The LaSalle Parish School Board elected officers for the 2024 year with last year’s vice-president, District 8 Member Dolan Pendarvis, unanimously elected to become the Board’s new president, during the first meeting of the new year held Tuesday afternoon, January 9.

District 7 Board Member Deborah Mayo was unanimously elected as the Board’s vice-president with no other members nominated for either position.

LaSalle Superintendent Jon Garrett had nothing but praise for outgoing president Marcia Cooksey. At the close of the meeting, Garrett presented Cooksey with the customary engraved gavel as recognition of her year of service to the Board.

“I just want to thank Mrs. Cooksey for her service,” the Superintendent said. “With this being my first year here, she was always very patient with me and available to me, and all of us. We had a lot of phone calls and she was always willing to talk.”

“She always had the best intent and always put our kids and employees first,” he continued. “I appreciate the amount of time she put into being president. On behalf of the entire school system, we thank you for all you do.”

Cooksey thanked Garrett for the comments and noted that serving was a pleasure, especially in LaSalle Parish with so many dedicated employees.

“Most of ours are homegrown and they are invested in our parish,” she said. “We really do have outstanding employees and I expect great things this coming year and I’m thankful to be a part of it.”

Also at the meeting, the Board declared a public emergency, to that a boiler system for the Jena High School gymnasium can be purchased more quickly.

The gym has been without heat since December 13 when the boiler cracked leaving it inoperable.

“There has been no heat in the gym and it is cold in there for PE and basketball games,” Superintendent Garrett noted. “This emergency declaration will allow us to get heat into the gym by purchasing and installing a new boiler system without having to wait and go through the bid process.”

LPSB Transportation and Maintenance Supervisor Glen “Slick” Joiner noted that even with the emergency declaration, the earliest the new boiler system will arrive in Jena is Monday, January 15.

“The boiler is coming out of Tennessee and right now, they are snowed in,” he said. “But the pipe fitters are coming this week (week of Jan. 9) to get everything ready for the installation once it arrives.”

Joiner said the installers estimate that it will take two days to install the new system and they are hopeful to have everything working by Wednesday, January 17.

Garrett noted that although the basketball teams had two home games last week, this week they have two away games, which worked out well given the prediction for extremely cold weather.

In other personnel items, the Board approved two, two-year service contracts for three parish principals, as recommended by Superintendent Garrett.

Melissa Loe, Principal at Fellowship Elementary School, had her contract renewed beginning January 30, 2024 and ending January 31, 2026.

Adam Powell, Principal at Jena High School, had his contract renewed beginning February 1, 2024 and ending February 1, 2026.

Malacha Harris, Principal at Olla-Standard Elementary School, had her contract renewed beginning February 1, 2024 and ending January 31, 2026.

The Board also accepted the personnel report as recommended by the Superintendent, where it was noted that longtime La-Salle Parish educator, principal and supervisor, Glen “Slick” Joiner, is set to retire April 8, 2024.

In presenting the retirement information, Superintendent Garrett thanked Joiner for his many years of service and for being a valuable asset to the LaSalle Parish School System.

Vice-President Deborah Mayo also publicly thanked Joiner, noting that her admiration began years prior when they were fellow principals in the system.

“I’ve always admired your hands-on approach to your job, no matter where that was, and you have always been prompt to take care of needs,” Mayo said. “Thank you – you did a great job.”

Also in the report, it was noted that longtime Fellowship Elementary School educator Lessa Jones retired effective December 21, 2023.

The Superintendent noted that Good Pine Middle School Assistant Principal Jessica Marks was transferred from that position to fill Jones’ position at Fellowship Elementary, effective January 3, 2024.

For the time being, Garrett noted that Principal Melinda Robison will handle all of Marks responsibilities at GPMS.

The report also noted the resignations of five employees. They were: -Pamela Arnold, Child Nutrition Manager at LaSalle High School, effective November 30, 2023; -Macy Mills, Teacher at Jena High School, effective January 8, 2023; -Mistie Simons, Teacher at LaSalle High School, effective January 2, 2024; -Amy Twiner, Teacher at Jena High School, effective December 19, 2023; and -Amalia T. Clark, Pre-K Paraprofessional at Olla-Standard Elementary School, effective December 20, 2023.

The report also noted one new hire, Victoria Smith, who will replace Macy Mills at Jena High School.