Junction City Schools agreement renewed,
but could be in jeopardy
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
Claiborne Parish School Board is awaiting word on the fate of an agreement
between the school board and Junction City Schools – and it could be in
jeopardy.
Superintendent
of Schools Dr. Janice Williams updated the school board on the agreement
between Claiborne Parish and Junction City Schools, saying that Junction City
agreed to the lowered allotment for the 2012-13 school year. According to the
agreement, it is with hiring of one teacher and one paraprofessional with the
remainder of the allocation to be used for materials and supplies for Junction
City schools. There will be a total of six teachers and one paraprofessional.
And
while the agreement with Junction City has been in place for many years, with
the implementation of the new laws regarding education, this agreement has now
come into question on several issues.
“The
issue that has always been on the table has been regarding Louisiana students,”
Williams said. “The attorney from the Department of Education did send a ruling
saying that in accordance with Act 54 we either need to terminate the agreement
and bring the kids back to Louisiana, or to sever the agreement with the
teachers and let them be hired on by Junction City. With that, I have forwarded
that to our legal team to take a look at. Once I receive something from our
legal advisors, I’ll bring it back to the board.
“As far
as their contract is concerned,” she continued, “we have drafted some
additional items into that contract, and that is in the hands of Jim Hatch
(school board attorney) at this time.”
According
to CPSB Business Manager Fred Evans, the school board was paying $581,000 to
Junction City for about 113 students, which includes the salaries and benefits
of the teachers paid by Claiborne Parish for these students. With the reduction
in Minimum Foundation Program monies (state money to pay teacher salaries and
benefits based on student population), the school board is saving about
$43,000. The new allocation will be approximately $537,000.
District
9 Board Member Joey White said that a number of people he talked to told him
that it is better for everyone all the way around for these kids to go to
Junction City; however, there is the issue with the newly implemented
value-added evaluations.
“Now
that this issue has come up about the evaluations being an impediment to that
agreement, if it is indeed in the best interest of the parish and the students,
it seems like it would also be in the best interest of the state,” he said.
“Could we not apply for an exemption from that particular evaluation?”
Williams
said that all she has heard from the board’s legal advisors is that Louisiana
teachers fall under Act 54.
School
Board President Will Maddox said it would be a good idea to ask.
“It
might not be a bad idea to write a letter and see what happens,” he said. “This
is a unique situation.”
Williams
said one of the two options would be implemented for the 2013-14 school year.
Sadie
Flucas, who has staunchly spoken out against the closing of Athens High School,
asked how the school board is saving money by closing Athens while still
sending Claiborne Parish students to Junction City schools.
Once
the meeting adjourned, Sadie Flucas, who has staunchly spoken out against the
closing of Athens High School, spoke up saying that from the figures given that
closing Athens was supposed to be a cost-cutting measure, but “we’re spending
more money sending those few kids to Junction City than we paid for all the
kids at Athens.
“You’re
not looking at the numbers for Junction City very deep,” she continued. “That’s
my issue. If we’re paying $500 and something thousand dollars for 112 kids
versus $300 and something thousand dollars for 163, I’m missing something from
the way this is being reported. It doesn’t seem to be cost savings to me. Mr.
Lee (District 1 School Board Member Danny Lee) pointed out that we’re not
paying utilities up there, we don’t pay for the buildings, we don’t pay for any
of that, but we pay that for Athens.”
Her
other concern, she said, is that the board does not seem to be able to properly
look at the educational programs for all of our students.
“It
does not give the data from Junction City,” she said. “I looked at the state
website and in Claiborne Parish right now, 50 percent of our students whose
home residence is in Claiborne Parish, only 50 percent are performing at basic
and above. How does this number change if we look at the kids from Junction
City? Do we go up, do we go down? How do you, as a board, really exercise your
authority to supervise educational programs and make sure that the quality is
there? Those are some of my concerns.”
And
with that, board members got up from their seats without addressing her
concerns.
According
to the summary Evans gave school board members on May 10, for the 2011-12
school year, by closing Athens High School, it is saving the school board
approximately $384,000, while saving $43,000 with a 7.474 percent reduction in
what they are sending to Junction City for the Claiborne Parish students there.
In
other news, at the recommendation of the interview committee, the school board
approved the hiring of Scott Johnston of Webster Parish to take the
principalship at Haynesville Jr./Sr. High School. He’s also taught science at
Haughton High School and coached football at Minden High School. He served as
principal at Shongaloo High School for one semester before going to the Youth
Challenge Program, where he served as a principal for the school there.
“I
appreciate the opportunity to come up here and work at Haynesville,” Johnston
said. “I will do my very best to do what’s best for the kids and the faculty. I
appreciate it, and it’s an honor for ya’ll to give me this responsibility.
Thank you.”
Flucas
also questioned whether the position was advertised on the school’s website as
well as the state website. Williams said they did not advertise on the school’s
website due to issues with the website itself, saying that they will have a new
website provider by July 1. She also said they did not advertise on the state’s
website.
“Why
are we limiting the advertisement?” Flucas asked.
“Given
the amount of time, we put it where we could,” Williams answered.
According
to Personnel Supervisor Mary McDaniel, the school board is required by law to
advertise not only in local papers, but in surrounding areas, and she said that
was done.
The
next regular monthly meeting of the school board will be on Thursday, June 7,
at 6 p.m. in the meeting room at Central Office. For more information, or for
questions, please call their office at 318-927-3502. During the summer months,
the office is open Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. It is
closed on Fridays.
USDA visits Homer in application process
Submitted photo
Pictured from left to right, Mr. Duke
Rauschenbach, Lisa Foster-Town Clerk, Ms. Caroyln Billups, Ms. Cheryl Rodgers,
Mayor Alecia N. Smith and Mr. Ben Rauschenbach
On May
10, USDA Community Program Specialists Carolyn Billips and Cheryl Rodgers and
Balar Engineer’s Ben and Duke Rauschenbach meet with Mayor Alecia N. Smith and
Lisa Foster, town clerk, to discuss the transition plan for the town hall and
police station in order to become UFAS/ADA compliant.
UFAS/ADA
stands for the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards and the Americans with
Disabilities Act. A transition plan, in this case, shows the government how a
small town intends to alter its existing facilities to make it compliant with
the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The
preparation of the transition plan included: collecting measurements in the
field, developing a floor plan of the existing facilities, and finalizing the
transition plan based on the UFAS Accessibility Checklist and field
observations.
This
means they will have to do a few things inside city hall, including renovating
a handicapped parking space, putting grab rails in the women’s bathroom and
lowering a portion of the counter up front.
The
Town of Homer previously submitted a grant to USDA for seven new police cars.
In order for the Town of Homer to receive the grant; the transition plan has to
be implemented.
In the
upcoming weeks, Balar Engineers will be working hard to complete plans and
specs for the contractor to complete the UFAS Accessibility Checklist.
HMH Community Health Fair this Saturday
The
Homer Memorial Hospital and Life Care Community Health Fair will be held at
Homer City Hall from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., this Saturday, June 2.
Please
come out and get free screenings and enjoy all the other exciting activities of
the day. Bring the whole family! Activities include various health vendors,
fitness experts, Zumba fitness, healthy food choices and much more!
For
more information, please contact Adrienne Willis at 318-927-1400.
Gospel celebration this Friday
Fuller Center fundraiser begins at 6
p.m.
The Guardian-Journal
A
Gospel Music Celebration will be held on Friday, June 1, from 6 until 9 p.m. at
Homer City Hall.
The
celebration is hosted and sponsored by the Claiborne Parish Fuller Center for
Housing. The celebration will feature The Faithful 8, Claiborne Parish
Detention Male Choir, Mt. Calvary Choir, Lane Chapel CME, Mt. Superior Baptist,
White Oak, the Haynesville Community Choir, Charles Robinson, Moses Johnson,
Rayan Willis, 4-His Glory, the Claiborne Male Church and Vanira Cardwell.
The
gospel celebration is a fundraiser to help raise money to help those who need
repairs done to their homes. The Greater Blessings Project began a few short
years ago, and at first, had some trouble getting started. They were only
raising enough money to do small repairs, but as word got around, donations
began picking up.
The
Fuller Center office is located at Believers Worship Center in Homer, but
meetings are held at Homer City Hall.
In the
December 8, 2011 edition of The Guardian-Journal, the Rev. Russell Grigsby,
president of the Claiborne Parish Fuller Center for Housing, said the group is
seeking volunteers with fresh ideas on how to make the organization grow in
Claiborne Parish as well as raise more funding so that maybe in the near
future, they can begin construction on a new home for someone in need.
For
many years, Webster Fuller Center for Housing was accepting donations from
citizens in Claiborne Parish. Grigsby and others in the community saw a great
need right here at home. And Claiborne Parish, more so, needs a program like
this because Claiborne is a rural parish and tends to have a higher low-income
population.
The
board hopes to begin raising enough funds to build a home, but so far, they’ve
only been able to raise enough to make repairs to existing homes.
For
more information, please call John Markley at 318-927-9132.
Big crowd turns out for Claiborne
Jubilee
Kinnebrew mural dedication culmination
of hard work
The Guardian-Journal 2012-05-31 photos/Michelle
Bates
The mural on the Kinnebrew building was
dedicated on Saturday, May 26, at the annual Claiborne Jubilee. Louisiana Tech
art students dedicated themselves, even after classes let out for the summer,
to finishing the project that depicts a rich history in Claiborne Parish. The
large print being held by the artists is a smaller scale of what is seen on the
side of the Kinnebrew building. Nick Bustamante, pictured far right, is an art
teacher at Louisiana Tech University, and his students took on a directed study
course to paint the mural. Pictured far left is the original artist for the
mural Judy Buckner. Students are from left, Daniel Moore, Whitney Trisler and
Lindsay Waters. Artists not pictured are Jenni Claire Nasser and Hillary
Clary.
Top, Ms. Jasmine Morelock Field displays
her artwork, including the painting that covers the book she wrote in honor of
her daughter, Valerie who died while away at college. Above, the Sweet Harmony
Quartet, one of two quartets in the Piney Hills Harmony Chorus, entertained
guests during the annual Claiborne Jubilee. Pictured from left are Carol Ogle,
Judy Sisson, Leah Rutherford and Donna Fike. The Piney Hills Harmony Chorus
also entertained guests with songs sang in barbershop style.
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
Claiborne Jubilee turned out large crowds and was a special event indeed with
the dedication of the Kinnebrew Mural.
Homer
Mayor Alecia N. Smith presented each art student, the original artist of the
mural and the art teacher with certificates of appreciation for their
dedication and hard work on making this project come to life.
Cynthia
Steele, Jubilee coordinator, thanked each of those who were involved in the
project, including the Ross family, owners of the building. The Ross family had
the building cleaned and painted so the artists could use the side of the
building as their canvas to bring to life a rich history in Claiborne Parish.
“It has
been wonderful to have Nick (Bustamante) as a colleague in this project and to
have someone as excited about the things you’re excited about is a rare
treasure,” Steele said. “I would really like to take one more minute to thank
the Ross family. When I first talked to Mr. Ross’ mother, Beverly Kinnebrew,
several years ago, she was excited about the idea but nothing happened. Then
one day she was no longer with us.
“So, I
talked to her husband,” she continued, “and before I knew it, he was gone. And
then I had the nerve to call Jim (Ross) and say let’s do it. And he not only
let us do it, he completely transformed the building that -- well, to be frank
-- was about the ugliest building in town. And it looks good even if there
wasn’t a mural on it.”
The
building was built by Alabama Kinnebrew, and it originally was an opera house.
“Mr.
Alabama would bring in shows from New Orleans and it was quite the big deal,”
she said. “We read in the Claiborne Parish history books about how people would
get dressed up just to come to the opera house.”
She
again thanked the Ross’s for their dedication to allowing this project to be done.
Bustamante,
art teacher at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, said he was very impressed
with Homer.
“This
is just a really big deal for us to be a part of this,” he said. “The thing that impressed me the most about
Homer is your dedication to honoring the past.”
When he
was first approached by Steele about the project, she took him on a tour
through the Herbert S. Ford Museum in which he said he was very impressed by
the connection to the people in the photographs in many of the displays inside
the museum.
“She
had a story behind every one of those people in those photographs,” Bustamante
said. “To be honest, I was a little jealous, because coming from and being
raised in southern California, I just don’t have that kind of connection to a
place. Your past is tangible and you guys are so lucky to live in a place with
such a rich history.”
He
thanked them for allowing them to be a “small” part of that history. He also
acknowledged Judy Buckner, the original designer of the mural. He went on to
recognized Steele.
“Cynthia,
you are truly an artistic visionary and dreamer,” he said. To the audience, he
said, “Without her vision of this mural it would have never happened. This
mural was created on one-fifth of the mural budget, which is nothing. And the
great thing about dreams is they are contagious.”
Once it
was put into motion, everyone began to jump in and volunteer, providing
supplies and materials needed to produce the mural. He recognized M&M Sound
and Media, the company that lent the extension cords, light fixtures and other
things that were needed to help get the mural done. Also, he said it was
videoed to document the process. Fine Line Art Supply donated copies of the
original painting to work from. He thanked Jamie Johnson, a graduate student who
came out to document the piece, and Mr. Ross who so graciously helped get the
building in condition to paint on.
He also
recognized others who also donated supplies and helped out, and all of those
who dropped off lunches and cookies, “thank you very, very much,” he said.
He
talked about the project and how he and the students came to be the ones to
paint the mural. He said that when Steele approached him about the project, he
said yes without knowing the massive scale and the work it would entail to
produce such an art piece.
“It
didn’t click how big the building was,” he said. “It didn’t click on how crazy
that textured surface was going to be and how hard it was going to be to paint
on it. That surface is the most challenging surface I have ever painted on in
my life. So when the students got out there, we were in the trenches together.”
Bustamante
and the students learned together how to make the mural project come to
fruition.
He
talked to Jonathan Donahue, director of the School of Arts at Tech. He allowed
Bustamante to recruit some students to take on the mural and tackle it in the
form of a directed studies course. These students were given school credit for
the project, and still stayed after school let out for the summer to complete
it.
In
fact, in the contract for the project, the students agreed to spend five hours
per week on it, but the students started spending not only the five hours per
week, but extra days during the week.
“From
that moment on, everybody came out two or three days a week,” Bustamante said,
“which says a lot about students who have no connection to the Town of Homer.
Quickly, we realized that we were working on something that is so much bigger
than ourselves. They worked their tails off for you guys.”
To the
students, he said, “It’s been a real honor and I’m extremely proud of you
guys.”
In
other activities of the Jubilee, featured artist Jasmine Morelock Field was
there displaying many of her art pieces from over the years as well as
showcasing her book, “Valerie.” “Valerie” is about the daughter she lost when
she went off to college at LSU in Baton Rouge, where she was murdered.
In a
short interview at the Jubilee, Field said she wrote the book because she
didn’t want her daughter to be remembered and defined by what happened to her.
“I want
people to remember Valerie for how she lived,” she said. “She got to do
everything she wanted to do in her short life. She got to do more than many
people do in their lifetimes.”
The
book features many photographs of Valerie growing up and it talks about her
life from beginning to end.
Also
during the Jubilee, decorated chairs were bid on, and there were many to choose
from. There was a chair that paid homage to Homer in purple and white with
“Homer” painted on the seat. There were chairs that were painted and turned
into plant potters, so many more to choose from. There was also a penny table
in which the table top was decorated with pennies.
Following
the Kinnebrew mural dedication, Claiborne Jubilee players each took a chair and
told a story. Some were inspiring while others were historical and even some
that were quite humorous.
Also,
famed Claiborne Parish author Linda Knox was on hand to sign copies of her
recently published book “A Rose in Bloom.” The book tells the story of Maxine,
a longtime Claiborne Parish teacher, who is now retired. Knox says Maxine
inspired her as a fellow teacher and this book is a tribute to the person who
inspired her.
Vendors
were there as well including the youth at United Pentecostal Church with snacks
and drinks and Homer High School with a bake sale.
Performances
included inspirational songs by Claiborne Parish’s own Faithful 8 as well as
barbershop-style performances by the Piney Hills Harmony Chorus.
