AUGUST 7, 2007
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, AUGUST 7, 2007, AT, 10:00AM, AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA.
PRESIDENT REESE CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
RICKY REESE, PRESIDENT
JAMES ARMES, VICE PRESIDENT
ROBERT PYNES JR.
MEL HARRIS
MARK H. SMITH
STEVE WOODS
BERYL FORD
RANDY MARTIN
MICHAEL PERKINS
VERNON TRAVIS
GAYE MCKEE
M. GENE HAYMON
ABSENT: COL. DAVID SAGE-MILITARY OBLIGATION
There was also present Dr. Cynthia Gillespie, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Mike Perkins.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Vernon Travis.
On motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of August 2, 2007.
Martha Yarbrough and Barbara Cart expressed their appreciation to West Louisiana Dental Center for providing services to all Headstart students at no cost to the parents or to Headstart. Dr. Hennessee closes his office one day every year to screen all Headstart students and monthly thereafter for new Headstart students.
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Robert Pynes, seconded by Steve Woods, the Board to approve the following resignations:
Melonee Cryer, cafeteria manager/NPE
Mildred Tucker, teacher/NPE
David Gibson, teacher/LHS
Tina Pilcher, teacher/Hornbeck
Louis Arceneaux, teacher/PHS
Edwin Taylor, teacher/LHS
Mandy Knight, teacher/Simpson
Elaine Woods, teacher/SPE
Kristie Degley, teacher/ELE
Dave Montiel, teacher/LHS
Eloise Green, cook/Simpson
Michelle Partridge, teacher/WLE
Johnnel Black, custodian/LHS
Shanda Tilley, teacher/VMS
Maurna Thornton, teacher/Hornbeck
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Vernon Travis, the Board voted to approve the following sabbatical leave requests:
Barbara Osborne, teacher/SPE-MED SABB-1st Semester
Donnis Poe, teacher/LHS-MED SABB-2007-08 school year
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Beryl Ford, the Board voted to approve the following requests for a leave without pay:
Sherrie Sterling, teacher/LJHS-Other LWOP 8-13-07/5-29-08
Keith Waddell, teacher/AHS-military-8-13-07/5-29-08
Sharon Richardson, cook/RHS-Other LWOP 8-7-07/1-11-08
Yvonne Folsom, teacher/SPE-Other LWOP 8-13-07/5-29-08
Wyonna Jeane, teacher/RES-Other LWOP 8-13-07/5-29-08
Jamie Bjornberg, teacher/RES-Other LWOP 1-12-08/5-29-08
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Gaye McKee, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the following list of new employees:
Owen Roberts, custodian, RHS-replacing George Clark(retired)
Tom Reeks, custodian/Hornbeck-replacing William Rogers(retired)
Houston Burns, bus driver/Simpson-replacing Lynette Martin(I/S trns to custodian)
Melanie Jackson, teacher/ELE-replacing Mary Kersey(trns to WLE)
Tammy Kelly, teacher/VMS-replacing Mary Brooks(trsn to ELE)
Katy Westerhaus, teacher/NPE-replacing Bailey Marks(trns to 1st grade)
Kelly Stone, teacher/RES-replacing Kendra Bailey(LWOP 2007-08 school year)
Jennifer Lawler, teacher/RES-new LA4 position
Michal Walters, teacher/NPE-replacing Billie Cline(trns to AES)
Melissa Muro Halstead/PHS-replacing Louis Arceneaux(resigned)
Judith McNeely, teacher/RHS-replacing Kim Franks(resigned)
Jeff Edwards, teacher/LHS-replacing David Gibson(resigned)
Tanisha Parker, teacher/PES-replacing Kimberly Lorenz(resigned)
Connie Pineda, LA4teacher/NPE-new position
Josh Pritchard, teacher/RHS-replacing Lisa Haymon(trns to SPE)
Tammy Anderson, teacher/LHS(Retireee Return ToWork)-replacing Whitney Mawae(1st semester)
Tanya Mattingly, teacher/RES-replacing Jamie Bjournberg(sick leave & LWOP)
Trina Park, Sped Aide/bus aide/Evans-replacing Katty Lummus(resigned)
Leigh Prewitt, teacher/Simpson-replacing Mandy Knight(resigned)
Morgan Mitchell, Sped bus aide/Evans-new position
Monica Bonnell, teacher/WLE-replacing Michelle Partridge(resigned)
Rodger Causey, teacher/LJHS-retiree return to work-replacing Katie Alexander(resigned)
Brenda Darnell, teacher/SPE-replacing Yvonne Folsom(LWOP 2007-08 school year)
Phyllis Monroe, cafeteria manager/Simpson-Retiree Return To Work
William Head, teacher/LHS-replacing Edwin Taylor(resigned)
On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie and on motion of Beryl Ford, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve the following employee transfers:
Michelle Parker, teacher/VMS-I/S trns from Sped to LA teacher 5th & 6th grade
James Wesley, principal/VMS-trns to NPE-replacing Cassandra Wilson (trns to VMS)
Cassandra Wilson, principal/NPE-trns to VMS-replacing James Wesley (trns to NPE)
John Adams, bus driver/WLE-trns to Simpson-replacing Sharon Parker (retired)
Jennifer Hackler, teacher/NPE-trns to ELE-replacing Teressa Jordan (retired)
Cynthia Funderburk, teacher/RES-trns to RHS-replacing Annetta Ewald (resigned)
Mary Brooks, teacher/VMS-trns to ELE (new LA4 position due to overcrowding)
Sabra Browning, Headstart school specialist/ELE-trns toHeadstart Office-replacing Barbara Cart
Toni Moore, teacher/Simpson-trns to SPE-replacing Joyce Aymond (trns to Simpson)
Joyce Aymond, teacher/SPE-trns to Simpson-replacing Toni Moore (trns to SPE)
Darla Parker, secretary/NPE-trns to central office-gen.fund aide-replacing Linda Hagan (retired)
Tami Griffin, teacher/Hornbeck-trns from SABB position to 2nd grade-replacing Tina Pilcher (resigned)
Roxanne Wiggins, teacher/SPE-trns to Pitkin-replacing Lindsey Bryant (1/2 yr SABB/1/2 yr LWOP)
Lisa Haymon, teacher/RHS-trns to SPE-replacing Roxanne Wiggins (trns to Pitkin)
Vanessa Joiner, asst. manager cook/VMS-trns to NPE as manager-replacing Melonie Cryer (resigned)
Kim Hoecker, teacher/VMS-trns to SPE-replacing Elizabeth Fletcher (I/S trns to 4th grade)
Nancy Kay, sped aide/Evans-I/S trns to LA4 new position Tammy Walters, Teacher/Evans-trns to NPE-replacing Mildred Tucker (resigned)
Dawn Warren, teacher/LJHS-I/S trns from 7th grade to GT/Honors-replacing Martha Rankin (retired)
Torey Calhoun, teacher/LJHS-I/S trns from Sped to 7th grade-replacing Dawn Warren (trns to GT)
Leon Jackson, cook/ELE-trns to LHS as custodian-replacing Tony Bell (resigned)
William Churchman, bus driver/RHS-I/S trns to teacher-replacing Tommy Freeman (resigned)
On motion of Mike Perkins, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to advertise for bids for a security system at Pitkin High School.
John Farris discussed the proposed attendance procedures and on motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Vernon Travis, the Board voted to approve the following attendance 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 temporarily excused absences, fully excused absences and extenuating circumstances.
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, ect.). 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 Vernon Travis, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to adopt a resolution to the Louisiana Delegation to request that deployment pay supplements not be included when determining free or reduced lunch status for military dependent students.
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board is highly impacted by the presence of Fort Polk and their family members in our school system; and
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board pledges their support to the family members of deployed soldiers; and
WHEREAS, the free/reduced lunch program is important not only to the food services program but also to Title I, II, III, IV, and V, Headstart and LA4; and
WHEREAS, eligibility for Headstart and LA4 is determined by free/reduced lunch approval; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) determines who is eligible for free/reduced lunches of military dependents using base pay plus hostile fire pay, hardship duty pay, and family separation allowance, yet does not include Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA); and
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Vernon Parish School Board requests of the United States Department of Agriculture that FSSA, hostile fire pay, hardship duty pay, and family separation pay not be included when determining eligibility for free/ reduced lunches.
On motion of Beryl Ford, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.
On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.
In other business, Superintendent Gillespie stated that she anticipated 2007-2008 being a great school year. Superintendent Gillespie also stated that she had met with the principals and assistant principals and that everyone was looking forward to the new school year.
On motion of Beryl Ford, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to adopt a resolution for the Vernon Parish Police Jury to improve and maintain a bus turn-around at 296 Davis Road in the Cottonwood area.
On motion of Mike Perkins, seconded by James Armes, the Board voted to adopt a resolution for the Vernon Parish Police Jury to improve and maintain a bus turn-around on Tyler Road in Anacoco if it is on public property.
On motion of Gaye McKee, 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 wish to express their sympathy to the family of William "B.J." Marshall who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Marshall was the son of Sheila Frazar, teacher at Rosepine High School; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Marshall was a graduate of Leesville High School, a longtime resident of Vernon Parish, and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends; 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.
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RICKY REESE, BOARD PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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DR. CYNTHIA GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT