SEPTEMBER 1, 2011
DRAFT
THE VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION AT 10:00 A.M. SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LOUISIANA. PRESIDENT TRAVIS CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
VERNON L. TRAVIS JR., PRESIDENT
BERYL FORD, VICE-PRESIDENT
RANDI GLEASON
MEL HARRIS
ROBERT PYNES JR.
DOUG BRANDON
MIKE PERKINS
RANDY MARTIN
STEVE WOODS
JOHN BLANKENBAKER
GERALD COOLEY
COL. ROGER L. SHUCK
ABSENT: JERRY L. JEANE – ILLNESS
There was also present Mr. Jackie D. Self, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Robert Pynes.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Robert Pynes.
On motion of Mel Harris, seconded by Beryl Ford, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the August 9, 2011 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.
The Board recognized the Hicks Baseball Team – Winner of the State Championship. The Hicks Baseball Team has won the State Championship thirteen times. Coach Gary Williams presented each of the players a certificate and thanked the staff and the Board for their support.
James Williams recognized Mary Joan Rainwater as PCAL Vernon Parish Bus Driver of The Year. Ms. Rainwater, bus driver at North Polk Elementary was presented a certificate, plaque, jacket and monetary gift for her dedication to the students in Vernon Parish. Ms. Rainwater was also a “Recognized” Bus Driver in the State Finals.
On motion of Gerald Cooley, seconded by Beryl Ford, the Board voted to accept the land donation for Hicks High School.
On motion of Randi Gleason, seconded by Doug Brandon, the Board adopted a resolution giving preliminary approval to the issuance of not exceeding Three Million Five Hundred Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($3,575,000) of General Obligation School Refunding Bonds of Leesville School District No. 16, Vernon Parish, Louisiana; making application to the State Bond Commission for approval of said Bonds; and providing for other matters in connection therewith. Mr. Alan Offner, Bonding Attorney with Foley & Judell, discussed this resolution with the Board members.
Tom Neubert discussed the following new Policy (IDFAB):
SPORTS INJURY MANAGEMENT AND CONCUSSIONS
COMPREHENSIVE SPORTS INJURY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
The Vernon Parish School Board shall require each high school that sponsors or sanctions any athletic activity and which requires a participating student to regularly practice or train and compete to implement a sports injury management program. The injury management program shall:
1. Establish a set of injuries to be classified as "serious sports injuries" for the purposes of the program and define the signs and symptoms of such injuries.
2. Require that any coach, game official, on-field licensed health care provider, or athletic trainer remove a student from practice, training, or competition if any of the following circumstances occur:
(a) The student reports any defined sign or symptom of a serious sports injury.
(b) The coach or athletic trainer determines that the student exhibits any defined sign or symptom of a serious sports injury.
(c) The coach is notified that the student has reported or exhibited any defined sign or symptom of a serious sports injury by any of the following persons:
(i) A licensed, registered, or certified medical practitioner operating within their respective scope of practice.
(ii) A licensed athletic trainer.
(iii) Any other licensed, registered, or certified individual whose scope of practice includes the recognition of symptoms associated with serious sports injuries.
(iv) An official responsible for judging or supervising the athletic competition.
3. Ensure that any student who, in accordance with statutory provisions is removed from practice, training, or competition:
(a) Shall, as soon as practicable after reporting or exhibiting any sign or symptom of a serious sports injury, be examined by a health professional duly licensed in Louisiana to provide health care services or medical treatment.
(b) May be allowed to return to practice, training, or competition only after the student provides to the coach and an athletic trainer written authorization from a health professional duly licensed in Louisiana to provide health care services or medical treatment.
4. Require that each coach or official in school-sponsored or school sanctioned athletic activities receive documented training regarding the nature and risks of serious sports injuries.
5. Subject to availability of financial resources and supply of the necessary workforce, rely to the greatest possible extent on athletic trainers licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners to provide athletic health care at high school athletic competitions.
The school shall ensure that before a student is allowed to participate in any school-sponsored or school-sanctioned athletic activity, the student and the parent or guardian of the student shall document that they have viewed information provided in written or verifiable electronic form by the school or school district, regarding risks of serious sports injuries.
The sports injury protocols outlined above do not apply to concussions, the protocols of which are outlined below, in accordance with the Louisiana Youth Concussion Act of 2011, La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§40:1299.181-40:1299.185.
CONCUSSIONS
Prior to beginning of each athletic season, the School Board shall provide pertinent information to all coaches, officials, volunteers, youth athletes, and their parents or legal guardian which informs of the nature and risk of concussion and head injury, including the risks associated with continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. Each youth athlete and his or her parents or legal guardian shall be required to sign a concussion and head injury information sheet which provides adequate notice of the statutory requirements which must be satisfied in order for an athlete who has or is suspected to have suffered a concussion or head injury to return to play.
Each coach, whether such coach is employed or a volunteer, and every official of a youth athletic activity that involves interscholastic play shall be required to complete an annual concussion recognition education course which is in accordance with the statutes.
Removal from and Return to Play
A coach who is required to complete concussion recognition education shall immediately remove any youth athlete from a game, competition, or practice if any of the following occurs:
1. The youth athlete reports any defined sign or symptom of a concussion and is reasonably suspected of having sustained a concussion.
2. The coach, athletic trainer, or official determines that the youth athlete exhibits any defined sign or symptom of a concussion and he/she reasonably suspects that the youth athlete has sustained a concussion.
3. The coach or official is notified that the youth athlete has reported or exhibited any defined sign or symptom of a concussion and is reasonably suspected of sustaining a concussion by any of the following persons:
(a) A licensed, registered, or certified medical health care provider operating within their respective scope of practice. The medical health care provider performing an evaluation upon a youth athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion or brain injury may be a volunteer.
(b) Any other licensed, registered, or certified individual whose scope of practice includes the recognition of concussion symptoms. The individual performing an evaluation upon a youth athlete suspected of sustaining a concussion or brain injury may be a volunteer.
If a youth athlete is removed from play and the signs and symptoms cannot be readily explained by a condition other than concussion, the coach shall notify the athlete's parent or legal guardian and shall not permit the youth athlete to return to play or participate in any supervised team activities involving physical exertion, including games, competitions, or practices, until the youth athlete is evaluated by a health care provider and receives written clearance from the health care provider for a full or graduated return to play.
After a youth athlete who has sustained a concussion or head injury has been evaluated and received clearance for a graduated return to play from a health care provider, an organization or association of which a school or school district is a member, a public school, or an athletic league may allow a licensed athletic trainer with specific knowledge of the athlete's condition to manage the athlete's graduated return to play.
New policy: August, 2011
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§40:1299.181, 40:1299.182, 401299.183, 40:1299.184, 40:1299.185.
Policy IDFAB will be on the Agenda September 6th for approval.
Mike Perkins reported that the Salary/Personnel Committee had met and would make its recommendation to the Board on Tuesday, September 6, 2011.
In other business, Superintendent Self reminded the Board members of their required CLU’s and stated that Mr. Jon Guice would be presenting an in-service on October 12th. This in-service will count towards four CLU’s. Superintendent Self also discussed the ACT Scores for Vernon Parish. Scores were down three tenths of a point from last year but still above the state average. Plans are underway to implement ways to improve scores. Superintendent Self also stated that our student enrollment had increased from last year at this time.
On motion of Vernon Travis, 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 Joseph “Billy Boy” Clark who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Clark was the brother of Jerry Clark, maintenance staff at the Central Office; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Clark was a longtime resident of Leesville and he will be greatly 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.
On motion of Robert Pynes, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following the memorial resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board takes this means to express their condolences to the family of Selma Biggs who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Biggs was the wife of Dr. Otis Biggs who has volunteered countless hours for the Vernon Parish School Board; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Biggs was a longtime resident of Leesville and she will be greatly missed by her family and friends; 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 Randi Gleason, 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 takes this means to express their sympathy to the family of Glynn Harville who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Harville was a former bus driver for the Vernon Parish School Board; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Harville was a lifetime resident of Vernon Parish and he will be greatly 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.
On motion of Gerald Cooley, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
R E S O L U TI O N
WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board take this means to express their sympathy to the family of Lola Monk who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Monk was the grandmother of Mike Charrier, teacher at Hicks High School; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Monk was a lifelong resident of Vernon Parish and she will be greatly missed by her family and friends; 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.
There being no further business, and on motion of Vernon Travis, seconded by the Board, the meeting was adjourned.
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VERNON L.TRAVIS JR., PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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JACKIE D. SELF, SUPERINTENDENT