October 7, 2003

 

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, OCTOBER 7, 2003, AT, 10:00 A.M., AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. B.R. HARVEY, PRESIDING IN THE ABSENCE OF PRESIDENT FARRIS AND VICE PRESIDENT GUNN, 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. ”r;RANDY” MARTIN

B.R. HARVEY

GAYE McKEE

M. GENE HAYMON

 

ABSENT:               WILLIS A. FARRIS, PRESIDENT

                                PHILIP L. GUNN, VICE PRESIDENT

                                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 Randy Martin.

 

On motion of Randy Martin seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of October 2, 2003.

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to approve the attached sabbatical leave request.

ATTACHED

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve the new employee listed on the attached sheet.

ATTACHED

 

On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Mel Harris, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.

 

Superintendent Gillespie recognized Mr. Ron DeGray and Ms. Ida Darby, members of the GATES program staff, and presented to each of them a superintendent’s certificate for their outstanding service. Ms. Darby recently received the State Outstanding Supportive Specialist Award and Mr. DeGray received the State Above and Beyond Award.

 

Mrs. Westerchil reported that the District 1/6 Committee had met and discussed the walking path adjacent to the Leesville High School with Annette Clark, special projects associate for the Rapides Foundation. The path is a joint venture of the Vernon Parish School Board, the Vernon Parish Police Jury and the City of Leesville. The school board received a $10,000.00 grant from the Rapides Foundation to help fund the project.

 

On recommendation of the District 1/6 Committee and on motion of Mrs. Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement for the Construction and operation of a walking path near Leesville High School.

 

 In her report from the Curriculum Committee Mrs. Westerchil explained three changes to curriculum policies that the Committee recommendation and on motion of Mrs. Westerchil, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to accept the following changes:

 

1.        High Stakes Testing change for 4th grade students—for promotion to 5th grade, a student must make basic in either ELA or math portion of LEAP and at least approaching basic in the other area.

 

2.   Requiring 8th and 10th grade students who scored lower than the 35th % on the composite of the        7th and 9th grade IOWA to take a remedial class instead of an selective.

 

3.   Changing computer requirements to include a provision for 8th grade students to take a                    computer literacy class and receive ½ Carnegie unit if the class is taught by a secondary                  certified teacher.

 

In other business, Superintendent Gillespie announced a meeting of the Technology Committee scheduled for November 6th at 9:00 a.m.

Also in other business, Randy Martin announced that October is Head Start Awareness Month and on motion of Mr. Martin, seconded by the Board, the Board declared October Head Start Awareness Month in Vernon Parish.

On motion of James Armes, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:

RE 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 Ms. Melissa Gill, aide at East Leesville Elementary School, in the recent death of her brother, Mr. Jack Trichel, of Leesville; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Trichel was a longtime resident of the Leesville area 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 Ms. Gill, along with its deepest sympathies to the entire family, at this time of bereavement.

                               

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 Vernon Parish School Board wishes to express its heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. Alan Nickerson, Jr., of Leesville, who recently passed away; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Nickerson was the father of Mrs. Debra Partridge, teacher at Anacoco Elementary School, and Mrs. Brenda Paddy, teacher, at North Polk Elementary School, and the sister of Mrs. Jane Beltz, counselor at East Leesville Elementary School; and

                                WHEREAS, Mr. Nickerson will be remembered as a former Leesville businessman and for his interest in rodeo activities. He will be sadly missed by his family, friends and business acquaintances; now

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

                               

On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.

 

There being no further business, on motion of seconded by the Board voted to adjourn.

____________________________________

WILLIS A. FARRIS, BOARD PRESIDENT

 

ATTEST:

__________________________________________

DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT