DECEMBER 4, 2008

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION AT 10:00 A.M. DECEMBER 4, 2008 AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LOUISIANA.  PRESIDENT FORD CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:

BERYL FORD, PRESIDENT

STEVE WOODS, VICE-PRESIDENT

ROBERT PYNES JR.

MEL HARRIS

MARK SMITH

RANDI GLEASON

RICKY REESE

RANDY MARTIN

MICHAEL PERKINS

VERNON TRAVIS

GAYE MCKEE

GENE HAYMON

ABSENT:        COL. DAVID SAGE – MILITARY BUSINESS

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

The meeting was opened in prayer by John Burns.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mel Harris.

Mrs. Randi Gleason was sworn into office as District One Board Member by Mr. Willie Deon, Clerk of Court for Vernon Parish.

On motion of Mel Harris, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the November 13, 2008 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.

On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Gene Haymon, the Board voted to receive bids for two activity buses for Anacoco.  Bids were received as follows:

Ross Bus Sales              $75,867.00 for each bus

Timmons Truck Center $76,494.00 for each bus

On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to take these bids under advisement.

On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to accept bids for timber at Simpson.  No bids were received and no action was taken.

On recommendation of Superintendent Gillespie, and on motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Vernon Travis, the Board voted to name Hub Jordan as assistant principal at Leesville High School.  Roll call vote as follows:

YEAS:   Mel Harris, Robert Pynes, Mark Smith, Steve Woods, Ricky Reese, Beryl Ford, Randy Martin, Michael Perkins, Vernon Travis, Gaye McKee

NAYS:  Randi Gleason, Gene Haymon

On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to name Steve Woods as President of the Vernon Parish School Board for 2009.  On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Gaye McKee, the Board voted to name Michael Perkins as Vice-President of the Vernon Parish School Board for 2009.

On motion of Ricky Reese, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to reject the bid for improvements at Evans High School.

Mark Smith reported that the Finance Committee had met and Mr. Tim Ward, Finance Director, discussed the budget and budget amendments.  It was the recommendation of the Finance Committee to accept these budget revisions and on motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Mel Harris, the Board voted to adopt the revised budget as follows:

Mark Smith reported that the Salary/Personnel Committee had met and reviewed the personnel changes for December and would make its recommendation to the Board at the December 9, 2008 Board meeting.  The Salary/Personnel Committee also recommended that the Special Education Director position (Ms. Neugebauer – Sabbatical for one year) be filled as a supervisor position for one year.  On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by Ricky Reese, the Board voted to advertise for a supervisor for special education for one year beginning in January of 2009.  Vernon Travis voted against this motion.

In other business, Superintendent Gillespie commended Vernon Travis for attending the Ethics and Governance Workshop.  Mr. Travis completed four hours of training for 2009 for Act 380 of 2008.

Superintendent Gillespie and the Board recognized Mr. John Burns for his service and dedication as District One Board Member.  Superintendent Gillespie and the Board presented him with a plaque and thanked him for all he had done.

Superintendent Gillespie also noted that West Leesville Elementary was chosen as one of the two schools in Louisiana to receive Distinguished School Recognition.  On motion of Mel Harris, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to adopt the following resolution:

R E S O L U T I O N

Whereas, the Division of Educational Improvement and Assistance presents the Distinguished Schools Recognition Program, and

Whereas, the National Association of State Title I Directors are nominating schools to receive this honor, and

Whereas, the program honors schools that have made the most significant progress in significantly closing the achievement gap between student groups and whose students have exhibited sustained academic achievement, and

Whereas, the State Department of Education has named West Leesville Elementary as one of the schools in the state to be recognized to receive this recognition, and

Whereas, West Leesville Elementary School will represent Louisiana at a National Title I Conference in San Antonio in the spring of 2009

Be it therefore resolved that the Vernon Parish School Board congratulates West Leesville Elementary School for achieving this recognition.

On motion of Mel Harris, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to advertise for an activity bus for Leesville High School.

On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to adopt a resolution for the Vernon Parish Police Jury to repair and maintain a bus turn-around at 289 Garwood Busby Road in District Eight.

On motion of Mike Perkins, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to adopt 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 B.R. Harvey who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, Mr. B.R Harvey spent over fifty years of his life in service to the students of Vernon Parish; and

WHEREAS, Mr. B.R Harvey has served as a teacher, coach of the State Champion Pitkin Tigers basketball team, principal and school board member representing the Pitkin School District; and

WHEREAS, Mr. B. R. Harvey cared deeply about the Pitkin community and worked tirelessly to assure that all the students in Pitkin and all of Vernon Parish schools received a quality education; and

WHEREAS, the results of Mr. Harvey’s work will be remembered for years to come;

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.

On motion of Robert Pynes, 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 Dimple Schwartz who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Mrs. Schwartz was the mother of Richard Schwartz, retired superintendent and the mother in law of Tandy Schwartz and Patricia Schwartz, both retired employees at the central office.  Mrs. Schwartz was also the grandmother of Jennifer Mount and Kelly Dillon, both teachers at East Leesville Elementary School; and

            WHEREAS, Mrs. Schwartz was a longtime resident of Leesville and she will be greatly missed by her many friends and family; now

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

On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to adopt 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 Marie Frasher who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Mrs. Frasher was a retired Headstart teacher with twenty two years of love and dedication to her students; and

            WHEREAS, Mrs. Frasher was a longtime resident of Leesville and she will be greatly missed by her many friends and family; now

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

On motion of Randy Martin, 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 condolences to the family of Thomas Wisby who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Wisby was the father-in-law of Angela Wisby, bus driver at Rosepine High School; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Wisby was a native of the Cravens area and he will be greatly missed by his friends 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.

On motion of Beryl Ford, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to adopt 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 Alva McKee who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Mrs. McKee was the mother of Glennie Farris, former Board Member, and Leona Wedgeworth, retired teacher.  She was also the grandmother of Sherry Costa, teacher at Anacoco High School; and

            WHEREAS, Mrs. McKee was a resident of Anacoco and she will be greatly missed by her friends and family; now

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

On motion of Steve Woods, 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 Karen Nabors who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Ms. Nabors was the sister of Isaac Nabors, bus driver at Vernon Middle School; and

            WHEREAS, Ms Nabors was a resident of Leesville and she will be sadly missed by her friends and family; now

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

On motion of Gene Haymon, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to adopt 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 John Chaney who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Chaney was the husband of Sandra Chaney, retired teacher at Hicks High School; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Chaney was a resident of Otis, was very active in the 4-H Program, and he will be greatly missed by his friends 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.

On motion of Mark Smith, 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 condolences to the family of Austin Tyson who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Austin was the son of Vernon and Annette Tyson ; and

WHEREAS, Austin was a resident of Vernon Parish, a 2007 graduate of Anacoco High School, and he will be sadly missed by his friends 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.

Memorial Resolutions: Vernon Herring    Betty Lee      William Orme

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

_________________________

BERYL FORD, PRESIDENT

ATTEST

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CYNTHIA A GILLESPIE, SUPERINTENDENT