February 12, 2002
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, FEBRUARY 12, 2002, AT, 5:00 P.M., AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. PRESIDENT REESE CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
KIM REESE, PRESIDENT
WILLIS A. FARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT
ALVIN C. DOWDEN, JR.
PHILIP L. GUNN
B.R. HARVEY
M. GENE HAYMON
JANE HOLTON
GAYE MCKEE
MURPHY O'BANION
TED PARIS
W.W. PARKER
MARK SMITH
LINDA WEST
BETTY WESTERCHIL
COL. THOMAS SITTNICK
ABSENT: C.A. HUGHES, FAMILY ILLNESS
There was also present Dr. Cynthia Gillespie, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Gaye McKee.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Col. Thomas Sittnick.
On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of February 7, 2002.
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of W.W. Parker, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve the attached request for a sabbatical leave.
ATTACHED
John Farris, Secondary Curriculum Administrator, recognized fifth, eighth and twelfth grade Students-of-the Year from the parish schools. The parish winners, who were also recognized, will go on to compete at the regional level.
Ron DeGray, GATES instructor, recognized Santana Kemp, the first graduate of the GATES (Gaining Academic and Technical Education Skills) program.
On motion of Linda West, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the attached Technology Resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Louisiana is at a crossroads with its educational technology programs
LET IT BE KNOWN that each school in Vernon Parish has access to the World Wide Web (Internet) and 99% of our classrooms are attached to local area networks and the World Wide Web and many classrooms have two or more computers that are all Internet capable with this being accomplished over the past five years with the use of Classroom Based Technology Funds; and,
WHEREAS, this pool of money was established by the legislature in 1996 with our parish receiving some $407,595.00 in school year 1997-98, the bulk of these funds were used to place computers in many of our classrooms; and,
WHEREAS, the following year we received some $273,618.00 and began building a district-wide network and placing network drops in each of our seven hundred plus classrooms and were also able to develop a Technology Department within our school system to better manage and unify all technology purchases along with the establishment of a new Title I Teachers Training Center which houses highly qualified teacher trainers to work with teachers, administrators and staff members on using new technology in our classrooms and offices; and,
WHEREAS, school year 1999-00 saw our system receive $192,508.00 for classroom based technology with these funds being used to purchase computers and printers for teachers who were being trained in integrating technology into our curriculum; and,
WHEREAS, in year four of the Classroom Based Technology funding cycle Vernon Parish classrooms received approximately $28,475.00 and since these funds were used to place new multimedia computers in classrooms of teachers who had received Intech (technology training integrated with the curriculum) training in the systems new training center which to this date four hundred and thirty-four Vernon Parish teachers have received training in integrating technology into the curriculum and many of these teachers received new multimedia computers, color printers, surge protectors and curriculum oriented software to be used in their classrooms for attending Intech training; and,
WHEREAS, our new Louisiana state guidelines call for each classroom to
have Internet access along with each teacher having access to five computers for student use and therefore each year our system will need to replace or update about two hundred and fifty classroom's computers which could be possible if the state would once again begin funding the Classroom Based Technology Fund at the 1998-99 funding level; and,
WHEREAS, students entering the job market out of high school are confronted with computers and technology in most of their workplaces and high school graduates going to college are also in need of additional computer skills for day-to-day college routines; we in Vernon Parish find students must be able to survive in the work-a-day world as we know it today; and,
THEREFORE, in order for the Vernon Parish School Board to continue support of the children of Vernon Parish, it is imperative that you support State Superintendent of Education, Cecil Picard's, current request for legislative funding of educational technology at a rate of not less than twenty-five million dollars annually; and,
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Vernon Parish School looks forward to seeing you wholeheartedly support the request of the Superintendent of Education for educational technology funding in the coming legislative session and the forthcoming reinstatement of funds for educational technology for school year 2002-03.
On motion of Alvin C. Dowden, seconded by Ted Paris, the Board voted to approve the following list of policy changes:
BCAB, Regular Meetings (January 2002)
DFI, Lease of School Lands (August 2000)
ED, Student Transportation Management (August 2000)
GBM, Personnel Transfer (April 2001)
IDBB, Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug, and Substance Abuse Education Program (March 2000)
IDDFA, Technology Assistive Devices for Disabled Students (August 2000)
JBC, School Admission (August 2000)
JBCD, Student Transfer and Withdrawal (September 2000)
AE, School Year (August 2001)
AF, School Day (August 2001)
CN, Administrative Records (October 2001)
DJED, Bids and Quotations (November 2001)
ECF, Equipment Maintenance (October 2001)
GAK, Personnel Records (October 2001)
GBA, Contracts and Compensation (October 2001)
GBD, Employment (October 2001)
GBRIB, Sick Leave (August 2001)
GBRK, Annual Leave (November 2001)
ID, Curriculum (October 2001)
JBA, Compulsory Student Attendance Ages (August 2001)
JBCB, Admission of Non-resident Students (August 2001)
JBCD, Student Transfer and Withdrawal (August 2001)
JGCD, Administration of Medication (October 2001)
JR, Student Records (October 2001)
JS, Student Fees, Fines, and Charges (October 2001)
JDF, Discipline of Students With Disabilities (June 2001)
Bill Boone, of Redistricting, L.L.C., provided maps, as requested by the Board, showing possible options for an eleven member reapportionment plan.
Ted Paris made a motion, seconded by Philip Gunn, to establish an eleven member board with ten at-large members and one member to represent the minority district.
Following discussion, Mr. Paris and Mr. Gunn withdrew the motion and second.
On motion of Willis Farris, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to call a special board meeting to look at other plans including possible options for a thirteen member plan. The meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, February 20th, at 10:00 a.m.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to hold a special called meeting on Tuesday, February 26th, for final adoption of a reapportionment plan.
Mr. Boone recommended that the members of the Board and other interested individuals call his office to further share ideas and concerns they would like to have considered in the reapportionment plan.
Betty Westerchil called for a Curriculum Committee meeting for Tuesday, March 12th at 4:00 p.m.
On motion of Alvin C. Dowden, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay claims.
On motion of Jane Holton, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their deepest sympathies to the family of Mrs. Beth Jaeger, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Jaeger was the mother of Mrs. Jan Scoles, teacher at North Polk Elementary School, and the mother-in-law of Mrs. Wannelle Jaeger, teacher at Pickering Elementary School. She will be sadly missed by her family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Scoles and Mrs. Jaeger at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board wishes to express its deepest
sympathies to Mr. Bland McKee, retired bus driver and Mrs. Iva Dell McKee, bus driver at Rosepine High School, in the recent death of their son, Mr. Teeky Bland McKee; and
WHEREAS, Mr. McKee was a lifelong resident of Rosepine where he worked many years in the local businesses. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mr. and Mrs. McKee, along with its condolences to the entire family, at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their deepest sympathies to the family of Mrs. Mary Doyle, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Doyle was the mother-in-law of Mrs. Mavis McDaniel, bus driver at South Polk Elementary School, and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. McDaniel and her family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Willis Farris, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to
express their deepest sympathies to the family of Mrs. Bertha Lewis, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Lewis was the grandmother of Mrs. Kathy Westerchil, teacher at Vernon Middle School. She was a very active member of her church and community and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Westerchil and her family at this time of sorrow.
There being no further business, on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by the Board voted to adjourn.
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KIM REESE, BOARD PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT