[11/21/03]Superintendent James Price’s first semester on the job apparently underwent a preliminary review in a closed session Thursday night by the Vicksburg Warren School District Board of Trustees.

Members of the elective board, who hire the superintendent for public schools here, closed their doors for another 30 minutes after a nearly 3-hour executive session, excluding Price and the board’s attorney to discuss “personnel matters” in the second session.

State law requires that reasons for closed sessions must be described with “specificity” and that “personnel matter” is not sufficient. Also, the district’s own policy reads, in part, “This board will never convene to consider school matters without the superintendent or his representative, except when considering his salary.”

Price was a deputy superintendent here and was hired after a national search to replace Donald Oakes, who retired. His employment began July 1, and he is paid $104,000 annually. He would not comment about the board’s second executive session, and the board president gave few details.

“We discussed goals and objectives that would deal with some policies and personnel issues,” said Kay Aasand, District 1 trustee, after the meeting.

Betty Tolliver, District 3 trustee, declined comment; and District 4 trustee Jan Daigre, District 2 trustee and board vice president Zelmarine Murphy and District 1 trustee Chad Barrett could not be reached for comment.

The back-to-back sessions came after a short open session in which Price announced goals and plans for the district.

He listed:

Have the Youth Court Assistance Center fully operational by the beginning of the next school year. The program pairs the Warren County Youth Court, the school district and parents to remediate students with discipline problems.

Create an additional vocational program.

Expand the GED program implemented this year.

Embrace technology, including creating a new Web site; creating new software specific to the school district’s physical plant management; and enhancing long-distance learning.

Other plans called for:

Developing plans for neighborhood schools.

The possibility of reopening Bovina as a neighborhood school.

Communicating with preschools to prepare 3- and 4-year-olds for public school.

The possibility of constructing a new facility at Warren Central High School that would house a band hall, choir facility and nine classrooms.

“I’m just really excited about the opportunity to see this community come together to work for the benefit of the children,” Price said, adding details would follow.

And Aasand said, “I look forward to seeing what he’s been working on.”

In the first executive session, the board granted eight student transfers, denied one student transfer, upheld four discipline matters and denied one parent’s request for reinstatement into the school district.

In the open session, the board:

Expressed sympathy for the family of Nicholas Scott Townsend, a Warren Central High School student who was killed in a car accident Monday.

Recognized Clarissa Walker, a seventh-grader at Vicksburg Junior High School who is the only junior high student chosen to the Girls State Honor Choir.

Approved minutes from the October meeting.

Accepted donations from local businesses.

Accepted out-of-state travel requests.

Approved 16th Section land matters.