The Vernon Parish School Board met in regular session Thursday, January 9, at 10 a.m.  The Board voted to allow Superintendent James Williams to request and sign off on all Federal funding P.L. 81-874 on behalf of the Board.

District 6 Board member Vernon Travis accepted the gavel from outgoing Board President Shad Stewart.  Travis will serve as president this year.  Deidra Shell of District 3 will serve as vice president.

Karen Robertson, with the curriculum department, presented Students of the Year from 5^th, 8^th and 12^th grades for five Vernon Parish schools.  The remaining schools will have their students recognized at the Tuesday, January 14, Board meeting.  Robertson explained that students had to have a 3.1 GPA or higher, submit an academic portfolio and biography.  They had to write essays and be interviewed. Students recognized during Thursday’s meeting and their schools: Evans,  Zeppelin Boone/5^th grade, Stevie Self/8^th grade, Daisy Jeane/12 grade   Hicks,  Presley Black/5^th grade, Kenzie Altenburger/8^th grade, Hailey Wolff/12^th grade   Hornbeck,  Makenzie Zayas/5^th grade, Carlyn Cook/8^th grade, Trinity Welch/12^th grade   Pickering,  Raul Galvan/5th grade, Fairyn Moore/8^th grade, Aiden Winstead/12^th grade     Simpson, Kentley Johnson/5^th grade   no 8^th grader, Jayden Getz/12^th grade.

Curtis Clay, with the Head Start program asked the board to add to the agenda for their next meeting some policy changes regarding child abuse, attendance/tardiness and personnel.  The board agreed to do so.  Cheree Atkins continued the Head Start report by announcing 10 new classes with room for eighty new Birth thru 5 students.  Vernon Parish now has 755 students in those programs with 170 on a waiting list.  Atkins reminded the board that expansion grants are available, and the board will need to discuss going after those grants.  Those monies would fund new slots for 3-4-year-old children.

Maintenance supervisor, Raymond Jones informed the board members of a recent 50K grant the system applied for from the Department of Homeland Security.  The grant money would be spent on cameras, locks and other safety equipment throughout the school system. Jones said he is awaiting approval of the grant.

The picture at the top of this story is artwork done by Vernon Parish students and submitted to the Louisiana School Board Association competition.  These works will be displayed at the state convention of the LSBA in Baton Rouge at the end of February. The artwork from left to right in the picture: Lisa Parker/Simpson- K-5 grades, Isabel Benetiz/Anacoco- grades 6-8, and Ximena Jimenez/Pickering- grades 9-12

The next meeting of the Vernon Parish School Board will be Tuesday, January 14, at 10 a.m.