APSB Celebrates Success: School Board Dec. 16 Council Proceedings

The Avoyelles Parish School Board met in regular session on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. at the School Board Office in Marksville, Louisiana, with the following members present:

Rickey Adams, President
Robin Moreau, Vice President
Latisha Small, Lynn Deloach, Keith Lacombe, Jay Callegari, Chris Robinson, Jill Guidry, and Aimee Dupuy.

Absent: None (Chris Robinson arrived at 5:08 p.m.)

1. An Invocation was offered by Dexter Compton, Supervisor of Curriculum.
2. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America led by Board member Keith Lacombe.

On motion by Lynn Deloach, seconded by Jay Callegari, the Board adopted the minutes of the regular Board meeting held on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, and the Special Board meeting held on November 7, 2025, as printed and mailed to Board members and published in The Weekly News, official journal of the Board. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

1. Superintendent Karen Tutor recognized the Students of the Month for November, 2025, and presented a plaque to each student. Also, each Board member read a short biography detailing the accomplishments of each student.

The Students of the Month at each school are as follows:

• Elias Moreno, Bunkie Elementary Learning Academy
• Juliet Benitez-Corona, Cottonport Elementary School
• Allie Garrot, Lafargue Elementary School
• DeVaeha Allen, Marksville Elementary School
• Zelly Arnold, Plaucheville Elementary School
• Payden Porterie, Riverside Elementary School
• Samantha Clark, Avoyelles High School
• Sky Desselle, Bunkie Magnet High School
• Amayha Bains, Louisiana School for the Agricultural Sciences
• Karlie Womack, Marksville High School

On behalf of the Board, President Rickey Adams commended the students on this outstanding achievement.

1. Assistant Superintendent Thelma J. Prater recognized the Teachers of the Month for November, 2025. She commended the teachers for their dedication, and Superintendent Tutor presented a plaque to each teacher, as follows:
2. Peggy Joshua, Bunkie Elementary Learning Academy
3. Ruby Hawkins, Cottonport Elementary School
4. Abby Baronne, Lafargue Elementary School
5. Kayla Lemoine, Marksville Elementary School
6. Avery Lemoine, Plaucheville Elementary School
7. Susan Bordelon, Riverside Elementary School
8. Marion "KK" Lemoine, Avoyelles High School
9. Kourtny Bordelon, Bunkie Magnet High School
10. Kristie Parker, Louisiana School for the Agricultural Sciences
11. Daniel Scully, Marksville High School.

On behalf of the Board, President Rickey Adams commended the teachers on this outstanding achievement.

INFORMATION ITEMS:

1. Amy Volentine, Media/Testing Manager, recognized the 2nd Annual Holiday Card Design winners:
2. Elementary School Division - Zaniya Alexander, 2nd grader at Bunkie Elementary Learning Academy
3. Middle School Division - Bryli Dupont, 8th grader at LaSAS
4. High School Division - Jenna Hitl, 10th grader at Marksville High School.
5. Superintendent Karen Tutor presented the Principals' Report on 2025 School Performance Scores. All scores have shown improvement this year, Riverside is now a "B" school, and Cottonport Elementary gained a whopping 13 points and is ranked second in growth statewide. The principals from each school provided updates on their respective schools.
6. Jessica Rachal, Sales Tax Supervisor, presented the Sales Tax Report for the month of November, 2025. Sales tax collections totaled $947,605.55. Of this amount, the 1% sales tax generated $541,488.98, the 0.25% sales tax generated $135,372.08, and the building and maintenance fund generated $270,744.49.
7. The monthly maintenance report on expenditures was presented.
8. Mary Bonnette, Finance Director, presented the 2025-2026 Year-to-Date Report with Comparisons.
9. The following personnel changes were reported for the Board's review:

PERSONNEL CHANGES

• BUNKIE ELEMENTARY LEARNING ACADEMY
  Appointment of Ashley Desselles-Spells, part-time social worker, AWARE funding source, effective January 5, 2026.
• COTTONPORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Resignation of Marcel Bonnette, Assistant Principal, effective June 29, 2026. Appointment of Ashley Desselles-Spells, part-time social worker, AWARE funding source, effective January 5, 2026.
• LAFARGUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
• BUNKIE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL
• MARKSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
  Resignation of Ashley Normand Dauzat, food service technician, effective December 19, 2025. Resignation of Dana Brouillette, bus driver, effective December 19, 2025, for the purpose of retirement. Appointment of Lee Ellen LaBorde, food service technician, effective January 5, 2026.
• BUNKIE MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL
  Appointment of Morgan T. Thornhill, part-time social worker, General Fund, effective January 5, 2026.
• MARKSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
  Correction: Change appointment date for Brittany L. Johnson, food service technician, effective December 3, 2025.
  Appointment of Morgan T. Thornhill, part-time social worker, General Fund, effective January 5, 2026.

CONSENT ITEMS:

1. Request to approve the Xerox contracts for the Media Center and Avoyelles Parish School Board Office.
2. Request to approve a one-year contract with Tools4ever to sync the creation, movement, and removal of both staff and student computer and email accounts, software and installation, for a total of $11,368 plus $6,000 for a one-time cost of installation, resulting in a grand total of $17,368 to be paid with technology funds.
3. Request to approve Air Reading high dosage tutoring in the amount of $145,000 to be funded by Outcome-based Tutoring Grant.
4. Request to approve the revised policies as follows:
5. File: BCBB - Notification of School Board Meetings
6. File: DFN - Sale of Surplus Equipment and Supplies
7. File: DJE - Purchasing
8. File: EBBC - Emergency/Crisis Management
9. File: GBC - Recruitment
10. File: GBN - Dismissal of Employees
11. File: GBRA - Employee Conduct
12. Request to approve overnight travel.

On motion by Aimee Dupuy, seconded by Jill Guidry, the Board approved the consent agenda items (Items 12-16). MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

ACTION ITEMS:

1. Becky Spencer, Network Supervisor, addressed the Board with a request to bid on a real-time data circuit of 20GB of internet to the Avoyelles Community Education Center for the 2026 funding year for a three-year contract with two voluntary one-year extensions to be paid with E-rate and technology funds.

On motion by Jay Callegari, seconded by Aimee Dupuy, the Board agreed to bid on a real-time data circuit of 20GB of internet to the Avoyelles Community Education Center for the 2026 funding year for a three-year contract with two voluntary one-year extensions to be paid with E-rate and technology funds. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

1. Ray Carlock, Maintenance Supervisor, addressed the Board with a request to approve the purchase of a 2016 Ford F250 maintenance truck from Avoyelles Auto and Truck Sales for $18,750.00. This will be funded by the Special Maintenance Fund.

On motion by Aimee Dupuy, seconded by Jill Guidry, the Board approved the purchase of a 2016 Ford F250 maintenance truck from Avoyelles Auto and Truck Sales for $18,750.00, to be funded by the Special Maintenance Fund. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

1. Ray Carlock, Maintenance Supervisor, addressed the Board with a request to approve the proposal from Rusk Construction for the FFA Camp site for road and dirt work in the amount of $13,500.00, to be funded by FFA funds.

On motion by Jill Guidry, seconded by Lynn Deloach, the Board approved the proposal from Rusk Construction for the FFA Camp site for road and dirt work in the amount of $13,500.00, to be funded by FFA funds. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

1. Ray Carlock, Maintenance Supervisor, addressed the Board with a request to approve the fence construction proposal from Avoyelles Glass in the amount of $4,980.00 for a fence around the new fuel tanks at the warehouse, funded by transportation funds.

On motion by Jill Guidry, seconded by Chris Robinson, the Board approved the fence construction proposal from Avoyelles Glass in the amount of $4,980.00 for a fence around the new fuel tanks at the warehouse, funded by transportation funds. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

EXECUTIVE SESSION:

1. On motion by Robin Moreau, seconded by Jill Guidry, the Board entered Executive Session at approximately 5:58 p.m. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

On motion by Robin Moreau, seconded by Lynn Deloach, the Board resumed Regular Session at approximately 6:08 p.m. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

On motion by Robin Moreau, seconded by Jay Callegari, the Board agreed to proceed with the settlement discussed in Executive Session as recommended by the Board's legal counsel. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

There being no further business, on motion by Aimee Dupuy, seconded by Robin Moreau, the meeting was adjourned.

AVOYELLES PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
Rickey Adams, President
Karen L. Tutor, Superintendent
Secretary/Treasurer

Publish December 26, 2025