August 9, 2005
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION AUGUST 9, 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
W.R. ”r;RANDY” MARTIN
PHILIP L. GUNN
B.R. HARVEY
GAYE McKEE
COL. A.WADE WOOLFREY
ABSENT: WILLIS A. FARRIS, ILLNESS
There was also present Dr. Cynthia Gillespie, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Gaye McKee.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Philip Gunn.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to amend the agenda to include new item 6-a, a presentation by the Orchard Foundation.
On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of August 4, 2005.
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board to approve the following resignations:
Sherry Fulton, teacher/Pickering High
Judy Powell, teacher/East Elementary
Brian Thompson, teacher/Pitkin
Tarkitha Copes, teacher/Vernon Middle
James Bailey, bus driver/Rosepine Elementary
Mary Branch, bus driver/Evans
Labreeska Smith, teacher/East Elementary
Gina Rigsby, teacher/Pickering Elementary
Geri Alford, SPED aide/Hornbeck
Randi Gleason, teacher/Leesville High
Vonda Vandagriff, teacher/Pickering Elementary
Justin Phillips, SPED aide/Leesville High
Leslie Glenn Hollis, teacher/Leesville High
Renita Hampton, cook/Hornbeck
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Mel Harris, seconded by Robert Pynes, Jr., the Board voted to approve the following sabbatical leave requests:
Kay Harvey, tch/S. South Polk, medical, 8/9/05 – 5/25/06
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to approve the following employee transfers:
Jana McMahon, tch/S. Polk to tch/Rosepine Elem. (replacing Charlotte Goins-sabb.)
Ed Turnipseed, counselor/AES to tch/AES (replacing Tami Griffin, in-school change)
Rebecca Wilson, part-time cook/Rosepine Elem. to full-time cook/Rosepine Elem.)
Chasity Cryer, counselor/LHS to tch/LHS (Nancy Blaylock – trans. to Rosepine)
Lisa Hill, part-time cook/Rosepine to full-time cook (replaced ½ Loretta Cox position – transferred to SPED aide)
Doris Lynette Myers, SPED aide/Rosepine Elem. to Title I aide (replacing Geraldine Zills – retired)
Linda Hagan, SPED aide/LHS to office aide/central office (replacing Janice Fulks – retired)
Diane French, counselor/Vernon to counselor LHS (replacing Chasity Cryer, who worked in Mrs. French’s sabb. position)
Rhonda Zills, tch/Evans to tch/Rosepine Elem. (replacing Jana McMahon – moved to Charlotte Goins sabb. position)
Mary Robertson, custodian/Pickering High to head custodian (replacing Fernella Toro – retired)
Loretta Cox, cook/Rosepine Elem. to SPED aide (replacing Doris L. Myers–trans. to Title I aide)
Jewel Davis, custodian/West Preschool to custodian/West Elem.
Martha Acey, SPED aide/LJHS to cook/LJHS (replacing Chevella Williams – trans. to Vernon)
Vaydra Reeves, tch/LJHS to tch/Pickering Elem. (replacing Mike Taylor – resigned)
Floyd Stark, tch/GATES to tch/Evans (replacing Erik Churchman – trans. to GATES)
Erik Churchman, tch/Evans to tch/GATES (replacing Floyd Start (trans. to Evans)
Cheri Cryer, Head Start aide/West Preschool to SPED aide/West Elem. (repl. Georgia McRae – retired)
Nelda Bonnette, SPED aide/LHS to SPED aide/West Elem. (repl. Anna Janice – retired)
Colleen O’Neal, SPED tch/Pickering Elem. to tch/LA 4 class (new position)
Bonita Williams, Head Start tch/Pickering Elem. to LA 4 class (new position)
Shonda Berzins, Title I aide/Pickering Elem. to tch/Pickering Elem. (replacing Vonda Vandagriff – resigned)
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Philip Gunn, the Board voted to approve the following list of new employees:
Casandra Smith, tch/Pickering HS (repl. Amanda Perry – resigned)
Joanna Williams, tch/Pickering HS (repl. Christine Thornburg – resigned)
Fredia Johnson, Title I aide/N. Polk (repl. Ethel Boles – trans. to Simpson)
Patrina Taylor, tch/Vernon Middle (repl. Tarkitha Copes – resigned)
Dawn Blood, SPED tch/Pickering High (repl. Lana Leau – resigned)
Cyndee Weaver, tch/ S. Polk (repl. Dawn Maldonado – resigned)
Desiree Beeson, tch/Pitkin (repl. Brian Thompson – resigned)
Melissa Muro, tch/Pickering High (repl. Leticia Ferguson – resigned)
Christina Telin, tch/Rosepine High (repl. Edward Detommaso – resigned)
Samuel Dalton, SPED tch/Pickering Elem. (repl. Amarie Burwell – resigned
Alisha Dalton, tch/N. Polk (repl. Sue Garth, in-school trans.)
Antonio Davis, custodian/LHS (repl. Leonard Sims – retired)
Kelly Singleton, tch/LHS (repl. Nancy Blalock – trans. to Evans)
Connie Pineda, tch/N. Polk (repl. Lisa Franklin – trans. to LA 4)
Joan Dahlem, SPED tch/LHS (repl. Randi Gleason – resigned)
Tiffany Sweat, tch/Pitkin (new Honors position)
Michelle Anderson, tch/East Elem. (repl. Millie Ballagh – trans. to Honors class)
Annie Mae White, custodian/Optional School (repl. Michelle Burke – resigned)
Angelica Gradick, SPED tch/S. Polk (repl. Kay Harvey – sabb.)
Susan Langton, tch/Pickering HS (repl. Amelia Perry – resigned)
Melanie Youngblood, tch/Anacoco Elem. (new LA 4 position)
Kimberly James, tch/West Elem. (replacing Miranda Welch, medical sabb. 1st semester 2005-06)
On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by B.R. Harvey, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.
President Haymon asked Mrs. Westerchil to address item 6-a and introduce guest Linda Bordelon, executive director of the Orchard Foundation. Mrs. Bordelon explained that the Orchard Foundation is a non-profit local education fund established as a resource for Central Louisiana. Orchard is funded by the Rapides Foundation and one of its many functions is to assist in securing funding, grants and partnerships to support and promote the local education efforts. Mrs. Westerchil is a trustee on the Orchard Foundation Board.
Anne Smith, Director of Elementary Education, gave an informative presentation on Comprehensive Curriculum which was developed to meet the No Child Left Behind guidelines. Topics Mrs. Smith discussed were the history and purpose of Comprehensive Curriculum, the teacher guide and how it was developed, Vernon Parish teachers’ input and the more than 2,500 hours spent by the teacher content/grade level teams, in the development of the teacher guide, methods of monitoring and implementing Comprehensive Curriculum and how it will change teaching. Following her presentation, Mrs. Smith entertained questions from the Board.
John Farris, Director of Secondary Education, gave the 2005 summer school results. At the fourth grade level 92% and at the eighth grade level 94% of students attending summer school met promotion standard.
Randy Martin, chairperson for the Maintenance Committee, reported the Committee’s recommendation to hire Larry Summers as an air conditioning technician at the Maintenance Department. On the Committee’s recommendation and on motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by James Armes, the Board voted to name Mr. Summers to the position.
On motion of Mel Harris, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve the Vernon Parish District Technology Plan Amendment.
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 Mrs. Ida Bennett, of Simpson, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bennett was a native and lifelong resident of Simpson, and her late husband, Mr. Aswell Bennett was a retired bus driver at Simpson High School. She will be sadly missed by her family and friends; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bennett was the mother-in-law of Mrs. Quinda Bennett, personnel secretary at the central office, the grandmother of Ms. Brandi Bennett, office aide at West Leesville Elementary School, and the grandmother-in-law of Mrs. Candace Bennett, teacher at East Leesville Elementary School; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to the 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 takes this means to express its heartfelt condolences to the family of Mrs. Judith Bailey, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bailey was the mother of Mrs. Jeannie Biscamp, teacher at Vernon Middle School; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Bailey was a longtime resident of the Leesville area and former bus driver at Pickering High School. 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 Biscamp and her family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.
There being no further business, a move by Gaye McKee and seconded by the Board to adjourn.
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M. GENE HAYMON, BOARD PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT