The Vernon Parish School Board met at 10 a.m., Thursday, November 7, at the main office on Belview Road.
Curtis Clay, with the Head Start programs, presented several items to be added to the agenda for the November 12 meeting. These state-mandated requirements involve birth certificates, applications, selection criteria, confidentiality, and curriculum.
Cheree Atkins told the Board the Vernon school system has 677 enrollees in Birth through 5 programs. A recently received grant will allow 60 new slots in programs for January 2025. The grant also allowed for moving two classrooms to serve the Pickering and Rosepine school areas. Atkins told the Board, the waiting list for Birth through 5 programs continues to grow in the parish.
Vernon 4-H spokesperson, Chad Hagan, thanked Board members for continued strong support of 4-H programs. Hagan introduced Ms. Justine Ramsey, the LSU extension Community Health and Nutrition agent for Vernon and Beauregard Parishes. Ramsey discussed resources available to all Vernon Parish schools, including school gardens. Ramsey mentioned the success of the garden program at Rosepine Elementary. Her sentiments were echoed by District 7 (Rosepine) Board member John Blankenbaker who said the produce grown was exceptional.
Representatives of Cenergistic, who have partnered with the School Board since 2015 on energy conservation, were on hand Thursday to present Energy Star status to ten Vernon Parish school principals. The criterion from the EPA is rigid, and to be named an Energy Star school, one must be in the top 25% of the country. Kevin Edwards with Cenergistic estimated that nearly seven million dollars have been saved by the Board since 2015. Energy consumption has been reduced by 36%. Edwards congratulated the Board on their commitment and their financial acumen. The schools that received the award included Anacoco High, Anacoco Elementary, Hornbeck, Parkway Elementary, Vernon Middle School, West Leesville Elementary, Pickering High, Pickering Elementary, Pitkin High, and Rosepine High.
Reverand Carl Clark with the Leesville Ministerial Alliance thanked the Board for their partnership in “Operation We Care”. Last year over 400 food boxes were distributed locally. The deadline for food donations is December 3rd. Food boxes this year will be filled on December 11.
Personnel Director, Joey Bartz, reported to the Board on new state-mandated policy updates. One update referred to notification of Board meetings, live streaming of the meetings, and access to the meeting’s agenda. Bartz reported the Board is already in compliance. Another policy update concerns the re-hiring of Board superintendents. Performance evaluations for schools must now be included in the overall interview when re-hiring a superintendent. Another updated policy affects the confidentiality of staff and employee records. Bartz, as Parish Athletic Director, passed out to Board members a comprehensive schedule of winter sports, including basketball, wrestling, soccer, and weightlifting. The Vernon Parish Basketball Tournament will take place at Simpson High, December 19-21.
Kelly Goodwin of District One reported the Salary/Personnel committee wants to add to the agenda for the next meeting the hiring of an Assistant Principal at Rosepine High and a Principal for Pitkin.
Lisa Lohman with the Curriculum Department reminded Board members the most recent district accountability scores from the state will be available to systems towards the end of November. Lohman anticipates good scores and more “A” rated schools than ever.
The next Board meeting is Tuesday, November 12, at 10 a.m.