August 2, 2007

AUGUST 2, 2007

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION AUGUST 2, 2007 AT 10:00 A.M., 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LOUISIANA. VICE-PRESIDENT ARMES CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:

JAMES ARMES, VICE-PRESIDENT

ROBERT PYNES JR.

MEL HARRIS

MARK SMITH

BERYL FORD

RANDY MARTIN

MICHAEL PERKINS

VERNON TRAVIS

GAYE MCKEE

GENE HAYMON

COL. DAVID G. SAGE

ABSENT: STEVE WOODS - OUT OF TOWN

RICKY REESE - OUT OF TOWN

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

The meeting was opened in prayer by Vernon Travis.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Col. David Sage.

On motion of Mel Harris, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the July 17, 2007 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.

James Johnson gave an update from the assessor's office regarding House Bills 26 and 27 and the oil and gas assessment.

Brandi Turner discussed Louisiana Works Career Solutions.

John Farris reported that the Attendance Committee had met and presented the following proposed procedures:

Proposed Attendance Enforcement Procedures

1) Students accumulating more than 8 days of unexcused or temporarily excused absences in a semester will receive non-attendance F's on progress reports and report cards. (See definitions)

2) Fully excused absences and absences due to extenuating circumstances are not included in the accumulation of more than 8 days absence per semester. (See definitions)

3) Any documentation for excused absences or extenuating circumstances must be submitted within 5 school days of return to school or the absences will be unexcused.

4) Students will be allowed to make up any work missed due to absence regardless of reason for absence except for suspension.

5) Students exceeding 8 days of absence per semester due to unexcused or temporarily excused absences will have opportunities to make up the excessive days missed. (Saturday School - 11 opportunities throughout the school year)

6) All excessive unexcused and temporarily excused absences must be made up before a student will receive earned grades.

7) Any student who has failed to make up excessive absences before the end of school will have an opportunity to do so in summer school. (There will be a cost associated with summer school) ($150)

Definitions

(a) Temporarily excused absence - student presents note from parent with an excusable reason (sick, family emergency, car trouble, etc.). Student may make up any missed schoolwork and receive credit for the work, but the day of absence counts against the number of days required for school attendance.

(b) Fully Excused Absence - student has a note or excuse from a medical doctor or dentist for the day or days of absence from school. These excused days do not count against the student's days required for school attendance. The student may make up any work missed and will receive credit for any made up work.

(c) Unexcused Absence - either the student did not present a written excuse for the absence or the written excuse was not a valid excusable reason for being absent.

(d) Extenuating Circumstances - absences resulting from extenuating circumstances can be appealed to a district level or school level attendance worker who has the authority to declare the absence as an "extenuating circumstance". In the state of Louisiana, only a Child Welfare and Attendance Supervisor or Director of Child Welfare and Attendance may declare the absence an "extenuating circumstance". When the appeal is approved for "extenuating circumstances", the day of absence is totally excused, all work may be made up, and the day of absence does not count against the required number of days for school attendance.

The only exception to the attendance regulation shall be enumerated extenuating circumstances that are verified by the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance.

1. extended personal physical or emotional illness. Each LEA shall adopt policies regarding the requirement of a certificate from a physician or nurse practitioner licensed in the state in substantiation of the absence;

2. extended hospital stay as verified by a physician or dentist;

3. extended recuperation from an accident as verified by a physician, dentist, or nurse practitioner;

4. extended contagious disease within a family as verified by a physician or dentist; or

5. observance of special and recognized holidays of the student's own faith.

For any other extenuating circumstances, the student's parents or legal guardian must make a formal appeal in accordance with the due process procedures established by the LEA.

The only other exception to the attendance regulations shall be other absences that are verified by the principal or his/her designee as stated below:

1. prior school system-approved travel for education;

2. death in the family (not to exceed one week); or

3. natural catastrophe and/or disaster.

On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to table

this proposal until Tuesday, August 7, 2007. Mark Smith opposed to table this proposal.

John Farris presented the changes in the Pupil Progression Plan and on motion of Beryl Ford, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to accept the following changes:

Changes to Pupil Progression Plan 2007-2008

p. 18, added to Grade 2:

* To receive a passing grade, students must earn a minimum of six (6) quality points per year, with at least three (3) quality points earned in the second semester.

* Students who fail to meet any of these requirements should be referred to the Building Level Committee.

p. 19, changed wording from "These courses" to Language Arts and math will be offered in summer remediation. . .

(changed in Grade 5 and Grade 6)

p. 20, Remedial classes are required for students scoring below 35^th percentile and/or unsatisfactory on ELA and/or Math iLeap in 7th grade and 9th grade.

Deleted "below 35th percentile and/or"

p. 21, deleted "6-period Day" units earned

p. 21, Remedial classes are required for students scoring below 35^th percentile and/or unsatisfactory on ELA and/or Math iLeap in 7th grade and 9th grade.

Deleted "below 35th percentile and/or"

p. 21, In addition to completing a minimum of 23 Carnegie units of credit as prescribed, the student shall also be required to pass all required components of the Graduation Exit Examination (GEE 21).

Added the word "required"

p. 22, changed "summer school" to "GEE remediation"

p. 23, added "Seven through 12 grades" in front of "Honors Classes . . .

added "This will not apply to Louisiana Virtual School classes" to the end of that paragraph.

p. 25, Determining Grade Point Averages, Ranking and Valedictorian/Salutatorian changed to "Determining Grade Point Averages and Ranking"

deleted "and determining valedictorian and salutatorian honors"

Deleted the following section:

In order to be eligible for Valedictorian or Salutatorian honors, a senior must be enrolled in their school of graduation by October 1 or the first school day after October 1.

[If a school has multiple valedictorians, there will be no salutatorian named.]

Beginning with seniors in the 2002-2003 school year, in order to be considered for valedictorian or salutatorian honors, students must complete the courses required for that year's TOPS requirements.

On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to adopt the 2007 millage rates as follows:

VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

BE IT RESOLVED by the VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

District of the Parish of Vernon, Louisiana, in a public meeting held on August 2, 2007, and conducted in accordance with the open meeting law, the District voted to levy millage rates on all taxable property shown on the official assessment roll for the year 2007, and, when collected, the revenues from said taxes shall be used for the specific purposes for which said taxes have been levied; said millage rate(s) are as follows:

Parish Wide School Regular 3.70 mils

Parish Wide School Special 7.17 mils

Ward 1 Maintenance Regular 13.03 mils

Ward 2 Hornbeck Maintenance Regular 13.32 mils

School District 143 Hornbeck Construction & Maintenance 10.00 mils

Ward 2 Orange Maintenance Regular 13.24 mils

Ward 3 Maintenance Regular 13.14 mils

Ward 4 Maintenance Regular 13.98 mils

Ward 5 Maintenance Regular 14.53 mils

Ward 6 Maintenance Regular 12.59 mils

Ward 7 Maintenance Regular 13.00 mils

Ward 8 Maintenance Regular 13.48 mils

Leesville Sinking Fund 8.93 mils

Orange Sinking Fund 31.36 mils

Hornbeck Sinking Fund 55.14 mils

Ward 3 Sinking Fund 9.14 mils

Pickering Sinking Fund 37.76 mils

Ward 5 Sinking Fund 15.62 mils

Ward 6 Sinking Fund 44.23 mils

Ward 7 Sinking Fund 47.49 mils

Ward 8 Sinking Fund 87.99 mils

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Assessor of the Parish of Vernon shall extend upon the assessment roll for the year 2007 the taxes herein levied, and the tax collector of said parish shall collect and remit the same to said District in accordance with law.

The foregoing resolution was read in full, the roll was called on the adoption thereof, and the resolution was adopted by no less than a two-thirds majority of the total membership of the taxing authority in favor as required by Paragraph (B) of Section 23 of Article VII of the 1974 Louisiana Constitution, and Paragraph (B) of Section 1705 of Title 47 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, the vote being as follows:

YEAS: 10

NAYS: 0

ABSTAINED: 0

ABSENT: 2

CERTIFICATE

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and exact copy of a resolution adopted at a regular board meeting held on August 2, 2007 at which time a quorum was present and voting.

Leesville, Louisiana, this 2nd day of August 2007

________________________

(Superintendent)

On motion of Robert Pynes, seconded by Beryl Ford, the Board voted to name Dwain Ducote as assistant principal at Vernon Middle School.

On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Mike Perkins, the Board voted to name Cheree Atkins as assistant principal at Pickering Elementary School.

On motion of Mike Perkins, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to name Jerome Henson as principal at Pitkin High School.

On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to name Lori Glaze as payroll/finance secretary at the central office. Gene Haymon and Mike Perkins opposed this motion.

On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to advertise to sell a 1988 bus at Simpson High School.

Mark Smith reported that the Salary/Personnel Committee had met and reviewed the personnel changes for August 2007 and would make its recommendation to the Board on Tuesday, August 7, 2007. Mr. Smith also reported that the committee approved the revised pay scale for substitute employees and on motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Beryl Ford, the Board approved the following substitute pay scale.

SUBSTITUTE PAY

2006-2007 2007-2008

TEACHER (NON-DEGREE) 39.00 43.96

(DEGREE) 58.00 58.00

CUSTODIAN (8 HRS) 41.20 46.80

(4 HRS) 20.60 23.40

AIDE/SECRETARY 36.05 40.95

AIDE (HEADSTART 6/7) 30.90 35.10

COOK (7 HRS) 36.05 40.95

PART-TIME COOK (4/7) 20.60 23.40

BUS DRIVER 51.32 54.94

BUS AIDE 21.46 23.40

In other business Superintendent Gillespie stated that resolutions were needed for Rapides Foundation for the Anacoco Elementary Playground and the Dogwood Walking Path. On motion of Vernon Travis, seconded by Beryl Ford, the Board adopted the following resolutions:

VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD RESOLUTION

ANACOCO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLAYGROUND

RESOLVED, on motion of, seconded by the Board, that the Vernon Parish School Board designated Cynthia A. Gillespie, Superintendent, to initiate, negotiate, and sign for grants between Rapides Foundation and the Vernon Parish School Board.

_________________________

James Armes,

Board Vice-President

August 2, 2007

I hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct extract from the minutes of a regular meeting of the Vernon Parish School Board held on August 2, 2007, at which there was a quorum present and voting.

Attest:________________________, Cynthia A. Gillespie, Secretary

August 2, 2007

VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD RESOLUTION

DOGWOOD WALKING PATH

_________________________

James Armes,

Board Vice President

August 2, 2007

Attest:________________________, Cynthia A. Gillespie, Secretary

August 2, 2007

Also in other business Superintendent Gillespie reminded the Board members of the Athletic Committee meeting on Tuesday, August 7, 2007 at 9:00AM.

Col. Sage mentioned the upcoming AUSA Deployment Fair, the Fall Education Forum, Heritage Day, the Fall Festival, and extended an invitation to everyone.

On motion of Vernon Travis, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following resolution:

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, ON January 8, 2002, President Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, which applies to all school districts within states that accept federal Title I dollars; and

WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board supports the goals the NCLB of raising student achievement; closing the achievement gap; and ensuring that each child has a highly qualified teacher; and

WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board continues to welcome the accountability for improving student and school performance; and

WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board has had five years of operational experience in implementing NCLB; and

WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board has identified improvements that could be made to NCLB that would eliminate barriers to full implementation of the federal law; and

WHEREAS, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) developed draft legislation based on input from local school boards across the nation that would address the concerns of local school boards, and improve the implementation of NCLB; and

WHEREAS, in April 2006 the NSBA Delegate Assembly re-affirmed it support of federal legislation that is consistent with the NCLB draft legislation; and

WHEREAS, in January 2007 Representative Don Young (R-AK) re-introduced legislation, the No Child Left Behind Improvement Act of 2007, H.R. 648, that is consistent with the NSBA draft legislation; now

RESOLVED that the Vernon Parish School Board urges Louisiana State Representatives to fully support H.R. 648 by becoming a co-sponsor of the bill; and

RESOLVED that the Vernon Parish School Board seeks the support of local community and civic leaders and appropriate members of the Louisiana Legislature in encouraging representatives to become a co-sponsor of H.R. 648, and be it finally

RESOLVED that this resolution be sent to Louisiana Senators and Representatives, Governor Blanco, and State Superintendent Paul Pastorek.

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

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 sympathy to the family of George Elliott Jr. who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, George was the husband of Adonna Elliott, retired teacher, father of Susan Elliott and Trey Elliott, former employees, the brother-in-law of Towanda and Joe Willrodt, and the son-in-law of the late Mildred Youngblood; and

WHEREAS, George was a longtime resident of Hornbeck, a friend to all he knew, and he will be sadly missed by his many friends, co-workers, and family; now

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Vernon Parish School Board requests a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to his family at this time of sadness.

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

__________________________________

James Armes, Vice-President

Attest:

________________________________

Cynthia A. Gillespie, Superintendent