November 12, 2002
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, NOVEMBER 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
BETTY WESTERCHIL
ABSENT: LINDA WEST
COL. MARK ROCKE
There was also present Dr. Cynthia Gillespie, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Ted Paris.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mark Smith.
On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of November 7, 2002.
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Ted Paris, seconded by Jane Holton, the Board voted to approve the attached sabbatical leave request.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion Gaye McKee, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to approve the attached list of new employees.
On motion of C.A. Hughes, seconded by W.W. Parker, the Board voted to approve budget amendments in relation to personnel changes.
On motion of Willis Farris, seconded by Murphy O'Banion, the Board voted to advertise for an assistant principal at Evans High School, effective December 9, 2002 through August 15, 2003.
On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve the Head Start Policy Group for 2002-03.
On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Ted Paris, the Board voted to open bids on a truck for the Maintenance Department. Bids received were as follows:
BIDDER BID
Gray Ford, Lincoln, Mercury $19,490.00
Lamarque Ford $20,809.00
On motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to take the bids on the truck under advisement.
John Farris, Curriculum Administrator, reported that the Curriculum Committee had met at 4:00 p.m., prior to the board meeting, to discuss the Pupil Progression Plan. The Committee recommended the following four items to the Board for approval:
1. State Revisions
2. Elementary Quality Points - 1st - 3rd grade, 6 quality points; 4th - 6th grade, 6 quality points with 3 in the 2nd semester.
3. Entry/placement of entering students - use of all and best data available to be used as a standardized instrument and the School Building Level Committee.
4. SBLC - an SBLC meeting for any student with an "F" on his/her report card (2nd 6-weeks and beyond) and any subsequent "F" in core subject classes.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by W.W. Parker, the Board voted to approve the Curriculum Committee's recommendations.
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, quality instructional leadership is one of the keys to sustained academic achievement for students; and
WHEREAS, great schools are made and measured by great performances of students; and
WHEREAS, great student performances occur when teachers receive quality leadership from their administrators; and
WHEREAS, the Rapides Foundation has shown a desire to assist school systems by providing research based, intensive training to school and system leadership teams through the Rapides Foundation Educational Leadership Institute (ELI); now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that this Board commends the Rapides Foundation for continued support of the Vernon Parish School System.
On motion of Alvin C. Dowden, Jr., 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 System has been highly respected for years by other school systems for its high academic standards and quality, standards-based curriculum and;
WHEREAS, the quality educational climate that is apparent in our system continues to reflect the more thirty years tenure in which Mr. C. Creighton Owen served as teacher, coach, counselor, supervisor, and superintendent; and
WHEREAS, his many contributions will last throughout the entire history of the Vernon Parish School System; and
WHEREAS, Creighton Owen served as a mentor for the next four superintendents and continued to be a true friend to the educational system years after his retirement; and
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board records with grief and sadness the recent death of Mr. C. Creighton, father of Ms. Mae Ann Ledet, teacher at Leesville High school; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board takes this means to express its condolences to the C. Creighton Owen family in this time of bereavement.
On motion of B.R. Harvey, 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 sincere sympathies to the family of Mr. Hardy Pollard, of Pitkin, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Pollard's daughter, Mrs. Mickey Hodges, is a bus driver, his daughter-in-law, Mrs. JoAnn Pollard, is a cook and his granddaughter, Mrs. Angela Dowden, is an aide at Pitkin School;
WHEREAS, Mr. Pollard was a well-known, longtime resident of the Pitkin area and 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. Pollard's family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.
B.R. Harvey and Philip Gunn announced a joint meeting of the Salary and Food Service Committees on Thursday, December 5, 2002 at 8:30 a.m.
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