2022-04-07

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

On motion of Jackie Self, seconded by Vernon L. Travis, Jr., the Board voted to approve the minutes of the March 8, 2022 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.

On motion of David Detz, seconded by Lisa Thompson, the Board voted to receive bids for copier paper. Tim Ward, Finance Director proceeded to open the bids and read each one.

On motion of Vernon L. Travis, Jr., seconded by David Detz, the Board voted to accept the lowest bid, Veritiv – 37.65 per case.

On motion of Vernon L. Travis, Jr., seconded by David Detz, the Board voted to advertise for janitorial/cafeteria supplies.

On motion of Angie Davis, seconded by David Detz, the Board voted to advertise for bread, milk, and juice.

Director of Child Welfare Services, Hub Jordan presented the Board with a policy change on the following: FILE: JBCE Public School Choice

A. In accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann.

Louisiana Public School Choice provides for the right of a parent or legal guardians to enroll his/her child in a school other than the school to which the child was scheduled to be enrolled if the school at which the child was most recently enrolled received a School Performance Score of "D" or 'F' in the most recent school year, and the school in which the child is seeking to be enrolled received a School Performance Score of "A". "B" or "C" in the most recent school year, pursuant to the state's school and district accountability system. As La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:4035.1 provides for certain variable eligibility criterion, any enrollment based upon the Louisiana Public School Choice option shall be considered an annual enrollment and shall not obligate the School Board to allow for enrollment beyond one (1 ) school year.

A. A parent or guardian wishing to exercise the public school choice option who resides and intends on continuing to during the upcoming school year inside or outside of the Vernon Parish School District shall contact the School Board's Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance. This shall be the only office authorized to process an application to enroll

B. A birth certificate, identification and/or proof of guardianship shall be provided at the time of application.

c. An application for enrollment shall serve as consent for the School Board to obtain the records and information necessary to determine the eligibility/ineligibility of the student.

A. Documentation of the prior school enrollment of the student shall be provided; such as report card or official correspondence.

B. The School Board shall verify that the school in which the student was most recently enrolled or would have otherwise attended received school performance letter grade of a "D" or “F”.

c. The parent or guardian shall identify the school for which the student seeks enrollment, and the School Board shall verify that such school received a letter grade of or “A” “B” and "C" for the most recent school year.

A. The primary obligation of the School Board shall be to provide for the enrollment of students who reside within the Vernon Parish School District. Therefore, the School Board shall not enroll students wishing to transfer under this policy to the extent that such enrollment may conflict with this primary obligation.

Upon receipt of a Louisiana Public School Choice application for enrollment, the School Board shall verify whether the school for which the student seeks enrollment has sufficient capacity.

C. The capacity verification shall take into account grade level and special program requirement, such as gifted and talented or special needs and shall be made on a school by school basis after the official student count on October 1 of each school year.

staffing policy any school, which has an anticipated enrollment of greater than 80% of its optimal total student capacity in the grade in which the student seeks to enroll, shall be deemed to have insufficient capacity to allow for a Louisiana Public School Choice enrollment. Any school that has portables or modular buildings shall be considered at capacity.

E. Upon such a determination the parent shall be advised that the school for which enrollment is sought has insufficient capacity.

F. The verification of capacity shall be an annual determination for the reenrollment of students for each subsequent year.

A. In the event the number of applications for enrollment exceeds the capacity in any particular school, students enrolled in the school for the prior year shall have preference.

B. If, after enrolling all prior year students, applicants exceed the remaining capacity, applicants shall be selected in order of timeliness of application until capacity is no longer available.

Principals and athletic directors shall be responsible for contacting the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) to determine the eligibility of the student for participation in varsity sports. In order to participate in varsity sports sanctioned by the LHSAA students shall have written approval of the LHSAA.

Parents and guardians of students who do not reside within the Vernon Parish School District shall be responsible for the transportation of students to and from the school where the student is enrolled.

A. A student meeting any of the following shall be ineligible to enroll as a student under the provisions of this policy:

1. The student was expelled for disciplinary reasons in the current or preceding school year;

2. The student was suspended more than once in the current or preceding school year;

3. The student was involved in more than one fight or other act of violence on school grounds or at a school sponsored event in the preceding school year;

4. The student was found in possession of any illicit drug or narcotic on school grounds in the current or preceding school;

5. The student had more than ten (10) unexcused absences during the current or preceding school year.

B. After enrollment a student shall be ineligible to continue enrollment as a student under the provisions of Louisiana Public School Choice if any of the following apply:

3. The student is involved in more than one fight or other act of violence on school grounds during the school year;

4. The student is found in possession of any illicit drug or narcotic on school grounds during the school year;

5. The student has more than ten (10) unexcused absences during the school year.

On motion of Doug Brandon, seconded by Jackie Self, the Board voted to approve changes to Policy: Public School Choice FILE: JBCE

Head Start Director, Curtis Clay gave an update on the Vernon Parish Head Start & Birth to Five Summary of enrollment and attendance, health services, fiscal amounts, etc.

Head Start Coordinator, Cheree Atkins reported to the Board on early registration for the 2022-2023 school year. She gave the Board a schedule of dates, times, schools, and documents needed for registration.

Curriculum Supervisor, Jerome Henson discussed the VEX Robotics Program to the Board. The VEX IQ Robotics is a Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) program offered to 4^th-8^th grade students at seven of the Vernon Parish Schools. Each school has 6-12 student participants. These schools are:

Per program guidelines, the VEX IQ Robotics culminating activity of the 2021-2022 school year is to hold a parish competition/demonstration to showcase the engineering skills of our students in building robots that can accomplish specific tasks as well as celebrate the accomplishments of these student-engineers. This event will be on April 7^th from 4:30-6:30 PM in the Leesville Junior High School gym. We will have a short keynote address and then the seven teams will rotate through the competition and demonstration phases. Afterward, student-engineers and sponsors will have time to collaborate.

Salary/Personnel Chairperson, Angie Davis reported to the Board on the discussion during the 9:30 salary/personnel meeting. Ms. Davis reported that Personnel Director, Mike Kay discussed the following:

4. Redistricting plan - Resolution to adopt the school board election districts for the VPSB

5. Reminder to complete the Tier 2 or Tier 3 Personal Financial Disclosure Statement

Dr. William Blair discussed the redistricting changes in the parish and reasons why the changes were made. On motion of David Detz, seconded by Vernon L. Travis, Jr. with one no vote, the Board voted to add to the Tuesday meeting to approve the Resolution

To Adopt the School Board Election Districts for the Vernon Parish School Board and to Provide in Regard Thereto.

Superintendent James Williams welcomed the Board Members, Col. Samuel P. Smith, Jr., and visitors to the meeting. Mr. Williams reminded the Board that April is Military Child Month. He asked Col. Smith and the Board to sign the April Military Child Proclamation after the meeting in his office.

Col. Smith thanked Superintendent Williams and the Board for their support. He informed the Board that 20 events scheduled to celebrate Military Child Month.

He also discussed the STEM program and plans to continue the program during the summer.

Superintendent Williams presented Vernon L. Travis, Jr. an award for certification as a Louisiana School Board Member that he received after attending the LSBA conference. Mr. Travis is also on the Board of Directors for the Louisiana School Board Association.

Superintendent Williams reminded the Board that the LSBA Southern Region Leadership Conference will be July 24-26. Vernon Travis will assist in registration.

Mr. Williams announced that the Academic Achievement Awards Banquet will be May 2^nd at the East Leesville Baptist Church Family Life Center beginning at 6:00 PM for seniors. Also, the Vernon Parish Talented Program will be Thursday, April 28, 2022 at the LHS auditorium at 6:00.

On motion of Robert Pynes, Jr., seconded by the Board, the Board voted to adopt the following memorial resolution:

WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their sympathy to the family of Barbara Ann Poe Andrews who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, the Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System: Ms. Andrews was a VPSB retired teacher and sister-in-law of Barbara Ann Poe Andrews; and

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:

WHEREAS, the members of the Vernon Parish School Board wish to express their sympathy to the family of Roland Malcolm Jones who recently passed away; and

WHEREAS, the Board would like to acknowledge family members employed by the Vernon Parish School System: his wife, Verna Jones, retired teacher and counselor, and his son, Raymond Jones, teacher, assistant principal and Hornbeck High School Principal; and