MAY 9, 2023                                                                

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

District One:

Kelly Kaiama Goodwin

Rhonda Morrison

Robert Pynes, Jr.

Jim Seaman

Jackie Self

District Three:

Deidra Shell

District Four:

Randy Martin

District Seven:

John Blankenbaker

District Eight:

Candace Black

ABSENT

Angie Davis – District Two

Shad Stewart – District Five

Vernon L. Travis, Jr. – District Six

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

The meeting was opened in prayer by:                          

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by:    

Item #1:            Approval of Minutes of May 4, 2023 Meeting

On motion of Jackie Self seconded by John Blankenbaker, the Board voted to approve the minutes of the May 4, 2023 regular meeting and dispense with the reading of the minutes.

Item #2:            Approval of Employee Retirements

On motion of Deidra Shell, seconded by Randy Martin, the Board voted to approve the employee retirements.

Item #3:            Budget Amendments Related to Personnel Changes

On motion of John Blankenbaker, seconded by Kelly Kaiama Goodwin, the Board voted to approve the budget amendments related to personnel changes.

Item #4:            Pay the Claims

On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Jackie Self, the Board voted to authorize the president and secretary to pay the claims.

Item #5:            2022-2023 Budget Revisions

On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Jackie Self the Board voted to approve the 2022-2023 budget revisions.

Item#6: Receive bids for Janitorial and Cafeteria Supplies

On Motion of Kelly Kaiama Goodwin, seconded by Randy Martin the Board voted to receive bids for janitorial and cafeteria supplies. The Board voted all yeas.

Bids attached

Item #7:            Promotional Special Education Director

On motion of Candace Black, seconded by Deidra Shell , the Board voted to approve advertising for a promotional Special Education Director position.

Item #8:            Promotional Assistant Principal position at Rosepine Elementary School

On motion of John Blankenbaker, seconded by Candace Black, the Board voted to approve advertising for a promotional Assistant Principal position at RES.

Item #9:            Non-Promotional Principal position at Anacoco Elementary School 

On motion of Kelly Kaiama Goodwin, seconded by Jackie Self, the Board voted to approve advertising for a non-promotional Principal position at AES.

Item #10:          Student Recognition

Jerome Henson, Curriculum Supervisor informed the Board that recognitions will include any students who placed 1^st-6^th place in any state-level event or competition during the 2022-2023 school.

Students from the following schools were presented with certificates for their accomplishments during the 2022-2023 school year:

Evans, Hicks, Rosepine, and Simpson High Schools.

Item #11:          Recognition of Employee of the Month

Director of Finance, Tim Ward and Jeff Taylor with Taylor and Sons Insurance introduced the Employee of the Month, Leigh Anne Prewitt to the Board.  Mrs. Prewitt is a Science teacher and Librarian at Vernon Middle School. 

Principal, Donita Poteat spoke to the Board about what an excellent teacher and librarian Mrs. Prewitt is and how she always helps out anywhere she is needed. Mrs. Prewitt is a hardworking, caring, and dedicated employee for Vernon Middle School.

Item #12:          Reading Accountability Update

Curriculum Director, Anne Smith and Curriculum Supervisor, Joan Simmons presented the Board with an update of the Vernon Parish 3^rd and 4^th grade literacy support program.

Mrs. Simmons informed the Board that Vernon Parish developed a plan to implement this third and fourth grade literacy support required by Bulletin 1566 Addendum.  Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year and continuing through the summer following the 2023-2024 school year, any student enrolled in the third and fourth grade and scoring below-level on the end of the year LDOE approved literacy assessment shall receive a minimum of 30 hours of explicit literacy instruction inclusive of targeted intervention during the summer.

Deborah Grant, a stakeholder also spoke to the Board about the excellent decisions the Vernon Parish School Board makes to help students to reach their reading levels.

Item #13:          Report from Finance Committee

Tim Ward, Finance Director presented the Board with a copy of the Revised Budget General Operating Fund May, 2023.  On motion of Randy Martin, seconded by Kelly Kaiama Goodwin, the Board voted to approve the budget presented by Mr. Ward.

Other discussion included:

Moving the bus barn due to the lease not being renewed by the city.

Land deal at Hornbeck:  The Vernon Parish School Board voted to sale tracts 1 & 2 as described on the attached certificate of survey to the Town of Hornbeck for $6,000 an acre for approximately 7.2 acres. See attached information.

Item #14           ` Superintendent’s Remarks

Superintendent James Williams welcomed all to the meeting.

Mr. Williams reminded the Board that this is Nurse Appreciation week and thanked all our nurses who work so diligently to take care of our students and staff.

 Also Teacher appreciation week is coming up and each school in Vernon Parish honors its teachers in a variety of ways. We have plans every day of the week for our teachers.

We congratulate Pickering High’s 8^th grade math teacher Kelly Billiot as the Louisiana Learning Blade Educator of the Year.

Item #18:          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 John Louis Wesley who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. Wesley a retired Vernon Parish School counselor and  the brother of retired teacher, assistant principal, principal, and curriculum supervisor, James Wesley; and   

            WHEREAS, Mr. Wesley 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 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 with to express their sympathy to the family of Matthew McGregor who recently passed away; and

            WHEREAS, Mr. McGregor was the husband of DeAnna McGregor former teacher at Pickering Elementary and the father of Nichole McGregor Williams, presently a teacher at Rosepine High School; now

            WHEREAS, Mr. McGregor 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 # 19:           Adjournment:

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned.

Authorized Officer

_________________________

 JIM SEAMAN, PRESIDENT

ATTEST:

__________________________________

JAMES WILLIAMS, SUPERINTENDENT

Vernon Parish School Board

2023/2024 School Year

JANITORIAL AND CAFETERIA SUPPLIES

Bid Submissions

VERNON PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING

May 09, 2023

FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023

BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS

   FUND                                           CURRENT          INCREASE            REVISED                  

NUMBER                                          BUDGET         ( DECREASE)         BUDGET

192 Rapides Healthy Behaviors        $49,750                  10,300                  $60,050

The FY 2023 grant award allocation for Rapides Foundation Healthy Behaviors was received in the amount of $60,050.  The original budget was an estimate and is being increased by $10,300.

227 Indian Education                           $7,607                 (2,058)                    $5,549

The FY 2023 grant award allocation for Indian Education was received in the amount of $5,549.  The original budget was an estimate and is being decreased by $2,058.

233 Head Start                                $2,482,000                68,515              $2,550,515

The FY 2023 grant award allocation for Head Start was received in the amount of $2,550,515.  This was increased due a COLA and quality improvement.

239 IDEA 611 Setaside                              $0                   18,500                   $18,500

The FY 2023 grant award allocation for IDEA 611 Setaside was received in the amount of $18,500. 

240 IDEA 619 Setaside                              $0                   5,000                      $5,000

The FY 2023 grant award allocation for IDEA 619 Setaside was received in the amount of $5,000. 

298 Covid HA/EHS                             $27,321                 9,034                   $36,355

The FY 2023 grant award allocation for Covid HA/EHS was received in the amount of $36,355.  This is roll over money from the prior year.

   FUND                                           CURRENT          INCREASE            REVISED                  

NUMBER                                          BUDGET         ( DECREASE)         BUDGET

582 Education Excellence                      $0                   137,659                  $137,659

The FY 2023 grant award allocation for Education Excellence was received in the amount of $137,659. 

647 Title V REAP                               $205,033              38,228                   $243,261

A supplement was received for Title IV REAP in the amount of $38,228.

 649 Title III                                          $17,355               1,447                     $18,802

A supplement was received for Title III in the amount of $1,447.

654 CSLD-K to 5                                 $156,000           144,000                  $300,000

A supplement for CLSD K to 5 was received in the amount of $144,000.