April 3, 2003

                                                                                                               

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, APRIL 3, 2003, AT 10:00 A.M., AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. MR. B.R. HARVEY, ACTING THE ABSENCE OF PRESIDENT FARRIS, CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:

 

JAMES K. ARMES, III

MEL HARRIS

ROBERT PYNES, JR.

MARK H. SMITH

BETTY WESTERCHIL

RICKY REESE

W.R. "RANDY" MARTIN

B.R. HARVEY

GAYE McKEE

M. GENE HAYMON

COL. MARK ROCKE

 

ABSENT:               WILLIS A. FARRIS, PRESIDENT

                                PHILIP L. GUNN, VICE PRESIDENT

 

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

 

The meeting was opened in prayer by Ricky Reese.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mark Smith.

 

 On motion of  Mark Smith, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of March 18, 2003.

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Ricky Reese the Board to approve the attached resignations.

ATTACHED

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the attached sabbatical leave requests.

ATTACHED

 

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

ATTACHED

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion Mel Harris, seconded by  Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the attached list of new employees.

ATTACHED

 

On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to approve budget amendments in relation to personnel changes.

 

Superintendent Gillespie and Mr. Ron DeGray recognized and presented diplomas to five graduates of the GATES program.

 

Curtis Clay and Mark Smith, board member, recognized the Leesville Jr. High School 7th grade undefeated 2002-03 football team, their coach, Gary Anders and assistant coach, Andrew Simms. The team was presented a plaque for its outstanding performance and also receiving a plaque was Coach Anders for his leadership in bringing the team to this remarkable achievement.

 

Colonel Mark Rocke gave a briefing on the Residential Community Initiative. He  presented a slide show detailing future plans for improving military housing at the base.

 

Mrs. Westerchil reported that the District 1/6 Committee had discussed requests from the District 1/6 schools and personnel openings.

 

Robert Pynes reported that the Food Service Committee had discussed a revised pay scale for cafeteria managers and assistant managers and the possibility of a uniform allowance for cooks. The issue will be turned over to the Salary Committee for further study. The Food Service Committee also discussed a variety of plans that may be considered to provide meals for students at Vernon Middle School in the event the new cafeteria at the school is not completed by the beginning of the 2003-04 school year. The issue will be turned over to the District 1/6 Committee for study and recommendations.

 

In other business, B.R. Harvey announced that a meeting of the Transportation Committee will be held on Tuesday, April 8th at 3:30 p.m. and that the Salary Committee will meet on May 1st preceding the 10:00 a.m. board meeting.

 

Mark Smith announced that the Insurance Committee will meet at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8th, before the 5:00 p.m. board meeting.

 

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 take this means to express their heartfelt sympathies to Ms. Christie Taylor, retired secretary at the central office, in the recent death of her father, Mr. Henry Weldon, of Pitkin; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Weldon, was a well-known and highly respected native and resident of Pitkin. He was a loving and caring person 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. Weldon=s wife, Mrs. Earline Weldon, Ms. Taylor and their family at this time of sorrow.

 

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 condolences to the family of Mrs. Mattie Rose Rivers, of Pitkin, who recently passed away; and

                                WHEREAS, Mrs. Rivers was a loving and caring person and was a great supporter of this school system; now

                                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board does hereby adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to her son, Larry W. Rivers and her daughter, Ms. Linda R. Beason, at 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 members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Ronnie Deason, of Pitkin, who recently passed away; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Deason was a lifelong resident of Pitkin and the

Brother of Mrs. JoAnn Pollard, cook at Pitkin High School. 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 Mrs. Pollard and her family at this time of sorrow.

 

On motion of Mark Smith, 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 were saddened by the recent death of Mr. H. B. Sartor, father of Mrs. Martha Rankin, teacher at Leesville Jr. High School; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Sartor, a longtime resident of Leesville, was a well-known and highly respected businessman and former mayor of Leesville. He will be sadly missed by his family, business associates and friends; now

                                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board takes this means to express its heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Rankin and requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to her and her family at this time of bereavement.

 

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

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WILLIS A. FARRIS, BOARD PRESIDENT

 

ATTEST:

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DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT