September 6, 2005
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, SEPTEMBER 6, 2005 AT 5:00 P.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
ABSENT: COL. A.WADE WOOLFREY
There was also present Dr. Cynthia Gillespie, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Mel Harris.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by James Armes.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of September 1, 2005.
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of James Armes, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to approve the following resignations.
Gary Allen Williams, teacher/Pitkin
Canetha Sturden, SPED aide/N. Polk
Steven McDonald, teacher/Anacoco High
Mary Jean Rabalais, teacher/S/Polk
Peggy Vinson, bus driver/Pickering Elementary
Labreina Ginn, SPED aide/East Leesville Elementary
Amber Jones, teacher/Pitkin High
Cheryl Smyth, LPN/central office
Jason Simmons, teacher/LHS
Traci Ducote, teacher/Pickering Elementary
Sandra Hunter, SPED aide/Anacoco Elementary
Clarine Martin, (retiree) teacher/Anacoco High
Deadria Harvey, SPED bus aide/West Preschool
Charles Ray Martin, cook/Pickering Elementary
Carolyn Blum, teacher/Pickering High (effective 9/15/05)
Danny James, custodian/Leesville High
Shirley Ward (retiree), tch/Simpson
Kandi Beasley, Head Start aide/Anacoco Elementary
Janice Carroll, tch/Rosepine Elementary
Jeanette Phillips, tch/Vernon Middle
Joy Beth Williams, tch/Anacoco Elementary
Connie Renee Whiddon, librarian/Evans
Leadeth Paddy, cook/LJHS
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by James Armes, the Board voted to approve the following employee terminations:
Mary Roberts, custodian/Hornbeck (Workman’s Comp settlement)
Melissa Swain, SPED aide/Pitkin
Jeannie Biscamp, tch/Vernon Middle
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to approve the following sabbatical leave requests:
Linda Marcantel, tch/Pickering Elem., medical, 8/19/05 – 1/13/06
Rodger Causey, extend medical sabbatical leave, 8/9/05 – 1/13/06
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Mel Harris, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to approve the following requests for leave without pay:
Andrea Blackwell, custodian/Vernon Middle, medical (beginning 9/1/05)
Carolyn Blum, teacher/Pickering High 8/15/05 – 9/15/05
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve the following employee transfers:
Deborah Edwards, SPED tch/N. Polk to SPED aide/LHS (repl. Nelda Bonnette-trans. to West Elementary)
Ray Guidry, part-time custodian/Pickering high to full-time custodian (repl. Fernella Toro-retired)
Muriel Smith, teacher/LJHS to SPED aide/LJHS (repl. Paula Rosenberger-resigned)
Ida Darby, teacher/GATES to teacher/LHS (new SPED position)
Jeff James, bus driver/Rosepine High to Pitkin High (repl. Lucille Singletary – retired)
Shirley Green/1/2 time cook/Pickering to full-time (repl. Maurice Thigpen – retired)
Shonda Berzins, Title I aide/Pickering Elem. to teacher (repl. Brenda Owens – trans. Hornbeck)
Carla Egan, SPED aide specific/Evans to bus driver (repl. Mary Branch – resigned)
Erik Churchman, teacher/GATES to teacher/Pickering High (repl. Todd Sasser trans. to GATES)
Todd Sasser, teacher/Pickering High to teacher/GATES (repl. Erik Churchman trans. to PHS)
Perrilyn James, Head Start tch./West Preschool to Pickering Head Start (repl. Bonita Williams- trans to fourth grade)
Deborah Liddell, 5th gr. teacher/Pickering Elem. to non-cat preschool teacher (repl. Colleen O’Neal – trans. to LA4)
Amanda Shackleford, Head Start aide/Pickering Elem. to LA4 aide (new position)
Bonita Williams, LA4 tch/Pickering Elem. to 4th grade teacher (repl. Gina Rigsby – resigned)
Connie Pineda, K tch/N. Polk to tch/LA4 (decrease in enrollment)
Dorane Craft, LA4 aide/N. Polk to SPED preschool aide (repl. Sibylle Waruszcak –trans. to LA4)
Carol Mays, 1st grade tch/N. Polk to LA4 (decrease in enrollment)
Sibylle Waruszcak, SPED preschool aide/N. Polk to LA4 aide (repl Dorane Craft, trans. to SPED aide)
Jeannie Wentworth, aide/Vernon Middle to aide/Anacoco Elementary (repl. Ellen Daily, in-school trans.)
Linda Cook, ½ time cook Pickering Elem. to full-time (repl. Faye Littleton, retired)
Keith Richardson, custodian/N. Polk to custodian/Anacoco Elem. (repl. April Reberg-resigned)
Lanette Snell, part-time teacher/Hornbeck High to full-time (student need)
Ellen Daily, SPED aide/Anacoco Elem. to LA4 aide(new position)
Martha Vinson, SPED aide/Pickering High to Non-Cat. Preschool tch/Pickering Elem. (repl. Traci Ducote – resigned)
Rebecca Estes, LA 4 aide/N. Polk to SPED aide (exchanged positions with Stacey Lee)
Cherish Fletcher, SPED tch/LHS to tch/LHS (replaced Leslie Glen Hollis – resigned)
Michelle Wilson, tch/Vernon Middle to tch/LJHS (home base school change only)
Elizabeth Creasey, Early Childhood aide/West Elem. to LA4 aide/East Elem. (new position)
Carol Paddy, SPED aide/West Preschool to SPED aide/East (school change only)
Tonya Wilson, SPED aide/West Preschool to LA4 aide/East Elem. (new position)
Roseland Williams, SPED aide/West Preschool to LA4 aide/East Elem. (new position)
Amanda Moore, ½ time custodian/Pickering Elem. to ½ time custodian/Pickering High (repl. Fernella Toro’s position-retired)
Charles LeBlanc, bus driver/Hornbeck to bus driver/Anacoco High (repl. Vera Miers- retired)
Tammy Moore, Head Start aide/West Preschool to Head Start aide/Pickering Elementary (repl. Amanda Shakleford (went to upper grade)
Sabra Browning, Head Start center specialist/West Preschool to Head Start center director/East Elem. (school restructuring)
Marie Frasher, Head Start tch/West Preschool to Head Start tch/East Elem. (school restructuring)
Amanda Hunt, Head Start aide/West Preschool to Head Start aide/East Elementary (school restructuring)
Janice Gaither, Head Start tch/West Preschool to Head Start tch/East Elem. (school restructuring)
Tiffany Jordan, Head Start aide/West Preschool to Head Start aide/East Elem. (restructuring)
Dolly Owens, Head Start aide/West Preschool to Head Start aide/East Elem. (restructuring)
Alton Bailey, Head Start tch/West Preschool to Head Start tch/East Elem. (restructuring)
Kim Poe, Head Start tch/East Elem. to Head Start tch/East Elem. (restructuring)
Rhonda Weeks, Head Start aide/West Preschool to Head Start aide/East Elem. (restructuring)
Gloria Billings, Head Start tch/West Preschool to Head Start tch/N. Polk (restructuring)
Gelisa Howard, Head Start aide/West Preschool to Head Start aide/N. Polk (restructuring)
Lisa Stephens, Head Start tch/West Preschool to Head Start tch/N. Polk (restructuring)
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to approve the following list of new employees:
Melissa Shackelford, bus driver/Pickering Elem. (repl. Voncil Bailey – retired)
Carrrie Gordon, bus driver/Pickering Elem. (repl. Sandra Bryant – retired)
Donald Parrott, SPED teacher/Pickering Elem. (repl. Sheila Underwood (trans. to 2nd grade)
Susan Russ, cook/Hornbeck (repl. Renita Hampton – resigned)
Mandy Knight, teacher/Pitkin (repl. Amber Jones – resigned)
Michael Taylor, tchr/Vernon (repl. Cornella Miller, in-school transfer repl. V. Karamales, sabb.)
Heath Wallace, tch/Pitkin (repl. Gary Williams – resigned)
Melissa Miller, tch/Pitkin (repl. Jennifer Pelt – resigned)
Valerie Howell, tch/Hicks (new position due to overcrowding)
Colleen Sysock, tch/S. Polk (repl. Mary Rabalais – resigned)
Veresa Wright, SPED aide/LHS (repl. Linda Hagan – trans. to central office)
Paul Dowden, SPED aide/LHS (repl. Justin Phillips – resigned)
Esther Stephens, LA4 aide/N. Polk (new LA4 position)
Aurelia Janice, cook/LJHS (repl. Margery Skinner – retired)
Jamie Green, Title I aide/West Elem. (repl. Sylvia Jones – resigned)
Dorane (Sissie) Craft, LA4 aide/N. Polk (new LA4position)
Trina Williams, SPED aide/East Elem. (repl. Labriena Ginn – resigned)
Shonda Hillman, LA4aide/Rosepine Elem. (new LA 4 position)
Kendra Hoffpauir, SPED aide/LJHS (repl. Martha Acey – trans. to cook)
Stephanie Peeler, LA4 aide/N. Polk (new LA 4 position)
Stacy Lee, SPED aide/N. Polk (repl. Canetha Sturden – resigned)
Tammy Bolton, SPED aide/N. Polk (Angela Ford – resigned)
Natalie Sepulvado, tch/Project Read/Vernon (repl. Jeannie Biscamp – resigned)
Julie Lawrence, Title I aide/Pickering Elem. (repl. Shonda Berzins-trans. to K teacher)
Joseph Smith, tch/Pickering High (repl. Tonjia Tilley – resigned)
Kayla Askew, LA4 aide/N. Polk (new position)
Lisa Grimes, tch. LA4/Pickering Elementary (new LA4 position)
Billie Knight, ½ time cook/Evans (repl. Jacqueline Keel – now full-time)
Heather Brown Holsomback, LA4 tch/Pickering Elem. (new LA4 position)
Larry Summers, maintenance/central office (repl. Al Lack – resigned)
Angela Sandell, LPN/central office (repl. Cheryl Smyth – resigned)
Emma Pousson, ½ cook/Pickering High (repl. ½ Maurice Thigpen’s position)
Angela Gilcrease, SPED tch/East Elementary (repl. Judy Powell – resigned)
Kathy Lummus, SPED aide/Evans (repl. Carla Egan (trans. to bus driver)
Wanda Toney, SPED aide/Anacoco High (repl. Tracy Lack – trans. to central office)
Kimberly Taylor, SPED aide/Pickering Elem. (repl. Doris Welch – trans. to LA4)
Jerry Brown, custodian/LHS (repl. Emerick Wilson – trans. to N. Polk Elem.)
Beverly Cobb, LA4 aide/N. Polk (new LA4 position)
Elaine Moore, ½ time custodian/Pitkin (new position)
Adrian Eagle, tch/Simpson (repl. John Edwards – resigned)
Juanita Thornton, retiree returned to work, tch/Rosepine High (repl. Joanne Doyal – retired)
Shirley Orange, retiree returned to work, tch/Anacoco Elem. (repl. Joy Williams –retired)
Patricia Williams, retiree returned to work, tch/Vernon Middle (continuing in her SPED position)
Katrina Jackson, ½ time custodian/Rosepine High (new position)
Emily Lein, SPED tch/N. Polk (repl. Deborah Edwards – tran. to LHS)
Clark R. Zills, bus driver/Rosepine High (repl. Jeff James-tran. to Pitkin)
Rebecca Estes, LA4 aide/N. Polk (new position)
Omega Flores, cook/Pickering Elem. (repl. Charles Ray Martin – resigned)
Kelly Billiot, tch/LHS (repl. Jason Simmons – resigned)
Elizabeth Coleman, SPED aide/Vernon (repl. Jeannie Wentworth – tran. to Anacoco Elem.)
Wesley Grimes, bus driver/Pickering Elem. (repl. Irma Blackwell – retired)
Jerry Inman, bus driver/Rosepine High (repl. James Bailey – resigned)
Stefanie Cortes, tch/Pickering High (repl. Carolyn Blum (LWOP & resignation)
Jennifer Bryant, SPED aide/Pickering High (repl. Martha Vinson (tran. To PES as teacher)
Judy Johnson, bus aide/West Preschool (repl. Deadria Harvey – resigned)
Tonia Day, ½ time custodian/Pickering Elem. (repl. Amanda Moore – tran. to PHS
Haley Stevens, Head Start aide/N. Polk (repl. Cheree Cryer whose position was moved to NPE from West Preschool – Cheree Cryer - trans. to WLE)
Shannon Ledet, tch/Rosepine Elem. (repl. CharlotteGoins – sabb. 1 year)
Richard MacFarlane, SPED aide/LHS (new SPED aide position)
Dustin Smith, tch/LHS (repl. Rodger Causey, sabb., 8/9/05 – 1/13/06)
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Philip Gunn, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.
Mandy Mitchell, regional manager, presented BellSouth Mini Grants to Cindy Teasley, teacher at Anacoco High School and Peggy Allen, teacher at Evans Elementary School. The grant money will be used to fund projects designed and written by the teachers to be implemented in their classrooms.
Kem Villejoin, Vernon Parish Home Economist, gave the annual 4-H report. She recognized and presented certificates to 4-H students for their participation and outstanding accomplishments in various 4-H competitions.
On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to approve the 2005-06 budget and the final 2004-05 budget.
On motion of Robert Pynes, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve policy changes as presented by Tom Neubert on September 1, 2005 for the Board’s review. The minor changes related to: Term of Superintendent contracts, Child Nutrition Program Management, Payment for Meals, Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications, Personnel, Criminal History of Applicants, and Compulsory School Attendance Ages and Suspensions.
Superintendent Gillespie gave a report on the enrollment status of homeless students coming to Vernon Parish from the New Orleans area. Additionally, Fort Polk is expecting
330 families with the 256th National Guard with an estimated 350-400 school aged children.
The Orchard Foundation, the educational grants department of the Rapides Foundation, has donated $4,000.00 to be used for clothing and $10,000.00 for books to help with the expenses incurred by the addition of student evacuees who have been enrolled in Vernon Parish Schools. The Rapides Foundation donated $22, 500.00 ($100 per student) and the Title I Homeless Student account has also made contributions to assist with the added expenses.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the following resolution of appreciation was adopted:
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board has for six years received generous support of the Rapides Foundation; and
WHEREAS, Rapides Foundation grants have provided funding for many innovative and exciting projects that our teachers have introduced into their classroom curriculum to further enhance their students’ educational experiences; and
WHEREAS, many families from the southeastern part of Louisiana have been displaced due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina; and
WHEREAS, the Rapides Foundation has once again recognized that opportunities in education promote the health and well being of the citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Rapides Foundation has generously donated $22,500.00 to be used to assist evacuee students with school-related needs as they enroll in our schools; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED; that the Board adopts this resolution of deep appreciation to the Rapides Foundation for its continued support of the Vernon Parish School System and its endeavors to provide a quality education for all students.
On motion of Betty Westerchil, seconded by the Board, the following resolution of appreciation was adopted:
WHEREAS, the Orchard Foundation is a non-profit local education fund and one of its many functions is to assist in securing funding, grants and partnerships to support and promote the local education efforts; and
WHEREAS, many families from the southeastern part of Louisiana have been displaced due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina; and
WHEREAS, the Orchard Foundation recognizes that opportunities in education promote the health and well being of the citizens; and
WHEREAS, the Orchard Foundation is seeking funding to be used to assist evacuee students with school-related needs as they enroll in our schools; now
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Board adopts this resolution of deep appreciation to the Orchard Foundation for its continued support of the Vernon Parish School System and its endeavors to provide a quality education for all students enrolled in our schools.
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. Branch O. Welch, of Leesville, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Welch was the father of Mrs. Barbara Busby, teacher at the GATES program, and the grandfather-in-law of Mr. Donna Busby, secretary at the central office; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Welch was a lifelong and well-respected resident of Vernon Parish 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. Barbara Busby and her family at this time of sorrow.
On motion of Philip Gunn, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.
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