JULY 13, 2021                                                             

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

DOUG BRANDON

ROBERT PYNES, JR.

JIM SEAMAN

STEVE WOODS

VERNON L. TRAVIS, JR.

ANGIE DAVIS

DAVID DETZ

RANDY MARTIN

JOHN BLANKENBAKER

LISA THOMPSON

ABSENT:

SHAD STEWART

COL. SAMUEL P. SMITH, JR.

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

The meeting was opened in prayer by:   DOUG BRANDON       

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by:     DOUG BRANDON

Item #1:           Approval of Minutes

On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by David Detz, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the July 8, 2021 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.

Item #2:           Approval of Employee Retirements

On motion of Angie Davis, seconded by Lisa Thompson, the Board voted to approve employee retirements.

Item #3:           Budget Amendments Related to Personnel Changes

On motion of John Blankenbaker, seconded by Jim Seaman, the Board voted to approve budget amendments related to personnel changes.

Item #4:           Pay the Claims

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

Item #5:            Policy Updates Approval

On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by David Detz, the Board voted to approve policy updates for the 21-22 school operations guidelines.

Item #6:           Performance Goals for Promotional Contracts            

On motion of David Detz, seconded by Angie Davis, the Board voted to approve the performance goals for promotional contracts presented to the Board.

Item #7:            Promotional Assistant Principal Position Hicks High School

On motion of Lisa Thompson, seconded by Angie Davis, the Board voted to advertise for a promotional assistant principal position at Hicks High School.

Item #8:           Non-Promotional  Principal Position North Polk Elementary

On motion of Angie Davis, seconded by Randy Martin the Board voted to advertise for a non-promotional principal position at North Polk Elementary.

Item #9:             Non-Promotional Principal Position Hornbeck High

On motion of Angie Davis, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve advertising for a non-promotional principal position at Hornbeck High.

Item #10:          Virtual School/STEM Project Update  

Curriculum Supervisor, Lisa Lohman presented the Board with the Virtual School Handbook for the 21-22 school year and discussed guidelines required by school, parents, students, and technology. She also gave an update on the STEM program and informed the Board on the Robot Program and training held at East Leesville on 7-12-21.

Item #11:            Rapides Foundation Grants Update

Director of Curriculum, Anne Smith discussed the grants the Vernon Parish School System has received from the Rapides Foundation and the grants we have applied for the 21-22 school year.  Ms. Smith presented the Board with information covering the name of grants and amounts.

Item #12.          Superintendent’s Remarks

Superintendent James Williams welcomed all to the meeting.  He reminded the Board that 3-8 test scores will be coming in around the end of July.  Also secondary scores should be reported in August along with LEAP Connect.  The next board meeting will be August 5^th.

Item # 13:         Memorial Resolutions

On motion of Jackie Self, 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 Mitchell Glen Thompson who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS,  the Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System:  Mr. Thompson’s wife is retired teacher Darlene Bennett and his daughter is Denise Wills, RTI Coordinator at VMS; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Thompson 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.

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 Annamarie Elizabeth Tyson who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, the Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System: Ms. Tyson’s daughter is Kathy Tyson, retired LHS teacher and her granddaughter is Lensie Stanley, teacher at AES.

            WHEREAS, Ms. Tyson 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 her 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 Glenda Joyce Corley Cox Partridge who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System:  Ms. Partridge’s son is Richard Partridge, teacher at AHS, and she has three daughters-in-law;

Debra Partridge, Head Start Coordinator, Lori Partridge, Assistant Principal at RHS, and Michelle Partridge former teacher at WLE; and

            WHEREAS, Ms. Partridge 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 her 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 Evan James Gentry who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, the Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System:  Ms. Gentry’s mother is Michelle is a teacher at Hornbeck High School; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Gentry 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.

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 Robert Aycock who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, the Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System:  Mr. Aycock’s daughter is Christa Haymon retired teacher at Anacoco High School; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Aycock 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.

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 Gerald Columbus Leach who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, the Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System:  Mr. Leach’s daughters are Tracy Dahloff, teacher at Hornbeck High School and Tara Beebe, Special Education Paraprofessional at Leesville Junior High School.

            WHEREAS, Mr. Leach 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.

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 Gary Dale Jett who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, The Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System:  Mr. Jett’s mother is Patsy Jett, retired Anacoco High School secretary and his brother is Bobby Jett retired Anacoco High School bus driver; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Jett 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.

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 Jessie Garland Nolen II who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, the Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System:  Mr. Nolen’s wife is Nelta Chance Nolen, bus driver at Hornbeck High School; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Nolen 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.

Item #14:          Adjournment

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned

Authorized Officer

_________________________

JACKIE SELF, PRESIDENT

ATTEST:

__________________________________

JAMES WILLIAMS, SUPERINTENDENT