School Board Meetings Summary, November - December 2024

Year-End Meetings Summary

I hope everyone has been enjoying the holiday break!  This is our final update for 2024, highlighting key discussions and decisions from November and December.

 2025 School Board Meetings:

The schedule for next year is now available! Visit our website or Facebook page for details.

Starting in 2025, all meetings—including regular board meetings, work sessions, and committee meetings—will be live-streamed. Recordings will also be available. Stay tuned for announcements about the 2025 Quarterly Community Forums!

NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

Policy Meeting (Nov. 14):

•  Updated policies to eliminate campaigning on school property and at school events, to be placed on the regular agenda for approval.

Special Meeting (Nov. 14):

•  Met to hear expulsion appeals for disciplinary actions resulting in expulsions.

Resources Committee (Nov. 19):

•  Mr. Musso provided a financial report comparing actual vs. projected expenditures.

Work Session (Nov. 19):

•  Reviewed an addendum to the demographic report addressing trends in multilingual households and family income.

•  Enrollment update: 5,548 students with notable demographic shifts.

•  Discussed travel support for board members attending COSSBA 2025, a national school board conference.

•  Reviewed policy updates, including superintendent performance criteria, live streaming, and accommodations for students with exceptionalities. Full update to come.

•  Considered a proposed contract template to streamline district project costs for smaller projects.

Regular Meeting (Nov. 19):

•  Superintendent updates included campus walkthroughs with board members, security testing, and strategic plan progress.

•  Anticipated installing new equipment, including copy machines and classroom touchscreens for early grades.

•  Received a presentation on Green Schools initiatives, highlighting LED lighting upgrades at Zachary Early Learning Center and Rollins Place Elementary, with projected energy savings of up to 40%.

•  Mr. Fran Harvey, accompanied by the Department of Transportation and Zachary Chamber representatives, introduced a new GIS program. This initiative aims to provide students with certification opportunities and career preparation in this emerging field.

•  Approved items discussed during the work session, including updates to policies and the contract template to streamline district project costs.

DECEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

Resources Committee (Dec. 3):

•  Reviewed financial reports focusing on capital projects and debt service funds.

Work Session (Dec. 3):

•  Reviewed and discussed school board member training hours for the 2024 school year, part of the 2025 Training Resolution.

•  Mr. Necaise provided updates on the strategic plan and accountability progress for the district to be shared in the regular meeting.

•  Considered updates to the policy on political campaign materials and solicitation in schools.

Regular Meeting (Dec. 3):

•  Recognized AG and FFA achievements and honored Christmas card winners.

•  Recognized launch of the Second Chance Breakfast program at Zachary High School.

•  Elected Dr. Young (President) and Mr. Gaines (Vice President) as 2025 board officers.

•  Reviewed outcomes from the district-wide security response test.

•  Announced key dates, including the LSBA Annual Conference (Feb. 25–27) and the next Board Retreat and Academic Committee meetings.

•  Shared upcoming holiday arts and music programs in the district.

•  Approved updates to the political materials and solicitation policies.

Board Retreat (Dec. 10):

•  Discussed expulsion processes, including scheduling, communication with parents, and support structures.

•  Reviewed academic performance data for grades 3–10, focusing on trends across 2021–2024 and discussion of differences in academic outcomes among student groups.

  
  

For more details, visit our the district website to watch recordings of these meetings. Wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year!