February 4, 1999
THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD OF VERNON PARISH LOUISIANA CONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION, AT 10:00 A.M., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1999, AT 201 BELVIEW ROAD, LEESVILLE, LA. PRESIDENT PARKER CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ON ROLL CALL THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WERE PRESENT:
W.W. PARKER, PRESIDENT
LINDA WEST, VICE PRESIDENT
ALVIN C. DOWDEN, JR.
M. GENE HAYMON
JANE HOLTON
C.A. HUGHES
TED PARIS
KIM REESE
MARK SMITH
WILLIS A. FARRIS
MURPHY O'BANION
B.R. HARVEY
PHILIP L. GUNN
BENARD MCKEE
COL. STEPHEN SHAMBACH
ABSENT: BETTY WESTERCHIL, OUT OF TOWN COMMITMENT
There was also present Richard Schwartz, Secretary of the Board.
The meeting was opened in prayer by Willis Farris.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Murphy O'Banion.
On motion of A.C. Dowden, seconded by Benard McKee, the Board voted to approve and dispense with the reading of the minutes of January 12, 1999.
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of C.A. Hughes, seconded by B.R. Harvey, the Board voted to approve the attached list of resignations.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Ted Paris, seconded by Kim Reese, the Board voted to approve the attached sabbatical leave request.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Kim Reese, seconded by Gene Haymon, the Board voted to approve the attached request for a leave without pay.
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of Murphy O'Banion, seconded by Willis Farris, the Board voted to approve the attached list of employee transfers.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Gene Haymon, the Board voted to approve the attached list of new employees.
ATTACHED
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Linda West, the Board voted to name Sybil McCullough, school nurse, to the head nurse position.
On recommendation of Superintendent Schwartz and on motion of C.A. Hughes, seconded by Ted Paris, the Board voted to name Jerry Foshee to the position of head football coach at Leesville High School.
Superintendent Schwartz recognized and introduced Tammy Schamerhorn and Donnis Poe, teachers at Leesville Jr. High School. The teachers explained how they had used the money from a VIGIL grant to purchase materials needed to incorporate the teaching of some practical skills such as bookkeeping, insurance, and income tax into their Introduction to Business classes.
John Smith, State Representative, gave a legislative update to the Board. He explained some of the issues that will come before the legislature at the next session which will begin March 29th. Among the issues Representative Smith discussed were, the MFP, sabbatical leaves for teachers, accountability, and the TOPS program.
Colonel Stephen Shambach, at this time, voiced his concerns about the two year residency requirement for TOPS participation. One of his concerns is that military families may try to avoid coming to Fort Polk or that service men and women may choose to leave their families elsewhere. He feels that the residency requirement places military dependents at an unfair disadvantage.
On motion of Mark Smith, seconded by the Board, the Board voted to draft a resolution concerning the residency requirement of the Louisiana TOPS program.
Philip Gunn reported that the Uniform Committee had received the results of the survey that had been sent to parents concerning uniforms for students in the parish schools. The vast majority of parents whose children are enrolled in the district 1/6 elementary schools favor uniforms; therefore, the School Uniform Committee decided to refer the survey results to the District 1/6 Committee.
On motion of Ted Paris, seconded by Philip Gunn, the Board voted to open bids on miscellaneous equipment at Leesville Jr. High School, Anacoco School library, Hicks School, and Evans School. Bids received are as follows:
HICKS SCHOOL MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT
BIDDER ITEM AMOUNT
Jerry McKenzie air compressor $ 38.00
Jerry McKenzie drill press 25.00
Jerry McKenzie planer 50.00
Travis Johnson drill press 35.00
Travis Johnson air compressor 35.00
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc. air compressor 132.00
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc. planer 152.00
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc. arm saw 65.00
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc. shaper 102.00
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc. drill press 52.00
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc. jig saw 22.00
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc. band saw 32.00
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc. wood lathe 102.00
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc. belt and dish sander 52.00
On motion of B.R. Harvey, seconded by Benard McKee, the Board voted to take the bids for Hicks School miscellaneous equipment under advisement.
The one bid received for the Buckelew's warmer at Evans School was submitted by Travis Keel in the amount of $4.00.
On motion of Willis Farris seconded by B.R. Harvey, the Board voted to award the bid for the Buckelew's warmer at Evans School in the amount of $4.00.
No bids were received for the following: 1) miscellaneous equipment at Leesville Jr. High School, 2) Miscellaneous equipment at Anacoco library or, 3) Traulsen refrigerator at Evans School.
On motion of A.C. Dowden, seconded by Mark Smith, the Board voted to authorize the principals, Superintendent Schwartz and Bill Endris to dispose of all equipment at all schools for which no bids were received.
Superintendent Schwartz reminded the Board that Mr. James Soileau, Executive Director of LSBA, will hold a three-hour inservice for the Board on Wednesday, February 10, 1999, and that Mr. Bob Hammond and staff has tentatively scheduled a school law workshop at Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, on February 27, 1999.
The following committee meetings were announced: Curriculum Committee, Tuesday, February 9th at 8:30 a.m, Finance Committee, Tuesday, February 9th at 9:30 a.m., and the Salary Committee, Tuesday, February 9th at 1:00 p.m.
On motion of Murphy O'Banion, 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 deepest sympathies to the family of Mrs. Ruth Moore, of Cottonwood, who recently passed away; and,
WHEREAS, Mrs. Moore, a longtime resident of her community, was the grandmother of Mrs. Deana Vinson, teacher at West Leesville Preschool Center, and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board does, hereby, adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to the family at their time of bereavement.
On motion of B.R. Harvey, 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 convey their deepest sympathies to the family of Mr. Muriel Johnson, of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson was a native of Pitkin and the husband of Mrs. Margaret Roberts Johnson, a former teacher at Pitkin School, the brother of Mrs. Billie Rae Perkins, bus driver at Pitkin School, and the uncle of Mrs. Debbie Moore, secretary at Pitkin School and Mrs. Pamela Brister, teacher at East Leesville Elementary School;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, the that Board does adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent, along with its condolences, to the family.
On motion of B.R. Harvey, 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 sympathies to the family of Mr. Alton Pelt, of Pitkin, who recently passed away;
WHEREAS, Mr. Pelt was a longtime resident of the Pitkin area and a great supporter of this school system and he will be sadly missed by his family and his friends;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the Board request that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to Ms. Teresa Pelt and to Mr. Pelt's family in their time of sorrow.
On motion of A.C. Dowden, Jr., 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 sincere sympathies to the family of Mr. Harmon Lumpkin, of Hinesville, Georgia, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Harmon, a native of Leesville and a graduate of Leesville High School, was the brother of Mrs. Aleta Moss, a retired Vernon Parish teacher;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board does, hereby, adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to the family in their time of sorrow.
On motion of Murphy O'Banion and Kim Reese, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted 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 sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Evalee Harris, of Anacoco, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Harris was a longtime resident of Vernon Parish and she will be sadly missed by her family and friends;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board does, hereby, adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to Mrs. Harris' family at their time of sorrow.
On motion of W.W. Parker, 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 sincere condolences to the family of Mr. Markell Snell, of Hornbeck, who recently passed away; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Snell, a lifetime and well-respected resident of the Hornbeck area, was the grandfather of Mrs. Vickie Arthur, bus driver at Hornbeck School
and he will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board requests that a copy of this memorial resolution be sent to the family.
On motion of W.W. Parker, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted the following memorial resolution:
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, the Vernon Parish School Board wishes to express its deepest sympathies to the family of Mrs. Effie Harris, of Anacoco, who recently passed away; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Harris was a native of this area and the mother of Mrs. Robbie Bush, a former employee at the Anacoco School cafeteria. She will be sadly missed by her family and friends;
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Board adopted this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to Mrs. Bush and her family.
On motion of Willis Farris, seconded by the Board, the Board adopted 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 condolences to Mrs. Laura Nash, central office secretary, in the recent death of her father, Mr. Lawrence Cummings, of Leesville; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Cummings was a longtime resident of the Leesville area and he will be sadly missed by his family and friends;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board does, hereby, adopt this memorial resolution and requests that a copy be sent to Mrs. Nash and her family at this time of bereavement.
There being no further business, on motion of Benard McKee, seconded by the Board, the meeting was adjourned.
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W.W. PARKER, PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
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RICHARD SCHWARTZ, SUPERINTENDENT