March 12, 2002

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, MARCH 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

C.A. HUGHES

GAYE  MCKEE

MURPHY O’BANION

TED PARIS

W.W. PARKER

MARK SMITH

LINDA WEST

BETTY WESTERCHIL

ABSENT:               COL. THOMAS SITTNICK

There was also present Dr. Cynthia Gillespie, Secretary of the Board.

The meeting was opened in prayer by A.C. Dowden, Jr.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Ted Paris.

On motion of A.C. Dowden, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of March 7, 2002.

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of W.W. Parker, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board to approve the attached resignation.

ATTACHED

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve the attached request for a leave without pay.

ATTACHED

Ted Paris moved,  seconded by Jane Holton, to reduce board member salary from $800.00 per month to $500.00 per month and the board president’s salary from $900.00 per month to $600.00 per month .

B.R. Harvey objected by saying the issue had been tabled and therefore a vote would be required to remove it from the table.

Mr. Paris then moved, seconded by Gene Haymon, to remove the salary issue from the table and a roll call vote was taken. Those voting to remove the issue from the table were: Gene Haymon, Jane Holton, Ted Paris, Kim Reese, and Betty Westerchil. Voting not to remove the issue from the table were: Alvin C. Dowden, Jr., C.A. Hughes, Linda West, Mark Smith, W.W. Parker, Willis Farris, Murphy O’Banion, B.R. Harvey, Philip Gunn, and Gaye McKee. By a vote of 10-5 the motion was defeated.   

Betty Westerchil, chairperson of the Curriculum Committee, reported a very informative and productive meeting that covered six agenda items.

On recommendation of the Curriculum Committee, the Board agreed to a request from Dottie Neugebauer, Director of Special Education, to have all first-time employed special education teachers report to work five additional days and allow them one day per week for the first six-weeks period for in-service. The stipends for these days and the cost for substitute teachers on the six school days will be funded through Federal Special Education monies.

Mrs. Westerchil gave a very positive and encouraging  report on schools in corrective action and commented that she would like to see all Vernon Parish Schools go through the School Analysis program.

Mrs. Westerchil reported that because of the growing number of students being enrolled in the GATES (Gaining Academic and Technical Education Skills) program, there was a request for three small buildings to accommodate the growth. The buildings (30' X 40') will be located at Lamar Salter Vo-Tech at a cost $16,000.00 each. Special Education funds will be used to pay for one building and the other two will be MFP funded.    

On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the construction of the three buildings for the GATES program was approved.

John Farris proposed a policy for charging a fee of $75.00 for one subject and $125.00 for two subjects for students who voluntarily enroll in summer school. The State mandated summer school for students who did not pass the LEAP test will continue to be provided free of charge to the students.

On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by Jane Holton, the Board voted to approved charging the fee for summer school for voluntarily enrolled students.

In other business, Superintendent Gillespie presented a request that the baseball field at Pitkin High School be named The Reginald Lambright Baseball Field and on motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to grant the request.

On motion of Willis Farris, seconded by the Board, the following memorial resolution was adopted:

R E S O L U T I O N

                WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board wishes to convey its sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Betty Jo Droutz, of Evans, who recently passed away; and

                WHEREAS, Mrs. Droutz was the sister of Mr. Kimbell Evans, custodian at Evans High 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 Mr. Evans and his family at this time of sorrow.

On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by the Board, the following memorial resolution was adopted:

R E S O L U T I O N

                WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board takes this means to express its sincere condolences to Mrs. Bertie Mae Thompson, retired custodian at Pitkin High School, in the recent death of her husband, Mr. Monroe Thompson, of Pitkin; and

                WHEREAS, Mr. Thompson was the father-in-law of Mrs. Paula Thompson, teacher at Pitkin High School, and the aunt of Ms. Linda Thompson, custodian, and Mr. Roger Willis, principal at Pitkin High School; now

                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Thompson and her entire family at this time of sorrow. 

On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by the Board, the following memorial resolution was adopted:

R E S O L U T I O N

                WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their heartfelt condolences to the family of Mrs. Bertie Howard, retired teacher at Pitkin High School, who recently passed away; and

                WHEREAS, Mrs. Howard was the aunt of Mrs. Anita Cain, retired teacher and Ms. Janine Hussong, teacher at Pitkin School; and

                WHEREAS, Mrs. Howard devoted many years of dedicated instruction and service to the students at Pitkin School and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends; now

                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board adopts this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to the family at this time of sorrow.

On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.

There being no further business, on motion of Gaye McKee seconded by the Board, the meeting was adjourned.

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KIM REESE, BOARD PRESIDENT

ATTEST:

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DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT