NOVEMBER 9, 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

LISA THOMPSON

SHAD STEWART

JOHN BLANKENBAKER

 

ABSENT:

RANDY MARTIN

DAVID DETZ

COL. SAMUEL P. SMITH, JR.

                       

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

The meeting was opened in prayer by:    Lisa Thompson

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by:      Lisa Thompson            

 

Item #1:            Approval of Minutes

On motion of Vernon L. Travis, Jr., seconded by John Blankenbaker, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the November 4, 2021 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.

 

Item #2:            Head Start Policy /Procedures

On motion of Jim Seaman, seconded by Shad Stewart, the Board voted to approve Head Start policies/procedures presented to the Board at the November 4th meeting.

 

Item #3:            Resolution of Support of the LSBA

On motion of Vernon L. Travis, Jr., seconded by Angie Davis, the Board voted to approve a Resolution of Support of the LSBA.

 

Item #4:            Budget Amendments Related to Personnel Changes

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

 

Item #5:            Authorization to Pay the Claims

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

 

Item #6:            Resolution Regarding Employment of Special Counsel

On motion of Vernon L. Travis, Jr., seconded by Jim Seaman, the Board voted to approve a resolution regarding employment of special counsel.

 

Item #7:             Election of Board Officers

On motion of Vernon L. Travis, Jr., seconded by Steve Woods, the Board voted to approve the election of board officers for the 2022 school year.  John Blankenbaker was voted in as President of the Board and Jim Seaman was voted in as Vice-President of the Board.

 

Item #8:            Employee of the Month

Tim Ward, Finance Director introduced Rodney Taylor with Taylor and Sons Insurance to the Board and asked Mr. Taylor to announce the Employee of the Month for  November, 2021.  Shelby Wedgeworth is the November, 2021 Employee of the Month for the Vernon Parish School Board.  Ms. Wedgeworth is a Vernon Parish School Board  Registered Nurse and is housed at Hornbeck High School, even though her duties take her from school to school and the Central Office.  Ms. Wedgeworth has earned this honor as Employee of the Month for her dedication to her position as a Registered Nurse, during the trying times through the COVID pandemic and taking care of school students, staff, and all Vernon Parish School employees.  She has been under a very stressful obligation not only completing her normal job duties, but also the added reports, updates, and daily organization of tracking COVID procedures.  Charlotte Hooks, Hornbeck Assistant Principal also thanked Ms. Wedgeworth for her service.

 

Item #9:              ACT Update

Curriculum Supervisor, Lisa Lohman presented talking points on the ACT as follows:

1.  The state average for ACT in 20-21 was 18.2.  The Vernon Parish School Board average for the ACT in 2021 was 18.8

2.  Our ranking against all other districts remains stable.  We are still among the top performing districts for ACT achievement (comparing 19-20 & 2021).

3.  Vernon Parish is #1 in ACT among all schools served by the Rapides Foundation Service Region (9 districts).  Vernon is also outperforming the surrounding districts in our area (Beauregard, Rapides, Sabine, Natchitoches, and Allen).

4.  Based upon our 20-21 ACT school performance calculations, 6 out of 9 high schools would be rated as an “A” in ACT performance and 3 would be rated as a “B” in ACT performance if we were receiving letter grades this year.

5. At the Fort Polk Education Summit on November 3rd, Colonel Smith highlighted the ACT performance of our district.  Fort Polk, VPSB is rated 3rd among all US Army bases for ACT student performance.

 

Item #10:          Athletic Update 2021

Athletic Director, Hub Jordan discussed the 2022-2024 Basic Districts Classifications and the 2021 LHSAA Football Playoff Bracket – Class 4A to the Board and presented them a print-out of each.

 

Item #11:            Superintendent’s Remarks

Superintendent James Williams welcomed all to the meeting. Mr. Williams reminded the Board that Thursday, November 11th is Veteran’s Day and Vernon Parish schools will observe the holiday.  Also some of our schools are having special programs this week if anyone would be interested in attending.

Mr. Williams also announced the new President of the Board is John Blankenbaker and the Vice President is Jim Seaman for the 2022 calendar year.

Mr. Williams also discussed the weekly COVID-19 tracing in our schools.

 

Item #12:            Memorial Resolutions

On motion of Shad Stewart, 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 Tom M. Compton, Jr.  who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, the Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System:  Mr. Compton’s wife is a Betty Sue Compton, retired teacher, his daughter is Pat Roberts, retired teacher and his son-in-law is Don Roberts, retired teacher and principal; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Compton 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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Item #13:  Adjournment

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

 

Authorized Officer

 

_________________________

JACKIE SELF,  PRESIDENT

 

ATTEST:

 

__________________________________

JAMES WILLIAMS, SUPERINTENDENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GENERAL FUND

Budget to Actual

2020/2021 FISCAL YEAR

October, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

   

 ACTUAL

 

 BEGINNING

 

 REVENUES &

REVENUE  AND

 BUDGET

 

 EXPENDITURES

OTHER  FINANCING

SEPTEMBER, 2020

 

 OCT 31,2020

SOURCES

 

 

 

 

     

  LOCAL

 $          15,776,870

 

$3,485,704

  STATE

             55,049,667

 

         18,516,538

  FEDERAL

5,584,710

 

16,605

  OTHER SOURCES

                  922,395

 

              997,998

TOTAL - REVENUES

 $          77,333,641

 

$23,016,845

 

 

 

 

EXPENDITURES AND

 

 

 

OTHER FINANCING USES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REGULAR INSTRUCTION

$33,067,149

 

$7,794,254

SPECIAL EDUCATION

                 8,638,900

 

           1,300,898

VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS

                 1,774,442

 

              342,937

OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL

                    920,003

 

              281,949

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

                    413,253

 

                31,739

PUPIL SUPPORT

                 3,881,566

 

              617,621

INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF

                 2,860,258

 

              487,121

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

                 1,745,494

 

              928,410

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

                 5,924,162

 

           1,201,907

BUSINESS SERVICES

                    430,976

 

              127,479

MAINTENANCE OF PLANT

                 6,908,828

 

           2,025,545

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION

                 6,181,031

 

           1,137,266

CENTRAL SERVICES

                 1,281,962

 

              670,087

FOOD SERVICES

                    300,142

 

                (1,063)

COMMUNITY SERVICES

                     28,348

 

                23,909

OTHER USES OF FUNDS

                 2,826,605

 

              140,538

TOTAL - EXPENDITURES

$77,183,120

 

$17,110,597

 

 

 

 

EXCESS OF REVENUES  OR

 

 

 

 (EXPENDITURES)

                  150,522

 

5,906,248

 

 

 

 

FUND  BALANCE:

 

 

 

BEGINNING

               7,423,300

 

         7,423,300

 

 

 

 

ENDING

7,573,822

 

13,329,548