLATIVE ACTS (Revisions from 2012 only)1. Consider approval of revisions to policy ABB - Powers and Responsibilities

Recommend approval

Motion by Andy Anderson, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Final Resolution: Motion Carries


Yea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: ABBCf: BBBA

POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board is vested with the responsibility and authority to establish policies for the administration and management of the schools in the school district. Any policy not specifically spelled out in the School Board's Policy Manual remains the prerogative of the Board. The Board shall act as a legislative body in the determination of policies for the control, operation, maintenance and improvement of the school system in keeping with the needs of the communityies of the parish and applicable state laws. On certain occasions the Board shall also serve as a judicial body to hear complaints and appeals of administrative decisions for employees, publics and/or patrons.

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board, through the operation of the public schools, shall make every effort, within the limitations imposed by staff, physical plant, and finances, to provide an educational program designed to meet the individual needs of children according to their ages, mental abilities, and vocational or professional interests.

The School Board shall be responsible for carrying out all mandatory laws pertaining to education and shall consider, accept or reject provisions of permissive legislation where discretion is so authorized. In all cases where constitutional mandates, federal and/or state statutes, judicial precedents or regulations of duly recognized governmental agencies do not otherwise provide or prohibit, the Board shall consider itself the agent responsible for establishing and appraising the educational activities of the school district.

The specific duties of the School Board shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. To select the person to serve as the chief executive officer and Superintendent of the school district and support such person in the discharge of his/her duties;

2. To establish, approve and evaluate policies relating to the operation of the public schools;

3. To adopt a calendar of school events for each ensuing year, which shall be distributed to the teachers and others as deemed necessary;

4. To adopt the annual budget, consider and approve payrolls, and approve expenditures of funds as recommended by the Superintendent;

5. To consider reports of transacted business and its relation to the financial status of the system;

6. To approve all school district personnel appointment procedures in conformity with the Orders of the court of the lawsuit; To adopt policies for the direction of the school district that are in the best interests of all students;

7. To delegate to the Superintendent hiring and placement functions of personnel.

8. To determine salary schedules and other personnel policies for all employees;

9. To consider reports of the Superintendent on the progress of the schools and advise him/her on recommended changes in the educational program;


10. To adopt plans for structural improvements and determine the means to finance them; and

11. To inform the citizens of the parish and the Legislature of the needs of the schools.

Revised: August, 2010Revised: Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:20, 17:51, 17:64, 17:81, 17:84, 17:85, 17:88, 17:95,

17:97, 17:101 et seq., 17:102, 17:103, 17:104, 17:104.1, 17:105, 17:105.1, 17:106, 17:108, 17:109, 17:111, 17:112, 17:158, 17:221, 17:441 et seq., 17:442, 17:443, 17:444, 17:158, 17:1171 et seq.,17:1373, 38:2211, 38:2212, 38:2212.1; Board minutes, 8-3-10.

2. Consider approval of revisions to policy ABD - School Superintendent Legal Status

Recommend approval

Motion by Andy Anderson, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: ABDCf: BBBD, CE, CED

SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT LEGAL STATUS

The Superintendent of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board is a constitutional school officer as provided in the Constitution and laws of the State of Louisiana. As such, he/she has certain authorities and functions which are provided for by law.

The Superintendent shall be the chief executive officer and secretary/treasurer of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board. He/she shall be responsible to the Board for the efficient administration of the school district according to the laws governing the school district, the policies which are adopted by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, and the Orders of the court in the Lawsuit. As the instructional leader of the school district and its chief executive officer, he/she shall have primary responsibility for personnel actions in the district as may be outlined in state law and/or Board policy.

As secretary of the Board, he/she shall keep, or cause to be kept, an accurate copy of all minutes in an official minute book reflecting all business of the Board conducted at regular or special meetings. As secretary the Superintendent shall see that copies of all minutes are provided to all Board members and that the official Board minutes are made available for public examination in accordance with State law.

As treasurer, the Superintendent shall have the authority to co-sign and execute any and all documents associated with all transactions duly approved by the Board. He/she shall also be designated as the official custodian of all funds to which the Board is entitled by law and shall be responsible for the proper safeguarding and accounting for all such funds.

Upon being found incompetent, inefficient, or unworthy, or found to have failed to fulfill the terms and objectives of his/her contract or to comply with School Board policy, and after presentation of written charges against him/her, and a fair hearing before the Board, the Superintendent may be removed from office prior to the expiration of his/her contract by a two-thirds vote of the membership of the entire Board at any regular or special meeting after due notice.

Revised: August, 2010 Revised: Revised: March, 2011


Ref: Constitution of Louisiana, Art. VIII, Sec. 9; La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:54, 17:81, 17:83, 17:90, 17:91, 17:92, 17:93, 17:94, 17:95, 17:96, 17:97; Board minutes, 8-3-10, 3-15-11.

3. Consider approval of revisions to policy BD - School Board Policy

Recommend approval


FILE: BDCf: BC

SCHOOL BOARD POLICY DEVELOPMENT

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall formulate policies to guide the action of those to whom it delegates authority. These guides shall constitute the policies governing the operation of the school district. They shall be recorded in writing and made a part of the official School Board Policy Manual.

The formulation and adoption of Board policies shall constitute the primary method by which the Board shall exercise its leadership in the operation of the school district. When establishing Board policies, the Board shall prioritize student achievement, financial efficiency, and workforce development on a local, regional, and statewide basis. The study and evaluation of reports concerning the execution of its written policies shall constitute the basic method by which the Board shall exercise its control over the operation of the school district.

The policies of the Board are meant to be interpreted in terms of Louisiana laws, rules and regulations of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and all other regulatory agencies within the local parish, state, and federal levels of government.

The operation of policy or section of policy not established by law or contract may be temporarily suspended by a majority vote of Board members present and voting at a regular or special meeting. (moved below)

POLICY ADOPTION

The Board recognizes policy adoption as a major responsibility. It is the intent of the Board to provide maximum public review before establishing or revising School Board policy. For a policy to be adopted by the Board, it must receive a simple majority vote of the Board members present and voting. A policy recommended to the Board shall not be adopted until a subsequent meeting. This practice provides Board members time to study the proposed policy and to give interested parties an opportunity to react respond.

The formal adoption of Board policies shall be recorded in the minutes of the Board. The official minutes shall constitute the authority for any change made in the Policy Manual.

The Board is recognized as the legal body authorized to approve policies for the School District, and shall not delegate or relinquish that authority to another party or group. The Board welcomes comments and suggestions on local policy matters, and will comply with all laws addressing proper involvement of other parties in the policy process.

Proposed policy changes, including additions, deletions and amendments shall be authored and sponsored by a Board member(s) or the Superintendent. A member of


the Superintendent's staff shall be designated in the initial draft of a policy or policy revision.

Such policy drafts shall be typewritten, double spaced, and contain the exact verbiage required to convey a thorough description of the proposal. Coding at the bottom of each page of the draft shall read: CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing policy; words underscored are additions.

Proposed policy additions or revisions of the original draft shall be introduced at a regularly scheduled School Board meeting after being formally listed on the meeting agenda. After favorable majority vote by the Board, the proposal shall be sent to the Policy Committee or appropriate committee as assigned by the Board President. A non-favorable vote of sending the policy to committee shall deem the proposal failed.

The committee agenda shall include each policy revision proposal by title. The committee shall allow time for public comment on each policy revision proposal before the vote is taken.

The committee shall submit a written report to the Board of the committee's action and recommendation in regard to the policy being proposed. The Board can then adopt, reject, or amend the report.

POLICY REVIEW

The Board shall periodically direct the systematic review of its policies. The Superintendent shall appropriately involve representative groups of administrators, teachers, supervisors, students, support personnel and lay citizens relative to policies affecting each group.

The Board shall appoint a discipline policy review committee, as required by state law, whose selection of members shall be neither discriminatory nor arbitrary in nature. The purpose of the discipline policy review committee shall be to review discipline policies of the Board to assure consistency with state law, receive input into the effectiveness of established policy, and make recommendations to improve policy provisions, and to assist the Board in the orderly operation of the school district. In particular, state law requires a policy review committee to review the Board’s student discipline policies annually to make recommendations for appropriate revisions.

A public hearing shall be held on the recommendations to improve policy revisions and to assist the Board in the orderly operation of the school district before the Board considers revising any of the discipline policies. State law also requires the administrators, teachers and parents of each public school to meet annually and develop or review the discipline regulations for their school and assure compliance with Board policy and state law.

POLICY DISSEMINATION

The Board shall direct the Superintendent to establish and maintain an orderly plan for disseminating School Board policies and administrative rules and regulations.

School Board policies and administrative rules and regulations shall be made accessible to all employees of the school district directly or indirectly affected by those policies. Board policies and administrative rules and regulations shall also be made accessible to members of the Board, students and members of the community served by the school district.

SUSPENSION OF POLICY

The operation of policy or section of policy not established by law or contract may be temporarily suspended by a majority vote of Board members present and voting at a regular or special meeting. (moved from above)

ADMINISTRATION IN ABSENCE OF POLICY


In cases where action must be taken within the school system where the Board has no formalized policy statement, the Superintendent shall have the power to act. His or her decisions, however, shall be subject to review by action of the Board at its regular meeting. It shall be the duty of the Superintendent to inform the Board promptly of such action and of the need for policy if in his or her best judgment, a need for such policy exists.

Revised: September, 1994Revised: August, 1999Revised: December, 1999Revised:

Ref: Constitution of Louisiana, Art. VI, Sec. 10; La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:81, 17:416.8; Board minutes, 6-21-94, 9-7-99.

4. Consider approval of revisions to policy CED - Employment of Superintendent

Motion to change the word "shall" to "may" on Page 1, 6th paragraph, 1st sentence to read: "If the Superintendent is found incompetent, unworthy, or inefficient or is found to have failed to fulfill the terms and performance objectives of his/her contract or to comply with School Board policy, then the Superintendent may be removed from office prior to the expiration of his/her contract by the concurring vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the membership of the entire School Board at any regular or special meeting after due notice."

Motion by Andy Anderson, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

Recommend approval


FILE: CEDCf: CE

EMPLOYMENT OF SUPERINTENDENT

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall employ the Superintendent pursuant to a written contract for a period not to exceed four (4) years, which period, however, may extend no longer than two (2) years after the expiration of the term of office of the members of the Board electing the Superintendent. The election of the Superintendent shall require a favorable vote of a majority of the entire membership of the School Board.

Such contract shall contain but need not be limited to specific performance objectives/ performance targets as required by La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:54. In case of a discrepancy between the contract and any policy, the contract provisions shall prevail. Not less than ninety (90) days prior to the termination of such a contract, the School Board shall notify the Superintendent of termination of employment under such contract, or in lieu thereof the Board and the Superintendent may negotiate and enter into a contract for subsequent employment.

The School Board shall submit a copy of its current employment contract with the Superintendent to the State Superintendent of Education.

The Superintendent may choose not to enter into a subsequent contract and may either terminate his/her employment or, if he/she has acquired permanent status as a teacher, resume employment as a teacher.


The School Board may choose not to offer a subsequent contract to the Superintendent.

The Board shall negotiate and offer the Superintendent a new contract at the expiration of each existing contract unless a majority of the Board membership votes at least ninety (90) days prior to the termination of the existing contract against offering a new contract. For new or extended contracts entered into after July 1, 2012, the School Board shall notify the Superintendent of termination of his/her contract not less than thirty (30) days prior to contract termination.

The Superintendent shall be retained during the term of a contract unless If the Superintendent is found incompetent, unworthy, or inefficient or is found to have failed to fulfill the terms and performance objectives of his/her contract or to comply with School Board policy, then the Superintendent may be removed from office prior to the expiration of his/her contract by the concurring vote of at least two-thirds (⅔) of the membership of the entire School Board at any regular or special meeting after due notice. However, Before the Superintendent can be removed during the contract period, he/she shall have the right to written charges and a fair hearing before the Board after written notice.

The School Board shall notify the State Superintendent of Education any time it terminates or fails to renew its employment contract with the Superintendent, along with the reasons therefor.

Revised: March, 2011Revised: Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:54; Board minutes, 11-15-05, 3-15-11.

5. Consider approval of revisions to policy CEI - Superintendent Evaluation

Recommend approval


FILE: CEI

SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board believes that student growth, district progress and community satisfaction are all affected by Superintendent’s job performance. The Superintendent cannot function effectively without periodic feedback about his/her job performance. Therefore, the Board recognizes its responsibility to evaluate the Superintendent in a confidential manner. The Board shall evaluate the Superintendent in an open or closed session, based upon the desires of the Superintendent, according to standards agreed upon by both parties. The intent of the evaluation is to provide the highest quality leadership for the school system.

The Superintendent shall be evaluated annually to document performance. The evaluation shall include the Superintendent’s strengths and weaknesses relative to the performance objectives/specific targets outlined in the Superintendent’s contract.

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall submit an evaluation of the performance of the Superintendent annually no later than thirty (30) days prior to each anniversary of the Superintendent's hiring.

Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:54, 17:81, 17:3881, 17:3882, 17:3883, 17:3884; Board minutes, 4-5-88.

6. Consider approval to delete policy CGB - Administrative & Supervisory Positions


Recommend approval


RECOMMEND DELETION FILE: CGB(Covered by policy GBB, Positions)

ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY POSITIONS

All professional staff positions are created only with the approval of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board upon the recommendation of the Superintendent. It is the intent to activate a sufficient number of positions to accomplish the district's goals and objectives. The Superintendent shall recruit the best possible applicants for administrative positions.

Before any new position is established, the Superintendent shall present for the Board's approval a job description for the position which specifies the holder's qualifications, the expected performance responsibilities, and the method by which the performance of these responsibilities shall be evaluated.

The Superintendent shall submit nominations to the Board for administrative and supervisory personnel appointments in conformity with the Order of the court as contained in the Lawsuit. Concurrence of the School Board with such nominations shall not be unreasonably withheld.

The Superintendent shall maintain a comprehensive and up-to-date set of job descriptions of all positions in the Tangipahoa Parish School district.

Revised: August, 2010

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:54, 17:81; Joyce Marie Moore, et al. v. Tangipahoa Parish School Board, CA No. 65-15556, USDC E.D. La.; Board minutes, 8-3-10.

7. Consider approval to adopt policy GBB - Personnel Positions

Recommend approval


NEW POLICY FILE: GBB

PERSONNEL POSITIONS

The number of teachers and other school personnel to be employed in the school district shall be determined by the Tangipahoa Parish School Board. It is the intent of the School Board to activate a sufficient number of positions to accomplish the district's goals and objectives.

The Superintendent shall be delegated the authority to make recommendations to the Board for adding new positions and for making revisions and/or adaptations to existing job titles and/or descriptions, or for making adjustments to the system’s personnel that will contribute to more efficient operations.

The Superintendent shall maintain a comprehensive and up-to-date set of job descriptions of all positions in the school district. These job descriptions shall be kept


on file and utilized in conjunction with the performance evaluation plan. All personnel shall be given a copy of their respective job description when first employed and any time the job description is revised.

New policy:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:54, 17:81.

8. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBC - Recruitment

Recommend approval

Motion by Sandra Bailey-Simmons, second by Walter Daniels.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: GBCCf: GBBA, GBD

STAFF RECRUITMENT

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall require the selection and appointment of professional employees to be made on the basis of qualifications determined by professionally trained school personnel rather than political consideration. The responsibility of school officials shall be to secure the services of the best people available with primary consideration being given to professional competency.

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall make a concerted effort to recruit the best qualified applicants available. When vacancies occur in existing positions or when new positions are created, and such positions are not filled by transfer of qualified personnel, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall post notice of the vacancy and shall have the discretion to advertise for certain positions when circumstances warrant.

Interested parties who apply for, and who are interviewed for, an advertised vacancy may be considered for employment in a similar position should a similar position become vacant within thirty (30) days of the previous advertisement. This will apply only when there are viable applicants who were interviewed for the previous vacancy, or as otherwise deemed necessary by the School Board. The School Board may require advertisement for any similar positions which open during the thirty (30) day period; however, Applicants who were interviewed for the previous similar position may use their established interview scores when applying for the newly advertised similar position. (Moved from policy GBD, Employment of Personnel)

The School Board shall implement the procedures for recruitment of new black teachers contained in Attachment “F” to the Order in the Lawsuit, Joyce Marie Moore, et al. v. Tangipahoa Parish School Board, and shall encourage the active participation in the overall recruitment process of the Teacher Recruitment Assistance Committee. See Attachment “L” to the Order in the Lawsuit.

The Superintendent shall be granted full authority and ultimate responsibility for evaluating and recommending employing prospective professional employees consistent with the procedures for hiring new teachers and supervisory personnel as set forth in the Order in the Lawsuit.

When filling vacancies in positions of authority or those with policymaking duties, the School Board Superintendent or any agent acting on behalf of the School Board his/her designee shall not utilize only oral contacts and interviews of applicants considered, or use any other means to circumvent the provisions of this state statute. Nothing, however, shall prohibit oral contact prior to a person becoming an applicant or shall prohibit oral contact which may result in a written application or other documents.

PROCEDURES FOR RECRUITMENT OF NEW BLACK TEACHERS


The Tangipahoa Parish School System Board shall actively recruit black teachers by attending recruitment day activities at each historically black institution of higher learning in this state and at all other universities in this state offering degrees in education. Recruitment activities also may be conducted at selected historically black institutions of higher learning in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas where, in the judgment of the administration, sufficient black education graduates may be found to justify attendance at recruitment day activities.

In addition to on-campus recruitment activities, the school district will do the following shall:

a) contact Personnel Departments in other states that are successful in the recruitment of black teachers;

b) advertise in the Black Employment and Educational Journal;

c) maintain a web page for recruitment purposes; d) advertise available openings and solicit inquiries and applications from black education graduates.

The School District Board also shall conduct on an annual basis a Teacher Recruitment Fair to attract black teacher applicants. The School District Board shall request space in selected major national, state, and local teacher organization publications for advertising of the Teacher Recruitment Fair event and will also advertise on the School District's web page.

APPLICATIONS

Applications submitted for any vacancy shall be retained by the personnel department. Applications from persons applying for any position with the Tangipahoa Parish School System shall be valid for one (1) year from date of application, and after meeting all employment requirements. (Moved from policy GBD, Employment of Personnel )

Disclosure of Information by Applicant (Information moved from policy GBD, Employment of Personnel )

Prior to hiring any employee , As part of the application process , the School Board shall require the applicant to sign a statement that authorizes the release and disclosure of the following information by the applicant’s current or previous employer(s):

1. All actual cases of sexual misconduct with a minor or student by the applicant.

2. All instances of sexual misconduct with students , as defined by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and outlined in the Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, committed by the applicant, if any, if such employer is/was a city, parish, or other local public School Board.

Adult sexual misconduct in schools, as defined by BESE for the purposes of disclosing information to the School Boards includes sexually inappropriate behavior by the adult that is directed at a student, including but not limited to sexually-related conversations, jokes, or questions directed at students. More specifically, sexual misconduct is:

a. any conduct that would amount to sexual harassment under Title IX of the (U.S.) Education Amendments of 1972, as amended;

b. any conduct that would amount to a sexual offense affecting a minor under state criminal codes;

c. any sexual relationship by a school employee with a student, regardless of the student’s age; with a former student under 18;


with a former student (regardless of age) who suffers from a disability that would prevent consent in a relationship. All students enrolled in the school and in any organization in which the school employee holds a position of trust and responsibility are included;

d. any activity directed toward establishing a sexual relationship such as sending intimate letters, engaging in sexualized dialogue in person, via the Internet, in writing or by phone, making suggestive comments, dating a student.

3. All investigations of sexual misconduct by the applicant with a minor or student that occurred within thirty-six (36) months prior to the applicant’s resignation, dismissal, or retirement from employment.

4. All actual or investigated cases of abuse or neglect committed by the applicant, if any, if such employer is/was the Louisiana School for the Deaf, the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, or the Louisiana Special Education Center.

In accordance with the Louisiana Children’s Code, Art. 603:

1. Abuse means any one of the following acts which seriously endanger the physical, mental, or emotional health and safety of the child:

a. The infliction, attempted infliction, or, as a result of inadequate supervision, the allowance of the infliction or attempted infliction of physical or mental injury upon the child by a parent or any other person.

b. The exploitation or overwork of a child by a parent or any other person.

c. The involvement of the child in any sexual act with a parent or any other person, or the aiding or toleration by the parent or the caretaker of the child's sexual involvement with any other person or of the child's involvement in pornographic displays, or any other involvement of a child in sexual activity constituting a crime under the laws of Louisiana.

2. Neglect means the refusal or willful failure of a parent or caretaker to supply the child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, care, treatment, or counseling for any injury, illness, or condition of the child, as a result of which the child's physical, mental, or emotional health is substantially threatened or impaired. Neglect includes parental neglect. Consistent with Louisiana Children’s Code, Art. 606(B), the inability of a parent or caretaker to provide for a child due to inadequate financial resources shall not, for that reason alone, be considered neglect. Whenever, in lieu of medical care, a child is being provided treatment in accordance with the tenets of a well-recognized religious method of healing which has a reasonable, proven record of success, the child shall not, for that reason alone, be considered to be neglected or maltreated. However, nothing herein shall prohibit the court from ordering medical services for the child when there is substantial risk of harm to the child's health or welfare.

If an investigation determined that a formal allegation of an applicant was inconclusive, unjustified, or otherwise without cause for further formal pursuit, the applicant shall not be required to disclose such information.

The statement shall also request the current or previous employing School Board make available to the School Board, through its Superintendent or his/her designee, within twenty (20) business days of receipt of the request, copies of all documents as


contained in the applicant's personnel file maintained by such employer relative to instances of sexual misconduct, if any. Such request for information shall include a copy of the required statement signed by the applicant.

The School Board The Superintendent, or principal, with the approval of the Superintendent, may employ any applicant on a conditional basis pending the Board's review of any information obtained pursuant to this request. Permanent employment shall not occur until the information has been satisfactorily verified. However, in accordance with statutory provisions, the School Board shall not hire any applicant who does not sign the statement as required by law.

Any information obtained by the School Board as a result of the statement and request outlined above shall be used by the Board only for the purpose of evaluating an applicant's qualifications for employment in the position for which he/she has applied, is not subject to the state public records statutes, and shall not be disclosed to any person, other than the applicant, who is not directly involved in the process of evaluating the applicant’s qualifications for employment.

In addition to the above, as part of the application process, the School Board shall request the applicant’s performance evaluation results, if applicable. The applicant, once the evaluation results have been received, shall be given an opportunity to review the information received and provide any response or information the applicant deems appropriate.

In addition to the above Finally, the applicant shall grant permission by signing a statement on the application form that permits the School Board to have access to any and all reference, background, and previous employment information and to receive copies of any such documentation from a current or previous employer.

Disclosure of Applicant’s Records

The name of each applicant for certain positions of authority or those with policymaking duties, the qualifications of such an applicant, and any relevant employment history or experience of such an applicant shall be available for public inspection, examination, copying, or reproduction as provided for in the statutory provisions governing public works.

Bus Operators

All persons, prior to employment as a bus operator with the Board, shall fill out an application form. Each applicant shall complete all prerequisites required by law and Bulletin 119, Louisiana Student Transportation Specifications and Procedures, before he/she shall be considered for employment as a bus driver or substitute bus driver.

Upon completion of the prerequisites, the applicant’s valid application shall be filed in the personnel department for consideration of employment to fill vacancies as they occur. All applications shall be validated each year.

CRIMINAL HISTORY OF APPLICANTS (Information moved from policy GBD, Employment of Personnel)

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall require, in accordance with state law, applicants for employment with the School Board to submit necessary information regarding their backgrounds. A prospective employee shall be required to provide authorization for the disclosure of any information regarding past criminal activities, including arrests, convictions, having pled nolo contendere, or other dispositions, including dismissal of convictions, of any criminal offense, in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.

A standard applicant fingerprint card acceptable to the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information and a disclosure authorization form shall be provided the applicant by the School Board or may be obtained from local police authorities. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant to have his/her fingerprints taken by a qualified


individual and submitted to the proper authorities for processing. Any cost associated with fingerprinting or the disclosure of background information on an applicant may be passed on to the applicant.

1. No person who has been convicted of or has plead nolo contendere to crimes listed in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1 shall be hired as a teacher, substitute teacher, bus driver, substitute bus driver, or janitor, or as a temporary, part-time, or permanent school employee of any kind, unless approved in writing by a district judge and the district attorney with jurisdiction in this parish, or if employed on an emergency basis, unless approved in writing by the Superintendent. Any such statement of approval shall be kept on file at all times at the location wherein the employee is assigned and shall be produced upon request by any law enforcement officer.

2. For the purposes of reviewing the criminal history of prospective employees, any person employed to provide cafeteria, transportation, janitorial or maintenance services by any person or entity that contracts with a school or school system to provide such services shall be considered to be hired by the school system.

3. Every such prospective employee shall be subjected to fingerprinting and each person's fingerprints shall be submitted to the proper authorities for a criminal history review.

4. A person who has submitted his/her fingerprints may be temporarily hired pending the results of the inquiry . , subject to the approval of the Superintendent.

5. Upon the final conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere of any crimes enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1, except La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §14:74 (criminal neglect of family), any teacher may be dismissed following a review held in accordance with statutory provision.

6. Any other school employee if such employee is convicted of or pleads nolo contendere to crimes enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1, except La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §14:74, may be dismissed.

7. A teacher or any other School Board employee shall report any final conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any criminal offense, excluding traffic offenses, to the School Board within forty-eight (48) hours of conviction or plea.

8. The Board Superintendent, or principal with the approval of the Superintendent, may reemploy a teacher or other school employee who has been convicted of crimes enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1, except La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §14:74, only upon written approval of a district judge and the district attorney who has jurisdiction in this school district, or upon written documentation from the court in which the conviction occurred stating that the conviction had been reversed, set aside, or vacated.

Revised: November, 2006 Revised: Revised: August, 2010

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''15:587, 15:587.1, 17:15, 17:24.2, 17:81, 17:81.9, 17:83, 17:430, 17:3884, 23:291, 42:1119, 44:12.1, 44:31, 44:31.1, 44:32, 44:33, 44:34; La. Children’s Code, Art. 603, 606; Board minutes, 2-6-07, 8-3-10.

9. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBD - Employment of Personnel

Recommend approval



FILE; GBDCf: GBC, GBDACf: GBJ, GBM

EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONNEL

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board and its administrative staff believes that it has an obligation to provide the children attending its schools with the very best personnel available regardless of race, color, creed, sex, age, national origin or any similar personal characteristic. Age shall be considered only with respect to minimums set by law.

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining appropriate procedures for reviewing and evaluating any and all applicants for selection, including administrative and supervisory personnel, and assuring adherence to applicable state and federal legal requirements. Selection of personnel to fill all positions shall be based upon performance, effectiveness, and qualifications applicable to each specific position. Decisions shall be made on a non-discriminatory basis with selection procedures and evaluative criteria known to all applicants. Applicants should not resort to the use of political, social, or other pressures to gain employment or promotion. Applications from persons applying for any position with the Tangipahoa Parish School System shall be valid for one (1) year from date of application, and after meeting all employment requirements. (Moved to policy GBC, Recruitment)

PERSONNEL CHANGES

The School Board shall select Teachers and all other personnel from recommendations made by the Superintendent. shall be selected for employment by the Superintendent. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to ensure that all persons recommended have proper certification where applicable, and are qualified for the position. Seniority and tenure shall not be used as the primary criteria when making any employment decision.

Interested parties who apply for, and who are interviewed for, an advertised vacancy may be considered for employment in a similar position should a similar position become vacant within thirty (30) days of the previous advertisement. This will apply only when there are viable applicants who were interviewed for the previous vacancy, or as otherwise deemed necessary by the School Board. The School Board may require advertisement for any similar positions which open during the thirty (30) day period; however, applicants who were interviewed for the previous similar position may use their established interview scores when applying for the newly advertised similar position. (Moved to policy GBC, Recruitment)

The Superintendent shall delegate to the school principal all decisions regarding the employment of any teacher or other personnel at the school in which the principal is employed, subject to the approval of the Superintendent.

CERTIFIED PERSONNEL

The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall consult with the principal regarding any possible selections made by the Superintendent for hiring or placement of any teacher or other certified personnel at the school in which the principal is employed. In addition, The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall consult with teachers regarding any possible selections made by the Superintendent for the hiring or placement of a principal at the school in which such teachers are employed, subject to the provisions of any applicable court order.

The School Board shall provide for parental involvement in the selection of principals and assistant principals. A parent committee for this purpose shall be selected by the principal of each school to be comprised of at least five (5), but not more than seven (7),


parents of students enrolled in the school. Parents selected for membership on the committee should be representative of the student body of the school. The parental involvement shall not supplant the authority of the Superintendent of Schools to recommend hire persons for the position of school principal or assistant principal. Instead, such involvement is designed to provide parental input to the Superintendent of Schools as to who should be considered for nomination by him/her to serve as principal or assistant principal of a particular school prior to consideration by the School Board.

The Board shall require all teaching personnel employed by the district to possess those qualifications set forth by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and by all applicable accrediting agencies. The Board also recognizes that these qualifications, as well as qualifications for all positions, are set up to promote minimum standards. The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall strive to employ persons who exceed these minimum requirements, whenever possible.

Persons newly appointed or employed in administrative or supervisory positions that require certification shall be placed on two (2) year employment contracts. Upon renewal, the employee contract shall be for two (2) years. (covered in policy GBA, Contracts and Compensation)

Criteria for Employment of Teachers

When a teaching position becomes open, the school system shall send the names of qualified black applicants who have timely submitted an application for employment to the principals. These applicants must meet the state certification requirements. The principal shall choose from these applicants for the open position. If the principal does not choose one of the black applicants, written reasons for the objection shall be given to a committee comprised of the Chief Desegregation Plan Implementation Officer, the Director of Personnel, and the Minority Recruitment Officer (the "Committee"). The rejected applicant(s) shall then be interviewed by the Committee to determine whether the/any applicant(s) should be recommended for employment by the Committee to the Superintendent for a recommendation for employment.

If no white or black applicant(s) are certified for a particular position, a black certified teacher may be hired to fill the position, subject to the same procedure specified above. If none of the applicants for a particular position is certified by the state for the particular position, black applicants shall be given a preference in hiring subject to the procedure specified above for certified teachers.

If the Superintendent has reasons to believe that the applicant(s) recommended by the Committee should not be recommended to the School Board for considered for employment, he/she shall advise the Court Compliance Officer prior to making any decision recommendation for employment to the School Board. Within three (3) working days after receipt of such notice, the Court Compliance Officer shall respond in writing to the notice from the Superintendent or make a written request for additional time to review. The extended time shall not exceed an additional three (3) working days. If the Court Compliance Officer is unavailable, said notice shall be sent to the attorneys for plaintiffs.

If the Superintendent and the Court Compliance Officer (or attorneys for plaintiffs) cannot agree, the Court Compliance Officer or the plaintiffs may petition the court for resolution of the dispute within ten (10) working days of the date on which the disagreement is communicated. The review procedures specified herein shall not in any way infringe upon an applicant's right to pursue other remedies under the law, including but not limited to Title VII and 42 USC §1983.

It is the understanding between the parties that the foregoing hiring procedures are a remedy in accordance with prior court orders concerning hiring, and these procedures shall terminate at such time as the percentage of black teachers meets the percentage of black students in the school system as contained in Attachment "C" of the appropriate Court Order. Upon the expiration of this section of policy, the parties and the Court Compliance Officer shall conduct an annual review of the percentage of black


teachers employed by the school system to assure that employment gains made are being maintained to the extent practicable.

This section of policy in its entirety shall terminate upon the entry by the court of an order declaring the school district unitary in the area of employment and assignment of teachers.

Part-Time Teachers

The Board recognizes that from time to time there may be a need to employ part-time teachers. All part-time teachers must be certified to be considered for part-time employment. The school administrator shall make a written request to the personnel department requesting permission to employ a teacher on a part-time basis. The personnel department will then ask for the personnel committee approval to employ an individual on a part-time basis.

Compensation of part-time teachers working more than four (4) hours per day will be based on applicable degrees, years of service and the appropriate number of hours worked. Individuals employed for fours (4) hours or less will be compensated at the Board’s current hourly rate for certified teachers. All extended day or year programs will be paid at the Board’s hourly rate.

Retirees may serve in part-time positions for one term or less upon the recommendation of the principal and the approval of the Superintendent.

In the event that there are no certified individuals available consideration may be given to employ a non-certified individual.

BUS DRIVERS AND OTHER SUPPORT PERSONNEL

Bus Drivers

Appointments of school bus operator positions and bus route assignments shall be limited to only those drivers who apply before the published deadline of a specific advertisement of vacancy. Current bus drivers desiring transfer to an anticipated vacancy that may occur as a result of any advertised vacancy must apply for the advertised route prior to the deadline to be considered for a transfer. Previous applications shall not be considered.

After a route vacancy is duly advertised, applications on file in the School Board office at the application deadline shall be given priority by:

1. rank order of seniority of tenured drivers

2. rank order of seniority of probationary drivers

3. rank order by interview score of approved qualified applicants in consideration of the original vacancy and any other resulting vacancies that may occur due to shifting of operators.

In the case of seniority tie, the interview score shall be the determining factor.

Any person applying for advertised routes shall be considered for placement in any other vacancies that may occur as a result of a tenured or probationary driver accepting the advertised route (transfers). If a current school bus driver wants to be considered for any vacancies that may occur from this transaction, he/she must apply for the advertised route unless the vacant route is listed on the drivers’ Desired Route List. The Transportation Department will survey each driver annually to allow him/her the opportunity to select up to three (3) desired bus routes. If one or more of a driver’s desired routes becomes vacant then that driver would automatically be considered as meeting the advertised deadline.

The School Board shall only employ as school bus drivers those persons who have met all state and federal requirements for such positions.


Whenever a school bus operator owning his/her own bus retires, the Board shall first offer a vacated route shall be offered first to any person meeting the requirements of the School Board who is willing to acquire the bus of the retiring operator at full appraised value. This provision shall be applicable only when the bus owned by the retiring operator has been manufactured within a period of five (5) years immediately prior to the operator's retirement and the operator is retiring due to a documented physical disability.

The School Board Superintendent may select an operator to fill a vacant route using a different process than outlined above, but only if the Board is required to bear an increase in the unreimbursed costs for non-passenger miles over those attributable to the previous operator who vacated the route.

Whenever a vacancy occurs on a route due to death, resignation, retirement, or the expiration of the regular operator's approved leave, or a new route is established, the route shall be filled with a regular school bus operator using the process stated above no later than the following school year unless the route is consolidated or eliminated. A substitute bus operator may only be used as a temporary measure until a permanent operator is appointed to a route.

If an operator is on approved leave, his/her route shall not be considered a vacant route. A substitute shall be used to drive a route for an operator on approved leave regardless of the length of time of the approved leave.

Substitute drivers for bus routes shall have and shall meet the same qualifications as regular drivers.

Newly Hired Bus Drivers

1. The Superintendent shall be responsible for nominating the best qualified candidate to the Personnel Committee, based on criteria approved by the Board.

2. The Personnel Committee shall have the responsibility of accepting or rejecting the nomination but not nominating against the Superintendent's recommendation.

3. The Personnel Committee shall have the responsibility of referring the name of the successful candidate to the Board for final approval.

Other Support Personnel

Applicants shall be selected for support positions based on criteria as may be determined by the School Board. Unless specifically covered by a written employment contract expressly entered into by the individual employee and the Board, school employees shall be hired on an at-will employment basis, which means they are subject to dismissal by the Board upon the written recommendation of the Superintendent. School employee shall mean any employee of the Board that is not required to hold a valid teacher's certificate as a condition of employment or is not a bus driver. All appointments shall be temporary until ability to perform assigned tasks has been determined.

DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION BY APPLICANT (Information moved to policy GBC, Recruitment)

Prior to hiring any employee, the School Board shall require the applicant to sign a statement that authorizes the release and disclosure of the following information by the applicant’s current or previous employer(s):

1. All actual cases of sexual misconduct with a minor or student by the applicant.

2. All instances of sexual misconduct with students, as defined by BESE, committed by the applicant, if any, if such employer is/was a city, parish, or other local public School Board.


Adult sexual misconduct in schools, as defined by BESE for the purposes of disclosing information to the School Boards includes sexually inappropriate behavior by the adult that is directed at a student, including but not limited to sexually-related conversations, jokes, or questions directed at students. More specifically, sexual misconduct is:

a. any conduct that would amount to sexual harassment under Title IX of the (U.S.) Education Amendments of 1972, as amended;

b. any conduct that would amount to a sexual offense affecting a minor under state criminal codes;

c. any sexual relationship by a school employee with a student, regardless of the student’s age; with a former student under 18; with a former student (regardless of age) who suffers from a disability that would prevent consent in a relationship. All students enrolled in the school and in any organization in which the school employee holds a position of trust and responsibility are included;

d. any activity directed toward establishing a sexual relationship such as sending intimate letters, engaging in sexualized dialogue in person, via the Internet, in writing or by phone, making suggestive comments, dating a student.

3. All investigations of sexual misconduct by the applicant with a minor or student that occurred within thirty-six (36) months prior to the applicant’s resignation, dismissal, or retirement from employment.

4. All actual or investigated cases of abuse or neglect committed by the applicant, if any, if such employer is/was the Louisiana School for the Deaf, the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, or the Louisiana Special Education Center.

In accordance with the Louisiana Children’s Code, Art. 603:

1. Abuse means any one of the following acts which seriously endanger the physical, mental, or emotional health and safety of the child:

a. The infliction, attempted infliction, or, as a result of inadequate supervision, the allowance of the infliction or attempted infliction of physical or mental injury upon the child by a parent or any other person.

b. The exploitation or overwork of a child by a parent or any other person.

c. The involvement of the child in any sexual act with a parent or any other person, or the aiding or toleration by the parent or the caretaker of the child's sexual involvement with any other person or of the child's involvement in pornographic displays, or any other involvement of a child in sexual activity constituting a crime under the laws of Louisiana.

2. Neglect means the refusal or willful failure of a parent or caretaker to supply the child with necessary food, clothing, shelter, care, treatment, or counseling for any injury, illness, or condition of the child, as a result of which the child's physical, mental, or emotional health is substantially threatened or impaired. Neglect includes parental neglect. Consistent with Louisiana Children’s Code, Art. 606(B), the inability of a parent or caretaker to provide for a child due to inadequate financial resources shall not, for that reason alone, be considered neglect. Whenever, in lieu of medical care, a


child is being provided treatment in accordance with the tenets of a well-recognized religious method of healing which has a reasonable, proven record of success, the child shall not, for that reason alone, be considered to be neglected or maltreated. However, nothing herein shall prohibit the court from ordering medical services for the child when there is substantial risk of harm to the child's health or welfare.

If an investigation determined that a formal allegation of an applicant was inconclusive, unjustified, or otherwise without cause for further formal pursuit, the applicant shall not be required to disclose such information.

The statement shall also request the current or previous employing School Board make available to the School Board, within twenty (20) business days of receipt of the request, copies of all documents as contained in the applicant's personnel file maintained by such employer relative to instances of sexual misconduct, if any. Such request for information shall include a copy of the required statement signed by the applicant.

The School Board may employ any applicant on a conditional basis pending the Board's review of any information obtained pursuant to this request. However, in accordance with statutory provisions, the School Board shall not hire any applicant who does not sign the statement as required by law.

Any information obtained by the School Board as a result of the statement and request outlined above shall be used by the Board only for the purpose of evaluating an applicant's qualifications for employment in the position for which he/she has applied, is not subject to the state public records statutes, and shall not be disclosed to any person, other than the applicant, who is not directly involved in the process of evaluating the applicant’s qualifications for employment.

In addition to the above, the applicant shall grant permission by signing a statement on the application form that permits the School Board to have access to any and all reference, background, and previous employment information and to receive copies of any such documentation from a current or previous employer.

CRIMINAL HISTORY OF APPLICANTS (Information moved to policy GBC, Recruitment)

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall require, in accordance with state law, applicants for employment with the School Board to submit necessary information regarding their backgrounds. A prospective employee shall be required to provide authorization for the disclosure of any information regarding past criminal activities, including arrests, convictions, having pled nolo contendere, or other dispositions, including dismissal of convictions, of any criminal offense, in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.

A standard applicant fingerprint card acceptable to the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information and a disclosure authorization form shall be provided the applicant by the School Board or may be obtained from local police authorities. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant to have his/her fingerprints taken by a qualified individual and submitted to the proper authorities for processing. Any cost associated with fingerprinting or the disclosure of background information on an applicant may be passed on to the applicant.

1. No person who has been convicted of or has plead nolo contendere to crimes listed in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1 shall be hired as a teacher, substitute teacher, bus driver, substitute bus driver, or janitor, or as a temporary, part-time, or permanent school employee of any kind, unless approved in writing by a district judge and the district attorney with jurisdiction in this parish, or if employed on an emergency basis, unless approved in writing by the Superintendent. Any such statement of approval shall be kept on file at all times


at the location wherein the employee is assigned and shall be produced upon request by any law enforcement officer.

2. For the purposes of reviewing the criminal history of prospective employees, any person employed to provide cafeteria, transportation, janitorial or maintenance services by any person or entity that contracts with a school or school system to provide such services shall be considered to be hired by the school system.

3. Every such prospective employee shall be subjected to fingerprinting and each person's fingerprints shall be submitted to the proper authorities for a criminal history review.

4. A person who has submitted his/her fingerprints may be temporarily hired pending the results of the inquiry.

5. Upon the final conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere of any crimes enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1, except La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §14:74 (criminal neglect of family), any teacher may be dismissed following a hearing held in accordance with statutory provision.

6. Any other school employee if such employee is convicted of or pleads nolo contendere to crimes enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1, except La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §14:74, may be dismissed.

7. A teacher or any other School Board employee shall report any final conviction or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any criminal offense, excluding traffic offenses, to the School Board within forty-eight (48) hours of conviction or plea.

8. The Board may reemploy a teacher or other school employee who has been convicted of crimes enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1, except La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §14:74, only upon written approval of a district judge and the district attorney who has jurisdiction in this school district, or upon written documentation from the court in which the conviction occurred stating that the conviction had been reversed, set aside, or vacated.

Revised: November, 1989 Revised: August, 2002Revised: December, 1990 Revised: September, 2003Revised: August, 1992 Revised: June, 2005Revised: December, 1992 Revised: August, 2005Revised: March, 1993 Revised: September, 2006Revised: November, 1993 Revised: November, 2006Revised: August, 1994 Revised: January, 2008Revised: December, 1995 Revised: October, 2008Revised: August, 1996 Revised: August, 2009Revised: August 5, 1997 Revised: October, 2009Revised: December, 1997 Revised: August, 2010Revised: January, 1998 Revised: October, 2010Revised: March, 1998 Revised: March 2011Revised: June, 2998 Revised: Revised: October 2001

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''11:710, 15:587, 15:587.1, 17:15, 17:81, 17:81.9, 17:413, 17:430, 17:493.1, 23:897; La. Children’s Code, Art. 603; Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education; Board minutes, 5-7-91, 7-9-91, 11-17-92, 5-3-94, 3-7-95, 8-5-97, 11-4-97, 3-17-98, 5-6-03, 5-17-05, 11-15-05, 7-24-06, 2-6-07, 3-4-08, 10-21-08, 8-18-09, 10-6-09, 8-3-09, 8-3-10, 10-5-10, 3-15-11.

10. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBE - Assignment

Recommend approval



FILE: GBECf: BH

ASSIGNMENT

POSITION ASSIGNMENTS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board authorizes the Superintendent, or the principal, in the school where he/she is employed, with the Superintendent approval, to assign all teachers, administrators, supervisory personnel, and other employees of the Board to their respective positions and/or schools upon employment in a manner consistent with the provisions found in Paragraphs 15, 16, 17, 18(A) and (B) of the Order in the Lawsuit. Personnel shall be assigned on the basis of performance, effectiveness, and qualifications applicable to each position.

In order to avoid conflicts of interest, or the appearance of same, no employee shall be assigned to a position that would require that employee to be directly supervised by an immediate family member. The above provision, however, does not apply, in accordance with statutory provisions, to an immediate family member of an athletic director of a school, which may employ an immediate family member as a coach where he/she is athletic director. Immediate family members include the person’s children, the spouses of the person’s children, the person’s brothers and their spouses, the person’s sisters and their spouses, parents, spouse, and the parents of the person’s spouse.

For purposes of this policy, principals shall be considered to directly supervise all programs operated at their school; therefore no immediate family member of any principal shall be employed by the School Board to work in any program operated at his/her school. Also, any department head shall be considered to directly supervise all operations in the department.

CLASS ASSIGNMENT

The principal shall be responsible for assigning teachers to classes within his/her respective school. Except in extenuating circumstances, the principal shall notify teachers of their anticipated assignment for the school year prior to the opening of school. Teachers who wish to request reassignment for the subsequent school year may do so provided such request is submitted prior to the close of the school year. Principals shall give every reasonable consideration to teacher requests for assignment to a particular grade level and/or subject area for which a teacher is certified and qualified.

A teacher shall be notified by the principal of any change in assignment as soon as reasonably possible.

Revised: January, 1992 Revised: January, 2003Revised: June, 1997 Revised: October, 2005Revised: November, 1999 Revised: September, 2006Revised: April, 2001 Revised: August, 2010Revised: June, 2002 Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 42:1119; Board minutes, 2-18-86, 10-22-91, 2-20-01, 6-18-02, 10-4-05, 2-6-07, 8-3-10.

11. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBG - Probation

Recommend approval of revisions and to remove from the last sentence of BUS OPERATORS "...not be eligible to become a regular and permanent operator..." and to insert "no longer be granted tenure."

Motion by Sandra Bailey-Simmons, second by Walter Daniels.


Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: GBGCf: GBA, GBDCf: GBJ, GBN

PROBATION

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall require, in accordance with statutory requirements, each teacher to serve a probationary term of three (3) years to be reckoned from the date of his/her first appointment as an employee of the school district. During the probationary term, the Board may dismiss or discharge a probationary teacher upon the written recommendation of the Superintendent, accompanied by valid reasons therefore.

Any teacher found unsatisfactory by the Board, at the expiration of the said probationary term, shall be notified in writing by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, by the Board that he/she has been discharged or dismissed; in the absence of such notification, such probationary teacher shall automatically become a regular and permanent teacher in the employ of the School Board after having successfully served his/her three (3) year probationary term.

TEACHERS

Upon initial employment, teachers shall remain on an at-will employment status until they have successfully met the statutory criteria to be granted tenure with the school system. During this period, the teacher may be terminated by the Superintendent after providing the teacher with written reasons therefor and an opportunity to respond within seven (7) days.

CONTRACT APPOINTEES

Employees hired under a promotional or performance contract shall not be entitled to any probationary period.

BUS OPERATORS

Each school bus operator shall serve a probationary term of three (3) years from the date of first employment in the district. During the probationary term, the School Board may dismiss or discharge any operator upon the written recommendation of the Superintendent, accompanied by valid reasons therefor.

Any school bus operator found unsatisfactory by the School Board at the expiration of the probationary term shall be notified in writing by the Board that he/she has been discharged or dismissed; in the absence of such notification, such probationary school bus operator shall automatically become a regular and permanent operator in the employ of the School Board. A school bus operator hired on or after July 1, 2012 shall no longer be granted tenure.

SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

All school employees (those employees who are not teachers or bus drivers) shall be placed on a six (6) month probationary basis upon employment. Successful completion of the probationary period shall in no way convey any expectation of continued employment. School employees shall be hired on an at-will employment basis and subject to dismissal by the School Board upon the written recommendation of the Superintendent.

Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:441, 17:442, 17:492.


12. Consider approval to delete policy GBKA - Suspension

Recommend approval


RECOMMEND DELETION FILE: GBKA(Combined with policy GBK, Discipline) Cf: GBN

SUSPENSION

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board may suspend any person in its employment when the Superintendent has reason to believe that cause exists for such suspension when the interests of the school district so dictate.

The Superintendent shall have the authority to temporarily suspend school personnel when, in his/her opinion, the circumstances necessitate immediate action. The salary of a suspended teacher shall cease as of the date the Board sustains the suspension, as permitted by state law. If sufficient grounds for termination or suspension are not found, the teacher shall be reinstated without loss of compensation.

For teachers who have completed the required probationary period, charges shall be stated in writing and the teacher so charged shall be given an opportunity to be fully and impartially heard by the Board upon request made in writing within thirty (30) days of notice of termination or suspension.

Notice of the charges against such a teacher and the opportunity for a hearing shall be served upon the teacher by registered mail by the Superintendent. The hearing shall be held as soon as is possible after receipt of written request by the Board, unless mutually agreed upon by the Board and employee for some other date.

Personnel who are subsequently dismissed as a result of a hearing for cancellation of an employment contract after having been suspended, shall not receive compensation for the period of such suspension.

EMPLOYEES CHARGED WITH A FELONY

If any employee of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall be indicted or charged by the District Attorney by Bill of Information with any felony, that employee shall be immediately suspended with pay. The employee will immediately be notified in writing of the suspension with pay and shall be notified of a Hearing to be held not less than fifteen (15) nor more than thirty (30) days following the date of notification for the purpose of determining what further action, if any, should be taken with regard to the employee so charged. The employee must notify the school system when arrested and booked.

At the Hearing referred to above, the School Board shall consider any evidence which it has been able to discover concerning the nature of the charges and may, dependent upon its findings at said Hearing, reinstate the employee to normal duties, continue the suspension with pay pending resolution of the charges, suspend the employee without pay pending resolution of the charges, or take other such action as deemed appropriate by the School Board to the situation up to and including discharge of the employee, unless the employee is a tenured employee. If the School Board takes action to suspend a tenured employee without pay, the Board shall then schedule a full termination hearing within the appropriate days as set forth in the Termination Policy of the Board and/or the Tenure Laws of the State of Louisiana. In the event that an employee is suspended without pay pending resolution of the charges, then, upon resolution of the charges by conviction of a felony, a plea of guilty to a felony, or a plea


of no contest to a felony, said employee shall be discharged. If the charges are resolved by a finding of not guilty or by dismissal of the charges, then the employee shall be reinstated to full duty with back pay to the date of suspension without pay unless the Board has at that time completed termination proceedings independent of the criminal proceeding in which case the resolution of the criminal proceeding shall have no effect upon the employee's status.

In the event of an emergency situation in which the safety and welfare of other employees of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, students of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, or property of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board is threatened, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall have the authority to immediately suspend with pay and schedule a Hearing of the type described for any employee of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board who has committed, or is accused of committing, or is about to commit any act of physical harm to any person or property, even though said person may not yet have been charged by indictment or by Bill of Information.

Revised: September, 1990Revised: May, 1993Revised: July, 1994Recoded: November, 2006Revised: April, 2007Revised: June, 2007

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann.''17:81, 17:443; Op. Atty. Gen., Jan. 4, 1974; Frazier v. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, App. 1961, 128 So. 2d 250; Board minutes, 7-3-90, 9-27-93, 2-6-07, 6-5-07.

13. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBM - Personnel Transfer

Recommend approval


FILE: GBM

PERSONNEL TRANSFER

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board Superintendent may transfer any teacher or other employee, including personnel employed as principals and supervisors, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent for any succeeding scholastic year, from one position, school or grade to another by giving written notice to the teacher or employee of such intention to transfer. Such transfer shall be without loss of status or violation of contract and shall not be for political or personal reasons. The Board may transfer any teacher only in accordance with applicable state law. No transfers of instructional personnel shall be initiated during the regular school term, except in emergencies or promotional instances where transfers are required to preserve quality instruction.

The principal shall have the authority to transfer employees at the school in which the principal is employed, subject to the approval of the Superintendent.

Transfer decisions shall be based upon performance, effectiveness, and qualifications as applicable to each specific position. Effectiveness , as determined by the Board’s personnel evaluation program, shall be the primary reason for considering a transfer. Conversely, seniority or tenure shall not be used as the primary reason when making any decisions to transfer an employee.

All personnel involuntarily reassigned to a lesser salaried position than previously held shall have their salary unchanged. Such personnel shall be placed in the salary


schedule appropriate to the new position and there shall be no increase in salary until the salary in that schedule is at least equal to their present salary.

VOLUNTARY TRANSFER

Persons employed by the Board Employees who voluntarily request such a transfer to another location or position shall submit such request to the Superintendent or principal in writing. Such requests shall be submitted on or before June 1 in order to be considered for the next school year. A written notation of the request to transfer shall also be sent to the employee’s principal or immediate supervisor.

Careful consideration shall be given all such requests for transfer, provided the employee's work performance at the present site has been evaluated as satisfactory. Any decisions concerning transfer shall be based on the needs of the school district first and the needs of the employee second. A teacher transferred to a school or position must be certified and qualified for the position to which transferred. Should a person request reassignment to a lesser position, such personnel, upon reassignment, shall be placed in the salary schedule on the same step as previously assigned at the level of the new position.

In addition, A teacher or other school employee who has been a victim of physical abuse by any student(s) shall be given the opportunity to transfer to another position for which he/she is certified or otherwise qualified and in which he/she shall not have contact with the student(s), provided there is a position available.

Vacancy Announcements

A list of vacancies for certified and non-certified positions will be posted on the Tangipahoa Parish School System website twice each year. They will be posted by the second week in May and the third week in December.

Voluntary Transfers:

1. If a vacancy occurs during the school year, the person requesting a voluntary transfer shall submit to the Personnel Department a transfer request form no later than June 1st.

2. If vacancies occur after the above date, the individual may contact the Personnel Department for additional information.

3. All certified personnel will be afforded first opportunity to fill vacant positions before any TAT’s (temporary authority to teach) are hired by the system.

Revised: November, 1985Revised: August, 2004Revised: March, 2011Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:7, 17:81, 17:443; Board minutes, 6-1-04, 3-15-11.

14. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBNA - Reduction of Personnel

Recommend approval


FILE: GBNACf: GBI, GBN

REDUCTION OF PERSONNEL


It shall be the policy of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board to maintain a fair and balanced educational program consistent with the functions and responsibilities of public schools. When faced with circumstances which may necessitate a reduction of personnel greater than can be accomplished through attrition and appropriate reassignment, a reduction of personnel action may be employed. All feasible alternatives to the layoffs of employees shall be considered prior to the implementation of the provisions stated herein. The determination for the need to implement reduction of personnel procedures shall be made by the Board and all decisions effecting such action shall be made by the Superintendent.

Except as otherwise provided herein, any existing procedure for reconsidering or examining an employee discharge, non-reappointment, or grievance shall not be considered in implementing a reduction of personnel action. Similarly, no personnel action other than a reduction of personnel may be considered under this policy.

Employees on Board approved leaves of absence shall be treated in the same manner as other regularly employed personnel insofar as application of this policy.

TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS

Reduction of teachers and administrators shall be based solely upon demand, performance, and effectiveness, as determined by the performance evaluation program adopted by the Board in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:3881 through 3905. Any reduction of teachers and administrators by the Superintendent shall be instituted by dismissing the least effective teacher within each targeted subject area or area of certification first, and then proceeding by effectiveness rating until the reduction of personnel has been accomplished.

In cases where two or more teachers share the same effectiveness rating and all do not need to be laid off to reach the number of layoffs specified by the Board approved reduction in force, the teachers with the lowest amount of academic preparation will be laid off first. For purposes of this Article, academic preparation shall be defined as a major or advanced degree in a subject area. If academic preparation is equal, the person with the lower number years teaching the subject in the Tangipahoa Parish School System will be laid off first.

ALL OTHER EMPLOYEES

With the exception of school bus operators (see policy GBN, Dismissal of Employees), all school employees who are not evaluated pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:3881 through 3905 shall be subject to reduction based upon the following criteria:

1. Performance and effectiveness as determined by the Board’s personnel evaluation plan.

2. Certification or academic preparation, if applicable.

In the event that one or more school bus operators must be removed due to the abolition, discontinuance, or consolidation of routes, after a determination of the School Board, the principle of seniority shall apply, so that the last school bus operator hired within the school system shall be the first to be removed.

NOTICE TO INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE

When a reduction of personnel action is instituted, written notice of termination shall be given by the Superintendent or his/her designee by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the employee to be terminated. The notice shall include a statement of the general conditions requiring a reduction of personnel. The employee’s address, as it appears on the School Board’s record, shall be deemed to be the correct address. It shall be the employee’s responsibility to see that the School Board has his/her current address on file.


REVIEW OF INDIVIDUAL TERMINATIONS

Within ten (10) days after receiving a notice of termination, an employee may request, in writing, a review of the action taken and shall receive notice of the results of the review in a timely manner, but no later than ten (10) days after the notice to review is received. The employee shall have the right to pursue a reduction action through the Board’s grievance procedures.

RECALL OR OTHER EMPLOYMENT

For one (1) year after the effective date of a termination, the employee shall be given the first opportunity to be reinstated to the position from which terminated. Employees shall be recalled in reverse order to their lay-off.

The offer of re-employment shall be made by certified mail, return receipt requested, based on the employees address as it appears on the School Board’s record, which shall be deemed to be the correct address. It shall be the employee’s responsibility to see that the School Board has his/her current address on file. If the employee wishes to accept, he/she must do so in writing within seven (7) calendar days. Failure to accept within seven (7) calendar days or rejection of the position eliminates all re-employment rights of the employee.

An employee who is recalled within one (1) year after being laid off shall have restored to him/her all of the sick leave and unused personal leave, if applicable, he/she had accrued on the effective date of the layoff.

SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS

If any provision of this policy or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions of this policy which can be implemented without the invalid provisions and, to this end, the provisions of this policy are hereby declared severable.

Any and all provisions of this policy shall yield to existing state law, whether statutory or not, when held to be in conflict with said law or laws.

Revised: December, 1995 Recoded: November, 2006Revised: May 24, 2011Revised: August 21, 2012Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:81, 17:81.4; Board minutes, 2-6-07, 5-24-11,8-21-12.

15. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBO - Resignation

Recommend approval


FILE: GBOCf: GBN

RESIGNATION

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall requires any employees who wishes to terminate their his/her employment with the Tangipahoa Parish School Board to submit a letters of resignation to the Superintendent or his/her designee. The Board shall consider all letters of resignation. Approval of any resignation by the Board shall be required for a resignation to become effective. The Superintendent shall accept any


letters of resignation on behalf of the School Board and such resignation shall be considered effective upon receipt by the Superintendent.

Any employees who intends to resigning from employment with the Board after the end of the school session shall be urged to submit his/her letter of resignation do so as soon as possible. Resignations submitted after forty-five (45) days prior to the announced opening date of school shall not be approved, except under extreme conditions.

Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:81.

16. Consider approval to delete policy GBRI - Personal Leaves and Absences

Recommend approval


RECOMMEND DELETION FILE: GBRI

PERSONAL LEAVES AND ABSENCES

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall grant leaves of absence to teachers upon application for leave, subject to such rules and regulations that may be established for the various types of leave.

All leaves must be requested in writing on the proper form for that purpose. Application for leave must be submitted well in advance of anticipated beginning date of leave, whenever possible.

All leaves granted shall be conducted in accordance with state law and pertinent regulations. Employees on leave who do not comply fully with the stated intentions and administrative regulations of said leave may be subject to disciplinary action.

Under no circumstances shall any type of leave be granted for purposes of seeking or accepting employment with another employer unless approved by the Superintendent.

RECISION OF LEAVE REQUEST

An employee who wishes to rescind or cancel a leave request he/she has previously submitted to the School Board shall be required to submit a request for leave recision in writing to the Board. If the original leave request has not yet been acted on by the School Board, upon receipt of the recision request, the original leave request shall be considered to have been withdrawn and no further action of the School Board shall be necessary. If, however, the School Board has acted on the original leave request, the School Board shall determine whether or not it wishes to rescind the previous action taken.

Revised: February, 1996Revised: August, 2007Revised: March, 2011Revised: December 4, 2013

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:1171 et seq., 17:1201 et seq., 17:1208, 17:1210, 17:1211 et seq., 17:1215 et seq.; Board minutes, 10-17-95, 8-21-07, 3-15-11, 12-4-13.

17. Consider approval of the revisions of policy JDE - Expulsion

Recommend approval



FILE: JDECf: IDDG, IHAD, JBC

Cf: JCD, JCDA, JCDAC, JDCf: JD-R, JDD, JDF

EXPULSION

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board may expel a pupil from school if an offense committed by the pupil is serious enough to warrant such action or is in violation of state law. Upon the recommendation for expulsion of a pupil by the principal, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall conduct a hearing to determine the facts of the case and make a finding of whether or not the student is guilty of conduct warranting a recommendation of expulsion. Notification of the time, date, and place of the expulsion hearing shall be mailed to the parents. Following the hearing, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall notify the parents of the decision rendered.

At the hearing, the principal and/or teacher concerned may be represented by any person appointed by the Superintendent and the concerned teacher shall be permitted to attend and present any relevant information. Until the hearing, the pupil shall remain suspended.

Upon the conclusion of the hearing and upon finding the student guilty of conduct warranting expulsion, the Superintendent shall determine whether such student shall be expelled and the specified period of expulsion, or if other disciplinary action shall be taken. Unless otherwise stipulated by state statutes, the period of expulsion shall not be less than one school semester and may carry over into the next school year, if necessary. During an expulsion, except for students expelled for offenses involving a firearm, knife or other dangerous weapon or instrumentality, or drugs, narcotics or other controlled dangerous substances, the School Board Superintendent shall place the student in an alternative school or in an alternative school setting educational placement.

The parent or tutor of the pupil may, within five (5) days after the decision to expel has been rendered, request the Board to review the findings of the Superintendent or designee at a time set by the Board. After reviewing the findings of the Superintendent or designee, the School Board may affirm, modify, or reverse the action of the Superintendent or designee.

EXPULSION INVOLVING FIREARMS

Any student, age sixteen (16) or older, or under sixteen (16) and in grades six (6) through twelve (12), who is found guilty of being in possession of a firearm on school property, on a school bus or in actual possession at a school-sponsored event, pursuant to a hearing, shall be expelled from school for a minimum period of four (4) complete school semesters and shall be referred to the district attorney for appropriate action.

Any student in kindergarten through grade five (5) who is found guilty of being in possession of a firearm on school property, on a school bus, or in actual possession at a school-sponsored event, pursuant to a hearing, shall be expelled from school for a minimum period of two (2) complete school semesters and shall be referred to the district attorney for appropriate action.

The Superintendent, however, may modify the length of the minimum expulsion required in the above paragraphs on a case-by-case basis, provided such modification is in writing.

EXPULSION INVOLVING DRUGS


Any student, sixteen (16) years of age or older, found guilty of possession of, or knowledge of and intentional distribution of or possession with intent to distribute any illegal narcotic, drug, or other controlled substance on school property, on a school bus or at a school-sponsored event, pursuant to a hearing, shall be expelled from school for a minimum period of four (4) complete school semesters.

Any student who is under sixteen (16) years of age and in grades six (6) through twelve (12) and who is found guilty of possession of, or knowledge of and intentional distribution of or possession with intent to distribute any illegal narcotic, drug, or other controlled substance on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event pursuant to a hearing shall be expelled from school for a minimum period of two (2) complete school semesters.

Any case involving a student in kindergarten through grade five (5) found guilty of possession of, or knowledge of and intentional distribution of or possession with intent to distribute any illegal narcotic, drug, or other controlled substance on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event, pursuant to a hearing, shall be referred to the Board through a recommendation for action from the Superintendent.

ADDITIONAL REASONS FOR EXPULSION

Pupils may also be expelled for any of the following reasons:

1. Any pupil, after being suspended for committing violations of any discipline policies or other rule infractions, depending on the severity of the behavior, may be expelled upon recommendation to the Superintendent by the principal and after an appropriate hearing is held by the Superintendent or designee.

2. Any student who is found carrying or possessing a knife with a blade which equals or exceeds two (2) inches in length.

3. In accordance with federal regulations, a pupil determined to have brought a weapon to a school under the Board's jurisdiction shall be expelled for a minimum of one calendar year. The Superintendent may modify the expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis. A weapon, in accordance with federal statutes, means a firearm or any device which is designed to expel a projectile or any destructive device, which in turn means any explosive, incendiary or poison gas, bomb, grenade, rocket, missile, mine or similar device.

4. Any student, after being suspended on three (3) occasions for committing suspendable offenses during the same school year, shall, upon committing the fourth offense, be expelled from all the public schools of the system until the beginning of the next regular school year, and the pupil's reinstatement shall be subject to the review and approval of the Board.

5. The conviction of any pupil of a felony or the incarceration of any pupil in a juvenile institution for an act which had it been committed by an adult, would have constituted a felony, may be cause for expulsion of the pupil for a period of time as determined by the Board; such expulsions shall require the vote of two-thirds of the elected members of the Board.

6. A student shall also automatically be expelled for:

A. Assault

B. Possession of a weapon with intent to use

C. Distribution, use, or possession of alcohol

EXPULSION NOT APPLICABLE

Expulsion shall not apply to the following:


1. A student carrying or possessing a firearm or knife for purposes of involvement in a school class, course, or school approved co-curricular or extracurricular activity or any other activity approved by appropriate school officials.

2. A student possessing any controlled dangerous substance that has been obtained directly or due to a valid prescription or order from a licensed physician. However, such student shall carry evidence of that prescription or physician's order on his/her person at all times when in possession of any controlled dangerous substance which shall be subject to verification.

In addition, school officials, in accordance with statutory provisions, shall have total discretion and shall exercise such discretion in imposing on a pupil any disciplinary actions authorized by state law for possession by a pupil of a firearm or knife on school property when such firearm or knife is stored in a motor vehicle and there is no evidence of the pupil's intent to use the firearm or knife in a criminal manner.

RE-ADMITTANCE FOLLOWING EXPULSION

Required Parent Conference

In each case of expulsion, the school principal, or his or her designee, shall contact the parent, tutor, or legal guardian of the pupil to notify them of the expulsion, and establish a date and time for a conference with the principal or designee as a requirement for readmitting the pupil. Notice shall be given by sending a certified letter to the address shown on the pupil's registration card. Also, additional notification may be made by contacting the parent, tutor, or legal guardian by telephone at the telephone number shown on the pupil's registration card.

If the parent, tutor, or legal guardian fails to attend the required conference within five (5) school days of notification, the student may be considered a truant and dealt with according to all applicable statutory provisions. On not more than one occasion each school year when the parents, tutor, or legal guardian refuses to respond, the principal may determine whether readmitting the pupil is in the best interest of the pupil. On any subsequent occasions in the same school year, the pupil shall not be readmitted unless the parent, tutor, or legal guardian, court, or other appointed representative responds.

In any case where a teacher, principal, or other school employee is authorized to require the parent, tutor, or legal guardian of a pupil to attend a conference or meeting regarding the pupil's behavior and after notice, the parent, tutor, or legal guardian willfully refuses to attend, the principal or his or her designee shall file a complaint, in accordance with statutory provisions, with a court exercising juvenile jurisdiction.

Re-admittance After All Expulsions

Any pupil expelled may be readmitted to school on a probationary basis at any time during the expulsion period on such terms and conditions as may be stipulated by the School Board. Readmission to school on a probationary basis shall be contingent on the pupil and legal guardian or custodian agreeing in writing to the conditions stipulated. Any such agreement shall contain a provision for immediate removal of the pupil from school premises without benefit of a hearing or other procedure upon the principal or Superintendent determining the pupil has violated any term or condition agreed to of the agreement. Immediately thereafter, the principal or designee shall provide proper notification in writing of the determination and reasons for removal to the Superintendent and the pupil's parent or legal guardian.

Re-admittance After Expulsion for Firearms, Knives, Weapons, or Drugs

In addition to the re-admittance provisions for all expulsions stated above, a pupil that has been expelled from any school in or out of state for possessing on school property or on a bus, a firearm, knife, or other dangerous weapon, or possessing or possession with intent to distribute or distributing, selling, giving, or loaning while on school property or a school bus any controlled dangerous substance shall not be enrolled or readmitted to any such school on a probationary basis prior to the completion of the period of


expulsion until the pupil produces written documentation that he/she and his/her parent or legal guardian have enrolled and participated or is participating in an appropriate rehabilitation or counseling program related to the reason(s) for the pupil’s expulsion. The rehabilitation or counseling programs shall be provided by such programs approved by the juvenile or family court having jurisdiction, if applicable, or by the School Board. The requirement for enrollment and participation in a rehabilitation or counseling program shall be waived only upon a documented showing by the pupil that no appropriate program is available in the area or that the pupil cannot enroll or participate due to financial hardship.

Review of Records

A pupil who has been expelled from any school in or out of state shall not be admitted to a school in the school system except upon the review and approval of the School Board following the request for admission. To facilitate the review and approval for re-admittance, the pupil shall provide to the Board information on the dates of any expulsions and the reasons therefor. Additionally, the transfer of pupil records to any school or system shall include information on the dates of any expulsions and the reasons therefor.

CREDIT FOR SCHOOL WORK MISSED

A student who is expelled and receives educational services at an alternative school site shall be assigned work by a certified teacher and shall receive credit for school work if it is completed satisfactorily and timely as determined by the teacher. Such work shall be aligned with the curriculum used at the school from which the student was expelled.

RECUSAL OF ADMINISTRATOR IN DISCIPLINE MATTERS

Any school administrator or administrator's designee who is required to make a recommendation, decide an issue, or take action in a matter involving the discipline of a student shall recuse himself/herself whenever a member of the immediate family of the administrator or administrator's designee is involved in any manner in the discipline matter. In case of recusal, the action to be taken shall be done so by the Superintendent or an impartial designee of the Superintendent.

Immediate family means the individual's children, brothers, sisters, parents, and spouse and the children, brothers, sisters, and parents of the spouse.

EXPULSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Expulsion of students with disabilities shall be in accordance with applicable state or federal law and regulations.

Revised: December, 1990 Revised: September, 1997Revised: December, 1991 Revised: August, 1999Revised: December, 1992 Revised: October, 2003Revised: November, 1993 Revised: October, 2007Revised: September, 1994 Revised: October, 2008Revised: June 20, 1995 Revised: December, 2009Revised: October, 1995 Revised: Revised: April, 1996Revised: July, 1996

Ref: 18 USC 921 (Firearms – Definitions); 20 USC 7151 (Gun-Free Schools Act); La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:416, 17:416.1, 17:416.2, 17:2092; Goss v. Lopez, 95. S. Ct. 729 (1973); Board minutes, 11-21-89, 10-5-93, 6-20-95, 2-6-96, 10-7-03, 10-2-07, 10-21-08, 12-8-09.

C. LEGISLATIVE ACTS - JUNE 2014

1. Consider approval of revisions to policy EE - Child Nutrition Program Management


Recommend approval

Motion by Jay Kelly, second by Therese Domiano.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: EECf: JGB, KG

CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board believes the school district should have a sound child nutrition program and that the child nutrition program should be an integral part of the total educational program. The School Board also believes that the highest possible sanitation standards should be maintained and that every effort should be made to make it possible for every child to participate in the child nutrition program without regard to race, color, disability, national origin, sex, or age.

GUIDELINES

The School Board shall administer a Food and Nutrition Program in accordance with federal and state standards and requirements including the utilization of only those products that have met all the state certification requirements. The School Board, as the recognized child nutrition program authority for the school district, shall annually approve the national school lunch program, school breakfast program, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) school commodity programs and any other related programs. The approved agreement shall meet all specifications mandated by the Louisiana Department of Education's Division of Nutrition Assistance Support.

1. Any student that chooses to obtain a lunch or breakfast meal shall select the items of their choice to make a reimbursable meal per the USDA Guidelines.

A. Students will be required to take three of the five items offered of which one must be a fruit or vegetable.

B. Signs will be posted in the cafeteria to inform students and teachers of what the student shall select for a complete meal.

2. Any student may choose to purchase extra sale items with exclusion of entrée items. This includes students that purchase a meal and students that bring a lunch from home. Extra sales items are offered to all students after the purchase of a meal.

A. Brown bag lunch students may not purchase items from the entrée extra sale list such as pizza, chicken sandwich, or any other entrée without the purchase of a meal.

B. Brown bag lunch students may only purchase from the extra sale item list. Brown bag lunch students may only purchase full strength juice, milk, and bottled water (unflavored with no additives) from the extra sale item list.

C. Students that purchase a meal may purchase from the extra sale item list and entrée extra sale list.

D. Extra sales items must meet the nutritional guidelines in the meal patterns. Soft drinks, candy, etc. are not sold in our cafeterias.


E. To encourage consumption of healthier foods throughout the school day, adults and students are prohibited from taking carbonated beverages into the cafeteria during meal service.

F. Principals will be notified of this change so they may inform their students and parents.

G. A notice will be placed in future student handbooks of this change.

3. Students owing a balance on their cafeteria account may not purchase extra sale items.

A. Extra sale items may be purchased once the account has been paid.

4. Items may be sold a-la-carte to Tangipahoa Parish School System (TPSS) employees and visitors only. A-la-carte may not be used for students.

A. TPSS employees and visitors will be notified that they may purchase items off the food line a-la-carte.

B. A TPSS employee price sheet will be created and distributed to school principals to show the a-la-carte prices.

Guidelines of the Louisiana Sanitary Code shall be strictly followed in the preparation, serving, and cleaning of all child nutrition programs and facilities.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Special events should not interfere with the preparation and service of school lunch, breakfasts, or snacks. School functions involving the use of the cafeteria shall be arranged through the principal and approved by the child nutrition supervisor. Whenever the cafeteria is used by the school, one or more of the child nutrition employees shall be in charge to ensure control over child nutrition foods and to ensure proper use and care of equipment and facilities. A Special Event form must be completed and sent to the supervisor of child nutrition at least two (2) weeks in advance of the event. Events that occur at scheduled times during the school year can be handled by sending in one notice listing all of the dates.

PAYMENT FOR MEALS

Meals may be paid for daily, weekly, monthly, or annually. Those students not eligible for free meals must pay for their meals at the prices established for full price and reduced price students. Those students not eligible for free meals who have not paid for a scheduled meal may have that meal withheld.

In elementary schools, prior to withholding a meal, the school shall:

1. Provide actual notification to the child's parent or legal guardian as to the date and time after which meals may be denied, the reason for such denial, any action that may be taken by the parent or legal guardian to prevent further denial of meals, and the consequences of the failure to take appropriate actions to prevent such denial, including that the school governing authority shall contact the office of community services within the Department of Social Services upon the third instance of such denial during a single school year.

2. Verify with appropriate school staff that the child does not have an Individual Education Plan that requires the child to receive meals provided by the school to ensure that neither the child's health nor learning ability will be negatively affected by denying the child meals during school hours.


If the school denies a scheduled meal to a child, the school shall provide a sandwich or a substantial and nutritious snack item to the child as a substitute for the meal denied.

Upon the third (3rd) instance during a single school year of the same elementary school child being denied a meal during school hours, the School Board shall contact the office of community services within the Department of Social Services to report the failure of the parent or guardian to pay for meals which has resulted in repeated denials of meals during school hours.

The School Board shall document each instance that a child is denied a meal in an elementary school.

Charitable funds donated by school employees or other charitable funds may be used to pay for a child's meal in the event that he/she is subject to the denial of a meal during school hours.

No discrimination against any individual shall occur because of his/her inability to pay, nor shall the School Board or any nutrition service provider publish or permit to be published the names of any individual unable to pay for the food.

Any public school employee who discloses the name of any individual unable to pay for such food, either orally or in written form, except as reasonably necessary in the conduct of his/her official duties, shall be subject to the penalties provided in state law. No employee shall disclose such information to any student for any reason.

Collection of Lunch Money

1. Bills will be sent home with the students the first working day of the month. The first month's bill will include the months of August and September. Any credit balances from the previous year shall be deducted from this bill. If there are any unpaid debts, they should be added to this bill and any future billing until they are paid.

2. A late notice shall be sent to the parent within five (5) days after the bill is sent. The late notice will advise the parent of the cut-off date for their child to receive meals in the cafeteria unless the bill is paid. If the parent has not paid the bill or made arrangements with the principal for payment of the bill, the "Four Day Rule" shall be implemented as follows:

Pre-Kindergarten - Eighth (8 th ) Grades:

Day 1:

The manager/cashier informs the student that he/she does not have sufficient funds to pay for the meal. The student is advised to bring money the next day. The manager/cashier shall place a delinquent notice in the teacher's mailbox. The teacher gives the envelope to the student at the end of the day, advising the student to give the notice to Mom/Dad. The Billing Clerk/Cashier begins tracking the payments on the “Meal Charge Report.”

Day 2:

The next day, if the student is in line for a meal without money to pay current charges, the manager/cashier asks the student to inform Mom/Dad that they need to send lunch money tomorrow. Manager/cashier completes a delinquent notice and places the notice in the homeroom teacher’s mail box or follows a procedure prescribed by the principal. The teacher gives the envelope to the student advising the student to give the notice to Mom/Dad. The Billing Clerk/Cashier updates the Meal Charge Report.

Day 3 and subsequently:

The manager/cashier will update the Meal Charge Report and send the report to the principal. The principal will determine if the student is to be denied a meal


and send the report back to the manager with instructions. The principal or his/her designee must:

1. Verify with appropriate school staff that the child does not have an Individual Education Plan that requires the child to receive meals provided by the school to ensure that neither the child’s health nor learning ability will be negatively affected by denying the child meals during school hours. If the IEP plan does require that the student receive meals, and the parent refuses to pay, general operations will cover the cost of the meals.

2. The principal, or the designee must contact the parent, advising the parent, unless money is sent to cover the cost of the meals, the child will not be served meals in the cafeteria. The principal, or designee, must advise the parent as to the date and time the meals will no longer be provided.

3. The principal or designee may not deny meals until they have personally contacted the parent. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY A TRAY BE TAKEN AWAY FROM A STUDENT IN LINE. If the principal or designee allows the student to continue eating, he/ she is responsible for debts incurred. Unpaid balances may be subtracted from the extra sales check received at the end of the year. The Child Nutrition Program is not allowed to pay for student meals.

4. Without payment, the student will not be allowed to eat. Juice, crackers, and cheese, or a sunbutter and jelly sandwich and juice will be served. The principal, or designee, when denying a student’s meals, must maintain records containing the following information: (1) the student’s name, (2) the reason for denial of a meal, (3) the student’s age and grade, and (4) whether the child qualifies for free or reduced price meals.

5. A letter, including a free lunch application, will be sent to the parent expressing concern that the child is no longer eligible to eat in the cafeteria and encouraging the parent to complete the free lunch application.

6. If the parent fails to pay the bill, complete another free lunch application, make other arrangements for meals (bag lunches) for their child, or make arrangements with the principal for payment of the bill, the principal will schedule a parent conference. If the principal cannot solve the problem during the parent conference, a second conference will be scheduled chaired by someone from the Office of Child Welfare. If the parent fails to agree to pay the bill, or provide a bag lunch for the child, the refusal will be viewed as parental neglect, and the matter will be turned over to Child Welfare for appropriate action. During this time the child will not be served meals.

7. Upon the third instance during a single school year of the same elementary school child being denied a meals during school hours, the Director of the Child Welfare Program shall contact the office of community services within the Department of Social Services to report the failure of the parent or guardian to pay for meals which has resulted in repeated denials of meals during school hours.

8. The principal is ultimately responsible for the collection of payments. The late notices sent to the parents (the bill and the late notice) sent from the Child Nutrition Department are computer generated. The principal may opt to send their own late notice.

Grades 9-12:

1. If a student fails to bring his/her money, the "Two Day Rule" is to be followed:


Day 1: A Delinquent Meal Payment Notice will be given to the student. The manager will explain that if the student forgets to bring his/her money for this meal the following day, they will not be allowed to eat.

Day 2: The student must bring money for the previous day, as well as the current day, or they will be refused a meal.

2. Under no circumstances may a tray be taken away from a student in line. If a student enters the line, after the principal has notified the parent the student will not be fed on a specified date, the manager must notify the principal in writing that the child was served a meal. The principal is ultimately responsible for all meals served the student on credit.

FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEAL APPLICATIONS

Eligibility for participation of students in the free and reduced meal program shall be determined by family meal application or direct certification of participation in migrant, runaway, or homeless education programs. A multi-child, family application to apply for school meal benefits shall be sent to the parents or guardians of each student within the first week of school. Parents shall be requested to complete an application listing all students enrolled in Tangipahoa Parish public schools and return it to the determining official for review. The applicant should be made aware that deliberate misrepresentation on the application may subject him or her to prosecution under applicable state and federal criminal statutes. Such applications (approved and disapproved) and documentation of the action taken shall be maintained for three (3) years after the end of the fiscal year to which they pertain.

State guidelines allow for the limited disclosure of information about free and reduced price meal eligibility without consent of the parent. The information may be used only for the purpose authorized and may not be shared with any other parties for any reason. Aggregate information that does not identify individuals continues to be permitted without parental consent. Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the release of a child's eligibility status is permitted to persons directly connected with and who need to know a child's free and reduced price meal eligibility status in order to administer and enforce the Title I requirements under the NCLB. The statute, however, does not allow the disclosure of any other information obtained from the free lunch application form or obtained through the direct certification information received from the food stamp office.

Revised: October, 1997Revised: February, 2002Revised: March, 2002Revised: August, 2005Revised: March, 2011Revised: April 2, 2013Revised: December 4, 2013Revised:

Ref: No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB); La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:82, 17:191, 17:192, 17:192.1, 17:195, 17:196, 17:197.1, 17:198, 17:199, 39:2101, 40:4; Louisiana Sanitary Code, La. Dept. of Health and Hospitals; Board minutes, 1-8-02, 3-05-02, 11-15-05, 3-15-11, 4-2-13, 12-4-13.

2. Consider approval of revisions to policy EGAA - Worker's Compensation

Recommend approval



FILE: EGAACf: GBRIB

WORKERS' COMPENSATION

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall authorize and direct the Superintendent to ensure workers' compensation coverage for its employees. Employees injured while acting in their official capacity shall be entitled to appropriate workers’ compensation benefits prescribed under state statutes for the period of time while injured. Any employee reporting an injury or incapacitation due to a work-related accident shall be required to submit proper certification of the injury and/or incapacitation from a licensed physician.

At the time of employment, all employees shall be required to complete a questionnaire about their health and any previous accidents, injuries, or workers’ compensation claims submitted, which shall be maintained in the employee’s personnel file.

REPORTING OF ACCIDENTS

Should an accident occur to an employee while in the course of his/her duties, the employee shall immediately notify his/her supervisor. Once reported, a detailed report shall be submitted by the employee's supervisor to the Superintendent or designee within five (5) days of the accident. Additional written commentary about the accident may also be required from the employee's supervisor. Periodic medical exams and subsequent reports verifying prolonged disability may be required as needed.

Immediately following any accident, whether or not injury occurs, the administrator of the school or facility shall file an Investigation of Accident Report with the Superintendent or designee. If an injury occurs, an LWC-WC-1007 IA-1 Form (Louisiana Workforce Commission Worker's Compensation 1007 Form-First Report of Injury or Illness) must also be completed.

BENEFITS

Employees injured while on official school business are entitled to applicable workers’ compensation benefits in accordance with state law. Workers’ compensation benefits are generally paid in accordance with the following:

1. Weekly workers' compensation wage benefits do not begin until an employee has been disabled for more than one week (7 calendar days). If the employee is absent for two (2) weeks or longer, he/she is entitled to receive wage benefits for the first week of that disability.

2. As a general rule, an employee's weekly wage benefits under workers' compensation can be calculated by dividing his/her annual salary by 52 weeks and multiplying by 66-2/3%, up to the maximum average weekly wage (AWW) calculated by the State each year.

3. Sick leave benefits may be used to supplement workers’ compensation benefits but only up to 100% of the teacher’s salary at the time of injury. If a teacher chooses to utilize current and accumulated sick leave benefits, his/her balance of current and accumulated sick leave days will be reduced by the corresponding percentage of the teacher's salary paid for with sick leave benefits.

If an employee who has chosen to simultaneously receive both workers' compensation wage benefits and current and accumulated sick leave benefits exhausts all sick leave days, he/she shall thereafter receive only workers' compensation wage benefits.

ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE


No workers' compensation benefits shall be allowed for an injury caused by the injured employee's intoxication at the time of injury.

In order to support a finding of intoxication due to alcohol or drug use, the School Board shall have the right to administer drug and alcohol testing or demand that the employee submit to drug and alcohol testing immediately after the alleged job accident. If the results of the drug test are positive, or the alcohol tests show blood alcohol equal to or greater than the limits outlined in state law, the employee shall be considered intoxicated, in which case the employee shall not be entitled to any workers' compensation benefits.

If the employee refuses to submit to drug and alcohol testing immediately after the accident, then it shall be presumed that the employee was intoxicated at the time of the accident, in which case the employee shall not be entitled to any workers' compensation benefits.

All drug and alcohol testing shall be in accordance with state law and School Board policy.

LOSS CONTROL

The School Board, recognizing the potential severity of on-the-job injuries and its costs to the school system and employees, shall require the Superintendent to maintain an aggressive loss control program aimed at reducing and controlling risks of personal injury to employees and property damage to School Board facilities. The loss control program shall assure compliance with all safety and health laws, ordinances, and regulations that apply to the work place.

SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS

The Superintendent shall be authorized to settle workers' compensation claims after consultation with School Board counsel and the third-party claims administrator.

Revised: December, 1988Revised: April, 2006Revised: June 27, 2013Revised: Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:1201, 23:1021, 23:1031, 23:1034, 23:1081, 23:1121,

23:1124, 23:1201, 23:1208.1, 23:1224; Israel v. Gray Ins. Co., 720 So2d 803 (98-525 La. App.3 Cir. 10/28/98); Board minutes, 6-2-81, 8-2-88, 6-5-06, 6-27-13.

3. Consider approval of revisions to policy IDFAB - Sports Injury Management & Concussions

Recommend approval


FILE: IDFABCf: IDF, IDFA, IDFAA

SPORTS INJURY MANAGEMENT AND CONCUSSIONS

COMPREHENSIVE SPORTS INJURY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall require each high school that sponsors or sanctions any athletic activity and which requires a participating student to regularly practice or train and compete to implement a sports injury management program. The injury management program shall:


1. Establish a set of injuries to be classified as "serious sports injuries" for the purposes of the program and define the signs and symptoms of such injuries.

2. Require that any coach, game official, on-field licensed health care provider, or athletic trainer remove a student from practice, training, or competition if any of the following circumstances occur:

A. The student reports any defined sign or symptom of a serious sports injury.

B. The coach or athletic trainer determines that the student exhibits any defined sign or symptom of a serious sports injury.

C. The coach is notified that the student has reported or exhibited any defined sign or symptom of a serious sports injury by any of the following persons:

(1) A licensed, registered, or certified medical practitioner operating within their respective scope of practice.

(2) A licensed athletic trainer.

(3) Any other licensed, registered, or certified individual whose scope of practice includes the recognition of symptoms associated with serious sports injuries.

(4) An official responsible for judging or supervising the athletic competition.

3. Ensure that any student who, in accordance with statutory provisions is removed from practice, training, or competition:

A. Shall, as soon as practicable after reporting or exhibiting any sign or symptom of a serious sports injury, be examined by a health professional duly licensed in Louisiana to provide health care services or medical treatment.

B. May be allowed to return to practice, training, or competition only after the student provides to the coach and an athletic trainer written authorization from a health professional duly licensed in Louisiana to provide health care services or medical treatment.

4. Require that each coach or official in school-sponsored or school sanctioned athletic activities receive documented training regarding the nature and risks of serious sports injuries.

5. Subject to availability of financial resources and supply of the necessary workforce, rely to the greatest possible extent on athletic trainers licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners to provide athletic health care at high school athletic competitions.

The school shall ensure that before a student is allowed to participate in any school-sponsored or school-sanctioned athletic activity, the student and the parent or guardian of the student shall document that they have viewed information provided in written or verifiable electronic form by the school or school district, regarding risks of serious sports injuries.

The sports injury protocols outlined above do not apply to concussions, the protocols of which are outlined below, in accordance with the Louisiana Youth Concussion Act of 2011, La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§40:1299.181-40:1299.185.

CONCUSSIONS


Prior to beginning of each athletic season, the School Board shall provide pertinent information to all coaches, officials, volunteers, youth athletes, and their parents or legal guardian which informs of the nature and risk of concussion and head injury, including the risks associated with continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. Each youth athlete and his or her parents or legal guardian shall be required to sign a concussion and head injury information sheet which provides adequate notice of the statutory requirements which must be satisfied in order for an athlete who has or is suspected to have suffered a concussion or head injury to return to play.

Each coach, whether such coach is employed or a volunteer, and every official of a youth athletic activity that involves interscholastic play shall be required to complete an annual concussion recognition education course which is in accordance with the statutes.

Removal from and Return to Play

A coach who is required to complete concussion recognition education shall immediately remove any youth athlete from a game, competition, or practice if any of the following occurs:

1. The youth athlete reports any defined sign or symptom of a concussion and is reasonably suspected of having sustained a concussion.

2. The coach, athletic trainer, or official determines that the youth athlete exhibits any defined sign or symptom of a concussion and he/she reasonably suspects that the youth athlete has sustained a concussion.

3. The coach or official is notified that the youth athlete has reported or exhibited any defined sign or symptom of a concussion and is reasonably suspected of sustaining a concussion by any of the following persons:

A. A licensed, registered, or certified medical health care provider operating within their respective scope of practice. The medical health care provider performing an evaluation upon a youth athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion or brain injury may be a volunteer.

B. Any other licensed, registered, or certified individual whose scope of practice includes the recognition of concussion symptoms. The individual performing an evaluation upon a youth athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion or brain injury may be a volunteer.

If a youth athlete is removed from play and the signs and symptoms cannot be readily explained by a condition other than concussion, the coach shall notify the athlete's parent or legal guardian and shall not permit the youth athlete to return to play or participate in any supervised team activities involving physical exertion, including games, competitions, or practices, until the youth athlete is evaluated by a health care provider and receives written clearance from the health care provider for a full or graduated return to play.

After a youth athlete who has sustained a concussion or head injury has been evaluated and received clearance for a graduated return to play from a health care provider, an organization or association of which a school or school district is a member, a public school, or an athletic league may allow a licensed athletic trainer with specific knowledge of the athlete's condition to manage the athlete's graduated return to play.

New policy: October 18, 2011Revised: June, 2014

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§40:1299.181, 40:1299.182, 401299.183, 40:1299.184, 40:1299.185, 40:1299.186; Board minutes, 10-18-11.


4. Consider approval of revisions to policy IHF - Graduation Requirements

Recommend approval


FILE: IHFCf: IKDB

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board, in accordance with the regulations set forth by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), shall require students, in order to be eligible for graduation, to successfully complete at a minimum the requirements mandated by BESE and outlined in the Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741. The School Board may impose additional requirements as it deems appropriate.

GRADUATION EXIT EXAMINATION

In addition to completing the minimum Carnegie Units of credit, the students shall also be required to pass certain components of the Graduation Exit Examination as required by BESE. Remediation and retake opportunities shall be provided for students who do not pass the test.

Each student and his/her parent or guardian shall be notified of the requirement of passing the Graduation Exit Examination prior to or upon the student entering the 10th grade, or upon entering the system when transferring to any high school within the system.

Revised: August 5, 2008Revised: August, 2014

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. '17:81; Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education; Board minutes, 8-5-08.

5. Consider approval of revisions to policy IKDB - Graduation Exercises

Recommend approval


FILE: IKDBCf: IHF

GRADUATION EXERCISES

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION EXERCISES

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall not allow any student to participate in commencement exercises until he/she has successfully completed all graduation requirements as prescribed by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Special Education students must meet all program requirements to receive a certificate of completion and participate in commencement exercises.

All high schools shall hold only one graduation exercise per school year on dates approved by the Tangipahoa Parish School Board. Students finishing school at mid-term shall be granted the option of receiving their diploma at mid-term or participating in the end of the year graduation ceremony. Students desiring to participate in the graduation ceremonies must notify the principal prior to leaving school at mid-term and comply with all regulations outlined by the school relative to the graduation ceremony.


Students who fail one or more components of the LEAP graduation exit examination shall not be allowed to participate in graduation exercises.

PRE-K/ KINDERGARTEN/EIGHTH GRADE GRADUATION EXERCISES

Graduation exercises may be held for Pre-K, kindergarten and eighth grade students. Procedures for such graduations are to be approved or modified by the Superintendent local Board delegation.

Revised: November, 1991 Revised: October, 1998Revised: August, 1999Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. '17:81; Board minutes, 6-4-91, 8-6-91, 8-18-98.

D. LEGISLATIVE ACTS - JULY 2014 (This includes revisions from 2012, 2013 & 2014)1. Consider approval to adopt policy GAJ - Gifts

Recommend approval

Motion by Gail McDaniel, second by Andy Anderson.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

NEW POLICY FILE: GAJ

Cf: BH, DFKGIFTS

GIFTS TO PERSONNEL

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall prohibit staff members and employees of the school district from soliciting, accepting, or receiving, either directly or indirectly, anything having economic value from students, parents, or other individuals. However, employees who work in schools may accept gifts from or on behalf of students or former students when the value of the gift does not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and the aggregate value of all gifts from or on behalf of any one person does not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75.00) in a calendar year.

Acceptance of any form of compensation, gift, or gratuity by any employee of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board from persons or firms doing business with any School Board department is strictly prohibited. Reduced cost and/or free travel expenses are also defined as gifts with regard to this policy. This policy does not preclude, however, acceptance of food or drinks of a social nature, participation in a social event, or acceptance of promotional items having no substantial resale value. This policy shall also not preclude the acceptance of campaign contributions for use in meeting campaign expenses by any employee who is or becomes a candidate for election to any public office.

New Policy:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§42:1111, 42:1112, 42:1113, 42:1115, 42:1123.

2. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBA - Contracts and Compensation

Recommend approval

Motion by Gail McDaniel, second by Andy Anderson.Final Resolution: Motion Carries


Yea: Jay Kelly, Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: GBACf: GBAA, GBD

Cf: GBN, GBO, GBQ

CONTRACTS AND COMPENSATION

CONTRACTS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board and its professional employees, with approval by the Board, shall enter into Contracts of employment between eligible employees and the Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall be executed for a specified period of time and compensation with exceptions as determined by the Board in accordance with state law. Unless otherwise stipulated at the discretion of the Board, all employees shall meet all stated position qualifications and/or certification requirements before any contract shall become valid. Renewal or issuance, when possible, of contracts of employment, as well as dismissal or nonrenewal of contract notices, with the exception of performance contracts, shall be issued on or before the last day of each school year, whenever possible.

The execution of an employee contract by between the School Board and employee shall be legally binding upon both parties. Teachers without tenure shall be required to have a written contract. Regular permanent Teachers who have gained tenure may not be required to sign a written contract each scholastic year, but shall be required to sign such employment contracts at intervals determined by the School Board. The failure of a non-tenured teacher to sign a contract for the ensuing school session within the specified time, when required, shall be considered as voluntary termination of employment on the part of the teacher, unless under extenuating circumstances, an extension is granted by the Superintendent. Any subsequent resignation or termination of said contract for reasons other than extreme emergencies, as determined by the School Board, shall constitute a breach of contract against which legal action may be taken by the School Board and the employee dealt with accordingly. The Board shall empower the Superintendent to shall receive, finalize, and accept all resignations of school all employees. However, the Superintendent at the next available meeting shall report said resignations to the School Board.

The Superintendent shall sign each teacher contract.

Performance Contracts

Persons newly appointed or employed in aAdministrative or and supervisory personnel in positions that require certification shall be placed hired on under the terms of a performance contract of not less than two (2) year employment contracts, nor more than three (3) years except when such employment is for a temporary position. Upon renewal, the employee contract shall be for three (3) years. The School Board shall make the final decision regarding the length of any such performance contract. Non-renewal of any performance contract shall require notice of such to the employee of not less than 120 days prior to the expiration date of the contract. The 120 days shall not apply to the expiration and/or renewal of the initial contract. Prior to the School Board’s approval of any initial or subsequent contract which involves an employee being or having been promoted to a position with a higher salary, the Superintendent shall disclose all terms of the contract to the School Board.

Termination or non-renewal of any performance contract shall be governed by the terms of the contract and applicable law.

COMPENSATION

Salary Schedules


Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the School Board shall establish salary schedules by which to determine the salaries to be paid to teachers and all other school employees. The Salaries of all personnel teachers shall be established by the School Board upon a recommendation of set by the Superintendent. The salaries of all personnel are generally based upon an established salary schedule and associated regulations; provided, however, that salaries may be stated in and controlled by an employment contract. Creditable service for salary determination purposes shall be all service for which employees are eligible to receive credit in accordance with statutory provisions. Salary schedules shall be adopted by the Board, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, and may be changed at the discretion of the Board from year to year to make salary adjustments as a result of changing revenue and state laws. The salaries as provided in any salary schedule shall be considered as full compensation for all work required and performed within each employee’s prescribed scope of duties and responsibilities.

Salary schedules established for teachers, administrators, and other certified school personnel shall be based upon the following criteria, with no one criterion accounting for more than fifty percent (50%) of the formula used to compute such employees' salaries:

1. Effectiveness, as determined by the performance evaluation program as provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:3881 through 3905.

2. Demand, inclusive of area of certification, particular school need, geographic area, and subject area, which may include advanced degree levels.

3. Experience.

No teacher or administrator who is rated ineffective pursuant to the School Board’s performance evaluation program shall receive a higher salary in the year following the evaluation than the teacher/administrator received in the year of the evaluation.

The amount of the annual salary paid to any teacher employee in any school year shall not be reduced below the amount of such salary paid during the previous school year, nor shall the amount of the annual salary paid to any teacher employee be reduced at any time during an academic year. The limitations on the reduction in the amount of the annual salary paid to any teacher employee shall not be applicable to the correction of any accounting errors or to a reduction necessitated by the elimination of a state program or state funding. Any salary reduction shall not apply to any local salary supplement funded, in whole or in part, from a revenue source requiring voter approval, when such voter approval has not been obtained. The limitation on the reduction of salary shall also not apply to an employee who has been promoted and subsequently demoted. In this case, the employee’s salary shall return to the salary previously received in the lower position from which promoted.

Ordinarily, no teacher shall be placed on the payroll of the school district unless the teacher holds a valid certificate as required by law, and a copy of the teacher's contract has been filed with the Superintendent. Exceptions shall may be made only when qualified teachers with valid certification are not available for employment, subject to Board approval.

Salary Supplements

The School Board, at its discretion, may allow salary supplements to certain instructional personnel who assume special duties. Such supplements shall be reviewed and adopted upon the recommendation of the Superintendent.

Coaching Stipend

It shall be the policy of the Tangipahoa Parish School System to allow an assistant principal to coach a softball, volleyball, track, or minor sport team, if the school cannot find an individual to coach in these sports.


The principal must submit a request for the assistant principal to be allowed to serve in this capacity. The superintendent or his/her designee must approve the request. The stipend for this position shall be capped at $1,500.00.

Experience Credit

A year of teaching experience is defined as each scholastic year of employment as a certified teacher in public schools within any of the fifty states of the United States of America, or within any of its territorial possessions; or as a teacher in a private or parochial school, as an employee in a state department of education, or as an instructor in an institution of higher learning. All such experience must have been as a teacher in an institution or school accredited by one of the recognized regional accrediting agencies in the United States of America (e.g., SACS). Experience outside the United States of America, its territories or possessions must be in an institution or school accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States of America.

A year of teaching experience shall be granted if the person was employed for at least ninety-one (91) instructional days during one scholastic year, excluding holidays, as verified by the Superintendent. However, not more than one (1) year of experience shall be granted for a period inclusive of twelve (12) consecutive calendar months. All experience must have been on a full-time basis.

Any teacher holding a valid Louisiana teaching certificate in the public school system of Louisiana who has transferred to Louisiana from a public school system of another state and who, at the time of such transfer, held a valid teacher's certificate from that state, shall be given full credit under the state minimum salary schedule for the years of satisfactory teaching service previously rendered in the public school system of that state. Credit for previous teaching experience shall also be granted to anyone employed by the Board who holds a valid Louisiana teaching certificate and is employed or has been employed by another public school system in the state.

Advanced Degree

When a teacher earns additional college credit, is awarded an advanced degree or receives additional training after October 1 that would result in an increase in salary, said teacher shall be paid according to the salary schedule for the advanced degree or training beginning with the next school semester following notification of receipt of the advanced degree, or of training after all necessary documentation has been received from the Louisiana Department of Education. It shall be the responsibility of the employee to assure proper notification is given to the Superintendent or his/her designee.

In order for the Tangipahoa Parish School Board to recognize any degree for title or pay purposes, the degree must be received from an accredited institution of higher learning, certified by the Louisiana Department of Education.

Retirees

The salary of any retiree who is reemployed as a full-time teacher shall be based on the salary schedule which accounts for all prior years of teaching service and pertinent experience. The status of any retiree who is reemployed shall be the same as a full-time active employee, subject to all applicable rules, procedures, policies, and statutes that apply to all such full-time active employees.

The retirement of an employee prior to his/her re-employment as a retiree shall constitute a break in his/her service with the School Board for purposes of tenure and sabbatical leave. The retiree shall not be allowed to carry forward annual leave days accumulated by him/her as of the date of his/her retirement, but he/she may carry forward accumulated sick leave days provided that he/she has returned to employment within five (5) years of his/her last employment as a teacher within the school system. A retiree shall have the right to earn additional sick leave and annual leave, if applicable, on the same basis as other similarly situated newly hired employees while a retiree.


School Employees

School employees are generally hired on an at-will employment basis unless employment is specifically covered by a written employment contract expressly entered into by the individual employee and the Board.

Compensation for all school employees shall be based on applicable salary schedules or hourly rates established by the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, with the exception that no employee shall receive less than the minimum established by state or federal law.

With limited exception, the School Board shall be prohibited from reducing the hourly wage or annual salary paid to any school employee for any school year below the amount paid the school employee for the previous school year. The Board shall be further prohibited from reducing the hourly wage or annual salary of a school employee at any time during the academic year.

For the purposes of this subsection, school employee shall mean any employee of the School Board that is not required to hold a teacher's certificate as a condition of employment, including but not limited to, bus driver, food service worker, teacher aide, custodian, and maintenance personnel.

GARNISHMENT OF WAGES

Based on a judgment rendered by an appropriate court having jurisdiction, the wages or salary of any employee of the School Board may be garnished. The amount of wages or salary to be garnished shall be reflected in the judgment. No garnishment shall begin unless and until a proper judgment of garnishment has been presented to the School Board for compliance.

A processing fee of three dollars ($3.00) shall be deducted by the employer from non-exempt income of the employee for each pay period during which the judgment of garnishment is in effect. The processing fee shall cover costs of the School Board in complying with the judgment of garnishment.

Revised: December, 1992 Revised: October, 2003Revised: November, 1993 Revised: January, 2006Revised: February, 1995 Revised: September, 2007Revised: June, 1995 Revised: Revised: August, 1996 Revised: October, 2001

Ref: 29 USC 201 et seq. ( Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended ); La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''11:710, 17:81; 17:83, 17:84, 17:84.1, 17:411, 17:413, 17:418, 17:419 et seq, 17:419.2, 17:421.4, 17:422.6, 17:423, 17:424, 17:424.2, 17:424.3, 17:444, 17:491, 17:492, 17:496, 17:496.1, 17:497, 17:497.1, 17:498; Wright v. Caldwell Parish School Board, 30.448 (La. App. 2 Cir. 6/16/99); Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority et al., 105 S. Ct. 1005 (February 1985); Harrah Independent School District v. Martin, 99 S. Ct. 1062 (1979); Board minutes, 7-3-90, 2-16-93, 9-6-94, 4-18-95, 4-26-96, 1-8-02, 8-19-03, 11-15-05, 11-6-07.

3. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBI - Evaluation

Recommend approval


FILE: GBICf: GAE

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode29/usc_sup_01_29_10_8.html


EVALUATION

TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board believes the quality of teaching and learning is directly related to the performance of personnel who work in the school district. The School Board, therefore, shall strive to attract, retain, and promote the most highly qualified personnel available for any and all positions of employment in the district. In turn, It is therefore, the policy of the School Board to appraise the performance of all personnel in its employ instructional and administrative personnel in order to help each individual improve his/her effectiveness, and to estimate individual potential maintain performance at the levels essential for effective schools.

The Superintendent and his/her staff shall have the responsibility for developing, monitoring, and maintaining an effective and efficient personnel performance evaluation program in accordance with guidelines as developed by the Department of Education and adopted by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) found in Regulations for Evaluation and Assessment of School Personnel , Bulletin 130, Louisiana Department of Education. The observation, evaluation and assessment process shall result in the assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the individual and the selection of the necessary steps which will be taken to help the individual continue to grow professionally measure the effectiveness of teachers and administrators as to whether they meet the necessary standard of performance.

The process for all observations, evaluations, teacher conferences, and related functions shall be conducted in accordance with state requirements, as well as regulations and other criteria enumerated in the district’s guidelines for Teacher Assessment and School Personnel Evaluation Plan. Evaluations shall be conducted annually.

Every effort shall be made by the school system to communicate to position holders the general goals of the system, the specific objectives of the position, the plans which have been made to support the individual as he/she performs his/her role, the standards of performance the system has established, the criteria it will employ in assessing performance, the information it will gather to make the appraisal, and the basis of the appraisal as well as components of an intensive assistance program for addressing those persons determined to be ineffective .

Copies of the assessment and evaluation results and any documentation related thereto of any school employee retained by the School Board shall be confidential and shall not constitute a public record, and shall not be released or shown to any person except as provided by state or federal law.

A grievance hearing may be requested and conducted regarding any result or actions which resulted from the implementation of the assessment and/or evaluation, and shall assure the employee of proper due process.

Should a teacher or administrator not agree with his/her rating, he/she may initiate grievance proceedings in accordance with the procedures for resolving conflict contained in Bulletin 130.

ALL OTHER PERSONNEL

In an effort to improve the level of job production and skill performance of the individual employee, evaluations of support personnel shall be conducted annually. Performance evaluations shall be based on an employee’s job classification and the School Board’s adopted standards for the work performed.

Revised: October, 1994Revised:


Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:3881 et seq., 17:3882, 17:3883, 17:3884, 17:3901, 17:3902, 17:3903, 17:3904; Regulations for the Evaluation and Assessment of School Personnel , Bulletin 130, Louisiana Department of Education .

4. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBJ - Promotion

Recommend approval


FILE: GBJCf: CGB

Cf: GBA, GBD, GBL

PROMOTION

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall consider and determine all promotions of employees based upon the recommendations of the Superintendent. require, and the Superintendent shall verify that all employees considered for promotion must require possess the appropriate qualifications and/or certification issued by the Louisiana Department of Education for said position necessary for the position.

TEACHERS/CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEES

Whenever a teacher/certificated employee is promoted by the Board Superintendent from a position of lower base salary to one a position of higher base salary requiring the holding of a teaching certificate, the Board and employee employment shall enter into be based on a written contract of employment containing performance objectives. Such contract shall be for a term of not less than two (2) years, nor more than four (4) years, except when such employment is for a temporary position. as stipulated by the contract. At least one hundred twenty (120) days prior to expiration of the contract, the Superintendent shall notify the employee of termination of employment under said contract or the Board and employee may negotiate a new contract. Prior to the School Board’s approval of any initial or subsequent contract which involves an employee being or having been promoted to a position with a higher salary, the Superintendent shall disclose all terms of the contract to the School Board.

Any teacher employee thus promoted and who enters into an employment contract as stated above shall not gain permanent tenured status in the position to which promoted. If tenured prior to promotion, then the employee shall retain such permanent status previously acquired. If the employee is serving a probationary term upon promotion, the probationary period shall continue to run and if appropriate, the teacher shall acquire tenured status as a teacher at the end of successfully serving the probationary period.

PRINCIPALS

Newly appointed principals shall remain at the school to which appointed for three (3) years before he or she may request a transfer to another school. The Superintendent however, may recommend a transfer if it is in the best interest of the school system.

SUPPORT PERSONNEL

Decisions regarding promotion of support personnel shall be made by the Superintendent.

Revised: February, 1991 Revised: Revised: January, 1992 Revised: September, 2008Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:81, 17:444; Board minutes, 11-19-91, 9-23-08.


5. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBK - Discipline

Recommend approval


FILE: GBKCf: GAK, GAMC, GBN

EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE

The Superintendent and the employee’s supervisors his/her designee shall possess the authority to discipline employees when an employee's behavior warrants such action. A principal shall have the authority to discipline all recommend to the Superintendent when appropriate that employees at the school in which he/she is employed should be disciplined .

Discipline of an employee shall be progressive in nature such that penalties for poor job performance or broken rules become increasingly harsh as similar or related conditions continue or infractions are repeated. Such progressive discipline, however, shall not inhibit the Superintendent’s authority or, in the case of certain employees, the School Board’s authority, to discipline, suspend, or terminate an employee based on the circumstances of any single event. Documentation of employee behavior, employee performance and any disciplinary action taken shall be properly and thoroughly recorded.

Should any disciplinary measure become necessary, any documentation shall be considered confidential and treated in accordance with statutory provisions and School Board policy.

TEACHERS

Hearing procedures are statutorily required for certain disciplinary actions for teachers as defined below. However, such procedures do not prevent the Superintendent and/or principal from taking other disciplinary measures which do not require a hearing, as he/she feels appropriate.

Definitions

For the purpose of this section:

Discipline and disciplinary action shall include only suspension without pay, reduction in pay, involuntary demotion, or dismissal.

Written notice shall be considered given when the notice is hand delivered to the teacher, or on the day it is delivered to the teacher by registered mail, certified mail, or a commercial courier.

SUSPENSION

Non-Tenured Teachers

The Superintendent may take disciplinary action against any non-tenured teacher after providing such teacher with the written reasons therefore and providing the teacher the opportunity to respond. The teacher shall have seven (7) days to respond, and such response shall be included in the teacher’s personnel file. The Superintendent shall notify the teacher in writing of his/her final decision. The teacher shall not be entitled to a hearing before the School Board.


Within sixty (60) days of such notice, the teacher may seek summary review in district court of whether or not the Superintendent’s action was arbitrary or capricious.

Tenured Teachers

The Superintendent shall have the authority to suspend tenured teachers without pay when the circumstances necessitate immediate action. The teacher may request a hearing as outlined in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:443. Such request shall be made within seven (7) calendar days of the Superintendent's action of suspending the tenured teacher.

A teacher with tenure shall not be disciplined except upon written and signed charges by the Superintendent or his/her designee of poor performance, willful neglect of duty, incompetency, dishonesty, immorality, or of being a member of or contributing to any group, organization, movement, or corporation that is by law or injunction prohibited from operating in the state of Louisiana, and then only if furnished with a copy of such written charges and given the opportunity to respond.

The teacher shall have ten (10) calendar days from written notice of the charges to respond, in person or in writing. Following review of the teacher’s response, the Superintendent may take interim disciplinary action , which may include placing the teacher on paid administrative leave. If the teacher has been arrested for a violation of any of the following: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§14:42 through 14:43.5, 14:80 through 14:81.5, any other sexual offense affecting minors, any of the crimes provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1, or any justified complaint of child abuse or neglect on file in the central registry pursuant to Children’s Code Article 615, the administrative leave shall be without pay. Paid administrative leave shall not exceed fifty (50) days from notice of the Superintendent’s interim decision.

Within ten (10) calendar days after written notice of the interim disciplinary action or within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the teacher’s response if no interim disciplinary action is taken, a teacher may request a hearing before a disciplinary hearing officer. If the teacher fails to timely request a hearing, the disciplinary action shall become final.

Upon request for a review hearing, the Superintendent shall randomly appoint a hearing officer from a list of persons previously approved by the School Board as disciplinary hearing officers . If the school district serves fewer than twenty thousand students, the School Board shall maintain a list of at least five (5) hearing officers. If the school district serves twenty thousand students or more, the School Board shall maintain a list of at least ten (10) hearing officers. All hearing officers shall be qualified to serve as a disciplinary hearing officer in accordance with state law. If the School Board fails to maintain such a list, the Superintendent may randomly appoint a hearing officer from a list of persons previously approved by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Such hearing may be private or public, at the option of the teacher, and shall commence no sooner than ten (10) calendar days nor later than thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of the teacher's request for such hearing. The disciplinary hearing officer shall have the power to issue subpoenas, and shall conduct the hearing in accordance with procedures adopted by the School Board.

The teacher shall have the right to appear before the disciplinary hearing officer with witnesses on his/her behalf and with counsel of his/her selection. The disciplinary hearing officer shall hold a hearing and review on whether the interim decision of the Superintendent was arbitrary or capricious and shall either affirm or reverse the action of the Superintendent. The disciplinary hearing officer shall notify the Superintendent and the teacher of his/her final determination, with written reasons, within ten (10) days from the date of the hearing. If the Superintendent's disciplinary action is affirmed, it shall become effective upon the teacher's receipt of the decision of the disciplinary


hearing officer. If the Superintendent's disciplinary action is reversed, the teacher shall be restored to duty.

Within sixty (60) days from the postmarked date of such written notification of the decision of the disciplinary hearing officer, the School Board or the teacher may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to review the matter as a summary proceeding.

The time periods contained above may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties.

BUS OPERATORS/CONTRACT APPOINTEES

The Superintendent shall have the authority to suspend discipline tenured bus operators and persons employed on performance contracts, including suspension with or without pay, when circumstances necessitate immediate action. If sufficient grounds for suspension without pay are subsequently not found to exist by the School Board or Superintendent, the bus operator or contract appointee shall be reimbursed for any loss of compensation.

NON-TENURED EMPLOYEES

The Superintendent shall have the authority to suspend discipline, including suspension, any non-tenured, non-contract employee with or without pay, when circumstances warrant such action.

Employees Charged With a Felony

If any employee of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall be indicted or charged by the District Attorney by Bill of Information with any felony, that employee shall be immediately suspended with pay. The employee will immediately be notified in writing of the suspension with pay and shall be notified, that if tenured, he/she may request of a hearing as outlined in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:443. Such request shall be made within seven (7) days of the Superintendent’s action suspending the employee. The employee must notify the school system when arrested and booked.

In the event that an employee is suspended without pay pending resolution of the charges, then, upon resolution of the charges by conviction of a felony, a plea of guilty to a felony, or a plea of no contest to a felony, said employee shall be discharged. If the charges are resolved by a finding of not guilty or by dismissal of the charges, then the employee shall be reinstated to full duty with back pay to the date of suspension without pay unless termination proceedings independent of the criminal proceeding in which case the resolution of the criminal proceeding shall have no effect upon the employee's status.

New Policy: November, 2006Revised: April 2, 2013Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:81.8, 17:443; Reed v. Orleans Parish School Board, April 30, 1945, 21 So.2d 895; Frazier v. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, App. 1 Cir. 1961, 128 So.2d 250; Board minutes, 7-3-90, 9-27-93, 2-6-07, 6-5-07, 4-2-13.

6. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBL - Tenure

Recommend approval


FILE: GBL


Cf: GAE, GBGCf: GBI, GBJ

TENURE

PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall grant tenure to teachers who have successfully served a probationary term of three (3) years from the date of their appointment within the school district.

The laws of tenure are applicable to teachers, principals, assistant principals, supervisors and other appropriate personnel. Teachers with extracurricular assignments acquire tenure as teachers but not in their position of the extracurricular assignment. Teachers who have been promoted and have entered into an employment contract with the Board shall not be eligible to acquire tenured status in the position to which promoted but shall retain permanent status in their former position.

TEACHERS

A teacher who has acquired tenure before September 1, 2012 shall retain tenure, subject to the provisions of state law. Effective beginning on July 1, 2012, a teacher shall be rated highly effective for five (5) years within a six-year period pursuant to the Personnel Evaluation Plan adopted by the School Board in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. '' 17:3881 through 3905, to be granted tenure. The Superintendent shall notify a teacher, in writing, when tenure has been awarded and the teacher shall be deemed to have acquired tenure on the date specified therein.

A tenured teacher who receives a performance rating of ineffective pursuant to the teacher’s annual evaluation shall lose his/her tenure and all rights related thereto immediately upon exhaustion of the grievance procedure outlined in ' 317 of Bulletin 130, Regulations for Evaluation and Assessment of School Personnel , unless the ineffective performance rating is reversed. Such rating shall constitute sufficient grounds for disciplinary action pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ' 17:443. If a teacher is found highly effective based on the evidence of the growth portion of the evaluation but is found ineffective according to the observation portion, within thirty (30) days after such finding, the teacher shall be entitled to a second observation by members of a team of three (3) designees, chosen by the Superintendent, which shall not include the principal.

A teacher who loses tenure shall reacquire tenure if the teacher receives a performance rating of highly effective for five (5) years within a six-year period subsequent to receiving an ineffective rating.

Teachers Paid with Federal Funds

A teacher paid with federal funds shall not be eligible to acquire tenure, nor shall time spent in employment paid with federal funds be counted toward the time required for acquisition of tenure.

CONTRACT APPOINTEES

Any teacher who has acquired tenure and is promoted to a higher salaried position shall not be eligible to gain tenure in the position to which promoted, but shall retain any tenure acquired as a teacher.

Any person hired under a performance contract shall not be eligible to gain tenure.

BUS OPERATORS

Tenure shall be granted bus operators in accordance with state law.

The law specifies that bus operators shall serve a probationary term of three (3) years reckoned from the date of first employment by the system. Upon absence of notification of dismissal within that time, the employee becomes a permanent employee, with tenure in the system.


A probationary employee may be discharged by the Tangipahoa Parish School Board provided proper notice is given; a permanent employee may be discharged only for the reasons set forth in the law and provided that due process is followed as set forth in statutory provisions.

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ' 17:492 specifies that bus operators shall serve a probationary term of three (3) years reckoned from the date of first employment with the School Board, provided bus operators personally operate and drive the school bus they are employed to operate. Upon absence of notification of dismissal by the School Board within the probationary period, the bus operator shall be granted tenure at the end of the probationary term. School bus operators hired on or after July 1, 2012 shall not be granted tenure.

OTHER SUPPORT PERSONNEL SCHOOL EMPLOYEES

No tenure is granted by law or School Board policy to other non-certificated school employees of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board. School employee shall be defined as any employee whose job description does not require the holding of a teaching certificate or who is not employed as a bus driver.

Revised: November, 1985Combined with GCL: October, 2006Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''13:3204, 17:82, 17:441, 17:442, 17:443, 17:444, 17:492, 17:493, 17:494, 17:495, 17:496, 17:496.1, 17:497, 17:497.1, 17:497.2, 17:497.3, 17:497.4, 17:498, 17:499, 17:499.1, 17:500, 17:500.1, 17:500.2, 17:1213, 17:1217; Board minutes, 2-6-07.

7. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBN - Dismissal of Employees

Recommend approval


FILE: GBNCF: EDBA, GBA, GBJ

Cf: GBK, GBRA

DISMISSAL OF EMPLOYEES

It shall be the policy of The Tangipahoa Parish School Board to shall strive to assist personnel in adjusting to their positions and performing their duties satisfactorily. Every reasonable effort shall be made to avoid the necessity of dismissing personnel at any level.

With the exception of lay-offs caused by programmatic changes, budget cuts, staff reorganizations, and/or other personnel actions reducing numbers of employees, no School Board employee shall be dismissed except upon valid reasons. Any school employee shall be dismissed by the School Board, in accordance with statutory provisions, upon final conviction or pleading nolo contendere of certain crimes enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1 and/or any other felony offense. In addition, employees may be dismissed for failure to properly report arrests for certain offenses enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:16.

If an employee is absent for ten (10) or more days without explanation or approved leave, the School Board may consider the job as abandoned and the employee may be terminated, unless the employee can provide acceptable and verifiable evidence of


extenuating circumstances. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall be responsible for determining acceptability of evidence of extenuating circumstances.

CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEES

Non-tenured Teachers

The Superintendent may terminate the employment of any non-tenured teacher after providing such teacher with the written reasons therefor and providing the teacher the opportunity to respond. The teacher shall have seven (7) days to respond, and such response shall be included in the teacher’s personnel file. The Superintendent shall notify the teacher in writing of his/her final decision. The teacher shall not be entitled to a hearing before the School Board.

Within sixty (60) days of such notice, the teacher may seek summary review in district court of whether or not the Superintendent’s action was arbitrary or capricious.

Tenured Teachers

A tenured teacher with tenure shall not be removed from his/her position except upon written and signed charges by the Superintendent or his/her designee of poor performance, willful neglect of duty, or incompetency, dishonesty, or immorality, or of being a member of or contributing to any group, organization, movement, or corporation that is by law or injunction prohibited from operating in the state of Louisiana, and then only if found guilty after a hearing by the School Board by a majority of the Board’s membership furnished with a copy of such written charges and given the opportunity to respond. Dismissal of a teacher with tenure shall be governed by the provisions for discipline of teachers with tenure as included in policy GBK, Discipline .

The School Board, if it decides to proceed upon the charges, shall notify the tenured teacher in writing at least twenty (20) days prior to the hearing, stating the charges brought against him/her, and shall arrange for a hearing to be held in accordance with due process provisions of the law, such hearing to be public or private at the option of the tenured teacher.

During the probationary term of an employee of the school district, the School Board may dismiss an employee upon the written recommendation of the Superintendent; said recommendation to include valid reasons for the dismissal.

Performance Contract s Appointees

Personnel who have entered into promotional employment contracts with the School Board, pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:444, may be removed from their positions by non-renewal of their contracts or by termination of their contracts. Contracts may be non-renewed by the School Board for any of the following reasons:

1. The Superintendent has recommended against renewal of the contract based on an evaluation of the employee’s performance;

2. The failure to offer a new contract is based on a cause sufficient to support a mid-contract termination;

3. The position in question has been discontinued; or

4. The position in question has been eliminated as a result of district reorganization.

In a non-renewal situation, the employee shall not be entitled to a hearing before the School Board.

For mid-contract termination of promotional employment contracts, the employee shall receive written charges and a fair hearing before the School Board after reasonable written notice a disciplinary hearing officer, conducted in accordance with hearing procedures adopted by the School Board. A contract may be terminated if the employee is found guilty of being incompetent or inefficient or is found to have failed to


fulfill the terms and performance objectives of his/her contract, or other reasons provided for by state law.

SUPPORT PERSONNEL NON-CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEES

Non-Tenured Bus Operators

During his/her probationary term, a bus operator may be dismissed by the School Board upon the Superintendent's written recommendation, accompanied by valid reasons therefore.

Any school bus operator found unsatisfactory by the School Board at the expiration of his/her probationary term shall be notified in writing by the District that he/she has been discharged or dismissed.

No bus operator hired after July 1, 2012 shall earn tenure.

A non-tenured bus operator shall be immediately dismissed if he/she is convicted of or has pled nolo contendere to violations of local or existing state law prohibiting operating a vehicle while intoxicated regardless of whether the violation occurred while performing in his/her official capacity as a school bus operator at the time of the offense.

Each school bus operator shall serve a probationary term of three (3) years reckoned from the date of his/her first employment in the District. During such probationary term, any bus operator may be dismissed by the School Board upon the written recommendation of the Superintendent. Any bus operator employed on or after July 1, 2012, who has successfully completed his/her probationary term, may be dismissed by the Superintendent after providing such bus operator with written reasons therefor and providing the bus operator with the opportunity to respond. The bus operator shall have seven (7) days to respond, and such response shall be included in the bus operator’s personnel file. Regardless of the date of his/her employment, a non-tenured bus operator shall not be entitled to a hearing before the School Board prior to termination.

Tenured Bus Operators

A permanent school bus operator shall not be removed from his/her position except upon written and signed charges of The School Board may dismiss any tenured bus operator only after written and signed charges against the bus operator have been prepared by the Superintendent and submitted to the Board. The Board, if it decides to proceed upon the charges, shall notify the bus operator in writing at least twenty (20) days prior to the hearing, stating the charges brought against him/her, and shall arrange for a hearing to be held in accordance with due process provisions of the law, such hearing to be public or private at the option of the bus operator. A tenured bus operator may be dismissed for willful neglect of duty, or incompetence, or immorality, or drunkenness while on duty, or failure to comply with requirements of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:491.3 relative to being arrested for one or more of the specified offenses, or physical disability to perform his/her duties, or failure to keep his/her transfer equipment in a safe, comfortable, and practical operating condition, or of being a member of or contributing to any group, organization, movement, or corporation that is prohibited by law or injunction from operating in the state, and then only if found guilty after a hearing by the School Board by a majority of the School Board’s membership.

Additional grounds for the removal from office of any permanent school bus operator shall be:

1. the abolition, discontinuance, or consolidation of routes, but then only if it is found as a fact, after a hearing by the School Board, that it is in the best interests of the school system to abolish, discontinue, or consolidate said route or routes. If abolition, discontinuance, or consolidation of bus routes is approved, the principle of seniority shall apply, so that the last school bus operator hired to serve within the school system to be affected shall be the first to be removed.


2. conviction of or plea of nolo contendere to a violation of a parish or municipal ordinance that prohibits operating a vehicle while intoxicated or any of the existing state offenses relative to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, as enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:493, regardless of whether the violation occurred while performing in his/her official capacity as a school bus operator at the time of the offense.

All hearings shall be private or public, at the option of the operator affected thereby. At least twenty (20) days in advance of the date of the hearing the Superintendent, with approval of the School Board, shall furnish the affected operator a copy of the written grounds on which said abolition, discontinuance, or consolidation of routes is sought. The operator affected shall have the right to appear before the Board with witnesses in his/her behalf and with counsel of his/her selection, all of whom shall be heard by the Board at said hearing.

If a permanent school bus operator is found guilty, the Superintendent shall furnish to the school bus operator a written statement of recommendation of removal or discipline, which shall include but not be limited to the exact reason, offense, or instance upon which the recommendation is based.

In the event that one or more school bus operators must be removed due to the abolition, discontinuance, or consolidation of routes, the principle of seniority shall apply, so that the last school bus operator hired to serve within the school system to be affected shall be the first to be removed.

Support School Employees Other Than Bus Operators

Dismissal of any non-tenured support school employee shall be accomplished in accordance with the following procedure:

(1) Should the Superintendent determine that the dismissal of a non-tenured employee is warranted, he/she shall make a written recommendation of dismissal to the School Board. The recommendation shall outline the reasons thereof, and a copy of said recommendation shall be provided to the employee.

(2) The School Board shall be asked to act upon the recommended dismissal at the next meeting following its receipt of such written recommendation.

(3) Any employee whose dismissal is recommended may address the School Board prior to its vote on such recommendation, but shall not be entitled to a hearing before the Board.

As used herein, non-tenured employees shall refer to those school employees who have not attained tenure, including, without limitation, janitors/custodians, teachers' aides, clerical employees, maintenance workers, and cafeteria workers.

All employees of the system whose dismissal is not governed by the provision of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. '' 17:441-446, or by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. '' 17:491-494, shall be subject to dismissal upon the written recommendation by the Superintendent to the School Board. Such employees shall not be entitled to a hearing before the Board.

Revised: November, 1985Revised: December, 1990Revised: December, 1992Revised and combined with GCN: October, 2006Revised: March, 2011Revised: February 7, 2012Revised: December 4, 2013Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''13:3204, 15:587.1, 17:15, 17:16, 17:81.5, 17:442, 17:443, 17:444, 17:492, 17:493, 17:493.1; La. Code of Civil Procedure, Art. 2592;


Rouselle v. Plaquemines Parish School Board, 633 So2d 1235 (La. 2/28/94).; Board minutes, 1-19-88, 10-22-91, 2-21-95, 5-1-01, 3-6-07, 3-15-11, 2-7-12, 12-4-13.

8. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBRIB - Sick Leave

Recommend approval


FILE: GBRIBCf: EGAA, GBRI, GBRIBB

SICK LEAVE

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall grant all employees hired for the school year or longer a minimum of ten (10) days absence per year because of personal illness or other emergencies without loss of pay.

Sick leave, when not used, shall be allowed to accumulate to the credit of the employee without limitation. However, upon initial employment, a teacher employed by the School Board shall not be allowed any sick leave until he/she reports for duty and actually performs work.

The minimum of ten (10) days of sick leave for an employee shall be based on the employee beginning work at the beginning of the school year. In the case of an employee beginning work in the first month of the school year, ten days sick leave shall be allowed. If an employee begins work in the second month of the school year, nine days of sick leave shall be allowed,. If an employee begins work in the third month of the school year, eight days of sick leave shall be allowed; if an employee begins work in the fourth month of the school year, seven days of sick leave shall be allowed; and the number of days of sick leave shall continue to be prorated for an employee who begins work until the eighth month of the school year, when only three days of sick leave shall be allowed. The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall be responsible for developing and maintaining pertinent regulations and procedures governing sick leave.

CERTIFICATION OF ABSENCE

An employee who is absent for six (6) or more consecutive days shall be required to present a certificate from a physician certifying such absence upon return to work. In the case of repeated absences of less than six (6) days because of illness, the School Board reserves the right to require verification of illness. Should a pattern of behavior so warrant, upon the request of the Superintendent or his/her designee School Board, the employee shall be required, at the expense of the School system Board, to provide a certificate from a physician specified by the Superintendent or School system Board, in order to verify the existence of a medical disability.

Excuses for employee absences due to illness or injury must be provided on physician’s letterhead containing the physician’s name, address, and telephone number, typed, printed, or as part of the letterhead. The physician's typed or neatly printed name shall also appear beneath his/her signature. The letter must clearly state the reason for the disability, date of the disability, and the anticipated return-to-work date.

Upon the retirement of any employee, or upon the employee entering DROP (see section below), or upon the employee's death prior to retirement, the School Board shall pay the employee or his/her heirs or assigns, for any unused sick leave, not to exceed twenty-five (25) days. Such pay shall be at the daily rate of pay paid to the employee at the time of his/her retirement or death. (Moved to below)


If an employee is absent from duty under circumstances in which he/she is not entitled to any kind of leave, such employee shall be considered to be in violation of his/her contract, and is not entitled to be paid for the days of unauthorized absence and non-performance of duties.

SICK LEAVE FOR EMERGENCIES

Emergencies for sick leave purposes shall be defined by the School Board as:

1. Illness or death within the immediate family - husband, wife, children and their spouses, parents, brothers and sisters and their spouses; spouse's parents, brothers and sisters and their spouses; grandparents and grandchildren (including step-relations);

2. Weather conditions - hurricane, tornado, snowstorm, flood, accident, when approved by the Superintendent or designee;

3. Court summons; or

4. Other unusual circumstances as approved by the Superintendent or designee.

EXTENDED SICK LEAVE

The School Board shall permit employees to take up to ninety (90) days of extended sick leave in each six-year period of employment which may be used for personal illness or illness of an immediate family member a medical necessity at any time the employee has no remaining regular sick leave balance at the time the extended sick leave is set to begin. The initial six-year period of employment shall begin on August 15, 1999 for all teachers and bus drivers employed as of that date, on August 15, 2008 for school employees (not a teacher or whose employment does not require a teacher’s certificate, or who is not employed as a bus driver) employed as of that date, or on the effective date of employment for those employees employed after the dates above. Immediate family member means a spouse, parent, or child of the employee. All decisions relative to the granting of extended sick leave shall be made by the Superintendent.

Unused days during any six-year period of employment shall not cumulate or carry forward into the next six-year period of employment. The balance of days of extended sick leave available shall transfer with the employee from one public school employer to another without loss or restoration of days.

Interruptions of service between periods of employment with a public school employer shall not be included in any calculation of a six-year period, such that any employment with any public school employer, regardless of when it occurs, shall be included in any determination of the balance of days of extended sick leave available to the employee.

Any employee on extended sick leave shall be paid sixty-five percent (65%) of the salary paid the employee at the time the extended sick leave begins. In the event a one-time salary supplement is granted after the extended sick leave has commenced, compensation will be paid at fifty percent (50%) of the person's one-time salary supplement.

Definitions

Child means a biological son or daughter, an adopted son or daughter, a foster son or daughter, a stepson or daughter, or a legal ward of an employee standing in loco parentis to that ward who is either under the age of eighteen (18) or who is eighteen (18) years of age but under twenty-four (24) years of age and is a full-time student, or who is nineteen (19) years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

Immediate family member shall mean a spouse, parent, or child of the employee.

Infant means a child under one year of age.


Medical necessity shall be the result of a catastrophic illness or injury, a life-threatening, chronic, or incapacitating condition, as certified by a physician, of the employee or a member of his/her immediate family.

Parent means the biological parent of an employee or an individual who stood in loco parentis to the employee.

Extended Sick Leave for Maternity Purposes

Each teacher granted maternity leave in accordance with state law and who has no remaining sick leave available may also be granted up to (30) days of additional extended sick leave in each six-year period of employment for personal illness relating to pregnancy, illness of an infant, or for required medical visits certified by a physician as relating to infant or maternal health.

Gainful Employment Permitted

An employee may undertake additional gainful employment while on extended sick leave, provided all of the following conditions are met:

1. The employee can demonstrate that he/she will be working not more than twenty (20) hours a week in a part-time job that the employee has been working for not less than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the beginning of any period of extended sick leave.

2. The physician who certifies the medical necessity of the leave indicates that such part-time work does not impair the purpose for which the extended sick leave is required.

Any violation of the provisions regarding gainful employment may require the employee to return to the School Board all compensation paid during any week of extended sick leave in which the employee worked more than twenty (20) hours and to reimburse the School Board all related employment costs attributable to such period as calculated by the School Board, without any restoration of leave days.

Application Process

On every occasion when an employee uses extended sick leave, a statement from a licensed physician certifying that the leave is medically necessary for the employee or that the immediate family member's illness is serious and requires the presence of the employee shall be presented prior to extended sick leave being taken, whenever possible.

On every occasion that a teacher uses extended sick leave, a statement from a licensed physician certifying that it is for personal illness relating to pregnancy, illness of an infant, or for required medical visits related to infant or maternal health, or that it is a medical necessity, shall be presented prior to extended sick leave being taken.

On every occasion that a bus driver or any other school employee uses extended sick leave, a statement from a licensed physician certifying that it is a medical necessity for the employee to be absent for at least ten (10) consecutive work days shall be presented prior to extended sick leave being taken.

The required physician's statement may be presented along with the request for extended sick leave subsequent to the teacher or school employee’s return to service. In such a case, the extended sick leave shall be granted for all days for which extended sick leave is requested, provided the request and required documentation is presented within three (3) days after the teacher or school employee returns to service. However , the School Board or Superintendent , however , reserves the right to question the validity of the medical certification after the three day period. (Moved from below)

If the period an employee is on extended sick leave is anticipated to carry over from one school year to the start of the next school year, another application and physician’s


statement must be submitted prior to the start of the next school year in order to be eligible for extended sick leave.

1. Applications for extended sick leave must be accompanied by a medical statement by the attending physician of the applicant. Medical statements accompanying requests for leaves for medical purposes may be referred to the School Board physician to determine if leave is warranted. A favorable report by the School Board physician must be obtained prior to any action by the School Board to approve a leave for medical purposes. Upon review of the application, if the School Board or Superintendent questions the validity or accuracy of the certification, the School Board or Superintendent may require the employee, or the immediate family member, as a condition for continued extended sick leave, to be examined by a licensed physician selected by the School Board or Superintendent. In such case, the School Board shall pay all costs of the examination and any tests determined to be necessary. If the physician selected by the Board finds medical necessity, the leave shall be granted.

2. If the Board selected physician disagrees with the original medical certification from the physician selected by the employee, then the School Board or Superintendent may require the employee, or immediate family member, as a condition for continued extension of sick leave, to be examined by a third licensed physician, whose name appears next in the rotation of physicians on a list established by the local medical society and maintained by the School Board or Superintendent. All costs of an examination and any required tests by a third doctor shall be paid by the School Board. The final determination of medical necessity shall be based on the opinion of the third physician.

3. The opinion of all physicians consulted in determining medical necessity of the extended sick leave shall be submitted to the School Board or Superintendent in the form of a sworn statement. All information contained in any statement from a physician shall be confidential and shall not be subject to the public records law.

The required physician's statement may be presented along with the request for extended sick leave subsequent to the employee’s return to service. In such a case, the extended sick leave shall be granted for all days for which extended sick leave is requested, provided the request and required documentation is presented within three (3) days after the employee returns to service. The School Board, however, reserves the right to question the validity of the medical certification after the three day period. (Moved to above)

SICK LEAVE FOR ASSAULT OR BATTERY

Any employee of the public schools who is injured and disabled while acting in his/her official capacity as a result of an assault or battery by any student or person shall receive sick leave without reduction in pay, and without reduction in accrued sick leave days while disabled as a result of such assault and battery. The employee shall be required to provide a certificate from a physician certifying such injury and incapacitation.

The sick leave authorized shall be in addition to all other sick leave authorized herein, shall not be accumulated from year to year, nor shall such additional sick leave be compensated for at death or retirement, or compensated for in any manner except as set forth above.

If any teacher or school employee , but not a bus operator, is receiving sick leave as a result of assault or battery as provided in this section, and begins receiving retirement benefits, the sick leave provided herein shall cease.

SICK LEAVE FOR PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH A STUDENT


Any teacher who is injured or disabled while acting in his/her official capacity as a result of physical contact with a student while providing physical assistance to a student to prevent danger or risk of injury to the student, shall receive sick leave for a period of up to one (1) calendar year without reduction in pay and without reduction in accrued sick leave days while injured or disabled as a result of rendering such assistance. Any school employee, but not a bus operator, injured or disabled in a similar manner shall receive up to ninety (90) days of such sick leave. The teacher or employee shall be required to present a certificate from a physician certifying such injury or disability. The School Board may extend the period of sick leave beyond the allowable period at its discretion.

If the School Board questions the validity or accuracy of the physician’s certification submitted by a teacher, the School Board may require the teacher to be examined by a licensed physician selected by the School Board. Any further review of medical certification shall proceed in the same manner as requests for extended sick leave, which is outlined under Application Process above. The School Board shall pay all costs of any examinations and tests determined to be necessary.

SICK LEAVE/WORKERS' COMPENSATION

Should any teacher become injured or disabled while acting in his/her official capacity, other than by assault, the teacher shall be entitled to appropriate worker's compensation benefits and/or sick leave benefits, at the teacher's option, for the period of time while injured or disabled. Any benefits received, however, shall not exceed the total amount of the regular salary the teacher was receiving at the time of injury or disability. The teacher shall be required to present a certificate from a physician certifying such injury or incapacitation.

VESTING OF SICK LEAVE

All sick leave accumulated by a teacher or school employee, but not a bus operator, shall be vested in the teacher or school employee by whom such leave has been accumulated. In the event of the transfer of a teacher or school employee from one school system to another in Louisiana, or upon the return of such teacher or school employee to the same school system within five (5) years or such longer period that may be approved by the School Board to which the teacher or school employee returned, regardless of the dates on which the leave was accumulated or the date of transfer or return of the teacher or school employee, such vested leave which remains unused or for which the employee has not been compensated directly or transferred such days for retirement credit, shall be transferred, returned to, or continued by the School Board and shall be retained to the credit of the teacher or school employee.

CATASTROPHIC OR LONG-TERM ILLNESS

The School Board, realizing that the severity of a catastrophic or long-term illness of an employee can have a profound effect on the employee and his/her family, may provide any employee up to one calendar year of leave without pay and/or thirty (30) days with 50% of their salary, upon application to and approval of the Superintendent or his/her designee. Such leave without pay may be used for personal illness of the employee or illness of an immediate family member. Immediate family member is defined as a spouse, parent, or child of the employee.

On every occasion when an employee has exhausted his/her accumulated sick leave, extended sick leave (for those employees eligible for extended sick leave), and annual leave the School Board shall require a statement from a licensed physician be submitted with the leave application certifying that the leave is medically necessary. The Human Resources Department shall be responsible for evaluating and recommending preliminary approval of each request to the Superintendent or his/her designee. The same procedures utilized for extended sick leave may be used to resolve any questions of validity or accuracy of the medical certification submitted.

PAYMENT UPON RETIREMENT OR DEATH


Upon the retirement of any employee, or upon the employee entering DROP, (see section below), or upon the employee’s death prior to retirement, the School Board shall pay the employee or his/her heirs or assigns, for any unused sick leave, not to exceed twenty-five (25) days. Such pay shall be at the daily rate of pay paid to the employee at the time of his/her retirement or death. (Moved from above)

DEFERRED RETIREMENT OPTION PROGRAM (DROP)

Any employee of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board who participates in the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) shall be eligible for and may elect to receive on a one-time basis severance pay (accrued sick leave up to a maximum of twenty-five (25) days) upon entering DROP on the same basis as any other employee who retires or otherwise leaves employment; otherwise, any accrued sick leave shall be paid only upon final retirement of the employee.

Revised: December, 1995 Revised: September, 2004Revised: December, 1999 Revised: December, 2004Revised: June, 2001 Revised: April, 2005Revised: August, 2001 Revised: October, 2008Revised: January, 2003 Revised: June 19, 2012Revised: April, 2003 Revised: Revised: July, 2003

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''14:125, 17:425, 17:425.1,17:500, 17:500.1, 17:502, 17:1200, 17:1201, 17:1202, 17:1205, 17:1206, 17:1206.1, 17:1206.2; Board minutes, 9-21-99, 5-1-01, 6-18-02, 6-17-03, 12-7-04, 2-15-05, 10-21-08, 6-19-12.

Chairman Dominguez called for a brief recess.

The Committee returned to Session. Mr. Kelly did not return to the meeting.

E. LEGISLATIVE ACTS - AUGUST 20141. Consider approval of revisions to policy JBCE, Public School Choice

Motion to table this item until the Policy Committee meeting of May 5, 2015.

Motion by Andy Anderson, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

F. LEGISLATIVE ACTS - SEPTEMBER 20141. Consider approval of revisions to policy ABCC, Term of Office

Recommend approval

Motion by Sandra Bailey-Simmons, second by Walter Daniels.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

ILE: ABCC

TERM OF OFFICE

Commencing in 1986, All members of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall serve for four-year concurrent terms. Those members elected to the Board in 1982 and 1984 shall serve four (4) and two (2) year terms, respectively, so that all members shall be elected in 1986. School Board members shall be elected at the same time as members of the United States Congress are elected to office.


The term of each member shall begin on January 1, following his/her election and expire on December 31, four (4) years later. Effective January 1, 2014, School Board members shall be limited to three (3) consecutive four-year terms.

Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:52, 17:60.4, 17:71.2, 17:71.3.

2. Consider approval of revisions to policy BCBB, Notification of School Board Meetings

Recommend approval


FILE: BCBBCf: BCBD, DFD

NOTIFICATION OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall give written public notice of all regular meetings, if established by resolution, at the beginning of each calendar year. The School Board shall also give written public notice of any regular, special, or rescheduled meeting, no later than twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, before the meeting. In cases of extraordinary emergencies, such notice shall not be required, however, the School Board shall give such notice of the meeting as it deems appropriate and circumstances permit.

Notice for committee meetings shall be given one (1) week in advance of the date of the meeting, whenever possible, but in no case less than twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, prior to the meeting.

Public notice of any meeting shall include the agenda, date, time, and place of the meeting. The agenda included in the notice shall be reasonably clear so as to advise the public in general terms of each subject to be discussed at the public meeting. In addition, attached to the written notice shall be information on any matters to be discussed in executive session. The notice shall indicate the following:

1. A statement identifying the court, case number, and the parties relative to any pending litigation to be considered at the meeting.

2. A statement identifying the parties involved and reasonably identifying the subject matter of any prospective litigation for which formal written demand has been made that is to be considered at the meeting.

Written public notice given by the School Board shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Posting a copy of the notice at the School Board's central office or by publication of the notice in the School Board's official journal no less than twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, before the scheduled time of the meeting.

2. Mailing a copy of the notice to any member of the news media who requests notice of such meetings; any such member of the news media shall be given notice of all meetings in the same manner as is given to members of the School Board.

3. In addition to the above, by providing notice on the School Board’s website no less than twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, immediately preceding the meeting.


Revised: April 2, 2013 Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 42:19, 42:19.1, 42:23; Board minutes, 4-2-13.

3. Consider approval of revisions to policy BCBD, Agenda Preparation and Dissemination

Motion to revise the last paragraph as follows: All School Board meeting materials and supporting data shall be made available online disseminated to the members of the School Board so that they are received no later than 24 hours prior to any School board meeting, whenever possible. Meeting materials and supporting data shall be paperless, and posted online for access by Board members. Board members shall be responsible for accessing the information and providing their own printed copies of materials as necessary.

Motion by Brett K Duncan, second by Therese Domiano.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

Recommend approval of revisions.

Motion by Sandra Bailey-Simmons, second by Andy Anderson.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: BCBDCf: BCB, BCBB, BCBI

AGENDA PREPARATION AND DISSEMINATION

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board President shall direct the Superintendent to prepare, or cause to be prepared, an agenda for all regular School Board meetings. Items of business may be suggested by School Board members, administrative staff, employees, school patrons, or lay citizens of the school district for inclusion on the agenda. The agenda shall not be changed less than twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, prior to the scheduled time of the meeting.

Each item on the agenda shall be listed separately and described with reasonable specificity. Before the School Board may take any action on the agenda item, the presiding officer shall read aloud the description of the item.

A request to be considered for a place on the agenda by any group or individual other than a School Board member shall be filed in writing with the Superintendent at least five (5) working days prior to the next School Board meeting. Any material to be used must be submitted at the time of request. Citizens of the school system shall be given special consideration for addressing the School Board.

Items of business not on the agenda may not be suggested from the floor for discussion except upon unanimous approval of the members present at a meeting. The motion to add an item not on the agenda shall identify the item with reasonable specificity, including the purpose for the proposed addition to the agenda, and shall be entered into the minutes. In keeping with state law and School Board policy, prior to any vote to add an item to the agenda, there shall be an opportunity for public comment on the motion.

The order of business shall be as established by School Board practice. The second to last item on the agenda shall be a period of personal privilege for School Board members, with a limit of five (5) minutes for each member. All hearings shall be placed last on the agenda, with all employee hearings to be held at the first School Board meeting of every month, unless otherwise deemed necessary by the Superintendent.


The Tangipahoa Parish School Board will allow any individual School Board member to place on the agenda for discussion any topic of interest and in connection therewith recognize any individual to speak to the School Board on that item of business. However, it is the policy of the School Board not to recognize any individual or the leader of any organization that is presently in litigation against the school system except during public input.

All School Board meeting materials and supporting data shall be made available online disseminated to the members of the School Board so that they are received no later than 24 hours prior to any School Board meeting, whenever possible. Meeting materials and supporting data shall be paperless, and posted online for access by Board members. Board members shall be responsible for accessing the information and providing their own printed copies of materials as necessary.

Revised: March, 1991 Revised: October 21, 2008Revised: June 20, 1995 Revised: April 2, 2013Revised: October, 2007 Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §42:19; Jackson v. Assumption Parish School Board, App. 1 Cir. 1995, 652 So2d 549, 1994-0901 (La. App. 1 Circ. 3/3/95); Board minutes, 1-8-91, 6-20-95, 10-21-08, 4-2-13.

4. Consider approval of the revisions to policy BCBH, Minutes of School Board Meetings

Recommend approval


FILE: BCBHCf: ABD, BCBD

MINUTES OF SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall require written minutes of all School Board and committee meetings be kept. Such minutes shall include:

1. The date, time, and place of the meeting.

2. The members of the public body recorded as either present or absent.

3. The substance of all matters decided, and, at the request of any member, a record, by individual member, of any votes taken. and

4. Any other information that any School Board member requests be included or reflected in the minutes.

The Superintendent is charged with the responsibility to keep all minutes of the School Board in a book provided for that purpose; and within twenty (20) days after the meeting, he/she will present them to be published one time in the official journal of the School Board. The acts of the School Board are attested by the signature of the President and the Secretary of the School Board. The original minutes and all records of the School Board are filed and maintained in its administrative offices as public records and shall not be moved therefrom.

The School Board shall post on its website a copy of the School Board minutes made available for publication and shall maintain a copy of those minutes on its website for at least three (3) months after the posting. The School Board shall post the minutes on its website within ten (10) days after publication in the official journal.


The minutes shall be public records and shall be available within a reasonable time after the meeting except where such disclosures would be inconsistent with statutory provisions.

Synopsis of all regular and special School Board meetings shall be electronically transmitted to all schools, the offices of special programs and support services.

The agenda of all School Board and committee meeting/notices shall be posted at the Central Office and electronically transmitted or faxed to all schools, offices of special programs and support services. District committee meeting notices shall be sent only to applicable schools.

Local School Board delegation reports, building committee reports, and any other ad hoc or so appointed committee reports shall be channeled through the appropriate standing School Board committee for consideration and not forwarded direct to the full.

Matters pertaining to duplication of materials for School Board and School Board committee meetings shall be handled administratively.

OFFICIAL JOURNAL

The School Board shall select a newspaper as the official journal of the School Board to publish all official minutes of School Board meetings, as well as all other legal advertising. The official journal shall meet all qualifications as outlined in state law and any others the School Board may prescribe.

Revised: July, 1992 Revised: October, 2010Revised: July, 1996 Revised: August, 2011Revised: April, 1996 Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 42:12, 42:13, 42:20, 43:141, 43:144, 43:145; Board minutes, 5-5-92, 2-6-96, 4-2-96, 10-5-10, 8-2-11.

5. Consider approval of revisions to policy BCBK, Executive Sessions

Recommend approval.


FILE: BCBK

EXECUTIVE SESSIONS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall be authorized to hold meetings that are closed to the public upon formal motion made, seconded and carried by two-thirds of its members present at an open meeting for which proper notice has been given. The reason for holding a meeting closed to the public and the vote of each member on the question shall be stated in open meeting. Executive sessions shall be limited to matters allowed to be exempted from discussion at open meetings, however, no final or binding action shall be taken during such a closed meeting and the meeting shall not be used as subterfuge to defeat the purposes outlined in the statutes.

Executive sessions may be held for the following reasons:

1. Discussion of the character, the professional competence, physical or mental health of a person, provided that such person is notified in writing at least twenty-four (24) hours, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, before the scheduled time contained in the notice of the meeting at which such executive session is to take place, and that such person


may require that such discussion be held at an open meeting. However, an executive session shall not be used for discussion of the appointment of a person to the School Board or, except as provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §39:1593(C)(2)(c), for discussing the award of a public contract. In cases of extraordinary emergency, written notice to such person shall not be required; however, the School Board shall give such notice as it deems appropriate and circumstances permit.

2. Strategy sessions or negotiations with respect to collective bargaining or litigation, when an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the School Board. Attached to the written public notice of the meeting shall be whether or not such matters will be discussed in an executive session. The notice shall indicate the following:

A statement identifying the court, case number, and the parties relative to any pending litigation to be considered at the meeting.

A statement identifying the parties involved and reasonably identifying the subject matter of any prospective litigation for which formal written demand has been made that is to be considered at the meeting.

In cases of extraordinary emergency, such notice shall not be required; however, the School Board shall give such notice of the meeting as it deems appropriate and circumstances permit.

3. Discussion regarding the report, development, or course of action regarding security personnel, plans or devices;

4. Investigative proceedings regarding allegations of misconduct;

5. Cases of extraordinary emergency, which shall be limited to natural disaster, threat of epidemic, civil disturbances, suppression of insurrections, or the repelling of invasions, or other matters of similar magnitude; and/or

6. Any other matters now provided for or as may be provided for by the Legislature.

Louisiana Statutes do not prohibit the removal of any person or persons who willfully disrupt a meeting to the extent that orderly conduct of the meeting is seriously compromised.

Revised: August, 1989Revised: October 18, 2011Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 42:12, 42:13, 42:14, 42:16, 42:17, 42:19, 42:24, 42:25, 42:28; Board minutes, 10-18-11.

6. Consider approval of revisions to policy EDD, School Bus Scheduling and Routing

Mr. Bret Schnadelbach, Chief Financial Officer, requested this item be pulled until after the current Legislative Session.

Motion to table this item until after the Legislative Session.

Motion by Andy Anderson, second by Therese Domiano.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

7. Consider approval of revisions to policy GBRJ, Substitute Personnel


Recommend approval


FILE: GBRJCf: GBD

SUBSTITUTE PERSONNEL

PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall require the compilation of a list of qualified individuals to serve as day-by-day substitute teachers within the school district. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall prepare the list assuring that all those listed possess appropriate employment criteria, including verification of teachers' qualifications and certification.

Principals or their designated representatives shall call substitute teachers from the approved list in case of absence of a regular teacher. It shall be the responsibility of the principal and the regular teacher to ensure that the substitute teacher has the necessary instructions and materials to teach effectively, including textbooks, lesson plans, class rolls, schedules and an outline of local school procedures.

Retired teachers may be employed as substitute teachers provided that use of retired teachers as substitutes is in accordance with the rules and regulations established by the Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana and pertinent statutory provisions.

Qualified teachers may also be selected to substitute for teachers who plan to be absent for six (6) consecutive days. Provisions shall be made for the hiring of, or contracting with applicable substitute teachers in these instances as developed by the Superintendent and staff.

The principal shall contact the Personnel Department to determine if there are any duly certified in the field of study teachers available when attempting to fill a vacancy for a period of absence that exceeds six (6) consecutive days.

In order to qualify as a substitute teacher, the applicant must:

1. Hold a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma, and

2. Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age at time of application.

Compensation paid to substitute teachers shall be based upon the degree status of the substitute in accordance with a pay schedule as set by the School Board. Substitute teachers shall be paid in accordance with the following:

1. Teacher absence covered by sick leave days (less than 21 consecutive days):

Less than bachelor degree: Daily rate of pay as adopted by School Board in current salary schedule

Bachelor degree/not certified: Daily rate of pay as adopted by School Board in current salary schedule

Certified Teacher: Daily rate of pay as adopted by School Board in current salary schedule

2. Teacher absence not covered by sick leave:



Bachelor degree/not certified: Double the daily rate of pay for a degreed substitute, not certified

Certified Teacher: Daily rate of pay based on substitute's degree and years’ experience as per teacher salary schedule, not to exceed absent teacher's pay

3. Teacher absence exceeding 21 consecutive days, covered by sick leave:

Less than bachelor degree: Daily rate of pay as adopted by School Boardin current salary schedule

Bachelor degree/not certified: Double the daily rate of pay for a degreed substitute, not certified

Certified Teacher: Daily rate of pay of beginning certified teacher

It shall be incumbent upon the substitute teacher, however, to properly notify the personnel department of such continuous employment.

4. Vacancy


Bachelor degree/not certified: Daily rate of pay of beginning certified teacher

Certified Teacher: Daily rate of pay based on substitute's degree and years of experience as per teacher salary schedule

Any school employee whose job does not require a teaching certificate who performs work as a substitute teacher for more than a single class period shall be compensated for that time at the rate of a substitute teacher. The principal or his/her designee shall authorize the school employee to act as a substitute teacher prior to the employee’s participation in the classroom as a substitute, and shall verify the hours as a substitute teacher for payroll purposes.

SUPPORT PERSONNEL

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall require the maintenance of a list of properly qualified and approved substitute personnel eligible to substitute for support personnel absent from work. Only persons approved by the School Board shall be eligible for employment as substitutes. Appropriate judgment as to actual need should be exercised before employment of a substitute for support personnel.

Bus Operators

The Transportation Supervisor shall maintain a qualified substitute bus operator list. The substitute bus operator list shall be updated as changes occur.

A substitute bus operator may only be used as a temporary resource until a permanent operator can be appointed to a route. A substitute operator may not drive a route for a period that exceeds the end of the school year during which the operator began driving the route.

A substitute bus operator shall be paid a daily rate as approved by the School Board, but in no case less than sixty-five percent (65%) of the daily rate of pay being paid the regular bus operator, to be computed by dividing the annual pay of the regular operator by the number of school days in the regularly scheduled session, exclusive of any compensation or mileage allowance for use of a privately owned bus.

Revised: June, 1989 Revised: October, 1998Revised: August, 1991 Revised: June, 2002Revised: July, 1992 Combined with GCRJ: October, 2006Revised: October, 1997 Revised: April 2, 2013


Revised: June, 1998 Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§11:710, 11:791, 17:81, 17:84, 17:419.3, 17:493.1, 17:500, 17:1202, 17:1205, 17:1212, 17:1213, 17:1216, 17:1217; Board minutes, 1-3-89, 6-4-91, 3-10-92, 8-18-98, 3-19-02, 2-6-07, 4-2-13.

8. Consider approval of revisions to policy ID, Curriculum

Recommend approval


FILE: ID

CURRICULUM

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board has the responsibility to establish and maintain a quality program of instruction for the elementary and secondary schools of the school district.

The Superintendent shall be responsible for coordinating and maintaining the instructional program in accordance with the provisions of the state constitution, state statutes, rules and regulations of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), and the policies of the School Board.

The organization and scheduling of subjects in the curriculum of the school district shall conform to BESE requirements and statewide content standards for required subjects. The curriculum shall provide learning experiences and prospective achievement for each child according to their individual needs and offer pupils a basic body of understanding, attitudes, knowledge, and skills.

By the end of the eighth (8 th ) grade, every student, with the assistance of his/her parent or other legal custodian and school counselor, and for a student with an exceptionality, except a student identified as gifted or talented and who has no other exceptionality, the student’s Individualized Education Program team, if applicable, shall begin to develop an Individual Graduation Plan to guide future academic course work in order for the student to explore education and career possibilities. The plan shall be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to identify the courses to be taken each year until all required core courses are completed. Each student’s Individual Graduation Plan shall be signed by the student, the student’s parent or other legal custodian, and the school counselor.

CAREER MAJOR

The curriculum design within the high schools shall consist of an academic major comprised of college preparatory courses and include a career major comprised of challenging academic courses and modern vocational career and technical studies. Such a curriculum design shall allow each high school student to choose a career option at the high school level, which includes activities designed to introduce students to occupations in demand in Louisiana. The School Board shall develop and offer one or more career major programs aligned to state and regional workforce demands, pursuant to policies adopted by BESE. By the end of the eighth grade each student, with the input of his/her family, shall develop a Five Year Individual Graduation Plan. Such a plan shall include a sequence of courses which is consistent with the stated goals for one year after graduation, and shall be reviewed annually thereafter by the student, parents and school supervisor, and revised as needed.


Every student who seeks to pursue a career major shall have the written permission of his/her parent or other legal guardian. Each student’s Individual Graduation Plan shall be signed by the student and the student’s parent or other legal guardian.

By July 1st of each year, the School Board shall submit to the Louisiana Department of Education a year-end evaluation of each career major program.

ELECTIVES

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) has granted school systems the authority to develop, review, and approve all locally-initiated electives, in accordance with the Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators , Bulletin 741 . The process shall ensure alignment with standards-based initiatives, compliance with current BESE policies, and all laws and regulations pertaining to students with disabilities. Electives courses shall enhance, expand, and/or refine the core curriculum. Elective courses shall not replace, duplicate, or significantly overlap the content of core curriculum or other approved electives.

Proper documentation of all approved electives shall be maintained by the School Board.

Revised: August, 1994Revised: December, 1997Revised: October, 2001Revised: June 27, 2013Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:154, 17:181, 17:182, 17:183, 17:183.1, 17:183.2, 17:183.3, 17:183.5, 17:261, 17:262, 17:266, 17:268 17:2925; Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education; Board minutes, 4-19-94, 1-8-02, 6-27-13.

9. Consider approval of adoption of policy IFA, Instructional Material

Recommend approval


NEW POLICY ILE: IFACf: DC, IFAA

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board strongly encourages the utilization of a wide variety of materials and equipment in the instructional program. The selection of media shall be determined by the objectives of the course and the experiences and activities to be provided to meet such objectives. Instructional personnel shall keep abreast of the types of materials and equipment which can contribute toward meeting the goals and objectives of courses. Instructional personnel shall also assist the administration in the selection and purchase of such materials and equipment for the school.

The School Board believes that appropriate personnel and materials must be available for each student. It shall be the policy of the School Board that available system resources be allocated in a manner to ensure equivalence among schools of a similar type and enrollment in: (1) teachers, administrators and auxiliary personnel; and (2) curriculum materials and instructional supplies.

PARENTAL ACCESS TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

A parent of a child attending a public elementary or secondary school shall be entitled to access to instructional materials as provided by law. A parent shall be entitled to:


1. Review instructional materials used by or administered to the parent's child.

2. Review any survey before the survey is administered or distributed by a school to a student.

The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall develop and maintain pertinent administrative regulations and procedures governing parental access to instructional materials. At a minimum, such regulations and procedures shall specify reasonable hours for review, that instructional materials shall be provided upon reasonable request of the parent, and reasonable and customary fees for copying of material(s) requested. Nothing shall prohibit or interfere with the parent making his/her own copies on school premises using any mobile or other device.

For the purpose of this policy:

Instructional materials means content that conveys the knowledge or skills of a subject in the school curriculum through a medium or a combination of media for conveying information to a student. It also includes any nonsecure test, nonsecure assessment, or survey administered to a student. The term also includes books, supplementary materials, teaching aids, computer software, magnetic media, DVD, CD-ROM, computer courseware, online material, information, or services, or an electronic medium or other means of conveying information to the student or otherwise contributing to the learning process.

Parent means the parent or legal guardian of a child.

Survey means any evaluative instrument or questionnaire that is not an assessment of academic knowledge, skills, or abilities, administered as part of a state, national, or international assessment or by itself.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELECTION

Responsibility for the purchase of library and instructional materials is vested legally in the School Board. The School Board delegates to the appropriate instructional staff the responsibility of developing final recommendations for purchase.

The actual selection of materials shall be the responsibility of professionally trained personnel who are familiar with the courses of study, the methods of teaching, and the individual needs of students. The appropriate instructional staff, aided by suggestions from the school administrators, the school faculties, students and parents, make the final selection. The individual school faculty shall be responsible for the final evaluation and selection of materials based on the needs of the school. The selection of media shall be determined by the objectives of the course and the experiences and activities to be provided to meet such objectives.

PROCEDURE FOR HANDLING CRITICISM OF MATERIAL

Criticism of specific materials should be handled by the principal whenever possible. If the criticism cannot be resolved by the principal to the satisfaction of the complainant, then the following procedures shall be followed.

1. The criticism shall be presented in writing and directed to the principal and shall include specific information as to author, title, publisher, and the reason for the criticism, giving specific examples of objectionable aspects or sections of the book.

2. The statement must be signed and identified so that a reply may be given.

3. The material shall be reviewed in the light of the objections by a committee appointed by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

4. The report of the special committee shall be forwarded to the Superintendent for action as rapidly as possible. The Superintendent may choose to refer the problem to the School Board.


5. The decision of the Superintendent and/or the School Board shall be sent in writing to the complainant. Copies of the decision shall also be sent to all staff personnel affected by the decision.

New policy:

Ref: Constitution of Louisiana, Art. VII, §13; La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:355.

10. Consider approval of revisions to policy JBC, School Admissions

Recommend approval


FILE: JBCCf: JBCBB, JBCC

Cf: JDE, JGCB

SCHOOL ADMISSIONS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall require all children, including kindergarten, who wish to enroll in public schools of the parish to meet pertinent eligibility requirements.

No student of suitable age shall be denied admission or readmission to school who resides within the geographical boundaries of the school system unless such student is legally excluded from attending school.

The School Board shall grant admission or readmission to school to any person who meets all of the following criteria:

1. Resides within the geographic boundaries of the school system. 2. Meets the eligibility requirements for school entrance pursuant to statutory

provisions

3. Is nineteen (19) years of age or younger on September 30 th of the calendar year in which the school year begins or is twenty (20) years of age on September 30 th of the calendar year in which the school year begins and has sufficient course credits that he/she will be able to graduate within one (1) school year of admission or readmission.

4. Has not received a high school diploma or its equivalent.

5. Is otherwise eligible for enrollment in a public school pursuant to state law and the policies of the School Board and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

If a person meets all of the criteria stated above, the School Board shall not deny admission or readmission based on any of the following characteristics:

1. The person voluntarily withdrew from school.

2. The person is pregnant.

3. The person is a parent.


4. The person is married.

The admission or readmission of a person who will be twenty (20) years of age on September 30 th of the calendar year in which the school year begins shall be limited to grade twelve (12).

The admission or readmission of a person with an exceptionality shall be subject to federal and state law governing the age of eligibility for services for students with exceptionalities.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The following documentation shall be required for admission to Tangipahoa Parish public schools. However, appropriate exceptions may be made at the discretion of the principal with the approval of the Superintendent. No document shall be required which would cause or result in discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or immigration status.

1. BIRTH CERTIFICATE - first time entry into school and all transfers

The School Board shall require all children to present their official birth certificate to the school principal in order to be registered for the school in this parish. A copy of the certificate will be placed in the student's cumulative folder as a permanent record. Only records from an official register of vital statistics will be accepted. A short-form birth certification card shall be acceptable.

If no birth certificate is presented at the time of registration, the application for an official birth certificate will be made available in the school office. Parents/guardians must pay the required fee and the school must mail the application to the Bureau of Vital Statistics for the parent. A copy of the application must be placed in the student's cumulative folder until a copy of the official birth certificate replaces the application copy. If no birth certificate is presented or no application for the birth certificate is completed by the parent, the student will not be registered for school. The principal should forward notification to the Child Welfare and Attendance Officer.

A copy of the birth certificate must remain in the student's cumulative folder throughout the student's school life.

2. IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS - first time entry into school and all transfers

All persons entering a school in Tangipahoa Parish for the first time, including pre-school, kindergarten, elementary and secondary, at the time of registration or entry shall present satisfactory evidence of immunity to or immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases according to a schedule approved by the office of public health, Department of Health and Hospitals, or shall present evidence of an immunization program in progress. A current immunization record as documented on a Health Department MCH 14 Immunization Certificate is the preferred record of documentation for the Tangipahoa Parish School System.

School principals and all teachers, including kindergarten, shall be responsible for checking students' records to assure that the provisions of this section are enforced.

3. SOCIAL SECURITY CARD

The School Board shall require all children, including kindergarten, to present an original social security card at the time of registration. A copy of the social security card will be placed in the student's cumulative folder as a permanent record. The social security number will be applied to all documents and permanent records pertaining to each individual student as a method of


identification. The social security number will be the student identification number.

If no social security card is presented at the time of registration, an application for a social security card will be made available in the school office and a state identification number shall be assigned to the student, which shall be used in lieu of a social security card. No student shall be required to obtain a social security card for purposes of admission to Tangipahoa Parish public schools.

School principals and all teachers, including kindergarten, shall be responsible for checking students' records to assure that the provisions of this section are enforced.

4. PROOF OF LEGAL DOMICILED RESIDENCE

Present to school officials evidence of being bona fide residents of Tangipahoa Parish, with limited exception. However, children temporarily residing within the jurisdiction of the School Board who have no permanent address, who have been abandoned by their parents, or who are in foster care shall be admitted to school, except as may be allowed by statute.

A. Parents/legal guardians must give proof of legal domiciled residence, i.e. L P & L meter or Dixie Electric meter deposit receipt with actual name of parents and location of residence. The domiciled residence should coincide with the parent/legal guardian's 911 address. The principal may authorize use of other proof of residency on a case by case basis. Consideration may be given where a single parent may be residing with a relative.

B. Each student shall provide the school his/her 911 address at the beginning of each school year. This information should be requested on the standard registration form.

C. On-site visitation of legal domiciled residence to verify that parents/legal guardians reside at the designated address may be completed where deemed necessary.

D. It shall be the responsibility of each principal to ascertain the physical residence of each student who registers at the school. The principal shall develop a plan where each child's physical address will be recorded in the official records. If the principal suspects that a student may be attending school out of his/her attendance zone, without proper permission, the principal shall make every effort to determine if the child resides in the district.

If the principal, based on this information, can make a decision regarding the appropriate attendance zone, he/she shall. The principal shall make every effort to handle the matter at the local level.

5. PRE-SCHOOL ROUND-UP

A Pre-School Round-Up will be held prior to the school year for children registering for Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten. All documents cited under Admission Requirements shall be presented at the time of Pre-School Round-Up.

No child shall be registered at Pre-School Round-Up without the following documents:

Birth certificate

Certified copy of Immunization Record - MCH 14 (White Card) preferred


Social Security Card, if available

Verification of Residence

6. Present to school officials, as a prerequisite to enrolling in the first grade, evidence of having attended at least a full-day public or private kindergarten for a full school year; or satisfactorily passed academic readiness screening administered by the school system prior to the time of enrollment in first grade.

7. Present to school officials satisfactory evidence that at least one of the child's parents or guardians has completed a parent orientation course conducted by a parish or city school board. However, no child shall be denied entry into school because a parent or guardian has not attended an orientation session.

ACADEMIC RECORDS FOR TRANSFER STUDENTS

Students transferring should present to the school of entry all official school records of school previously attended or information needed to access such records when transferring from another school to one inside the School District, including necessary authorization to obtain and/or access any and all records of the enrolling student.

Students will be temporarily placed according to academic records received at the time of entry. If no academic records are received, the student must receive temporary placement. Within five (5) school days, the principal must request the official transcript and other school records from the school(s) of the student prior enrollment.

A student whose transcript(s) and other records are not received within thirty (30) days shall be given placement test(s). The Pupil Performance Conference Committee will evaluate the results of the test(s) and recommend the placement of the student according to the results of the test(s).

A student transferring from a state approved school, in or out of the state, shall be allowed credit for work completed in the former school.

Students transferring from school situations which are not state approved or special home study programs will be given appropriate placement test(s). The Pupil Performance Conference Committee will evaluate the results of the test(s) and recommend the placement of the student according to the results of the test(s).

NAME CHANGE

Legal documents from the Bureau of Vital Statistics or Courts must be provided to the school verifying a legal name change, adoptions, or correction of other information before any information contained on permanent records can be amended. A copy of the legal documents must also be placed in the cumulative folder as proof of the changes.

INTER-DISTRICT TRANSFERS

Inter-district transfers shall be authorized. All currently enrolled inter-district transfer students, enrolled as of school year 2009-2010, may continue enrollment in their school of such current enrollment through the terminal grade of the school and, where applicable, progress to schools within such school’s feeder pattern. Commencing school year 2010-2011, inter-district transfer students enrolling in the school system for the first time shall be assigned to schools in such a manner that their enrollment in a particular school shall not increase the majority race enrollment of a racially identifiable school or result in a desegregated school becoming racially identifiable.

TRANSFER OPTIONS

Students domiciled within Tangipahoa Parish who enroll in the Tangipahoa parish School System shall attend the school zoned for the domicile of their parent or legal


guardian unless enrolled in another school pursuant to a transfer option provided for in the Order in the Lawsuit.

Transfers not specifically provided for herein below are eliminated.

1. Tag-along:

Regardless of domicile within or without the school district, children of school administrators, teachers and other faculty members, non-instructional support personnel, and other personnel assigned to a particular school shall be permitted to attend the school to which their parent is assigned and schools within said school’s feeder pattern. Transportation shall be provided by the school employee or the student at no cost to the school district.

2. Majority-to Minority Transfers:

With the exception of admissions of students to magnet elementary and junior/middle schools, and the High Tech/Central Education Center, the school district shall utilize majority-to-minority transfers (“M-to-M transfers”).

M-to-M transfers shall only be made at the commencement of a school year. Once enrolled in a receiving school, the student shall remain so enrolled through completion of the terminal grade of the school unless he/she shall opt to return to his/her home attendance zone school. The school system shall devise an appropriate form for M-to-M transfers, an appropriate form for exercise of the option to return to the student’s home attendance zone school, and an appropriate form for exercise of the option provided for the “grandfather clause” below.

M-to-M transfers shall be submitted to and received by the school system not less than twenty (20) days prior to the commencement of a school year. If the twentieth (20th) day should fall on a holiday or non-working day for central office school system personnel, the next regular working day shall constitute the twentieth (20th) day for purposes of timely submission and receipt of a M-to-M transfer. A student may opt to return to his/her home attendance zone school at the end of the first semester or at the end of the school year. However, if a student opts to return to his/her home attendance zone school at the end of a semester, he/she must give at least fifteen (15) days notice prior to the beginning of the next semester.

M-to-M transfer students, regardless of grade level at the time of transfer, shall be eligible to participate in all interscholastic athletic programs governed by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association in the year of initial transfer except those for which a competitive season is in progress. M-to-M transfer students electing to return to their home attendance zone school shall be immediately eligible to participate in all interscholastic athletic programs governed by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association except those for which a competitive season is in progress.

The school system shall provide transportation for all M-to-M transfer students requesting the same from a paired sending school to a paired receiving school. Such students shall have a preference for enrollment in the paired receiving school. The listing of paired sending and receiving M-to-M transfer schools shall be prepared at the end of each school year based upon end of school year enrollment figures for white and black students.

Grandfather Clause: Students enrolled in a receiving M-to-M school as of the conclusion of school year 2007-2008 shall be afforded the option to remain enrolled in such school through the terminal grade of the school. In the event the option is taken and the sending and receiving M-to-M schools are listed in the paired sending and receiving schools, the school system shall provide


transportation for such transferring students requesting the same. If the sending and receiving M-to-M schools are not listed as paired schools and the student’s race is in the majority at the sending and in the minority at the receiving school, the student’s parent, legal guardian, custodial relative, or other person actually providing transportation shall be reimbursed by the school system in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars per year, payable in the amount of two hundred fifty dollars per semester of actual enrollment in the receiving school.

If the student’s race is not in the majority at his/her home attendance zone school, transportation shall be the responsibility of the parent, legal guardian, custodial relative or other person where the student opts to remain at his/her M-to-M receiving school under this grandfather clause.

Non-paired M-to-M transfers: M-to-M transfers are also available for a student whose race is in the majority at his/her home attendance zone school who wishes to transfer to a non-paired receiving school where his/her race would be in the minority provided that transportation to and from the non-aired receiving school is provided by the student’s parent, legal guardian, or custodial relative. The school system will reimburse each family five hundred dollars per school year, payable one half per semester of actual attendance at the receiving non-paired school. If the cost for reimbursement should become burdensome, the school system reserves the right to review this matter and request a modification from the court.

3. Magnet Transfers:

Magnet transfers shall be made at the commencement of a school year. An election by a magnet transfer student to return to his/her home attendance zone school may be exercised at the commencement of a school year or at the beginning of the second semester of a school year. An election to attend a magnet school by a student residing outside the magnet school’s student attendance zone shall be made not later than forty-five (45) days prior to the commencement of a school year. An election by a magnet transfer student to return to his/her home attendance zone school shall be made not later than forty-five (45) days prior to the commencement of a school year or forty-five (45) days prior to the end of the first semester of a school year. In absence of a timely notice to return to a student’s home attendance zone school, the magnet transfer shall continue through the terminal grade of the school.

The priorities for enrollment in a magnet school are as follows:

A. Students residing within the student attendance zone assigned for the magnet school.

B. Students enrolled in the school as magnet students during the previous school year and students otherwise enrolled in the school pursuant to an approved student transfer applicable to the magnet school.

C. Students who have successfully completed the grade in the magnet school during the previous school year. This priority includes transition grades that involve moving to a new grade level.

D. Brothers and sisters of a student who has already been admitted into a magnet school are eligible to enroll in the magnet school.

E. Students whose enrollment by virtue of their race will advance or serve to achieve a racial balance in the magnet school that will reflect, to the extent practicable, a racial composition in the magnet school that is consistent with the configuration of the school system. Once the student enrollment of a magnet school reflects the racial configuration of the school system, future student enrollments will be made in such a fashion


as to preserve a racial composition in the magnet school that is reflective of the racial composition of the school system.

F. Disabled students.

Transportation or the cost thereof for all eligible attendance zone and magnet transfer students residing within the school district shall be provided, or paid for, by the school district.

4. Academic Transfers:

The school district shall permit academic transfers for any high school student wishing to attend a high school within the school system other than his/her home attendance zone high school for the purpose of enrolling in a Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) recognized course or courses of study, a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program and/or an Advanced Placement course or courses of study not offered at his/her dome attendance zone high school.

No academic transfer shall be allowed that would result in a receiving desegregated school becoming racially identifiable. No academic transfer shall be allowed that would result in an increase in the number of majority race students at a racially identifiable school.

The option to elect an academic transfer shall be made at least forty-five (45) days prior to commencement of the school year. An academic transfer shall expire at the end of the school year for which it is approved. Transportation for academic transfer students shall be the responsibility of the academic transfer student or his/her parent or legal guardian at no cost to the school district.

5. Extraordinary Circumstance Transfers:

In extraordinary circumstances a transfer may be granted upon application of a parent, guardian, or custodial relative where the transfer is approved by the Court Compliance Officer. No extraordinary circumstance transfer shall be granted that would result in the enrollment of student in a magnet program school.

An extraordinary circumstance transfer permits a student to attend a school other than his/her home attendance zone school where, in exceptional circumstances, the student’s health, safety, or welfare is at issue and no other transfer provision is available to effect a transfer.

Upon written application of a parent, guardian, or custodial relative, accompanied by written, sworn (by an affidavit) support documentation provided by an un-related third party such as a treating physician, social worker, psychologist, or other unrelated third party possessing personal knowledge as to facts supporting the transfer request, an extraordinary circumstance may be granted by the Court Compliance Officer. Extraordinary circumstance transfers shall not be granted where the sole reason for the transfer involves a) pre-school day or post-school day care of a student; b) parental, guardian, or custodial relative convenience, or c) a provisional custody by mandate.

An extraordinary circumstance transfer may be granted at any time. If granted, the extraordinary circumstance transfer shall expire at the conclusion of the school year for which it is granted. If the reasons for the extraordinary circumstance transfer continue to exist into a succeeding school year, application accompanied by supporting documentation must be submitted anew to the Court Compliance Officer for review and approval.

Transportation for a student on an extraordinary transfer shall be the responsibility of the student of his/her parent, guardian, or custodial relative at no cost to the school district.


ADMISSION OF EXPELLED STUDENTS

No student who has been expelled in accordance with state law from any school in the state shall be admitted to any school in the school system except upon the review and approval of the School Board.

No student who has been expelled from any school outside the state of Louisiana or any nonpublic school within Louisiana for committing any of the offenses enumerated in state law shall be admitted to any school in the school system except upon the review and approval of the governing body of the admitting school.

ADMISSION OF STUDENTS WHO COMMIT A FELONY

The conviction of any student of a felony or the incarceration of any student in a juvenile institution for an act, whether committed in Louisiana or any other state or country, which had it been committed by an adult would have constituted a felony in Louisiana, may be sufficient cause for the Superintendent to refuse admission of the student to any school in the school district, except upon review and approval of a majority of the elected members of the School Board when a request for admission has been made to the School Board.

ADMISSION OF HOMELESS STUDENTS

Except as provided above with regard to students who have been expelled, no provision in this or any other Tangipahoa Parish School Board policy shall be interpreted to impede the immediate or continued enrollment of homeless youth, as addressed in policy JBCBB, Homeless Students.

Revised: July, 1988 Revised: December, 1997Revised: December, 1989 Revised: August, 2000Revised: May, 1990 Revised: March, 2003Revised: May, 1992 Revised: July, 2008Revised: November, 1993 Revised: August, 2010Revised: September, 1994 Revised: October, 2010Revised: June 20, 1995 Revised: December 4, 2013Revised: August, 1995 Revised: Revised: December, 1995

Ref: 42 USC 11431; La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:151.3, 17:167, 17:221, 17:221.2, 17:222, 17:235.1, 17:238, 17:416, 17:3913; Singleton v. Jackson Municipal Separate School District, 419 F. 2d 1211 (5th Cir., 1970); Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education; Board minutes, 9-12-89, 4-3-90, 2-18-92, 6-21-94, 6-20-95, 11-4-97, 5-6-03, 7-1-08, 8-3-10, 10-5-10, 12-4-13.

11. Consider approval of revisions to policy JBH, Attendance Reports for Student Drivers

Recommend approval


FILE: JBHCf: JB, JBD, JBE

ATTENDANCE REPORTS FOR STUDENT DRIVERS

In accordance with state law, students are obligated to attend school regularly, and be in attendance a minimum number of days during the school year. In order for a minor to obtain or renew a driver’s license or learner’s permit for the operation of a motor vehicle,


the minor shall present evidence to the Office of Motor Vehicles that the minor is enrolled and is attending school or a recognized program or has completed the required minimum units of credit for graduation. Such documentation shall be verified by the principal on forms provided by the Louisiana Department of Education, and said documentation shall be valid for ninety (90) days from the date of issuance.

A student who does not meet the required minimum school attendance provisions may be subject to denial or suspension of his/her driver’s license or learner’s permit. It is the policy of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board to provide written notification of a minor student who has been determined by the principal to be a dropout or habitually absent or tardy to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles for denial or suspension of driving privileges.

In addition, a minor student’s driver’s license or permit may also be suspended when written notification is received by the Office of Motor Vehicles from the principal that the minor student has been expelled or suspended from school or assigned to an alternative educational setting for ten (10) or more consecutive school days. Such disciplinary action shall be limited to expulsions, suspensions, or alternative educational assignments for infractions involving the sale or possession of drugs, alcohol, or any other illegal substance, the possession of a firearm, or an infraction involving assault or battery of a member of the school faculty or staff.

The School Board, through the principal, shall provide written notification to any minor whom the principal has determined to be a dropout or habitually absent or tardy and his/her parent or guardian that the principal intends to subject the minor to driver’s license denial or suspension. The written notification shall advise the minor of his/her right to seek a hearing of the School Board of such determination or to make a request of the School Board to obtain a hardship waiver within fifteen (15) days of the mailing of the notification. The principal shall send a copy of the notification to the School Board.

If the School Board is notified of a request for a hearing or a request for a hardship license within fifteen (15) days after the date of mailing the written notification, the School Board shall hold a hearing to make a determination upon such request. If no such request is received by the School Board, or if the School Board determines after a hearing that such student is a dropout or is habitually absent or tardy and is not entitled to a hardship waiver, then the School Board shall provide written notification to the Office of Motor Vehicles that the minor’s license should be suspended or denied.

HARDSHIP WAIVER

The School Board may waive the attendance requirements for any minor for whom a personal, family, or economic hardship requires the minor to have a driver’s license for his/her own, or his/her family’s employment or medical care as provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:226. The minor or his/her parent or legal guardian may present other evidence that indicates compliance with attendance requirements outlined in state law at the waiver hearing.

The School Board shall notify the Office of Motor Vehicles of the outcome of the minor’s hardship waiver hearing within twenty-four (24) hours after conducting the hearing.

DEFINITIONS

Dropout, for purposes of this policy, means a person fifteen (15) years of age or older but less than eighteen (18) years old, who was enrolled in a school and withdrew or who was enrolled at the end of the previous school year and is not enrolled on October first of the following school year or who has more than ten (10) consecutive days of unexcused absences from school or fifteen (15) days total unexcused absences during a single semester.

Dropout does not mean a person who:

a. is temporarily absent due to illness, suspension, or expulsion;


b. is attending or has graduated or completed another educational program approved by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education;

c. transferred to a nonpublic school, a correctional institution, or an approved home school program or moved out of state.

Habitually absent or tardy is when either condition continues to exist after all reasonable efforts by a principal or other appropriate authority have failed to correct the condition after the fifth (5th) unexcused absence or fifth (5th) unexcused occurrence of being tardy within any month or if a pattern of five (5) absences a month is established or as otherwise provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:233.

Minor means an unemancipated child who is at least fifteen (15) years of age but less than eighteen (18) years of age.

New policy: June, 2010

Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:221, 17:226, 17:233, 17:416, 32:414, 32:431, 32:431.1; Board minutes, 7-6-10.

G. LEGISLATIVE ACTS - DECEMBER 20141. Consider approval of revisions to policy DE, Debt Limitation

Recommend approval

Motion by Walter Daniels, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Final Resolution: Motion CarriesYea: Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: DECf: DFD

DEBT LIMITATION

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board may, as authorized by the Constitution and laws of the State, borrow money, incur debt, issue bonds, levy taxes, or pledge uncollected taxes or revenues, with the approval of the electorate and the consent of the State Bond Commission. Before incurring any form of debt whatsoever, the School Board is required by law to obtain the consent and approval of the State Bond Commission. The School Board may incur debt and issue bonds for the purposes of acquiring and/or improving lands, purchasing, erecting and/or improving school buildings, and/or for other purposes allowed by state law which, including the existing bonded debt of the School Board for all bonded purposes, may not exceed thirty-five per centum (35%) of the assessed valuation of all property as ascertained by the last assessment for the district.

Notification to the State Bond Commission shall be required by the School Board whenever the transfer of funds authorizing indebtedness or payment on outstanding indebtedness have not been made in a timely manner.

RECORDKEEPING

The School Board shall continuously maintain:

1. A list of all Louisiana municipal securities for which the School Board is the issuer or is obligated to repay;


2. A copy of all continuing disclosure agreements relating to the securities to which the School Board is a party;

3. If, pursuant to a continuing disclosure agreement in which the School Board is a party, the School Board shall be responsible for filing notices of changes in bond ratings, a list of current ratings for such securities, if any.

All records required to be kept by the School Board under state law shall be subject to inspection by the legislative auditor and/or the School Board’s auditor.

Municipal securities shall mean bonds, notes, certificates, or other written obligations for the repayment of borrowed money, including obligations to refund any security, which are issued by the School Board.

Revised: December, 1990Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:89, 17:1371, 18:1281, 18:1282, 18:1283, 18:1284, 18:1293, 39:471, 39:554, 39:562, 39:821, 39:1410.60, 39:1421, 39:1438.

2. Consider approval of revisions to policy DFD, Tax and Bond Elections and Sales

Recommend approval


FILE: DFDCf: DE, DFA

TAX AND BOND ELECTIONS AND SALES

TAX AND BOND ELECTIONS

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall call elections for the public to vote on tax or bond revenue issues. Every bond, tax, or other election at which a proposition or question is to be submitted to the voters shall be held only on one of the dates set forth by state law or upon proper application to and approval of the State Bond Commission on a date not provided by statute. The proposition placed on the ballot submitted to the voters in any bond election shall state the kinds and sources of revenues which shall be pledged to retire the bonds, should the proposition be successful.

Public notice of the date, time, and place of any meeting at which the School Board intends to levy, increase, or renew, or continue any ad valorem property tax or sales and use tax or authorize the calling of an election for submittal of such question to the voters shall be both published in the official journal of the School Board no more than sixty (60) days nor less than thirty (30) days before such public meeting; and shall be announced to the public during the course of a public meeting no more than sixty (60) days nor less than thirty (30) days before such public meeting; and notice of such meeting shall be written and hand delivered or transmitted by email to each voting member the School Board that is required to approve such a measure previously adopted by another governing authority and to each state senator and representative in whose district all or a portion of the School District is located, no more than sixty (60) days nor less than thirty (30) days before such public meeting. Email delivery shall be made to the official email address of such voting members or legislators and to any other address provided in writing to the School Board by such a voting member or legislator.


If such a meeting is postponed or cancelled, notice of any subsequent meeting to consider taking action regarding property or sales taxes shall be published in the School Board’s official journal no less than ten (10) days before the subsequent meeting.

If consideration of or action upon the tax proposal is postponed, or if no action was taken regarding the tax proposal, then notice of any subsequent meeting to consider the tax proposal shall be published no less than ten (10) days before the subsequent meeting, unless the date, time, and place of the subsequent meeting was announced to the public during the meeting.

If, at a meeting held in accordance with above provisions, the School Board adopts such a measure, the provisions shall not apply to a subsequent meeting if the only action taken at the subsequent meeting is one which results in a change to the previously adopted measure that reduces the rate or term of the tax in the measure and thereby reduces the total amount of tax that would be collected under the measure, or substantially reduces the cost to the School Board of any bond or debt obligation to be incurred by the School Board.

On the date and at the hour and place specified in the notice of election, the School Board, in public session, shall examine and canvass the returns and declare the result of the elections. The result shall be promulgated by one publication in the official journal of the School Board.

SALE OF BONDS

If approved by the electorate, the School Board shall adopt a resolution providing for the issuance of school bonds within a particular bonding district. Said issuance of bonds shall prescribe the form and fix the maturities thereof, and provide for the payment of said bonds in principal and interest.

All bonds shall be advertised for sale on sealed bids, which advertisement shall be published at least once a week for three (3) weeks, the first publication to be made at least fifteen (15) days preceding the date fixed for the reception of bids. Advertisement shall be in the official journal of the governing authority at least fifteen (15) days before the date fixed for the reception of bids. Notice of sale shall also be published once a week for three (3) weeks preceding the date fixed for the reception of bids, either in a financial paper published in the city of New York or the city of Chicago, or in a newspaper of general circulation published in a city of the state of Louisiana having a population of not less than twenty thousand inhabitants, according to the last federal census.

The School Board may reject any and all bids. If the bonds are not sold pursuant to the advertisement, they may be sold by the School Board by private sale, within sixty (60) days after the date advertised for the reception of sealed bids, but no private sale shall be made at a price less than the highest bid which shall have been received. If not sold, the bonds shall be re-advertised in the manner prescribed above.

Revised: August, 2011Revised: December 4, 2013Revised:

Ref: Constitution of Louisiana, Art. VI, Sec. 30, Sec. 33; La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''18:1281, 18:1282, 18:1283, 18:1284, 18:1285, 18:1286, 18:1293, 39:570, 39:1421, 39:1422, 39:1423, 39:1424, 39:1424.1, 39:1425, 39:1426, 39:1427, 39:1428, 39:1429, 42:19.1; Board minutes, 8-2-11, 12-4-13.

3. Consider approval of revisions to policy DFL, Cash Management and Investments

Recommend approval

Motion by Walter Daniels, second by Sandra Bailey-Simmons.Final Resolution: Motion Carries


Yea: Andy Anderson, Sandra Bailey-Simmons, Walter Daniels, Therese Domiano, Rose Dominguez, Brett K Duncan, Gail McDaniel

FILE: DFLCf: DG

CASH MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENTS

Strategies for proper cash management and investment of available funds shall be reviewed and evaluated on an annual basis to ensure that investment rules and guidelines expressed in this policy are being followed according to current statutory provisions. The monetary assets of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board shall be held in trust by the fiduciary (fiduciaries) designated by the School Board. Cash management and the investment of funds shall be managed by the Superintendent and/or his/her designee.

CASH MANAGEMENT

All aspects of cash management operations shall be designed to ensure the absolute safety and integrity of the School Board’s financial assets.

Cash management activities shall be conducted in full compliance with prevailing local, state and federal regulations. Furthermore, such activities shall be designed to adhere to guidelines and standards promulgated by applicable professional organizations.

Operating within appropriately-established administrative and procedural parameters, the School Board shall pursue optimum financial rewards, while simultaneously controlling its related expenditures. Therefore, cash management functions which engender interaction with outside financial intermediaries shall be conducted in the best financial and administrative interests of the school system. In pursuit of these interests, the School Board shall utilize competitive bidding practices whenever practicable, affording no special financial advantage to any individual or corporate member of the financial or investment community.

DEPOSITORY BANK

Louisiana statutes require School Boards to select a fiscal agent for purposes of receiving or depositing funds of the School Board. The bank selected as fiscal agent shall be asked to enter into a fiscal agency contract or such other necessary instruments setting forth the duties, responsibilities, and agreements pertaining to said fiscal agency.

The fiscal agency bank, when selected, shall serve for a term as agreed to by the School Board and until its successor shall have been duly selected and qualified, and shall pledge approved securities, as provided for in the fiscal agency contract subject to the regulations under state law.

PLEDGED SECURITIES

Funds on deposit shall be collateralized in an amount at all times equal to 100% by pledged "approved securities" in accordance with state law to adequately protect the funds of the School Board.

The School Board shall periodically monitor the amount of approved securities to assure that an amount not less than 100% on deposit with the depository bank, less any applicable Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance is pledged.

The bank shall have the right and privilege of substituting approved securities only upon obtaining the prior written approval of the School Board. Such approval may be granted by facsimile transmission. The approved securities shall be valued at their market value.

INVESTMENT OPTIONS


The Tangipahoa Parish School Board, in accordance with statutory provisions, may invest any funds which are available for investment and are above the immediate cash requirements of the School Board, from whatever source derived, in statutorily sanctioned investments. Types of investments include, but are not limited to, Direct U.S. Treasury obligations, bonds, debentures, notes issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies; bonds, debentures, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness issued by the state of Louisiana or any other state of the United States, or any of the political subdivisions of any state, or by any domestic U.S. corporation, with limited exceptions noted in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §33:2955; or certificates, or time certificates of deposit in any bank domiciled or having a branch office in Louisiana or any other federally insured investment. The interest earned on any such investment shall be credited to the fund from which the investment was made.

The School Board shall authorize its President and the Superintendent, as treasurer, and/or his/her designee, to invest any surplus funds in whatever type deposit that will shall offer the School Board the most favorable rates of interest.

Investments of the School Board shall be guided by the following:

1. Cash management and investment activities shall be conducted in a manner consistent with prudent business practices applied by governmental entities and shall be in compliance with applicable statutes.

2. Funds as determined by the chief financial officer to be in excess of immediate cash requirement shall be invested only in statutorily permitted obligations.

3. Appropriate emphasis in making any investment shall be in the following order:

A. To ensure safety of the principal amount.

B. To ensure liquidity of funds to meet all obligations of the School Board.

C. The yield of the investments.

In no event shall monies be considered available for investment unless and until such funds are determined by the Superintendent or chief financial officer, in the exercise of prudent judgment, to be in excess of the immediate cash requirements of the fund to which the monies are credited. As a criteria in making such a determination, any amount of money exceeding ten thousand dollars which is on demand deposit to the credit of the School Board, or to the credit of any fund and which is not required to meet an obligation for at least forty-five (45) days, or any amount of money exceeding one hundred thousand dollars which is on demand to the credit of the School Board or to the credit of any fund and which is not required to meet an obligation for at least fifteen (15) days shall be construed available for investment.

INTEREST EARNINGS

The interest earned on any such investment shall be credited to the fund from which the investment was acquired or it may be applied to the payment of the principal and interest of the outstanding bonded indebtedness of that fund.

LIQUIDATION OF INVESTMENTS

At any time that may be advisable, the School Board may cash or liquidate any of the investments authorized herein which are purchased for any particular fund. The proceeds of any such liquidation shall be credited to the fund from which the authorized investments were originally purchased.

PROHIBITED TRANSACTIONS


The following arrangements are expressly prohibited:

1. Any transactions not specifically authorized by this policy.

2. The purchase of securities on margin.

3. Direct purchases of single family or commercial mortgages.

4. Purchases of foreign bonds.

5. Collateralized mortgage obligations that have been stripped into interest only or principal only obligations.

6. Inverse floaters, or structured notes. For purposes of this section, structured notes shall mean securities of U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities, or government-sponsored enterprises which have been restructured, modified, and/or reissued by private entities.

Revised: December, 1995Revised: October, 1997Revised: March, 2010Revised: March, 2011Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:99, 33:2955, 39:1211, 39:1212, 39:1219, 39:1221, 39:1222, 39:1223, 39:1225, 39:1226; Board minutes, 3-2-10, 3-15-11.

4. Consider approval of revisions to policy DJE, Purchasing

Recommend approval


FILE: DJECf: DJED

PURCHASING

It shall be the policy of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board that all purchasing for the school district to be paid from School Board funds shall be made by the Superintendent or designee in conformance with existing regulations and procedures of the School Board and the laws pertinent to state and federal agencies. All purchase orders shall be properly signed by the Superintendent or his/her designee. Designees shall be recommended to the School Board by the Superintendent and approved by the School Board before assuming this duty.

Because a large portion of revenues generated for the operation of the School Board are derived through local taxation of businesses and industry in Tangipahoa Parish, all local merchants shall be given fair and equal opportunities regarding School Board purchases. Purchases shall be made at the lowest possible cost to the school district consistent with the system specifications of quality and service.

All regulations of the state bid law would apply to School Board policy requirements for quotations.

FINANCING PURCHASES

The School Board may finance the purchase of equipment or other movable property to be used by the School Board by entering into an installment sale, lease, or similar agreement with any lender or other person. Such agreement shall be subject to approval of the State Bond Commission in accordance with statutory provisions. No


individual school or employee shall obligate the School Board without proper school system personnel knowledge and approval.

SCHOOL DISTRICT PURCHASING COOPERATIVE

The School Board, as a member, may participate in a school district purchasing cooperative for the purchase of services, materials, equipment, or supplies.

In accordance with solicitations, bids, or proposals put forth by the school district purchasing cooperative, the School Board may purchase services, equipment, materials, or supplies at the prices selected by the cooperative.

SOLE SOURCE PROVIDER

The School Board may award a contract for the purchase of supplies, services, or major repairs without competition when the Superintendent or designated employee has determined, in writing, that there is only one source for the supply, service, or major repair item(s) to be acquired. Pertinent procedures for purchasing such items from a sole source shall be as outlined in the State of Louisiana Office of State Purchasing's Purchasing Rules and Regulations.

USE OF STATE CONTRACT

If equipment, materials or supplies are available from a State of Louisiana Contract, the Superintendent and/or his/her designee may approve the purchase without using one of the purchasing procedures outlined in statutory provisions, if advantageous to the School Board. The School Board may also piggyback, or purchase materials and supplies on valid contracts of other political subdivisions.

COMPETITIVE ONLINE SOLICITATION

The School Board may use a reverse auction or competitive online solicitation process on the Internet for the purchase of equipment, supplies, and other materials in lieu of the more formal bid process when the School Board’s procurement officer determines that the electronic bidding is more advantageous and in the best interests of the School Board.

Prior to the use of a competitive online solicitation process, the School Board may require that:

1. Vendors register before opening dates and time, and as part of the registration, require that the vendors agree to any terms and conditions and other requirements of the solicitation.

2. Vendors be prequalified prior to placing bids and allow only bidders who are prequalified to submit bids.

3. The solicitation shall designate an opening date and time and the closing date and time. The closing date and time may be fixed or remain open depending on the structure of the item being bid.

4. At the opening date and time, the School Board shall begin accepting online bids and continue accepting bids until the bidding is officially closed. Registered bidders shall be allowed to lower the price of their bid below the lowest bid posted on the Internet until the closing date and time.

5. Bidders’ identities shall not be revealed during the bidding process; only the successively lower prices, ranks, scores, and related bid details shall be revealed.

6. All bids shall be posted electronically and updated on a real-time basis.

7. The School Board shall retain the right to cancel the solicitation if it determines that it is in the School Board’s best interest.


8. The School Board shall retain its existing authority to determine the criteria that will be used as a basis for making awards.

Adequate public notice for purchases using a reverse auction or competitive online solicitation process shall be given as follows:

1. The advertisement or notice shall be published two (2) times in a newspaper in the locality, the first advertisement to appear at least fifteen (15) days before the opening date of the reverse auction. In addition to the newspaper advertisement, the School Board may also publish an advertisement by electronic media available to the general public.

2. The first publication of the advertisement shall not occur on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

An electrical assessment shall be performed prior to any electrical equipment being purchased by schools in the Tangipahoa Parish School System.

Revised: November, 1999Revised: July, 2008Revised: October, 2001Revised: December 2009Revised: February 7, 2012Revised:

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§33:4712.7, 38:2211, 38:2212, 38:2212.1, 38:2214, 38:2218, 38:2219, 38:2271, 39:1551, 39:1552, 39:1553, 39:1554, 39:1554.1, 39:1556, 39:1557, 39:1558 39:1597, 39:1710; Board minutes 4-12-90, 9-4-01, 7-1-08, 12-8-09, 2-7-12.

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