Charlotte Cooper was named the special education supervisor during the Tuesday meeting of the Vernon Parish School Board.
Three individuals, Charlotte Cooper, Beverly Blount and William Thomas, applied for the job, which became available when the current director of special education requested a medical sabbatical leave. The Board decided to change the position from a director to a supervisor and receive applications for the slot.
“Each of the applicants are excellent employees,” said Jackie Self, Vernon Parish Superintendent. “My recommendation is that Charlotte Cooper is the person who can best do this job.”
After Self made the recommendation, District 3 Board Member, Beryl Ford made a motion to accept Cooper as the special education supervisor, which was then seconded by District 1 Board Member Mel Harris.
Before the vote, District 6 Board Member, Vernon Travis, asked Self what criterion he used on which to base his recommendation.
“I looked at each applicant's resume' and past work experience,” said Self. "After interviewing each of the candidates and looking over their history I made the best recommendation."
Travis questioned if Cooper had the most experience, but Self stood by his recommendation, and a vote was then taken by the board.
Eight board members voted in favor of Cooper: Randi Gleason, Mel Harris, Mark  H. Smith, Ricky Reese, Beryl Ford, Randy Martin, Michael Reese and Gene Haymon.
Four board members voted not to accept Cooper as the supervisor: Robert Pynes, Jr., Steve Woods, Vernon Travis and Gaye McKee.
In other school board business, Mike Moses, a bus driver from Pickering Elementary School, was named the Edwards Risk Management Driver of the Year.
District 4 Board Member Randy Martin and PES Principal Wallace Wilson presented Moses with his award.
“Every once in a while you run across one (employee) who goes above and beyond; that is Mike,” said Wilson.
Martin also expressed his thanks to Moses and urged him to keep up the good work.
Gene Haymon, District 8 Board Member, gave a report from the insurance and transportation committee meeting.
In the past, private drivers for the school district who owned their own buses were required to provide a certificate of insurance with a liability shield of $300,000. As of Jan. 31, 2009, these drivers will now be required to have a liability shield of $1 million.
The next meeting of the Vernon Parish School Board will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5 in the meeting room in the school board building located on Belview road in Leesville.