APRIL 4, 2019                                                                                     

 

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

 

VERNON L. TRAVIS, JR. - PRESIDENT

 SHAD STEWART - VICE-PRESIDENT

 

DOUG BRANDON

ROBERT PYNES, JR.

JACKIE SELF

JIM SEAMAN

STEVE WOODS

 

DAVID DETZ

 

ANGIE DAVIS

 

RANDY MARTIN

 

LISA THOMPSON

 

JOHN BLANKENBAKER

 

COL. JARRETT THOMAS

 

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

 

The meeting was opened in prayer by:   SHAD STEWART

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by:     SHAD STEWART

 

Roll Call

 

Item #1: March 12, 2019 Minutes

On motion of John Blankenbaker, seconded by Shad Stewart, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the March 12, 2019 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.

 

Item #2:  Copier Paper Bids

On motion of Jackie Self, seconded by Lisa Thompson, the Board voted to receive bids for copier paper.  Mr. Tim Ward, Finance Director, presented five bids:  Grimes – $34.00 per case, Contract Paper Group - $28.20 per case, Economical Janitorial – $27.65 per case, Veritiv - $27.65 per case, and Sayes - $27.89 per case.  On motion of Jackie Self, seconded by Angie Davis, the Board voted to take bids under advisement and add to April 9th meeting for approval.

 

Item #3:  Janitorial/Cafeteria Supplies

On motion of David Detz, seconded by Doug Brandon, the Board voted to advertise for janitorial/cafeteria supplies for the 2019-2020 school year.

 

Item #4:  Bread, Milk, and Juice

On motion of Doug Brandon, seconded by David Detz, the Board voted to advertise for bread, milk, and juice for the 2019-2020 school year.

 

Item #5:  LSBA Art Students

Ms. Renita Page, Curriculum Director, introduced the Principals, LSBA Art winners and Isabelle Massart-Bursh, the Art teacher from Leesville Jr. High. The winners are Alexandria Serrano from Leesville Junior High School, Jazmine Lewandowski from Leesville High School, and Ema Lucio from West Leesville Elementary.

 

Each student was presented with a certificate of excellence and their art work was displayed in the board room during the April 4th meeting and also displayed at the Louisiana School Board Association Conference in Baton Rouge for everyone to observe.

 

Item #6:  Head Start Policy/Procedure Update

Mr. Curtis Clay, Head Start Director gave the Head Start report and presented

the following information to be added to the April 9th board meeting for approval:

1.  Head Start Duration Plan with scheduling for all schools.

On motion of Shad Stewart, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to add to the April 9th board meeting for approval.

 

Item #7: Testing Update

Ms. Renita Page, Curriculum and Ms. Anne Smith, Curriculum Director gave an update on LEAP 2025 testing in the Vernon Parish schools which included dates, times, areas of testing, grades, and preparation.  They informed the Board that the testing was going very well.

 

Item #8: Report from Salary/Personnel Committee

Salary/Personnel Committee Chairperson, Angie Davis reported to the Board that the

Personnel Director, Mike Kay presented the following information to the Board:

1.  Personnel changes for April, 2019

2.  Promotional Assistant Principal at Evans High School

3.  Promotional Curriculum Supervisor

4.  Update on Personnel Savings

 

On motion of Jackie Self, seconded by David Detz, the Board voted to add to the April 9th agenda for approval.

 

Other Business:

Mr. Williams informed the Board concerning the submission of the Model Resolution in support of Proposed MFP by BESE.   On motion of Jackie Self, seconded by Shad Stewart, the Board voted to add to the April 9th agenda for approval.

 

Item #9:  Superintendent’s Remarks

Superintendent Williams welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked Col. Thomas to update the Board on Fort Polk events.  Col. Thomas informed the Board on the upcoming changes in command and that the new commanders would be visiting  very soon.

 

Superintendent Williams reminded the Board of the Resolution in support of proposed MFP by BESE.  He thanked the Curriculum Directors for their continued hard work on the testing schedules and all the long hours that go into preparing for testing.  Mr. Williams reminded the Board of the upcoming Academic Achievement Awards Banquet

 

to honor parish seniors to be held at the East Leesville Baptist Church Family Life Center beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, May 6th.  Lastly, the 2019-2020 school calendar has been approved.  Next board meeting will be Tuesday, April 9th at 10:00

 

Item #10:  Memorial Resolutions

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 Lois Maxine Poston who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Ms. Poston was the Mother of Stacey Booth, bus driver at Hornbeck High School, Beverly Cobb (deceased) a former teacher at North Polk Elementary, and the Grandmother of Jessica Haymon, teacher at Anacoco Elementary.

            WHEREAS, Ms. Poston 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 her family at this time of sadness.

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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 Thomas Goins who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Goins was a retired custodian at Anacoco High School; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Goins was a resident of Vernon Parish; now

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

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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 Myrtle Marze who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Ms. Marze was the Grandmother of Charlotte Hooks, Assistant Principal at Hornbeck High School; and

            WHEREAS, Ms. Marze 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 her family at this time of sadness.

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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 Dr. Cynthia Ann Gillespie who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Dr. Gillespie served the Vernon Parish School System as a teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, Curriculum Director, and Superintendent; and

            WHEREAS, Dr. Gillespie was a resident of Vernon Parish; and

            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.

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On motion of Vernon L. Travis, Jr., 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 William R. Thomas who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Thomas was the Special Education Coordinator for the Vernon Parish School Board; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Thomas was the Husband of Linda Thomas, teacher at Leesville High School and Father of William Thomas, Jr. and Cody Thomas, former student workers at the Vernon Parish School Board.  Mr. Thomas was the Brother of retired  Vernon Parish teacher Georgia Thomas and Brother of former Vernon Parish teacher Rose Thomas.  Mr. Thomas was the step-son of former Vernon Parish teacher Renee Slater; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Thomas was a resident of Vernon Parish; now

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

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Item #11:  Adjournment

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

 

Authorized Officer

 

_________________________

VERNON L. TRAVIS, JR., PRESIDENT

 

ATTEST:

 

__________________________________

JAMES WILLIAMS, SUPERINTENDENT