May 7, 2002
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, MAY 7, 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
JANE HOLTON
GAYE MCKEE
MURPHY O'BANION
TED PARIS
W.W. PARKER
MARK SMITH
LINDA WEST
BETTY WESTERCHIL
COL. THOMAS SITTNICK
ABSENT: M. GENE HAYMON, OUT-OF-TOWN
C.A. HUGHES, ILLNESS
There was also present Dr. Cynthia Gillespie, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Jane Holton.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mark Smith.
On motion of W.W. Parker, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of May 2, 2002.
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Ted Paris, seconded by Jane Holton, the Board to approve the attached resignations.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to approve the attached employee transfers.
ATTACHED
On motion of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion Philip Gunn, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to name an employee not named in April.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion Betty Westerchil, seconded by Jane Holton, the Board voted to approve the attached list of new employees.
ATTACHED
Curtis Clay recognized students from the following schools: South Polk Elementary, Pitkin, Simpson and Vernon Middle School. Each honored student received a Superintendent's Certificate for his or her outstanding achievement.
Jackie Self explained new requirements for paraprofessionals arising from the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Paraprofessionals hired after the date of enactment, shall have completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education; obtained an associate's (or higher) degree; or must passed a test that is now being designed. Existing paraprofessionals hired before the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, will have four years to complete the requirements.
On motion of Ted Paris, seconded by Philip Gunn, the Board voted to approve a resolution providing for canvassing the returns and declaring the result fo the special election held in the Leesville School District No. 16, Vernon Parish, Louisiana, on Saturday, May 4, 2002, to authorize the incurring debt and issuance of bonds therein.
On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by the Board, the following resolution was adopted:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board are sincerely grateful for the positive results of the Ward I Bond Election which will provide the finances necessary for repairs and improvements to the District 1/6 schools; and
WHEREAS, we wish to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the District 1/6 Advisory Committee for their efforts to gain community support for the recent Ward I Bond Election; and
WHEREAS, the Advisory Committee devoted many hours of their personal time to gathering and disbursing information and meeting with civic organizations, businesses and individual citizens for the purpose of informing the residents of Ward I of the significance of supporting this bond issue; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that this Board wishes to acknowledge with gratitude the voluntary contributions of the Ward I Advisory Committee that helped tremendously in our efforts to accomplish the positive results of the Ward I bond election.
On motion of A.C. Dowden, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to name Ray Fugatt as the architect for renovations at Ward I schools.
On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to open bids on paper towels for the parish schools for the 2002-2003 school year. Bids received are as follows:
BIDDER BID
West Louisiana Wholesale $11.50 per case
S & M Food Service $11.76 per case
On motion of Alvin C. Dowden, seconded by Ted Paris, the Board voted to grant the low bid to West Louisiana Wholesale.
On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to open bids on air conditioning equipment at Pitkin School. Bids received are as follows:
BID BIDDER
Appliance Parts (G.E.) $16,095.00
Service Air and Electrical (Amana) $17.209.50
Muller Electric Supply (Amana) $17,211.60
Solar Supply (Amana $17,949.00
Diamond Electric (Amana) $21,450.00
Coburn's (Amana) $20,808.60
Trane, Shreveport (Trane) $18,240.00
Ike's Air Conditioning (Carrier) $20,850.00
and Heating
On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, the Board voted to take the bids under advisement.
Mrs. Westerchil reported that the Curriculum Committee had been advised by John Farris, curriculum administrator, of changes in the Pupil Progression Plan. The plan will be on display for public review for a period of thirty days and board approval for the final plan will be requested in June.
Philip reported the following recommendations from the Uniform Committee: All uniform tops will be solid color polo or oxford style. Outer wear for schools approved for school uniforms parishwide will be of uniform color. Also, Rosepine High and Rosepine Elementary Schools requested approval to use black or khaki bottoms and purple, white and black solid color uniform tops.
Mr. Gunn moved, seconded by Jane Holton to approve the Uniform Committee's recommendations. After discussion, Mrs. Holton withdrew her second to the motion.
On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Jane Holton, the Board voted to approve Rosepine Schools' request for purple, white or black tops and khaki only for bottoms since khaki is the approved color parishwide in the schools using uniforms.
On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to table the issue regarding outer wear for schools with uniforms.
Mark Smith reported that the Insurance Committee had met with our current property and liability insurance carrier, Malcolm Morris, on April 19th to discuss liability coverage relative to the use of school property for other than school related activities. Mr. Morris assured the Committee that we have adequate coverage. Mr. Smith said he felt the policy needed to be revisited and recommended appointing a committee to review the Board's policy that relates to non-school related activities.
A.C. Dowden said the Board also needs a policy related to the new, covered pavilions at five of the parish schools.
On motion of Jane Holton, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to sent the property and liability insurance issue to the Goals and Objectives Committee for review and study.
A meeting of that committee will be scheduled .
In other business, Superintendent Gillespie announced a meeting of the Technology Committee scheduled for June 6th at 8:30 a.m. She also informed the Board that the summer hours for the central office will be Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m until 4:00 p.m. and that the office will be closed on July 4th.
On motion of Willis Farris, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, the Board approved by roll call vote, to change the Tuesday meeting time from 5:00 p.m. back to 10:00 a.m. in June, July, and August only. The results of the roll call vote as follows:
YEA NAY
Alvin C. Dowden, Jr. X
M. Gene Haymon absent
Jane Holton X
C.A. Hughes absent
Ted Paris X
Kim Reese X
Linda West X
Betty Westerchil X
Mark Smith X
W.W. Parker X
Willis Farris X
Murphy O'Banion X
B.R. Harvey X
Philip Gunn X
Gaye McKee X
The motion passed 7 - 6.
Colonel Thomas Sittnick announced that today's board meeting would be his last. He will be leaving Fort Polk in June.
On motion of Willis Farris, seconded by the Board, a letter will be sent to Brigadier General Jason K. Kamiya expressing the Board's appreciation for Colonel Sittnick's service to the children of Fort Polk and Vernon Parish.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by B.R. Harvey, 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