2014-09-09

THE VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION AT 5:00 P.M., 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LOUISIANA. PRESIDENT PERKINS CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:

On motion of John Blankenbaker, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the September 4, 2014 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.

The following resolution was offered by John Blankenbaker seconded by Randi Gleason:

A resolution with respect to the Municipalities Continuing Disclosure Cooperative Initiative of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board and its various school districts are political subdivisions of the State of Louisiana (hereinafter collectively referred to as "Issuer"); and

WHEREAS, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has announced its Municipalities Continuing Disclosure Cooperative Initiative (the "MCDC Initiative") relating to certain disclosure obligations in offering documents relating to municipal securities pursuant to Rule 15c2-12 (the "Rule") under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"); and

WHEREAS, the Issuer has issued one or more series of bonds (collectively, the “Bonds”) that may be subject to the terms of the MCDC Initiative; and

WHEREAS, an official statement was prepared in connection with the primary offering of each series of Bonds; and

WHEREAS, such official statement included certain information with respect to the Issuer's past compliance with its prior continuing disclosure undertakings entered into pursuant to Section (b)(5) of the Rule (the "Prior Undertakings"); and

WHEREAS, the Issuer may desire to participate in the MCDC Initiative with respect to its Prior Undertakings; and

WHEREAS, the Finance Director of the Issuer shall consult with counsel to the Issuer, including Bond Counsel, to determine compliance with its Prior Undertakings in official statements delivered in connection with the Bonds; and

WHEREAS, this governing authority desires to authorize the Finance Director of the Issuer, after such review and after consultation with counsel, to determine whether the Issuer should participate in the MCDC Initiative and to take all necessary actions in connection therewith; and

WHEREAS, the deadline established by the SEC for reporting under the MCDC Initiative is currently December 1, 2014;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Parish School Board of the Parish of Vernon, State of Louisiana, acting as the governing authority of the Parish for school purposes and of its various school districts, that:

SECTION 1. If the Finance Director, in his sole discretion, determines such filing is advisable, the Issuer is hereby authorized to participate in the MCDC Initiative and file with the

SEC the Municipalities Continuing Disclosure Initiative Questionnaire (the "Questionnaire") in connection with the Bonds of the Issuer, and the Finance Director is hereby authorized to execute the Questionnaire for, on behalf of and in the name of the Issuer. The Questionnaire shall be in the required form, with information to be completed by the Finance Director upon the advice of counsel to the Issuer. The signature of the Finance Director upon the Questionnaire, or as may be otherwise required for or necessary, convenient or appropriate to effect the purposes of this resolution, is deemed to be conclusive evidence of her due exercise of the authority vested in such officer hereunder.

SECTION 2. The Finance Director is further authorized to execute an agreement on behalf of the Issuer containing such standard terms as may be required by the SEC.

SECTION 3. The Finance Director is hereby authorized to take any and all other action as may be necessary or desirable in order to carry out the provisions of this resolution.

This resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:

School Board Members	Yea	Nay	Absent	Abstaining
Randi Gleason	X
Mel Harris	X
Robert Pynes, Jr.	X
Jerry Jeane			X
Steve Woods	X
Doug Brandon	X
Richard Schwartz			X
Randy Martin	X
Michael Perkins	X
Vernon L. Travis, Jr.	X
John Blankenbaker	X
Gerald Cooley	X

I, the undersigned Secretary of the Parish School Board of the Parish of Vernon, State of Louisiana, acting as the governing authority of the Parish for school purposes and of its various school districts, do hereby certify that the foregoing pages constitute a true and correct copy of the proceedings taken by the governing authority on September 9, 2014, adopting a resolution with respect to the Municipalities Continuing Disclosure Cooperative Initiative of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

IN FAITH WHEREOF, witness my official signature on this the 9^th day of September, 2014.

Chad Hagan and Kem Johnson presented the annual 4-H Report. Certificates were presented to 4-H Members for their accomplishments and they were congratulated by the Board for their dedication and hard work. Mrs. Johnson provided information on various 4-H projects.

On motion of John Blankenbaker, seconded by Doug Brandon, the Board adopted the following policies as discussed on September 4^th:

The Vernon Parish School Board shall grant all employees hired for the school year or longer a minimum of ten (10) days absence per year because of personal illness or other emergencies without loss of pay.

Sick leave, when not used, shall be allowed to accumulate to the credit of the employee without limitation. However, upon initial employment, a teacher employed by the School Board shall not be allowed any sick leave until he or she reports for duty and actually performs work.

The minimum of ten (10) days of sick leave for an employee shall be based on the employee beginning work at the beginning of the school year. In the case of an employee beginning work in the first month of the school year, ten days sick leave shall be allowed. If an employee begins work in the second month of the school year, nine days of sick leave shall be allowed. If an employee begins work in the third month of the school year, eight days of sick leave shall be allowed; if an employee begins work in the fourth month of the school year, seven days of sick leave shall be allowed; and the number of days of sick leave shall continue to be prorated for an employee who begins work until the eighth month of the school year, when only three days of sick leave shall be allowed. The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall be responsible for developing and maintaining pertinent regulations and procedures governing sick leave.

An employee who is absent for six (6) or more consecutive days shall be required to present a certificate from a physician certifying such absence upon return to work. In the case of repeated absences of less than six (6) days because of illness, the School Board reserves the right to require verification of illness. Should a pattern of behavior so warrant, upon the request of the Superintendent or ~~his/her designee~~ School Board, the employee shall be required, at the expense of the School ~~system~~ Board, to provide a certificate from a physician specified by the Superintendent or School ~~system~~ Board, in order to verify the existence of a medical disability.

Excuses for employee absences due to illness or injury must be provided on physician’s letterhead containing the physician’s name, address, and telephone number, typed, printed, or as part of the letterhead. The physician's typed or neatly printed name shall also appear beneath his/her signature. The letter must clearly state the reason for the disability, date of the disability, and the anticipated return-to-work date.

Upon the retirement of any employee, or upon the employee entering DROP (see section below), or upon the employee's death prior to retirement, the School Board shall pay the employee or his/her heirs or assigns, for any unused sick leave, not to exceed twenty-five (25) days. Such pay shall be at the daily rate of pay paid to the employee at the time of his/her retirement or death. (Moved to below)

If an employee is absent from duty under circumstances in which he/she is not entitled to any kind of leave, such employee shall be considered to be in violation of his/her contract, and is not entitled to be paid for the days of unauthorized absence and non-performance of duties.

Emergency for sick leave purposes shall be defined as a sudden or unexpected occurrence or combination of occurrences demanding prompt action on the part of the teacher/employee requesting leave, which, if the said person fails to act promptly is likely to cause significant harm, detriment or injury to said person or to a member of his/her immediate family. This definition precludes absence in any case for which the need for action can be foreseen and planned for, or in which action can be taken by some other person, or in which the claimed emergency is not truly substantial.

The School Board shall permit employees to take up to ninety (90) days of extended sick leave in each six-year period of employment which may be used for a medical necessity at any time the employee has no remaining regular sick leave balance at the time the extended sick leave is set to begin. The initial six-year period of employment shall begin on August 15, 1999 for all teachers and bus drivers employed as of that date, on August 15, 2008 for school employees (not a teacher or whose employment does not require a teacher’s certificate, or who is not employed as a bus driver) employed as of that date, or on the effective date of employment for those employees employed after the dates above. All decisions relative to the granting of extended sick leave shall be made by the Superintendent.

~~Medical necessity~~ shall be the result of a catastrophic illness or injury, which means a life-threatening, chronic, or incapacitating condition, of the employee or a member of his/her immediate family.Immediate family member shall mean a spouse, parent, or child of the employee.

Each teacher granted maternity leave in accordance with state law who has exhausted all current and accumulated sick leave days and has used all days of extended sick leave to which the employee may be entitled may also be granted up to thirty (30) days of extended sick leave in each six-year period of employment for personal illness related to the purpose for which the maternity leave was granted.

Unused days during any six-year period of employment shall not cumulate or carry forward into the next six-year period of employment. The balance of days of extended sick leave available shall transfer with the employee from one public school employer to another without loss or restoration of days.

Interruptions of service between periods of employment with a public school employer shall not be included in any calculation of a six-year period, such that any employment with any public school employer, regardless of when it occurs, shall be included in any determination of the balance of days of extended sick leave available to the employee.

Any employee on extended sick leave shall be paid sixty-five percent (65%) of the salary paid the employee at the time the extended sick leave begins.

Child means a biological son or daughter, an adopted son or daughter, a foster son or daughter, a stepson or daughter, or a legal ward of an employee standing in loco parentis to that ward who is either under the age of eighteen (18) or who is eighteen (18) years of age but under twenty-four (24) years of age and is a full-time student, or who is nineteen (19) years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

Immediate family member shall mean a spouse, parent, or child of the employee.

Medical necessity shall be the result of a catastrophic illness or injury, a life-threatening, chronic, or incapacitating condition, as certified by a physician, of the employee or a member of his/her immediate family.

Parent means the biological parent of an employee or an individual who stood in loco parentis to the employee.

Each teacher granted maternity leave in accordance with state law and who has no remaining sick leave available may also be granted up to (30) days of additional extended sick leave in each six-year period of employment for personal illness relating to pregnancy, illness of an infant, or for required medical visits certified by a physician as relating to infant or maternal health.

An employee may undertake additional gainful employment while on extended sick leave, provided all of the following conditions are met:

1. The employee can demonstrate that he/she will be working not more than twenty (20) hours a week in a part-time job that the employee has been working for not less than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the beginning of any period of extended sick leave.

2. The physician who certifies the medical necessity of the leave indicates that such part-time work does not impair the purpose for which the extended sick leave is required.

Any violation of the provisions regarding gainful employment may require the employee to return to the School Board all compensation paid during any week of extended sick leave in which the employee worked more than twenty (20) hours and to reimburse the School Board all related employment costs attributableto such period as calculated by the School Board, without any restoration of leave days.

On every occasion that a teacher uses extended sick leave, a statement from a licensed physician certifying that it is for personal illness relating to pregnancy, illness of an infant, or for required medical visits related to infant or maternal health, or that it is a medical necessity, shall be presented prior to extended sick leave being taken.

On every occasion that an a bus driver or any other school employee uses extended sick leave, a statement from a licensed physician certifying that it is a medical necessity for the employee to be absent for at least ten (10) consecutive work days shall be presented prior to extended sick leave being taken.

The required physician's statement may be presented along with the request for extended sick leave subsequent to the teacher’s or school employee’s return to service. In such a case, the extended sick leave shall be granted for all days for which extended sick leave is requested, provided the request and required documentation are presented within three (3) days after the teacher or school employee returns to service. However, the School Board or Superintendent reserves the right to question the validity of the medical certification after the three (3) day period.

If the period an employee is on extended sick leave is anticipated to carry over from one school year to the start of the next school year, another application and physician’s statement shall be submitted prior to the start of the next school year in order to be eligible for continued extended sick leave.

1. Upon review of the application, if the School Board or Superintendentquestions ~~about~~ the validity or accuracy of the certification ~~arise~~, the School Board or Superintendent may require the employee, or the immediate family member, as a condition for continued extended sick leave, to be examined by a licensed physician selected by the School Board or Superintendent. In such case, the School Board shall pay all costs of the examination and any tests determined to be necessary. If the physician finds medical necessity, the leave shall be granted.

2. If the selected physician disagrees with the original medical certification from the physician selected by the employee, then the School Board or Superintendent may require the employee, or immediate family member, as a condition for continued extension of sick leave, to be examined by a third licensed physician, whose name appears next in the rotation of physicians on a list established by the local medical society and maintained by the School Board or Superintendent. All costs of an examination and any required tests by a third doctor shall be paid by the School Board. The final determination of medical necessity shall be based on the opinion of the third physician.

3. The opinion of all physicians consulted in determining medical necessity of the extended sick leave shall be submitted to the School Board or Superintendent in the form of a sworn statement. All information contained in any statement from a physician shall be confidential and shall not be subject to the public records law.

Any employee of the public schools who is injured and disabled while acting in his/her official capacity as a result of an assault or battery by any student or person shall receive sick leave without reduction in pay, and without reduction in accrued sick leave days while disabled as a result of such assault and battery. The employee shall be required to provide a certificate from a physician certifying such injury and incapacitation.

The sick leave authorized shall be in addition to all other sick leave authorized herein, shall not be accumulated from year to year, nor shall such additional sick leave be compensated for at death or retirement, or compensated for in any manner except as set forth above.

If any teacher or school employee, but not a bus operator, is receiving sick leave as a result of assault or battery as provided in this section, and begins receiving retirement benefits, the sick leave provided herein shall cease.

Any teacher who is injured or disabled while acting in his/her official capacity as a result of physical contact with a student while providing physical assistance to a student to prevent danger or risk of injury to the student, shall receive sick leave for a period of up to one (1) calendar year without reduction in pay and without reduction in accrued sick leave days while injured or disabled as a result of rendering such assistance. Any school employee, but not a bus operator, injured or disabled in a similar manner shall receive up to ninety (90) days of such sick leave. The teacher or employee shall be required to present a certificate from a physician certifying such injury or disability. The School Board may extend the period of sick leave beyond the allowable period at its discretion.

If the School Board questions the validity or accuracy of the physician’s certification submitted by a teacher, the School Board may require the teacher to be examined by a licensed physician selected by the School Board. Any further review of medical certification shall proceed in the same manner as requests for extended sick leave, which is outlined under Application Process above. The School Board shall pay all costs of any examinations and tests determined to be necessary.

Should any teacher become injured or disabled while acting in his/her official capacity, other than by assault, the teacher shall be entitled to appropriate worker's compensation benefits and/or sick leave benefits, at the teacher's option, for the period of time while injured or disabled. Any benefits received, however, shall not exceed the total amount of the regular salary the teacher was receiving at the time of injury or disability. The teacher shall be required to present a certificate from a physician certifying such injury or incapacitation.

All sick leave accumulated by a teacher or school employee, but not a bus operator, shall be vested in the teacher or school employee by whom such leave has been accumulated. In the event of the transfer of a teacher or school employee from one school system to another in Louisiana, or upon the return of such teacher or school employee to the same school system within five (5) years or such longer period that may be approved by the School Board to which the teacher or school employee returned, regardless of the dates on which the leave was accumulated or the date of transfer or return of the teacher or school employee, such vested leave which remains unused or for which the employee has not been compensated directly or transferred such days for retirement credit, shall be transferred, returned to, or continued by the School Board and shall be retained to the credit of the teacher or school employee.

Upon the retirement of any employee, or upon the employee entering DROP, ~~(see section below),~~ or upon the employee’s death prior to retirement, the School Board shall pay the employee or his/her heirs or assigns, for any unused sick leave, not to exceed twenty-five (25) days. Such pay shall be at the daily rate of pay paid to the employee at the time of his/her retirement or death. (Moved from page 1)

Any employee of the Vernon Parish School Board who participates in the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) shall be eligible for and may elect to receive on a one-time basis severance pay (accrued sick leave up to a maximum of twenty-five (25) days) upon entering DROP on the same basis as any other employee who retires or otherwise leaves employment; otherwise, any accrued sick leave shall be paid only upon final retirement of the employee.

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''14:125, 17:425, 17:425.1, 17:500, 17:500.1, 17:500.2, 17:1200, 17:1201, 17:1202, 17:1205, 17:1206, 17:1206.1, 17:1206.2; Board minutes, 4-7-98, 4-13-99, 9-7-99, 10-12-04, 10-7-08, 9-11-12.

The Vernon Parish School Board is required by both Federal law and the Louisiana School Accountability Program to develop and maintain a Public School Choice policy for any school with a School Performance Score (SPS) below levels set by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).and considered in School Improvement Level II or higher. Additionally, those Title I schools that have failed the subgroup component of the state’s accountability system for one year or are in School Improvement II or higher for subgroup component failure shall also be a part of a School Choice program.School Choice allows eligible students to transfer to an academically acceptable school. ~~Subgroup component~~ ~~refers to the testing performance within a specified subgroup of students.~~

Once schools eligible to receive students have been identified, a school site utilization study shall be conducted as needed in all schools to determine the extent to which capacity exists to possibly accommodate students from schools offering choice, including students with special needs and/or students with disabilities. Only those schools that are labeled academically acceptable shall be considered eligible to receive students.

The Superintendent and staff shall be responsible for developing and managing a School Choice Plan, which shall determine the schools to which students may transfer, which students shall have priority in transferring, and all other regulations and procedures for supervising school choice within the school district.

Notification of parents of their school choice options shall be sent as early as possible, but not later than the first day of the school year for the schools that are required to offer choice. If there are no choice options available, this information shall be included in the notification sent parents.

All students in a school required to offer choice shall be eligible to transfer. However, the School Board shall give priority to ~~the lowest achieving students from low-income families, as determined by the School Board~~students from the lowest performing schools.

Unless a violation of a court order, the parent or legal guardian of any student may seek to enroll his/her child in the public school of his/her choice, without regard to residence, school system geographic boundaries, or attendance zones, provided that:

1. The public school in which the student was most recently enrolled, or would otherwise attend, received a school performance letter grade of D or F for the most recent school year, and

2. The school to which the student seeks to enroll received a school performance letter grade of A, B, or C, for the most recent school year, and has sufficient capacity at the appropriate grade level.

Transportation shall not be provided to a student who enrolls in a public school that is located outside the geographic boundaries of the School Board in which the student resides, if providing such transportation will result in additional cost to the School Board.

The Superintendent shall be authorized to develop pertinent administrative regulations and procedures governing students seeking enrollment under the Louisiana Public School Choice section of this policy. Such regulations and procedures shall include entering into interdistrict agreements with other city, parish, or local School Boards to provide for the admission of students, and the transfer of school funds or other payments by one School Board to another for, or on account of, such attendance.

Enrollment under Louisiana Public School Choice shall only be for one school year or applicable portion thereof if a student enrolls after the start of the school year.

Ref: 20 USC 6316 (No Child Left Behind, Section 1116);La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:105, 17:4035.1;Louisiana School, District, and State Accountability System, Bulletin 111, Louisiana Department of Education; Board minutes, 10-12-04.

The Vernon Parish School Board believes the quality of teaching and learning is directly related to the performance of personnel who work in the school district. It is therefore, the policy of the School Board to appraise the performance of instructional and administrative personnel in order to maintain performance at the levels essential for effective schools.

The Superintendent and his/her staff shall have the responsibility for developing, monitoring, and maintaining an effective and efficient performance evaluation program in accordance with guidelines as found in Regulations for Evaluation and Assessment of School Personnel, Bulletin 130, Louisiana Department of Education. The observation, evaluation and assessment process shall measure the effectiveness of teachers and administrators as to whether they meet the necessary standard of performance.

The process for all observations, evaluations, teacher conferences, and related functions shall be conducted in accordance with state requirements, as well as regulations and other criteria enumerated in the district’s guidelines for Teacher Assessment and School Personnel Evaluation. Evaluations shall be conducted annually.

Every effort shall be made by the school system to communicate to position holders the general goals of the system, the specific objectives of the position, the plans which have been made to support the individual as he/she performs his/her role, the standards of performance the system has established, the criteria it will employ in assessing performance, as well as components of an intensive assistance program for addressing those persons determined to be ineffective.

Copies of the assessment and evaluation results and any documentation related thereto of any school employee retained by the School Board shall be confidential and shall not constitute a public record, and shall not be released or shown to any person except as provided by state or federal law.

Should a teacher or administrator not agree with his/her rating, he/she may initiate grievance proceedings in accordance with the procedures for resolving conflict contained in Bulletin 130.

In an effort to improve the level of job production and skill performance of the individual employee, evaluations of support personnel shall be conducted annually. Performance evaluations shall be based on an employee’s job classification and the School Board’s adopted standards for the work performed.

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:3881, 17:3882, 17:3883, 17:3884, 17:3901, 17:3902, 17:3903, 17:3904;Regulations for the Evaluation and Assessment of School Personnel, Bulletin 130, Louisiana Department of Education; Board minutes, 9-11-12.

Contracts of employment between eligible employees and the Vernon Parish School Board shall be executed for a specified period of time and compensation in accordance with state law. Unless otherwise stipulated, all employees shall meet all stated position qualifications and/or certification requirements before any contract shall become valid. Renewal or issuance, when possible, of contracts of employment, as well as dismissal or nonrenewal of contract notices, with the exception of performance contracts, shall be issued on or before the last day of each school year, whenever possible.

The execution of an employee contract by between the School Board and employee shall be legally binding upon both parties. Teachers without tenure shall be required to have a written contract. Teachers who have gained tenure may not be required to sign a written contract each scholastic year, but shall be required to sign such employment contracts at intervals determined by the School Board. The failure of a non-tenured teacher to sign a contract for the ensuing school session within the specified time, when required, shall be considered as voluntary termination of employment on the part of the teacher, unless under extenuating circumstances, an extension is granted by the Superintendent. Any subsequent resignation or termination of said contract for reasons other than extreme emergencies, as determined by the School Board, shall constitute a breach of contract against which legal action may be taken by the School Board and the employee dealt with accordingly. The Superintendent shall receive, finalize, and accept all resignations of all employees. However, the Superintendent at the next available meeting shall report said resignations to the School Board.

No teacher shall be placed on the payroll of the school district unless the teacher holds a valid certificate as required by law, and a copy of the teacher's contract has been filed with the Superintendent. Exceptions shall be made only when teachers with valid certification are not available for employment.

Persons hired in administrative and/or supervisory positions which require certification shall be hired under the terms of a performance contract for a term of not less than two (2) nor more than four (4) years, which shall be agreed to by both the employee and the Board. Renewal or issuance, when possible, of contracts of employment, as well as dismissal or nonrenewal of contract notices, shall be issued on or before the last day of each school year, whenever possible. Prior to the School Board’s approval of any initial or subsequent contract which involves an employee being or having been promoted to a position with a higher salary, the Superintendent shall disclose all terms of the contract to the School Board.

Termination or non-renewal of any performance contract shall be governed by the terms of the contract and applicable law.

Upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the School Board shall establish salary schedules by which to determine the salaries to be paid to teachers and all other school employees. Salaries of all teachers shall be set by the Superintendent. The salaries of all personnel are generally based upon an established salary schedule; provided, however, that salaries may be stated in and controlled by an employment contract.

The salaries as provided in any salary schedule shall be considered as full compensation for all work required and performed within each employee’s prescribed scope of duties and responsibilities.

Salary schedules established for teachers, administrators, and other certified school personnel shall be based upon the following criteria, with no one criterion accounting for more than fifty percent (50%) of the formula used to compute such employees' salaries:

1. Effectiveness, as determined by the performance evaluation program as provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:3881 through 3905.

2. Demand, inclusive of area of certification, particular school need, geographic area, and subject area, which may include advanced degree levels.

No teacher or administrator who is rated ineffective pursuant to the School Board’s performance evaluation program shall receive a higher salary in the year following the evaluation than the teacher/administrator received in the year of the evaluation.

The amount of the annual salary paid to any employee in any school year shall not be reduced below the amount of such salary paid during the previous school year, nor shall the amount of the annual salary paid to any employee be reduced at any time during an academic year. The limitations on the reduction in the amount of the annual salary paid to any employee shall not be applicable to the correction of any accounting errors or to a reduction necessitated by the elimination of a state program or state funding. Any salary reduction shall not apply to any local salary supplement funded, in whole or in part, from a revenue source requiring voter approval, when such voter approval has not been obtained. The limitation on the reduction of salary shall also not apply to an employee who has been promoted and subsequently demoted. In this case, the employee’s salary shall return to the salary previously received in the lower position from which promoted.

Ordinarily, no teacher shall be placed on the payroll of the school district unless the teacher holds a valid certificate as required by law, and a copy of the teacher's contract has been filed with the Superintendent. Exceptions may be made only when qualified teachers with valid certification are not available for employment.

A year of teaching experience is defined as each scholastic year of employment as a certified teacher in public schools within any of the fifty states of the United States of America, or within any of its territorial possessions; or as a teacher in a private or parochial school, as an employee in a state department of education, or as an instructor in an institution of higher learning. All such experience must have been as a teacher in an institution or school accredited by one of the recognized regional accrediting agencies in the United States of America (e.g., SACS). Experience outside the United States of America, its territories or possessions must be in an institution or school accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States of America.

A year of teaching experience shall be granted if the person was employed for at least ninety-one (91) instructional days during one scholastic year, excluding holidays, as verified by the Superintendent. However, not more than one (1) year of experience shall be granted for a period inclusive of twelve (12) consecutive calendar months. All experience must have been on a full-time basis.

Any teacher holding a valid Louisiana teaching certificate in the public school system of Louisiana who has transferred to Louisiana from a public school system of another state and who, at the time of such transfer, held a valid teacher's certificate from that state, shall be given full credit under the salary schedule for the years of satisfactory teaching service previously rendered in the public school system of that state. Credit for previous teaching experience shall also be granted to anyone employed who holds a valid Louisiana teaching certificate and is employed or has been employed by another public school system in the state.

When a teacher earns additional college credit, is awarded an advanced degree, or receives additional training that would result in an increase in salary, said teacher shall be paid for the advanced degree or training beginning with the first semester if all necessary documentation has been received from the Louisiana Department of Education by October 1. If a teacher provides proper documentation by January 15, the teacher shall receive pay based on the higher degree or additional credit or training beginning with the second semester. It shall be the responsibility of the employee to assure proper notification is given to the Superintendent or his/her designee.

The salary of any retiree who is reemployed as a full-time teacher shall be based on the salary schedule which accounts for all prior years of teaching service and pertinent experience. The status of any retiree who is reemployed shall be the same as a full-time active employee, subject to all applicable rules, procedures, policies, and statutes that apply to all such full-time active employees.

The retirement of an employee prior to his/her re-employment as a retiree shall constitute a break in his/her service with the School Board for purposes of tenure and sabbatical leave. The retiree shall not be allowed to carry forward annual leave days accumulated by him/her as of the date of his/her retirement, but he/she may carry forward accumulated sick leave days provided that he/she has returned to employment within five (5) years of his/her last employment as a teacher within the school system. A retiree shall have the right to earn additional sick leave and annual leave, if applicable, on the same basis as other similarly situated newly hired employees while a retiree.

Compensation for all school employees shall be based on applicable salary schedules or hourly rates established by the Vernon Parish School Board, with the exception that no employee shall receive less than the minimum established by state or federal law.

For the purposes of this subsection, school employee shall mean any employee of the School Board that is not required to hold a teacher's certificate as a condition of employment, including but not limited to, bus driver, food service worker, teacher aide, custodian, and maintenance personnel.

In order to address the fluctuating fuel costs that affect bus drivers, the School Board shall provide additional operational compensation in the form of fuel adjustments. The price of fuel shall be monitored and fuel adjustments shall be made twice yearly, once in January, and again in June, in accordance with the following schedule:

Ref: 29 USC 201 et seq. (Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended); La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''11:710, 17:81; 17:83, 17:84, 17:84.1, 17:411, 17:413, 17:418, 17:419.2, 17:421.4, 17:422.6, 17:423, 17:424, 17:424.2, 17:424.3, 17:444, 17:491, 17:492, 17:496, 17:496.1, 17:497, 17:497.1, 17:498; Wright v. Caldwell Parish School Board, 30.448 (La. App. 2 Cir. 6/16/99); Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority et al., 105 S. Ct. 1005 (February 1985); Harrah Independent School District v. Martin, 99 S. Ct. 1062 (1979); Board minutes, 11-5-98, 4-16-02, 3-11-08, 7-10-12, 12-11-12.

The Vernon Parish School Board shall require, and the Superintendent shall verify that all employees considered for promotion possess the appropriate qualifications and/or certification necessary for the position.

Whenever a teacher/certificated employee is promoted by the Superintendent from a position of lower base salary to ~~one~~ a position of higher base salary requiring the holding of a teaching certificate, employment shall be based on a written contract containing performance objectives. Such contract shall be for a term of not less than two (2) years, or more than four (4) years, except when such employment is for a temporary position. Prior to the School Board’s approval of any initial or subsequent contract which involves an employee being or having been promoted to a position with a higher salary, the Superintendent shall disclose all terms of the contract to the School Board.

Any employee thus promoted and who enters into an employment contract as stated above shall not gain permanent tenured status in the position to which promoted

Decisions regarding promotion of support personnel shall be made by the Superintendent.

The Superintendent and ~~the employee’s supervisors~~his/her designee shall possess the authority to discipline employees when an employee's behavior warrants such action. A principal shall have the authority to ~~discipline all~~ recommend to the Superintendent when appropriate that employees at the school in which he/she is employed should be disciplined.

Discipline of an employee shall be progressive in nature such that penalties for poor job performance or broken rules become increasingly harsh as similar or related conditions continue or infractions are repeated. Such progressive discipline, however, shall not inhibit the Superintendent’s authority or, in the case of certain employees, the School Board’s authority, to discipline, suspend, or terminate an employee based on the circumstances of any single event. Documentation of employee behavior, employee performance and any disciplinary action taken shall be properly and thoroughly recorded.

Should any disciplinary measure become necessary, any documentation shall be considered confidential and treated in accordance with statutory provisions and School Board policy.

Hearing procedures are statutorily required for certain disciplinary actions for teachers as defined below. However, such procedures do not prevent the Superintendent and/or principal from taking other disciplinary measures which do not require a hearing, as he/she feels appropriate.

Discipline and disciplinary action shall include only suspension without pay, reduction in pay, involuntary demotion, or dismissal.

Written notice shall be considered given when the notice is hand delivered to the teacher, or on the day it is delivered to the teacher by registered mail, certified mail, or a commercial courier.

The Superintendent may take disciplinary action against any non-tenured teacher after providing such teacher with the written reasons therefor and providing the teacher the opportunity to respond. The teacher shall have seven (7) days to respond, and such response shall be included in the teacher’s personnel file. The Superintendent shall notify the teacher in writing of his/her final decision. The teacher shall not be entitled to a hearing before the School Board.

Within sixty (60) days of such notice, the teacher may seek summary review in district court of whether or not the Superintendent’s action was arbitrary or capricious.

The Superintendent shall have the authority to suspend tenured teachers without pay when the circumstances necessitate immediate action. The teacher may request a hearing as outlined in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:443. Such request shall be made within seven (7) calendar days of the Superintendent's action of suspending the tenured teacher.

A teacher with tenure shall not be disciplined except upon written and signed charges by the Superintendent or his/her designee of poor performance, willful neglect of duty, incompetency, dishonesty, immorality, or of being a member of or contributing to any group, organization, movement, or corporation that is by law or injunction prohibited from operating in the state of Louisiana, and then only if furnished with a copy of such written charges and given the opportunity to respond.

The teacher shall have ten (10) calendar days from written notice of the charges to respond, in person or in writing. Following review of the teacher’s response, the Superintendent may take interim disciplinary action, which may include placing the teacher on paid administrative leave. If the teacher has been arrested for a violation of any of the following: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§14:42 through 14:43.5, 14:80 through 14:81.5, any other sexual offense affecting minors, any of the crimes provided in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1, or any justified complaint of child abuse or neglect on file in the central registry pursuant to Children’s Code Article 615, the administrative leave shall be without pay. Paid administrative leave shall not exceed fifty (50) days from notice of the Superintendent’s interim decision.

Within ten (10) calendar days after written notice of the interim disciplinary action or within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the teacher’s response if no interim disciplinary action is taken, a teacher may request a hearing before a disciplinary hearing officer. If the teacher fails to timely request a hearing, the disciplinary action shall become final.

Upon request for a review hearing, the Superintendent shall randomly appoint a hearing officer from a list of persons previously approved by the School Board as disciplinary hearing officers. If the school district serves fewer than twenty thousand students, the School Board shall maintain a list of at least five (5) hearing officers. If the school district serves twenty thousand students or more,the School Board shall maintain a list of at least ten (10) hearing officers. All hearing officers shall be qualified to serve as a disciplinary hearing officer in accordance with state law. If the School Board fails to maintain such a list, the Superintendent may randomly appoint a hearing officer from a list of persons previously approved by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Such hearing may be private or public, at the option of the teacher, and shall commence no sooner than ten (10) calendar days no later than thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of the teacher's request for such hearing. The disciplinary hearing officer shall have the power to issue subpoenas, and shall conduct the hearing in accordance with procedures adopted by the School Board.

The teacher shall have the right to appear before the disciplinary hearing officer with witnesses on his/her behalf and with counsel of his/her selection. The disciplinary hearing officer shall hold a hearing and review on whether the interim decision of the Superintendent was arbitrary or capricious and shall either affirm or reverse the action of the Superintendent. The disciplinary hearing officer shall notify the Superintendent and the teacher of his/her final determination, with written reasons, within ten (10) days from the date of the hearing. If the Superintendent's disciplinary action is affirmed, it shall become effective upon the teacher’s receipt of the decision of the disciplinary hearing officer. If the Superintendent's disciplinary action is reversed, the teacher shall be restored to duty.

Within sixty (60) days from the postmarked date of such written notification of the decision of the disciplinary hearing officer, the School Board or the teacher may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to review the matter as a summary proceeding.

The time periods contained above may be extended by mutual agreement of the parties.

The Superintendent shall have the authority to ~~suspend~~disciplinetenured bus operators and persons employed on performance contracts, including suspension with or without pay, when circumstances necessitate immediate action. If sufficient grounds for suspension without pay are subsequently not found to exist by the School Board or Superintendent, the bus operator or contract appointee shall be reimbursed for any loss of compensation.

The Superintendent shall have the authority to ~~suspend~~discipline, including suspension, any non-tenured, non-contract employee with or without pay, when circumstances warrant such action.

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:81, 17:81.8, 17:443; Reed v. Orleans Parish School Board, April 30, 1945, 21 So.2d 895; Frazier v. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, App. 1 Cir. 1961, 128 So.2d 250; Board minutes, 2-1-07, 9-11-12.

A teacher who has acquired tenure before September 1, 2012 shall retain tenure, subject to the provisions of state law. Effective beginning on July 1, 2012, a teacher shall be rated highly effective for five (5) years within a six-year period pursuant to the Personnel Evaluation Plan adopted by the School Board in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:3881 through 3905, to be granted tenure. The Superintendent shall notify a teacher, in writing, when tenure has been awarded and the teacher shall be deemed to have acquired tenure on the date specified therein.

~~Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year,~~ A tenured teacher who receives a performance rating of ineffective pursuant to the teacher’s annual evaluation shall ~~immediately~~ lose his/her tenure and all rights related thereto immediately upon exhaustion of the grievance procedure outlined in '317 of Bulletin 130, Regulations for Evaluation and Assessment of School Personnel, unless the ineffective performance rating is reversed. Such rating shall constitute sufficient grounds for disciplinary action pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. '17:443. If a teacher is ~~rated~~foundhighly effective based on the evidence of the growth portion of the evaluation but is ~~rated~~foundineffective according to the observation portion, within thirty (30) days after such finding, the teacher shall be entitled to a second observation by members of a team of three (3) designees, chosen by the Superintendent, which shall not include the principal.

A teacher who loses tenure shall reacquire tenure if ~~any of the following applies:~~

1. The teacher’s ineffective performance rating is reversed pursuant to the procedures for resolving conflict contained in Bulletin 130, Regulations for Evaluation and Assessment of School Personnel, and the Board’s grievance procedure. In such case, the teacher’s tenure shall be immediately reinstated.

2. the teacher receives a performance rating of highly effective for five (5) years within a six-year period subsequent to receiving an ineffective rating.

A teacher paid with federal funds shall not be eligible to acquire tenure, nor shall time spent in employment paid with federal funds be counted toward the time required for acquisition of tenure.

Any teacher who has acquired tenure and is promoted to a higher salaried position shall not be eligible to gain tenure in the position to which promoted, but shall retain any tenure acquired as a teacher.

Any person hired under a performance contract shall not be eligible to gain tenure.

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. '17:492 specifies that bus operators shall serve a probationary term of three (3) years reckoned from the date of first employment with the School Board, provided bus operators personally operate and drive the school bus they are employed to operate. Upon absence of notification of dismissal by the School Board within the probationary period, the bus operator shall be granted tenure at the end of the probationary term. School bus operators hired on or after July 1, 2012 shall not be granted tenure.

No tenure is granted by law or School Board policy to school employees of the Vernon Parish School Board. School employee shall be defined as any employee whose job description does not require the holding of a teaching certificate or who is not employed as a bus driver.

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''13:3204,17:82, 17:441, 17:442, 17:443, 17:444, 17:492, 17:493, 17:1213, 17:1217, 17:3881, 17:3882, 17:3883, 17:3884, 17:3901, 17:3902, 17:3903, 17:3904; Board minutes, 7-10-12.

The Vernon Parish School Board shall prohibit staff members and employees of the school district from soliciting, accepting, or receiving, either directly or indirectly, any gift from students, parents, or other individuals. However, employees who work in schools may accept gifts from or on behalf of students or former students when the value of the gift does not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and the aggregate value of all gifts from or on behalf of any one person does not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75.00) in a calendar year.

Acceptance of any form of compensation, gift, or gratuity by any employee of the Vernon Parish School Board from persons or firms doing business with any School Board department is strictly prohibited. Reduced cost and/or free travel expenses are also defined as gifts with regard to this policy. This policy does not preclude, however, acceptance of food or drinks of a social nature or participation in a social event. This policy shall also not preclude the acceptance of campaign contributions for use in meeting campaign expenses by any employee who is or becomes a candidate for election to any public office.

The Vernon Parish School Board shall strive to assist personnel in adjusting to their positions and performing their duties satisfactorily.

With the exception of lay-offs caused by programmatic changes, budget cuts, staff reorganizations, and/or other personnel actions reducing numbers of employees, no School Board employee shall be dismissed except as provided below. Any school employee shall be dismissed by the Superintendent or the School Board, in accordance with statutory provisions, upon final conviction or pleading nolo contendere of certain crimes enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1 and/or any other felony offense. In addition, employees may be dismissed for failure to properly report arrests for certain offenses enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:16.

If an employee is absent for ten (10) or more days without explanation or approved leave, the School Board may consider the job as abandoned and the employee may be terminated, unless the employee can provide acceptable and verifiable evidence of extenuating circumstances. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall be responsible for determining acceptability of evidence of extenuating circumstances.

The Superintendent may terminate the employment of any non-tenured teacher after providing such teacher with the written reasons therefor and providing the teacher the opportunity to respond. The teacher shall have seven (7) days to respond, and such response shall be included in the teacher’s personnel file. The Superintendent shall notify the teacher in writing of his/her final decision. The teacher shall not be entitled to a hearing before the School Board.

Within sixty (60) days of such notice, the teacher may seek summary review in district court of whether or not the Superintendent’s action was arbitrary or capricious.

A teacher with tenure shall not be removed from office except upon written and signed charges by the Superintendent or his/her designee of poor performance, willful neglect of duty, incompetency, dishonesty, immorality, or of being a member of or contributing to any group, organization, movement, or corporation that is by law or injunction prohibited from operating in the state of Louisiana, and then only if furnished with a copy of such written charges and given the opportunity to respond. Dismissal of a teacher with tenure shall be governed by the provisions for discipline of teachers with tenure as included in policy GBK, Discipline.The Superintendent shall provide the teacher with written charges, and the teacher shall have seven (7) days to respond. Such response shall be included in the teacher’s personnel file. At the end of the seven (7) day time period, the Superintendent may terminate the teacher’s employment.

~~A teacher shall not be terminated for an ineffective performance rating until completion of the School Board’s evaluation grievance procedure if a grievance was timely filed.~~

Within seven (7) days after dismissal, a teacher may request and upon request shall be granted a hearing by a tenure hearing panel composed of a designee of the Superintendent, a designee of the principal, and a designee of the teacher. In no case shall the Superintendent, the principal, or teacher designate an immediate family member or any full-time employee of the school system by which the teacher was employed who is under the supervision of the person making the designation. Such hearing may be private or public, at the option of the teacher, and shall begin within seven (7) business days after receipt of the teacher’s request for such hearing. The teacher shall have the right to appear before the tenure hearing panel with witnesses on his/her behalf and with counsel of his/her selection, all of whom shall be heard by the tenure hearing panel at the hearing. For the purpose of conducting hearings hereunder, the tenure hearing panel shall have the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of all witnesses. Nothing herein contained shall impair the right to seek supervisory review from a court of competent jurisdiction.

The tenure hearingpanel shall submit its recommendation to the Superintendent, and the Superintendent may choose to reinstate the teacher. If the Superintendent does not reinstate the teacher, the Superintendent shall notify the teacher of his/her final determination, in writing, and such teacher may, not more than sixty (60) days from the postmarked date of such written notification, petition a court of competent jurisdiction to review whether the action of the Superintendent was arbitrary or capricious.

For purposes of termination, the results of a teacher’s evaluation wherein the teacher’s performance has been classified as ineffective shall constitute sufficient proof of poor performance, incompetence, or willful neglect of duty and no additional documentation shall be required to substantiate such charges.

Personnel who have entered into promotional employment contracts with the School Board, pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:444, may be removed from their positions by non-renewal of their contracts or by termination of their contracts. Contracts may be non-renewed by the School Board for any of the following reasons:

1. The Superintendent has recommended against renewal of the contract based on an evaluation of the employee’s performance;

2. The failure to offer a new contract is based on a cause sufficient to support a mid-contract termination;

4. The position in question has been eliminated as a result of district reorganization.

In a non-renewal situation, the employee shall not be entitled to a hearing before the School Board.

For mid-contract termination of promotional employment contracts, the employee shall receive written charges and a ~~fair~~ hearing before ~~the School Board after reasonable written notice~~ a disciplinary hearing officer, conducted in accordance with hearing procedures adopted by the School Board. A contract may be terminated if the employee is found guilty of being incompetent or inefficient or is found to have failed to fulfill the terms and performance objectives of his/her contract, or other reasons provided for by state law.

A non-tenured bus operator shall be immediately dismissed if he/she is convicted of or has pled nolo contendere to violations of local or existing state law prohibiting operating a vehicle while intoxicated regardless of whether the violation occurred while performing in his/her official capacity as a school bus operator at the time of the offense.

A non-tenured bus operator may also be dismissed by the School Board upon the Superintendent's written recommendation. The employee shall not be entitled to a hearing before the School Board.

The School Board may dismiss any tenured bus operator only after written and signed charges against the bus operator have been prepared by the Superintendent and submitted to the School Board. The School Board, if it decides to proceed upon the charges, shall notify the bus operator in writing at least twenty (20) days prior to the hearing, stating the charges brought against him/her, and shall arrange for a hearing to be held in accordance with due process provisions of the law, such hearing to be public or private at the option of the bus operator. A tenured bus operator may be dismissed for willful neglect of duty, or incompetence, or immorality, or drunkenness while on duty, or failure to comply with requirements of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:491.3 relative to being arrested for one or more of the specified offenses, or physical disability to perform his/her duties, or failure to keep his/her transfer equipment in a safe, comfortable, and practical operating condition, or of being a member of or contributing to any group, organization, movement, or corporation that is prohibited by law or injunction from operating in the state, and then only if found guilty after a hearing by the School Board by a majority of the School Board’s membership.

Additional grounds for the removal from office of any school bus operator shall be:

1. the abolition, discontinuance, or consolidation of routes, but then only if it is found as a fact, after a hearing by the School Board, that it is in the best interests of the school system to abolish, discontinue, or consolidate said route or routes. If abolition, discontinuance, or consolidation of bus routes is approved, the principle of seniority shall apply, so that the last school bus operator hired to serve within the school system to be affected shall be the first to be removed.

2. conviction of or plea of nolo contendere to a violation of a parish or municipal ordinance that prohibits operating a vehicle while intoxicated or any of the existing state offenses relative to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, as enumerated in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:493, regardless of whether the violation occurred while performing in his/her official capacity as a school bus operator at the time of the offense.

All employees of the system whose dismissal is not governed by the provision of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:441-446, or by the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''17:491-494, shall be subject to dismissal upon the written recommendation by the Superintendent to the School Board. Such employees shall not be entitled to a hearing before the School Board.

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ''13:3204, 15:587.1, 17:15, 17:16, 17:81.5, 17:442, 17:443, 17:444, 17:492, 17:493, 17:493.1; La. Code of Civil Procedure, Art. 2592;Rouselle v. Plaquemines Parish School Board, 633 So2d 1235 (La. 2/28/94); Board minutes, 12-8-87, 12-4-03, 2-8-11, 12-6-11, 7-10-12, 10-8-13.

On motion of Gerald Cooley, seconded by Vernon Travis, the Board voted to approve the following termination:

On motion of Doug Brandon, seconded by John Blankenbaker, the Board voted to approve the following Leave Without Pay Request:

On motion of Vernon Travis, seconded by Randi Gleason, the Board voted to accept the following retirements:

Vernon Travis reported that the Finance Committee had met and Tim Ward presented the Consolidated Budget. Mr. Ward also discussed Special Revenues, General Fund and decline in student enrollment. Mr. Travis stated that the Finance Committee recommended approval of the 2014 Consolidated Budget and on motion of Vernon Travis, seconded by Doug Brandon, the Board voted to approve the 2014-2015 Consolidated Budget.

The budget for the Vernon Parish School Board for the fiscal year July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015 is hereby submitted.

The board will be asked to approve the 2014-2015 Operating Budget on September 9, 2014. The proposed resolution follows.

Before the resolution is acted upon, The Board will receive comments and recommendations from the Finance Committee and the public. The Finance Committee will review the budget on September 9th and a Public Hearing will be held at that time.

The Vernon Parish School Board is the second largest employer in the parish. Total budget revenues are $117.8 million and total budgeted expenditures are $117.1 million.

General fund educational activities are accounted for in the General Fund and are supported by local taxes, state entitlements, and federal grants.

The Special Revenue Fund accounts for the proceeds of specific revenue sources that are legally restricted to the expenditures for specific purposes.

The Debt Service Fund is used to accumulate monies for the payment of outstanding bond issues.

The Capitol Projects Fund accounts for financial resources to acquire, construct, and improve public school facilities in nine (9) school districts.

In developing the budget for FY 2014-2015, the administrative staff was given the following short term and financial operational policies:

4. To use employer contribution rates of 28.0% for Teachers Retirement System and 33.0% for Louisiana School Employees Retirement

7. To budget for decreased student enrollment and possible decrease in personnel.

The uncertainty of Department of Defense Funding and Impact Aid Funding make the goal of using these funds only for non-recurring expenses imperative.

The student count has been a major area of concern. From 2010-2014 we had net decrease in student count of 257 students. In 2012-2013 we had one of largest losses of students in recent years, 406 students. We are actually looking at our count decreasing further.

Another area of concern is the loss of state funding for a number of programs such as summer school and tutoring. We have had to look to other sources to replace these funds. Also federal grant money has decreased in recent years as a result of reduced funding and lower student count.

The preparation of this report could not have been accomplished without the efficient and dedicated services of the entire staff of the Business Department. We want to express our appreciation to them for this assistance.

We also thank the members of the Board for their interest and support in planning and conducting the financial operations of the School System in a responsible and progressive manner.

The following resolution was offered by Vernon Travis and seconded by Doug Brandon.

A resolution adopting, finalizing, and implementing the General Fund, Special Revenue, and Consolidated Fund Budgets of the Vernon Parish School Board for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014 and ending June 30, 2015, which was accompanied by this budget adoption resolution; and

WHEREAS, the proposed Consolidated, General Fund, and the Special Revenue Fund Budgets and the accompanying budget adoption resolution have been submitted to this School Board for review and consideration; and

WHEREAS, notice of the public hearing on the proposed Consolidated, General Fund, and Special Revenue Fund Budgets, notice of the availability of the proposed budgets for review at such hearing and a general summary of the proposed budgets have been timely published in the Leesville Daily Leader; and

WHEREAS, a public hearing on the proposed Consolidated, General Fund, and Special Revenue Fund Budgets has now been reviewed and considered; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVEDby the School Board that the proposed Consolidated, General Fund, and Special Revenue Budgets are hereby approved, adopted, and finalized.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED actual revenues, expenditures and fund balances for the year ended June 30, 2014 are hereby adopted as the amended budgets for the year, in compliance with the requirements of the state law.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVEDthat the Secretary-Treasurer of the School Board, James Williams, or his successor, is hereby authorized and in her sole discretion, to make such changes within the various budget classifications as she may deem necessary provided that any reallocation of funds affecting in excess of five percent (5%) of the projected revenue collections must be approved in advance by action of the School Board at a meeting duly noticed and convened.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVEDthat the Superintendent of the School Board, James Williams, or his successor, in her capacity as chief administrative officer of the School Board, is hereby directed to advise the School Board when:

1. Revenue collections plus projected revenue collections for the remainder of the year, within a fund, are failing to meet estimated annual budgeted revenues by five percent (5%) or more, or

2. Actual expenditures plus projected expenditures for the remainder of the year, within a fund, are exceeding the estimated budgeted expenditures by five percent (5%) or more, or

3. The actual beginning fund balance, with a fund, fails to meet the estimated beginning fund balance of five percent (5%) or more, and the fund balance is being used to fund current year expenditures.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVEDthat the Secretary-Treasurer of the School Board, James Williams, or his successor, shall certify completion of all actions required by Louisiana R.S. 39:1306 by publishing a notice of the minutes of the meeting in the Leesville Daily Leader.

This Resolution having been submitted to a vote, the vote thereon was as follows:

YEAS: Brandon, Gleason, Harris, Pynes, Woods, Perkins, Travis, Blankenbaker, Cooley, Martin

On motion of Doug Brandon, seconded by Randi Gleason, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.

On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by John Blankenbaker, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.

Superintendent Williams discussed the “hearing officer pool” and contract forms. Mr. Williams also reminded Board members of the revised Board meeting dates in October.

On motion of Steve Woods, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:

WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their sympathy to the family of Hannah Brown Young who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Young was a longtime resident of Leesville before relocating to Mississippi 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 Gerald Cooley, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:

WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board take this means to express their sympathy to the family of Dewey Robertson who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Robertson was the uncle of Teresa Chelette and Toni Snider, teachers at Simpson High School; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Robertson was a longtime 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:

WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their sympathy to the family of James Harold Brewer who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Brewer was the uncle of Connie Perrine, cook at Simpson High School; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Brewer was a longtime resident of Simpson 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 Randy Martin, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:

WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board takes this means to express their sympathy to the family of Charles Atchison who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Atchison had many family members graduate from Pickering High School and was an avid school supporter; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Atchison was a longtime resident of Vernon Parish before relocating to California 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 Michael Perkins, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:

WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their heartfelt sympathy to the family of Maggie Laurence Harvey who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Harvey was preceded in death by her husband, B. R. Harvey, former District Five Board Member and she was the mother of Rayetta Thompson of Alexandria, Jean Farabee of Shreveport and Landa Johnson, paraprofessional at Pitkin High School; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Harvey was a longtime resident of Pitkin and she will be greatly missed; 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 Michael Perkins, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:

WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board members wish to express their condolences to the family of Marcia Lee Dauzat who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Dauzat was a longtime resident of Pitkin and an avid supporter of Pitkin High School; 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 Steve Woods, seconded by the Board, the meeting was adjourned.