THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, JUNE 2, 2005 AT, 10:00 A.M., AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. PRESIDENT HAYMON CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
M. GENE HAYMON, PRESIDENT
ROBERT PYNES, JR., VICE PRESIDENT
JAMES K. ARMES, III
MEL HARRIS
MARK H. SMITH
BETTY WESTERCHIL
RICKY REESE
WILLIS A. FARRIS
W.R. ”r;RANDY” MARTIN
PHILIP L. GUNN
B.R. HARVEY
GAYE McKEE
COL. A. WADE WOOLFREY
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 Willis Farris, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of May 10, 2005.
The Simpson High School 2005 State Semifinalists Boys Baseball team and Coach Ron Roy were recognized by the Board. Each team was presented a certificate of achievement for his outstanding performance.
Tom Neubert recognized the following Support Personnel-of- the-Year at the elementary, jr. high, and high school levels. Chosen as Elementary Support Person of the Year was Carolyn Mitchell, cafeteria manager at South Polk Elementary School; as Jr. High Support Person of the Year, Tammy Alardyce, secretary at Rosepine Jr.- Sr. High School, was chosen, and named as the High School Support Person of the Year was Linda Hagan, paraprofessional at Leesville High School.
Brenda Bealer, Director of Head Start recognized the following outstanding Head Start staff and parents. Receiving honors for Top Volunteers were: The teacher and aide with the most volunteer hours were Hornbeck teacher, Wendy Kreps, and aide, Gloria Dowden. Parent Choice Outstanding Teacher and Aide-of-the-Year were Perrilyn James, teacher at West Leesville Preschool and Gloria Dowden, aide at Hornbeck.
Tom Neubert addressed the re-wording, for clarification, a board policy regarding the use or misuse of cell phones on school campuses as follows:
Cell phones will not be permitted to be used or seen during the school
day unless an emergency situation occurs.
Penalty for this infraction is confiscation of the device and given to the
student at the end of the day.
2nd Offense – Confiscation and given to the parent.
3rd Offense - Confiscation and returned to the parent,
along with a one-day suspension
On motion of Willis Farris, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to approve the procedural change to the cell phone policy.
Jackie Self presented copies of the 2005-06 Personnel Evaluation Plan for the Board’s approval. There were no changes from last year’s plan. On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the plan as presented.
On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to advertise for an assistant principal at Pickering High School, a one-year, non-promotional appointment.
On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to appoint Tracy Lack as secretary at the Special Education Department.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to advertise for a 12-month office aide at the Special Education Department.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by James Armes, the Board voted to advertise for bids for classroom furniture for the Rosepine additions.
On motion of Willis Farris, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to advertise for bids for copier paper for 2005-06.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to advertise for bids for bread for 2005-06.
On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to advertise for bids for milk and juice for 2005-06.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Philip Gunn, the Board voted to advertise for bids for a bus for the Head Start program.
On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to advertise for bids to sell two used portable buildings at Pitkin School.
Mrs. Westerchil reported that the Curriculum Committee had met and discussed Pupil Progression Plan. John Farris made the Board aware of a change in the wording of a State law which will now need to be included in the Vernon Parish Policy Manuel, Bulletin 741. Board approval will be requested after the change has been completed.
Mrs. Westerchil asked Mr. Farris to address a policy regarding student transfers from one school to another in the parish. The policy states:
”r;After the 21st calendar day of the school year, no student shall transfer from any public or private school to any other public school unless the person having legal custody moves the residence to a location in the area of the school to which the student normally would have been assigned.”
Mr. Gunn reported that the personnel changes for June were presented and the Salary/Personnel Committee had been briefed on the changes. The Committee approved the changes and will make its recommendations to the Board at the June 7th board meeting.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board take this means to express their sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Harding ”r;Sis” Walters, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Walters was the mother of the late Wilma Jo Chambers, former Vernon Parish teacher; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Walters, a very well-known and respected member of our community, was involved in numerous civic and social organizations 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. Walters’ family at this time of bereavement.
On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board wishes to express its heartfelt condolences to the family of Mrs. Anna E. McCrary, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. McCrary was the mother of Mr. Dale McCrary, custodian at Pickering High School 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 Mr. McCrary and the entire family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board was deeply saddened by the recent untimely death of Joseph Lloyd ”r;Joey” Pousson, a freshman at Pickering High School; and
WHEREAS, Joey was the grandson of Mrs. Jean Pousson, retired cafeteria employee at Pickering High School; and
WHEREAS, Joey was a lifelong resident of the Leesville and Vernon Parish area and he will be sadly missed by his family, friends, classmates, and the faculty, staff, and student body at Pickering High School; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution, along with its heartfelt sympathies, be sent to Timothy and Virginia Pousson, and Van and Jean Pousson and their entire family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr. Willard Lee Martin, retired custodian at Simpson High School; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Martin, a lifelong resident of Simpson, was a loyal and dedicated employee throughout his more than forty years of service at Simpson High School 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 Mrs. Essie Martin and her family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their heartfelt sympathies to Mrs. Mary Dowden, secretary at Anacoco Elementary School, in the recent death of her husband, Mr. Harold Dowden, of Anacoco; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dowden was the father of Mrs. Sheila Turnipseed, teacher at Anacoco Elementary School, and Mrs. Sarah Mault, former teacher at West Leesville Elementary School, the father-in-law of Mrs. Pam Dowden and Mr. Ed Turnipseed, teachers at Anacoco Elementary School; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Dowden, a lifelong resident of the Anacoco area, was a well-loved and respected member of his community 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 Mrs. Dowden and her family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board wishes to express its heartfelt condolences to Ms. Betty Chance, retired teacher at Anacoco Elementary School, in the recent death of her mother, Mrs. Katie Bolton McLaren, of Anacoco;
and
WHEREAS, Mrs. McLaren was also the grandmother of Ms. Angie Griffis, teacher at Anacoco Elementary School. She was a native and lifelong resident of Vernon Parish 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 Ms. Chance and Ms. Griffis and their 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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M. GENE HAYMON, BOARD PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT