May 1, 2003

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, MAY 1, 2003, AT, 10:00 A.M., AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. PRESIDENT FARRIS CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:

WILLIS A. FARRIS, PRESIDENT

PHILIP L. GUNN, VICE PRESIDENT

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

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

The meeting was opened in prayer by Betty Westerchil.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Philip Gunn.

 On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded Mark Smith, the Board voted to extend agenda item 12 and add a second motion to adopt a resolution advertising the bonds for sale.

On motion of James Armes, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of April 8, 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 Gene Haymon, 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 of Ricky Reese, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the attached employee transfers.

ATTACHED

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

ATTACHED

Curtis Clay recognized students from the following schools: Anacoco High, Leesville High, Simpson, Evans, Hornbeck and Hicks. Each honored student received a Superintendent's Certificate for his or her outstanding achievement.

On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board approved a resolution providing for canvassing the returns and declaring the result of the special election held in Pitkin School District No. 144 of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, on Saturday, April 5, 2003, to authorize the incurring debt and issuance of bonds therein.

On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to adopt a resolution advertising the bonds for sale for Pitkin School District No. 144.

On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by James Armes, the Board voted to approve school uniforms for Hornbeck School students.

On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to advertise for paper for the 2003-04 school year.

On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to advertise for Food Services 2004 price quotation calendar.

On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to increase the annual salary of cafeteria managers by an amount equal to one month base pay and to increase the annual salary of assistant managers by an amount equal to one-half month base pay. Also included in the motion an amount of $100.00 per year, per cook, was approved for uniforms for cooks employed by October 1^st each year beginning with the 2003-04 school year.

Mr. Harvey reported from the Transportation Committee that the policy approved by the Board on April 3, 2003 regarding post-trip bus inspections, will remain in effect as approved.

A move by James Armes to amend a board policy approved by the Board on April 3, 2003, regarding post-trip bus inspections for bus drivers, died for the lack of a second.

On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by James Armes, the Board voted to approve the installation of buzzers in all route buses. The buzzers will activate when the bus engine is turned off, and since the driver will have to walk to the back of the bus to turn the buzzer off, it will remind bus drivers to check for children who may still be on the bus after the route has been completed.   

On motion of Betty Westerchil, 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 record with grief and sadness the recent death of Mrs. Becky Rains, librarian, at East Leesville Elementary School;

                                WHEREAS, Mrs. Rains was the daughter of Mrs. Bonnie Hicks, teacher at West Leesville Preschool, the mother of Miss Amber Rains, a 2002 graduate of Leesville High School, the sister of Mrs. Pam Anders, teacher at East Leesville Elementary School, and the sister-in-law of Mr. Gary Anders, teacher at Leesville Jr. High School; and

                                WHEREAS, Mrs. Rains devoted twenty-one years to the profession she loved, teaching and being associated with children. She was a favorite among her peers and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends and the administration, faculty, staff and students at East Leesville Elementary School; now

                                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this resolution, along with its heartfelt condolences, be sent to Mr. Larry Rains and Amber, Mr. and Mrs. Hicks and Mr. and Mrs. Anders at this time of sorrow.

On motion of Philip Gunn, 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 heartfelt sympathies to the family of Mr. James Cureton, former Vernon Parish school bus operator, who recently passed away; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Cureton was a loyal and dedicated employee and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends; now

                                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mr. Cureton's family at this time of bereavement.

On motion of Gene Haymon, 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 takes this means to express their sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Ethel Bass, of  LaCamp, who recently passed away; and

                                WHEREAS, Mrs. Bass was the aunt of Mrs. Shandra Hood, counselor at Hicks High School. She was a long-time resident of LaCamp and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends; now

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

On motion of Gene Haymon, 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 Mrs. Connie Harvey, aide at Hicks School, in the recent death of her husband, Mr. David Harvey, of Hicks; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Harvey was a long-time resident of the Hicks area and a substitute teacher at Hicks School. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends; now

                                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Harvey and her family 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 members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. Felix Weeks, of Rosepine who recently passed away; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Weeks was the father of Mrs. Jean Wunderlich, retired custodian at Rosepine Elementary School, the father-in-law of Mr. Harvey Lowery, custodian at Rosepine Elementary School, the brother of Mr. Reid Weeks, retired teacher at Rosepine High School, the uncle of Mrs. Lynell Johnson, secretary at the central office, Ms. Sharon Richardson, cafeteria employee at Rosepine High School, Mrs. Lisa Tucker and Mrs. Lettie Owens, teachers at Rosepine Elementary School, and Mrs. Andrea Barkley, teacher at North Polk Elementary School; now

                                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mr. Weeks family 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 members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their heartfelt sympathies to the family of Mr. Oddis Franklin, of Rosepine, who recently passed away; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Franklin was a lifelong resident of the Rosepine area and the father of Mrs. Regina Wilkerson, Rosepine Head Start Policy Council representative. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends; now

                                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Wilkerson and her family 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 members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Marguerite Smith, who recently passed away; and

                                WHEREAS, Mrs. Smith was a retired teacher at Rosepine Elementary School where she devoted many years to teaching the students of the Rosepine area. She will be fondly remembered and sadly missed by her family, friends and former students; now

                                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Ms. Smith's family at this time of bereavement.

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 members of the Vernon Parish School Board take this means to express their deepest sympathies to the family of Mark Corbett, of Merryville, who recently passed away; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Corbett was the nephew of Mrs. June Nichols, cafeteria employee at Rosepine High School and he will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends; now

                                BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Mrs. Nichols and the 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 take this means to express their heartfelt condolences to the family of Mrs. Rosemary Bolton, formerly of Leesville, who recently passed away; and       

                                WHEREAS, Mrs. Bolton was the wife of Mr. Jerry Bolton, retired Vernon Parish bus driver and the aunt of Mr. Tim Ward, assistant business manager at the central office and the aunt of Donna Ward, school nurse at the central office; now

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

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