November 8, 2005                                                                                                           

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, NOVEMBER 8, 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

 

ABSENT:               COL. A.WADE WOOLFREY, MILITARY OBLIGATION

 

 

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

 

The meeting was opened in prayer by Mark Smith.

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Betty Westerchil.

 

 On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by James Armes, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of November 3, 2005.

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Randy Martin, seconded by B.R. Harvey, the Board voted to approve the following resignations:

 

Erik Churchman, teacher/Pickering High

Tonya Wilson, SPED aide/East Elementary

Janet Hunt, cook/Pitkin High

Amanda Moore, custodian/Pickering High

Marolyn Spence, ½ time custodian/Pickering Elementary

Elsie Vandenburg, tch/Simpson

William Lohman, tch/LJHS

Dona Dowden, secretary to the Superintendent/board recorder/central office

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to approve the following sabbatical leave requests:

Tully Thornton, teacher/Hornbeck Elem., medical 10/3/05 – 1/16/06

Shannon Dowdle, SPED tch/Anacoco Elem., Professional, 1/17/06 – (Midterm) 1/07

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Mel Harris, seconded by James Armes, the Board voted to approve the following requests for leave without pay:

 

Cynthia Chandler, Title I aide/Hicks, medical, 10/26/05 – 11/14/05

Amanda Bealer, tch., LA4/East Leesville, medical 10/24/05 – 5/25/06

Keith Waddell, tch/Anacoco High, active military, beginning 10/24/05 until military release

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of James Armes, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the following employee transfers:

 

Jennifer Nolen, cook/N. Polk to cook/Pitkin (replacing Janet Hunt – resigned)

Karen Renee Phillips, tch. 4th grade/Pickering Elem. to tch. SPED/Pickering Elem. (replacing Robin Chandler, in-school trans. to 4th grade)

Robin Chandler, SPED tch./Pickering Elem. to tch/4th grade (in-school change repl. Karen Phillips – trans. to SPED)

Letitia Newnham, General Fund aide/Hicks to Title I aide (repl. Cindy Chandler – LWOP)

Rebecca Estes, LA4 aide/N. Polk to secretary/N. Polk (repl. Janet Farris – trans. to c/o)

Kimberly McBride, custodian/Evans to SPED aide specific (new position, burn victims)

Michelle Wilson, ½ tch/Vernon Middle to tch/LJHS (repl. Bill Lohman – resigned)

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to approve the following new employees:

 

Karen Renee Phillips, tch./Pickering Elem. (repl. Brenda Darnell – extended sick leave)

Torey Calhoun, tch/Hornbeck Elem. (repl. Tully Thornton – sabb. 10/3/05 – 1/16/06)

Lloyd Burleson, custodian/Anacoco High (repl. Connie Thomas – retired)

Marilyn Martinez, cook/N. Polk (new position – funded by LA4)

Jeri Runnels, cook/Anacoco High (repl. Sheila Fair – resigned)

Clarine Martin, teacher/Anacoco High – retiree return to work, (repl. Keith Waddell, LWOP- military)

Anita Cain, retiree return to work, tch./Simpson (repl. Elsie Vandenburg – resigned)

Betty McBride, custodian/Evans (repl. Kimberly McBride – I/S trans. to SPED aide)

 

On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes:

 

Gelisa Jackson, a senior at Pickering High School, addressed the Board concerning her participation at the Princeton Summer Program.  Gelisa was one of fifty-five students chosen to participate in this program.  This scholar program was designed for students from smaller schools in rural areas.

 

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Mel Harris, seconded by the Board, Glennie Farris will serve the un-expired term of her husband, Willis Farris, District Three Board Member, who passed away on November 2, 2005.

 

On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Betty Westerchil, the Board voted to advertise for a secretary for the Curriculum Department.

 

In other business, Superintendent Gillespie reminded the Board of the tax renewal election and the Hornbeck bond issue on Saturday, November 12th.

 

On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Philip Gunn, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.

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 sympathy to the family of Angela Williams, of Simpson, who recently passed away; and

                WHEREAS, Mrs. Williams was the daughter of Veronica Gramigna, custodian at Simpson High School, and she will be sadly missed by family and friends; now

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

  

There being no further business, on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by the Board, the meeting was adjourned.

_____________________________________

M. GENE HAYMON, BOARD PRESIDENT

 

ATTEST:

__________________________________________

DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT

C E R T I F I C A T I O N

 

I, Cynthia A. Gillespie, do hereby certify

that the above is a true and exact copy

of the Vernon Parish School Board minutes

of the November 8, 2005 meeting

 

________________________________                                                     ______________________

CYNTHIA A. GILLESPIE, Ed.D.                                                                        DATE

SUPERINTENT

 

___________________________________

NOTARY PUBLIC