The Vernon Parish School Board met Thursday, May 2, at 10 a.m. in the School Board Central Office. Board members accepted the minutes of the last Board meeting and moved to accept the 2024-2025 Food Service Quotation Calendar as the first orders of business.
The Board recognized the achievements of students in the system who had placed 1st– 6th at the state level in any competition. Pitkin, Vernon Middle School, Leesville Junior High, Pickering, and Leesville High were recognized at the meeting. The remaining students will be introduced to the Board at the meeting on May 7. The Vernon Parish Journal will run a complete list of students and their achievements following the announcements at the next Board meeting.
Hub Jordan, Personnel Director, saluted the 15 school nurses that serve the students of Vernon Parish. This week is National School Nurses Week.
Kelly Goodwin with the Personnel Committee reported to the Board there will be 47 openings for teachers in the system for the 2024-2025 school year. She said that 25 certified teachers and 12 non-certified teachers have already applied for those positions. There will also be a need for a new principal for Parkway Elementary, and Hub Jordan is stepping down as Athletic Director for Vernon Parish. The Board may fill that position laterally or seek to hire a new replacement.
Four items concerning the Head Start Program have been placed on the agenda for the next Board meeting. Ms. Cheree Atkins with Head Start told Board members that 641 students are currently enrolled in the Birth through 5 Programs in the parish. Head Start is working on getting 100% participation in health and dental programs by the end of the school year. That was the one negative federal monitors noticed on a recent inspection. Atkins pointed out the shortage of pediatric dentists in the area as a problem in addressing the situation.
Colonel C.J. Lopez, Ft. Johnson Garrison Commander and Board Liaison, reported the current deployment of the 3rd Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division to Europe will continue until February of 2025. He also congratulated Leesville High School Junior Emily Polk for being named Louisiana’s Military Youth of the Year. She will now represent this area at the national competition in Atlanta in just a few weeks. Col. Lopez also introduced his “running buddy”, new Command Sergeant Major Braden Sickles, to School Board members.
The Board’s next meeting is set for Tuesday, May 7, at 10 a.m.