The meeting of the Bogalusa School Board on Thursday night opened with Deloris Walker and her staff receiving two separate certificates for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 2016. One is from the Government Finance Officers Association, which wrote that the certificate “is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment.”

The other is from the Association of School Business Officials International, which recognized the Finance Director and her staff “for having met or exceeded the program’s high standards for financial reporting and accountability.”

The board, minus Rev. Raymond Mims, then approved September financial statements, as well as the revised statements for June; the issuance of sales tax excess checks to all full time employees on Nov. 3; and the crisis intervention plan.

During the public session, Pastor Vincent Price asked the board to consider selling or leasing him a closed school property for his outreach program. Carmel Grantham said she was grateful that there are two high schools in Bogalusa — Northshore Charter School and Bogalusa High School. Gloria Ordoyne praised the “caring and compassion” of the staff at the charter school.

Inga Foster complained about bullying at BHS. Superintendent Lisa Tanner later told Foster she wants to meet with her because she is working to fight all bullying in the Bogalusa School System.

Tanner also praised Walker and her department, and she thanked YouthBuild for making and delivering “Buddy Benches” for Byrd and Central Elementary Schools, Head Start and the charter school.

But it was BHS Supervisor of Maintenance and Transportation Leslie McKinley, whose impassioned “Call to Unity,” fired up the crowd in attendance — many of them wearing Northshore Charter School T-shirts. He said that Bogalusa has been divided “for quite some time,” but that it’s not true that there’s nothing good about the Bogalusa School System.

“When God sends us somewhere, we have to get to the point where we do the best we can,” McKinley said. “Solution, get the community together. Northshore Charter School has good and bad, and the Bogalusa School System has good and bad, too.

“All this right here is fighting, yet we punish students for fighting.”

His words were enthusiastically received throughout the room.