St. Mary Parish School District

The council meeting covered several key administrative and programmatic topics. These included the nomination and appointment of the committee chairperson, an introduction of council members for the 2024-2025 term, and the establishment of future meeting dates and times. Discussions also addressed the ethics, roles, responsibilities, and confidentiality requirements for members. Furthermore, the committee reviewed the goals for the council, provided guidance on locating special education policies via the district website, and discussed the implementation and operational procedures of security cameras within special education classrooms. Finally, an overview was provided regarding the April Dunn Act and its associated graduation pathways for students with disabilities.

The committee discussed a revised policy manual review process, emphasizing the inclusion of legal review prior to policy committee meetings. Several series of board policies were reviewed, including school district organization, member qualifications, filling vacancies, and member training. The committee discussed establishing specific authority for the superintendent and principals to formulate regulations. Additionally, they reviewed policies regarding meeting agendas, including the annotation of member requests, and updated public participation and comment procedures to include city or town of residence rather than full addresses.

The board meeting centered on the recognition of students and staff from various district schools, including Berwick Elementary, B. Edward Boudreaux Middle School, Berwick High School, Franklin Junior High School, Patterson High School, and Wyandotte Elementary. Key agenda items included the introduction of District Students of the Year, Students of the Month, and Employees of the Month from these respective schools. The board also recognized the accomplishments of these individuals in their academics, extracurricular activities, community service, and professional achievements.

The meeting included the recognition of newly appointed administrative staff, including secondary and district level positions. Students were honored for their achievements, specifically a state championship in the high jump and awards in the FFA program. A detailed transportation services assessment was presented, highlighting the current state of routing efficiency, fiscal stewardship, and recommendations for software utilization, route optimization, and addressing driver absences.

The board approved the consent agenda, which included a compliance questionnaire, the selection of an official journal, the appointment of fiscal agents, and banking resolutions. The meeting included the recognition of newly appointed positions, including a coordinator of accountability, student services lead, elementary school principal, and behavior interventionist. Additionally, the board recognized Red Ribbon Week slogan and art contest winners, as well as educators performing under the Value Added Model. Finally, the board discussed and passed a motion to recommend that the Louisiana Board of Commerce and Industry require Grabo Aluminum Boats (Metal Shark) to pay back lost tax revenue due to non-compliance with the requirements of their industrial tax exemption.