March 11, 1993
THE PARISH BOARD VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN SPECIAL SESSION ON THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 1993, AT 10:00 A.M. IN THE BOARD ROOM OF THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA PRESIDENT WESTERCHIL CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
BETTY WESTERCHIL, PRESIDENT
CAROLYN WILLIAMS, VICE PRESIDENT
GERALD BURNS
ALVIN C. DOWDEN, JR.
PHILIP GUNN
MARK SMITH
ARVIL HARVEY
MURPHY O'BANION
WALLACE MCRAE
BENARD MCKEE
COL. PETER SUN
ABSENT:
T.B. PORTER, OUT OF TOWN
B.R. HARVEY, ILLNESS
There was also present Mr. Sammy L. Hinson, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Mr. Gerald Burns, Ward One.
The pledge of allegiance was led by Mrs. Carolyn Williams, Ward Two Hornbeck.
Superintendent Hinson read the attached Call Notice:
ATTACHED
On motion of Mr. McRae, seconded by Mr. McKee, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of March 9, 1993.
On motion of Mr. Dowden, seconded by Mr. Smith, the Board voted to accept the attached list of resignations:
ATTACHED
On motion of Mr. O'Banion, seconded by Mr. Dowden, the Board voted to approve a leave without pay request for Patsy Finley, Chapter I aide, South Polk Elementary, 3-8-93 through 6-3-93.
At this time Superintendent Hinson and the Board recognized the following groups of students:
*LEESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND LEESVILLE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ART STUDENTS, STATE WINNERS AND LSBA WINNERS
*SIMPSON LADY BRONCOS BASKETBALL TEAM, CLASS C STATE CHAMPIONS LADY
*EVANS LADY EAGLES BASKETBALL TEAM, CLASS B SEMI FINALS
*HICKS LADY PIRATES BASKETBALL TEAM, CLASS B QUARTER FINALS
*PITKIN LADY TIGERS BASKETBALL TEAM, CLASS B QUARTER FINALS
Mrs. Gloria Orgain's 4th grade ESL class from South Polk Elementary performed a skit recognizing Black History.
Mrs. Shirley Lett, special education teacher at Leesville High School, addressed the Board, giving a description of her VIGIL grant. Her grant is being utilized to encourage parent participation and knowledge in learning disabled classes, and teaching awareness about learning disabled students to regular education teachers. Mrs. Lett stated that regular education and special education teachers working together produce a greater learning opportunity for special education students.
Mrs. Shirley Holt, Supervisor, informed the Board about the LEH Summer Institute for Teachers which will be held at Northwestern State University at Fort Polk. This institute has been designed for teachers to help them select a wider range of novels than the current offerings. This program is will admit 25 teachers of English, grades 7 through 12. A stipend of $500 will be paid each participant. Interested persons should contact Dr. Paralee Norman at 238-6445 or 239-0864.
Mr. Joe Pope, Coordinator of Curriculum, gave the Board a preview of the soon to be published Progress Profiles of Vernon Parish Schools. Mr. Pope stressed to the Board items of particular concern such as teacher certification which will not be thoroughly explained in the information received from the State Department in the Profiles. (INFORMATION ATTACHED)
Mr. Pope also informed the Board that there will be twenty eight to thirty two Central Office sponsored workshops in the summer of 1993.
On motion of Mrs. Williams, seconded by Mr. Smith, the Board voted to advertise for bids to sell unusable school bus bodies at Hornbeck High School. Bids to be received April 6, 1993.
Superintendent Hinson reported that he and Dottie Neugebauer, Director of Special Education Services, are proceeding with the instructions from Board concerning the certifications of Speech Therapist and Occupational Therapists. He stated that the Superintendents Advisory Council and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education were considering the changes in certifications for these areas.
Superintendent Hinson announced that Mr. Richard Reese, Transportation Supervisor, would address the Board on April 6, 1993 with information on bus cameras, bus mechanic position, and Ryder Rentals Company bus maintenance program.
Mr. O'Banion said that he had been asked by citizens of the status of the Simpson bond sale. Mr. McRae, Ward 6 (Simpson member), stated that he had weekly contact with the architect and FMHA office concerning the delay of the bond sale for the construction of the Simpson High School building program. Mr. McRae stated that the delay was in the Farmers Home Administration office and not the Vernon Parish School Board. He said that the FMHA office in Alexandria has verbally promised that the bond sale will take place very soon and that hopefully the Board will advertise in April or May for a general contractor for this building project at Simpson.
Mrs. Williams inquired of the possibility of requiring teachers who attend school board sponsored workshops to hold inservice for other teachers. Mr. Hinson stated that the Central Office summer workshops conducted by the supervisory staff will include teachers inservicing other teachers on workshops they have attended.
Mr. O'Banion asked if teachers are allowed $15.00 per year for classroom supplies. Miss Moses, elementary supervisor, stated that $15.00 had been allowed, however that the last time supplies were ordered by elementary teachers, that $50.00 per class was approved. There were no orders last year. Mr. O'Banion stated that this matter should be addressed and that teachers should be assisted in supplying the classrooms with needed materials.
On motion of Mr. Smith, seconded by Mr. Burns, the Board voted to resolve itself into a claims committee and approve the claims.
On motion of Mr. Dowden, seconded by Mr. Burns, the Board voted to authorize the President and Secretary to pay claims as approved by the claims committee.
There being no further business, on motion of Mr. Gunn, seconded by Mr. McKee, the Board voted to adjourn.
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BETTY WESTERCHIL, PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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SAMMY L. HINSON, SUPERINTENDENT