OCTOBER 9, 2018

                                                                        DRAFT

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

ANGIE DAVIS  - PRESIDENT

VERNON TRAVIS, JR. -VICE-PRESIDENT

DOUG BRANDON

DAVID DETZ

JIM SEAMAN

ROBERT PYNES JR.

JACKIE SELF

JOHN BLANKENBAKER

RANDY MARTIN

STEVE WOODS

SHAD STEWART

ABSENT:                     

COL. JARRETT THOMAS II     ABSENT

GERALD COOLEY                    ABSENT

There was also present  Mr. James Williams, Secretary of the Board.

The meeting was opened in prayer by    JACKIE SELF  

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by     JACKIE SELF  

Item #1:  Minutes Approval

On motion of Jackie Self, seconded by David Detz, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the October 4, 2018 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.

Item #2:  Employee Retirements

On motion of Jim Seaman, seconded by Vernon Travis, Jr., the Board voted to approve employee retirements.

Item#3:  Budget Amendment/Personnel Changes

On motion of Vernon Travis, Jr., seconded by David Detz, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.

Item #4:  Authorization to Pay Claims

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

Item #5:  Policy Updates

On motion of Doug Brandon, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve policy updates.

Item #6: Employee of the Month

Tim Ward, Director of Finance, introduced Rodney Taylor from Taylor & Sons Insurance 

to present the recognition of employee of the month to the Board.  Dynette Cooley, 2^nd grade teacher from East Leesville Elementary was presented with a plaque provided by Taylor and Sons for her excellence as a teacher.  She has been teaching at East Leesville Elementary for 10 years and has done an outstanding  job.

Item #7: Student to Student Transition Program

Ms. Anne Smith and Renita Page, Curriculum Directors, introduced  the Student to Student Transition sponsors Zandra  Grady and Quenton McGlothlin  to the Board. Ms. Grady is a teacher at Leesville Junior High School and Mr. McGlothlin works in the counseling office at Leesville High School.  Ms. Grady and Mr. McGlothlin accompanied the junior high students and high school students in this program to Washington, DC July 22-25, 2018 to attend the MCEC National Training Seminar Student 2 Student.  The purpose of Student 2 Student representatives is to assist new students coming into a school in adjusting to new people, helping them with learning new surroundings, meeting new friends, and making their transition easier. Students pair up with new students as their mentors.  Students and sponsors agreed that the seminar better prepared them to help transitioning students, gained new skills to improve leadership in their S2S program, and they had the opportunity to build new relationships with other teams. The students from Leesville Junior High who attended are Ester Aduanah and Mackie Koury.  The students from Leesville High who attended are Evelyn Cannady, Bryce Lowe, Tyler Reeks, and Jada Leavy.  This program is funded by a DODEA grant.

Item #8:  Accountability Update

Curriculum Directors, Anne Smith and Renita Page discussed the upcoming  changes for the accountability formula.  The Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA required the state to adjust how districts and schools are evaluated.  This new accountability formula is a re-adjustment to how districts and schools are evaluated and is a process that has happened at least three times since the accountability system was begun in 1999.

Item #9:  Superintendent’s Remarks

Superintendent Williams welcomed everyone to the meeting.  He discussed  the accountability changes and informed the Board of the two letters concerning the accountability changes in their folders.  He reminded the Board that Jon Guice would be be here next month for training.  The next Board meeting will be 11-1-18 at 10:00  with  a 1/6 meeting at 8:30,  salary/personnel meeting at 9:00, and an  athletic meeting at 9:30.

Item #10:  Memorials

On motion of Randy Martin, 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 Richard Keith Fletcher who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS,  Mr. Fletcher was the son of Emily Fletcher, retired custodian, brother of Stanley Fletcher, retired teacher, brother-in-law of Elizabeth Fletcher and Tammy Fletcher, both retired teachers.

            WHEREAS, Mr. Fletcher was a graduate of Pickering High School; now

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

On motion of Angie Davis, 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 Laurier Charles Henry Contant who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS,  Mr. Contant was the Father of Michelle Lenahan, teacher at Anacoco Elementary School and Grandfather of Jonathan Lenahan, former teacher at Leesville High School; and

            WHEREAS,      Mr. Contant was a resident of Vernon Parish; 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.

Item #11:Adjournment

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Authorized Officer

_________________________

ANGIE DAVIS, PRESIDENT

ATTEST:

__________________________________

JAMES WILLIAMS, SUPERINTENDENT