Zachary Plainsman-Advocate 12-10-2025

Zachary moves to a twice a month meeting schedule

BY OLIVIA MCCLURE

Contributing writer

After years of meeting just one night a month, the Zachary Community School Board will switch to a twice-monthly schedule in 2026. The change was approved at the board’s Dec. 2 meeting.

Will

schools’ tax proposal to fund teacher pay raises go up for vote again?

BY OLIVIA MCCLURE

Contributing writer

After their tax proposal that would have funded teacher pay raises was rejected in the November election, Zachary school leaders are thinking about putting the item before voters again — possibly as soon as June.

At the school board’s Dec. 2 meeting, Superintendent Ben Necaise said he’s optimistic the plan, which failed by only about 175 votes, can succeed next time around.

“A lot of people have reached out and said, ‘Hey, we should think about doing this again,’” Necaise said. “We’ve had board members who are interested. We have staff, teachers. We have a lot of public people who have come out and said, ‘Look, I think the neighbors just didn’t understand it.’”

The proposal sought voters’ permission to reallocate an existing property tax. Instead of school construction, which is what the tax is currently restricted to, Necaise wanted to steer collections toward $10,000 raises for teachers and $5,000 raises for support staff.

ä See RAISES, page 4G

Zachary

schools ban skirts for fifth, sixth graders

BY OLIVIA MCCLURE

Contributing writer

Fifth and sixth graders will no longer be allowed to wear skirts to school after the Zachary Community School Board voted Dec. 2 to ban the garments, citing complaints from staff about how much time they spend dealing with girls who disobey the dress code.

The change will take effect 60 days after the board’s vote.

Girls in pre-kindergarten through fourth grades can still wear skirts as long as their hems hit at 3 inches or less above the knee, as stipulated in the school district’s dress code. Skirts are already prohibited in upper grade levels. The board briefly pondered other options, with a couple of members noting that some children may show up to school in too-short skirts because they’ve had a recent growth spurt — not because they’re intentionally breaking rules. But

ä See SKIRTS, page 4G

Both types of meetings will be open to the public and will start at 6 p.m.

Superintendent Ben Necaise proposed the change, saying it would promote transparency and allow the public to “see topics as they de-

The board’s longstanding practice has been to meet on the first Tuesday of each month for a work session at 6 p.m. followed by a regular board meeting at 7 p.m. Typically, board members discuss agenda items during the work session and vote on them during the meeting. Starting in January, the board will spread those two gatherings across two dates each month The first Tuesday of each month will be a committee of the whole meeting — essentially a work session. The board will meet again on the third Tuesday for a meeting where votes can take place. Just a handful of dates won’t conform to that schedule because of holidays.

velop.” It would give board members and school district staff two weeks to follow up on concerns raised at committee of the whole meetings and gather additional information before votes need to be taken.

Necaise estimated that 90% of items presented to the board aren’t routed through committees and are introduced at work sessions and regular meetings. Some committees, he added, don’t meet often anyway maybe only once or twice per year

He noted that the East Baton Rouge Parish school board uses this structure. The move eliminates specialized board committees that focus on policies, resources, academics and other areas.

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT ROLLS INTO ZACHARY

BRADY

State University. Both will compete in the Broncos first indoor track meet Jan. 10 at the LSU High School Indoor Classic. Football early signees included offensive lineman Keidrick Bailey Jr and linebacker Dylan Shelmire, who will both be playing for the Southeastern Lions next year, and wide receiver Kristion Brooks, who will be a UL Ragin Cajun. A signing ceremony will be held after the playoffs on Dec. 18.

Updates from the field

Per many readers’ requests,

there have been updates throughout the year on former Broncos playing college football. This week a couple updates as the regular season has ended. If you know someone I have missed, please pass along. Starting close to home with the LSU Tigers, Tre Dez Green finished the regular season with 29 catches for 353 yards and 5 TDs. Chris Hilton Jr finished the season with seven receptions for 55 yards. LSU has one more game: The Texas Bowl at 8:15 p.m., Dec. 27 against the No. 21 Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium in Houston. The Tigers will play their last game under interim head coach Frank Wilson. Over at Tulane, senior Kameron Hamilton registered 27 tackles

and three sacks for the Green Wave (10-2). Tulane competed in the AAC Championship game on Dec. 5 and awaits their bowl game assignment

Kameron Thomas finished the season rushing for 38 yards in five games for the Arkansas State Red Wolves (6-6) Teammate Luke Wisham participated in three games for the Red Wolves in 2025. The Red Wolves have accepted an invitation to compete in the Xbox Bowl on Dec. 18 against Missouri State. This is the Red Wolves third straight bowl game.

Kameron Sinegal had a successful junior season at McNeese (5-7) rushing for 53 yards, receiving for 252 yards and accounting for 267 yards as a returner Fellow Cowboy Emauri Sibley accounted

for 60 tackles with two sacks.

Wide receiver Jalen Wright also saw action in three games, and AJ Thomas registered 31 tackles on the season.

Offensive linemen Kavion Broussard saw action in six games for the Arkansas Razorbacks (210) in 2025. The Razorbacks will also be breaking in a new head coach next year (Ryan Silverfield).

Former Bronco and LSU safety Kylin Jackson registered 26 tackles, 3 sacks and 2 quarterback hurries for the TCU Horned Frogs (84) during the 2025 regular season. At the time of writing the Horned Frogs bowl game and opponent are unknown.

Junior defensive back Jerome Robinson recorded 33 tackles and 1 interception for the Indiana

State Sycamores (3-9).

Finally, in the 52nd Bayou Classic on Nov 29, Tyson George had four catches for 33 yards but it was not enough as Southern (2-10) beat his Grambling Tigers (7-5) in an upset 28-27. George finished

obits@ theadvocate.com

EMAIL: nuptials@ theadvocate.com

The Lane Foundation welcomes residents from Zachary and the surrounding areas to visit its annual Holiday Lights at Lane from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 11. It is the official kickoff for the annual event. It will feature a lighting ceremony, complimentary hot cocoa and holiday cheer as the lights come on.

This free, family-friendly exhibit is on the walking track behind Lane Regional Medical Center, 6300 Main St., Zachary. The walking track is transformed into a winter wonderland for patients, visitors and the community to enjoy through Jan. 5 Breast scans available

Woman’s Hospital’s mobile mammography coach 3D mammogram technology to the area. A physician’s order is required, and appointments are encouraged.

The coach will be at United Methodist Church, 4205 Church St., Zachary, on Dec. 10. Call (225) 924-8268 to schedule.

Port Hudson history event

Port Hudson State Historic Site is hosting a Winter Quarters Living History event. Living historians will be demonstrating Civil War camp life and other activities including drills, marching, cooking and sewing.

The program will be available to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 14. Normal park admission fees apply: entry fees are $6 for adults ages 7-62, $4 for seniors 62+, and free for children 6 and under. Pick the best tree at the police station

The Zachary Police Department is holding its Tree Decorating Contest — Law & Order Holiday Edition through Dec. 22.

The department invites people to vote for their favorite Christmas tree decorated by local businesses, one vote per person per day. Donate a toy for an extra vote.

Community Night is from 5 p m to 7 p.m Dec 17. Stop by and take pictures with Santa, see the trees, vote and donate toys for the Zachary Police Department Community Policing to help make a child’s Christmas wishes come true.

Dec. 13

Market at St. John

The annual Mistletoe Market is from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. Dec. 13 at St. John the Baptist Activity Center on Lee Street in Zachary Pictures and story time with Santa will be available at 10 a.m.

Chase Santa in race

The Zachary Charity League Chasing Santa 5K and half-mile fun run are Dec

13. Runners who catch Santa win a special prize. The race starts and ends at Zachary High, passing five of the area’s seven schools Strollers are welcome. Warmup is at 8:15 a.m. followed by the National Anthem The half-mile event starts at 8:30 a.m., and the 5K, a chip-timed race, is at 9 a.m. Cookies and cocoa will be served postrace. Kids who finish the half-mile run get to choose a toy from Santa’s bag, and ornaments will be given to the 5K finishers. Visit runsignup.com/Race/LA/Zachary/ ZacharyCharityLeagueChasingSanta5K to sign up. Register by Dec. 1 to receive a Tshirt. The 5K runners are given an hour to finish. Streets reopen at 10 a.m. 5K runners may run the half-mile run for no extra fee. Strollers are welcome.

A warmup is at 8:15 a.m. and the national anthem is at 8:25 a.m.

Race proceeds go toward scholarships, teacher grants and Snack Packs for Kids, which provides healthy snacks over the weekend for children who come from foodinsecure homes.

Baker parade

The Baker Christmas parade, “Home for the Holidays,” is at 10 a.m. Dec. 13. It starts at Advantage Charter School, 14740 Plank Road, and ends at Baker City Hall, 3325 Groom Road.

Library mystery party

Visit the Pride-Chaneyville Branch Library, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road, for an Ugly Christmas Sweater Murder Mystery Party at 3 p.m. Dec. 13. Dec. 22

Library holiday music

Madam Dulcimer and Lady Chops will present lively dulcimer and drum holiday music for the whole family Among the many shows are the 10 a.m. show at Baker Branch Library and the 2 p.m. show at Zachary Branch Library on Dec. 22. Registration may be required; call the specific location directly All children under the age of 9 must be accompanied by an adult.

Baker trash and recycling holiday schedule

In Baker, there will be no trash and recycling pickup on Christmas and New Year’s Day For Christmas:

n Thursday routes will be serviced Dec. 26 n Friday routes will be serviced Dec. 27.

New Year’s Day: n Thursday routes will be serviced Jan. 2 n Friday routes will be serviced Jan. 3. Email Leila Pitchford at lpitchford@ theadvocate.com.

Builtfor YOU! Bui t for Quality Care

BY LEILA PITCHFORD Staff writer

Members of the Zachary High Bronco Belles worked a concession stand at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on

MEETING

Continued from page 1G

Nov 20. The LSU women’s basketball team played Alcorn State and won 112-49. It was the sixth straight game LSU scored more than 100

Most of the board supported Necaise’s request. Two members, Crystal London and Kenneth Mackie, voted against it. London made an impassioned case for preserving the existing committees, saying they provide opportunities for board members with an interest in niche topics to shine — which in turn benefits the rest of the board and the school district.

“They’re actually going to take the time that’s required to dive into complex issues, to do the research required,” London said.

She worried about confusing the public.

“Let’s say you have folks from the community who want to come and talk about a specific policy issue or they want to talk specifically about academic issues,” she said. “They wouldn’t know specifically where to bring those concerns. It just keeps things clear.”

Longtime board member David Dayton

said separate committees don’t need to be in place for people to bring concerns to the board.

“I understand what you’re saying,” he told London. “But every meeting we have is an open-door meeting So if we have a policy meeting, they’re allowed to show up at that meeting. And over the last 20 years I’ve been here, I haven’t seen a lot of people show up.”

As discussion dragged on at the work session, board member Laura Freeman observed that time was running out, and the start of the meeting at 7 p.m. was fast approaching. She said this dilemma happens often, leaving board members unable to finish talking about important matters and sometimes having to table agenda items.

She believes the new schedule will be an improvement.

“We could discuss everything that we needed to discuss, then we could go home and think about it and we could wait for people in the community to express their opinions to us,” she said. ”I think it’s a good format.”

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Out of 157 hospitals in Louisiana, only 11 received 4stars Lane is one of them. When it comes to your health, choose afacility thatiscommitted toexceptional patientcare, safetyand outcomes Choose Lane.

ZACHARY CHRISTMAS PARADE

of the

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He also planned to dedicate some of the money to facility maintenance and technology upgrades.

If the board agrees to try again, Necaise and his team are considering simplifying matters and eliminating the facilities and technology pieces of the proposal. That would mean all funds generated by the 24-mill property tax would go toward pay raises, which the superintendent has said are long overdue and would help Zachary compete with surrounding districts.

“I think you’d have a lot of staff that would be happy to

SKIRTS

Continued from page 1G

the board ultimately decided that, to alleviate the burden on staff, getting rid of skirts altogether at Copper Mill Elementary School, which houses Zachary’s fifth and sixth grades, was the way to go. As board member Marty Hughes put it, “If you can’t follow the rules, then we’ve got to change them.”

Lia White-Allen, Copper Mill’s principal, told the board she is exhausted from constantly policing skirt lengths.

let us swing one more time,” Necaise told the board.

Even though the measure failed, Necaise said he found a few encouraging nuggets of information while analyzing election results.

The school tax item was on the ballot alongside the parishwide Thrive EBR plan, which voters also turned down Thrive encompassed tax renewals and rededications related to the library system, mosquito control and Council on Aging.

“Our district outperformed in every precinct — the Thrive initiative,” Necaise said. “What that in essence means is we had people who went in and voted no, no, no — yes for schools.

So that’s something to note.”

Necaise displayed a map showing lower levels of support for the school tax proposal in the northwestern corner of the district and the eastern side of Zachary Those areas are potential targets for increased voter education efforts.

A tentative timeline would include board discussion in January and a vote on whether to pursue another election in February or March. Then, the request to put the item on the ballot would go before the State Bond Commission.

Necaise hopes to get approved for the June election.

“If we’re able to get on the ballot in June and this passes, the actual collec-

changed,”

School employees do not use rulers to measure the distance between students’ skirt hems and knees.

“If we did that, we would be on the news,” White-Allen said. Instead, staff has to make judgment calls — which bring their own share of complications.

“One teacher might say ‘This is too short,’ and another teacher might say, ‘You know what? I think it’s OK,’” she said White-Allen worries about how the situation is affecting other aspects of student conduct.

“What it has done is kind of crippled my discipline, what I have in place for discipline,” she said, “because they know now that we’ve just thrown our hands up because it’s too much.”

Some board members, though sympathetic to White-Allen’s dilemma and

“If I had the support of parents, that would be one thing, but it’s the same group of girls over and over again,” she said. “I’ve gotten to the point now where I’ve actually just pulled back because I don’t have the energy or the time to tell the same girls and write the same girls up every day over and over again.”

supportive of the dress code revisions, were uneasy with the timing of the request. They asked school leaders to clearly communicate with families and to offer a grace period for violations.

“There’s always a concern when we make changes in the middle of the school year that could impact parents and what they’ve already purchased and potentially be a possible hardship on a family,” said board member Elecia Lathon.

While Superintendent Ben Necaise agreed the mid-year change isn’t ideal, he doesn’t think it will cause any major problems.

“With it being winter, most students aren’t going to wear skirts over the next couple of months anyway,” he said. “And if they’re not wearing skirts, they’re wearing something else, which means they would have something else to wear the rest of the year probably.”