The Vernon Parih School Board met Thursday, November 2, in the Central Office at 10 a.m.
The morning agenda began with a report on the Head Start programs for the parish. Mr. Curtis Clay reported to the Board on a series of nine new policy changes that will come before the Board at the next meeting for their approval. Ms. Cheree Atkins detailed that Vernon Parish currently has 641 students enrolled in all Birth-Through-Five programs; twenty-two of those are special needs students. She also reminded Board members that federal monitoring of the programs will begin around the parish the week of December 4.
Jerome Hinson, Supervisor of Instruction, introduced Mr. Bill Pardue and Lt. Col (Ret) Ron Character of the Leesville Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol. Pardue related that the CAP was founded in America in 1941, the week before Pearl Harbor. The local chapter has 25 members including 15 cadets. The cadets are students from Vernon and Beauregard Parishes. The Civil Air Patrol has partnered with the U.S. Air Force to make available free Aerospace Education/STEM Education kits to local schools. These kits include robotics, drones, rocketry, hydraulics and other science and engineering options. They result in furthering student awareness of STEM-related fields of study.
Bryan Churchman and Rusty Bailes with the Vernon Parish Cattleman’s Association thanked the School Board for their support of the 10th Annual Ag Day. Nearly 150 Vernon Parish students attended the event at the farm of T.B. Porter to get a complete look at agriculture in America today. Twenty-five percent of all jobs in America are agriculture based. This year the Vernon Parish Cattleman’s Association hopes to award 15 or more scholarships to local students interested in studying agriculture.
School Board Athletic Coordinator Hub Jordan reported to the Board that this was a reclassification year for the LHSAA, and for the next two years no changes in classification were noted in Vernon Parish. The All-Vernon Parish Basketball Tournament will take place this December 21-22 at Rosepine High School.
Anne Smith and Lisa Lohman in Curriculum told Board members that district performance scores are expected from the state the week before Thanksgiving.
School Superintendent James Williams reminded everyone that EVERY SCHOOL IN VERNON PARISH will host a Veteran’s Day program. Most of them will occur on Thursday, November 9. Check with your students on the program time for their schools.
The next Vernon Parish School Board meeting will be Thursday, November 9, at 10 a.m.
