CAT Tracks Editor's Note:

Upon arrival at the meeting, an "AMENDED AGENDA" was available to the public. The difference between it and the original published agenda was the addition of eight action items ("f." through "m.") under Agenda Item XI.-1. Personnel employment, resignation, release, discipline, or compensation.

These new agenda items appear below in the appropriate place...in italics.

IV. Recognition of Guests/Comments From Public and Employees - None.

V. Approval of Previous Minutes - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

1. Special Minutes of July 17, 2012
2. Regular Minutes of July 19, 2012
3. Closed Minutes of July 19, 2012

VI. Approval of Agendas - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

1. Regular Meeting
2. Closed Meeting

VII. Approval of Treasurer's Report - Superintendent Evers provided information on extra revenues received by the District since the preparation of the agenda. She also indicated the the FY13 Budget for CSD #1 was currently on display...and would be for the next 30 days. A motion was made, seconded, and passed to approved the Treasurer's Report for July 2012.

VIII. Approval of Payment of Bills/Payroll - Without comment or questions, a motion was made, seconded, and passed to pay bills/payroll.

IX. Informational

1. ROE - Consolidation of Districts in 2015 - Superintendent Evers presented information that she had learned from attending a Regional Office of Education meeting in Ullin. This topic was NOT about school consolidation, but instead about the state consolidation/reduction of Regional Offices of Education from the current 44 to 35 in 2015...our "ROE 02" being one of the targets for elimination (to be consolidated with one of the larger ROEs...maybe Williamson or Jackson.) Evidently, the ultimate goal is a final reduction to a total of ten ROEs.

2. Updated information on HOPE International - The "disposal" of two District buildings (Bennett Elementary and the CCEC) is still progressing. Further consultation with the District's attorneys has revealed that a straight donation of the building to HOPE International is not possible...that a "donation" can only be made from one government entity to another. Since HOPE International is a not-for-profit organization, the District will instead need to "lease" the buildings to HOPE International (at a nominal charge for a 10-year period, with possible sale.) The terms of the agreement are presently being finalized and reduced to writing.

3. Information on Parent/Guardian Uniform Survey to be Distributed at Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences. Superintendent Evers indicated that some preliminary surveying had already been done prior to her arrival in the District and through the newly created District website (which according to Superintendent Evers has received 1,171 "hits" thus far.) The purpose of the additional survey to be conducted at the Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences is to "dig deeper" for parent/community feelings and or concerns about possible District adoption of school uniforms. Superintendent Evers stated that any such move for adoption by the District should be based upon its positive impact upon student achievement and/or learning environment.

4. Other:
   • Installation of new electronic phone system for automated calls to parents...for such things as bus delays.

   • In response to a question by BOE President McBride, Superintendent Evers briefly reported on the start of the new school year. She reported that she had personally visited most classrooms during the first two days and that attendance was generally down by 3 to 10 students per class...but that this was normal. She further indicated that the 8th Grade enrollment was actually up over last school year. Furthermore, enrollment for Cairo Elementary is currently at 240...in comparison to a range of 250-275 last year. Superintendent Evers expects both enrollment and attendance to improve during the coming weeks.

5. Checks Deposited - District Account

   $ 2,197.41 - TAMES-Healthcare & Family Services
   $ 3,195.68 - Fresh Fruit & Vegetable
   $ 1,318.00 - State Breakfast/Lunch
   $ 6,000.00 - Early Childhood Block
   $ 917.15 - Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
   $112,134.00 - Title I Low Income
   $ 9,271.00 - Title II Teacher Quality
   $ 853.60 - TAMES-Healthcare & Family Services
   $ 35,000.00 - Early Childhood Block
   $ 7,500.00 - Early Childhood Block
   $ 1,011.30 - State Breakfast/Lunch
   $ 2,976.79 - Federal School Lunch
   $ 1,250.67 - Federal School Breakfast
   $ 169.80 - State Breakfast/Lunch
   $ 1,395.02 - TAMES-Healthcare & Family Services
   $ 4,111.09 - TAMES-Healthcare & Family Services
   $ 5,582.59 - Personal Property Replacement Tax

X. Closed Session - The BOE voted to enter closed session at 6:43 p.m. The BOE voted to exit closed session at 7:34 p.m.

a. Personnel Issues

XI. Requiring Action/Decisions By Board of Education

1. Personnel employment, resignation, release, discipline, or compensation
   a. Recall Pamela Carlton - Early Childhood Teacher - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   b. Recall Erica Brazier - Early Childhood Family Educator - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   c. Recall Vernon Stubblefield - Truancy Coordinator District Wide - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   d. Accept Resignation of Lorenzo Duncan, Head Boys Basketball Coach, High School - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   e. Approve Posting Vacancy, Head Boys Basketball Coach, High School - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   f. Approve Posting Vacancy, 3/7 Certified Teacher, 1/7 P.E. & 2/7 Social Studies, CJSHS - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   g. Authorize the Superintendent to lease, upon satisfactory terms, Bennett and CCEC to HOPE International/Light House Ministries, a not-for- profit entity - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   h. Approve Hiring Keeshia Carr as Guidance Secretary - Part-time through Manpower - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   i. Approve Hiring Monica Woodson - Personal Teacher Aide, Cairo Elementary School - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   j. Approve Hiring Deborah Nelson Brown - Early Childhood Teacher Aide - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   k. Approve Hiring Joyce Ivy as Assistant Volleyball Coach, High School - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   l. Approve Hiring Joe Jang as Assistant Softball Coach, Jr. High School - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   m. Approve Hiring Cheryl Arington - Guidance Counselor - Part-time, Cairo Elementary School Until Vacancy is Filled - Motion made, seconded, and passed. (Superintendent Evers indicated that this hiring was until such time that the District could find a social worker to replace Cara Smith, who left the District to take a position with JAMP.

2. Approve Principal and Assistant Principal Evaluation Policy - Motion made, seconded, and passed. (Superintendent Evers indicated that said approval did not mean that the District was intending to hire any Assistant Principals.)

3. Approve Inter-Fund Loan Request (From the Education Fund to the Tort Fund) - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

4. Approve to Place on File FY13 Budget - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

5. Other - None

XII. Old Business - None

XIII. Adjourn...Motion made, seconded, and passed to adjourn at 7:42 p.m.

CLOSED SESSION IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, PERFORMANCE OR DISMISSAL OF INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES WHICH MAY BE OF A TEMPORARY CONFIDENTIAL NATURE, STUDENT DISCIPLINE, PLACEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, DISCUSSION OF LITIGATION PROBABLE, IMMINENT, FILED OR PENDING AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OR RELATED ISSUES.

CAT Tracks Editor's Note:

Immediately below is the "Community Buy-In" Questionnaire conducted by BOE Member Gabriel Harris: (This old CAT successfully answered Question #4 when called upon.)

Community Buy-In Questions:

1. Name the only grocery store in Cairo...by its correct "new" name. (Yes, the quotes are a hint...but less of a hint than given by a BOE member who blurted out the answer in the form "Do you mean the ****** ******?" to the entertainment of those in attendance.)

2. Name the only car dealer in Cairo.

3. Name the agency in Cairo to which one would report a student for substance abuse.

4. What does the PSO acronym stand for?

5. Who is the Mayor of Cairo?

6. Name two streets in Cairo that do not begin with a number. (In an aside, I wanted to be picky with Madame CAT President on this one and eliminate the North-South "streets" which I asserted to be "avenues". She was having none of that...exercising her presidential veto on such anality. Sigh...)

7. Name one church located in Cairo.

8. Name two programs/organizations in Cairo that work with students to prepare them for life after school. (Despite Superintendent Evers' strong pitch for Cairo School District Number one, you must name two other programs/organizations.)

9. What year did the race riots begin in Cairo?

10. Name one year that a Cairo High basketball team went to state.