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Tensas Parish School Board approves routine resolutions, asbestos surveillance contract and LSBA Code of Conduct
Summary
At its Jan. 15 meeting in St. Joseph, the Tensas Parish School Board reappointed its officers, approved routine financial and compliance items, authorized an asbestos surveillance contract not to exceed $2,500, appointed an ethics designee, and adopted the LSBA Code of Conduct. Vote tallies were not specified in the minutes.
The Tensas Parish School Board met Jan. 15, 2026, in St. Joseph and approved a slate of routine actions, including continuing John Turner as board president and Esaw Turner as vice president and adopting the Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA) Code of Conduct for school board members.
At the start of the meeting Superintendent Joyce M. Russ called the session to order at 5 p.m.; Esaw Turner led the invocation and Superintendent Russ led the Pledge of Allegiance. The board recorded a quorum with members John Turner, Jennifer Burnside, Joseph Tarver, Annice Miller and Esaw Turner present; Knola Ransome and George Matthews were listed as absent.
On a motion by Annice Miller, seconded by Jennifer Burnside, the board approved continuing John Turner as president and Esaw Turner as vice president. President Turner then named committee assignments: George Matthews, Annice Miller and Esaw Turner for the Finance Committee; Annice Miller, Esaw Turner and John Turner for Buildings & Grounds. These motions were recorded as "motion passed" in the minutes; specific vote tallies were not provided.
The board approved its Dec. 11, 2025 minutes and received the December financial statement and budget-to-actual update. It approved the annual sexual harassment report for calendar year 2025 and adopted a School Board Member Training Resolution for 2025. The board also passed a resolution proclaiming January as "School Board Recognition Month." The minutes indicate each motion passed but do not record individual yes/no votes.
On facilities business, the board approved a contract with Wynn L. White Consulting Engineers, Inc. to perform the required asbestos periodic surveillance in January 2026 for an amount not to exceed $2,500; the minutes note this is a Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requirement. The board approved the appointment of Mrs. Beth Vinson as the board's Ethics Designee and authorized the purchase of a new milk box for THS to be paid from School Food Funds.
The board adopted the LSBA Code of Conduct on a motion by Esaw Turner, seconded by Jennifer Burnside. The board also approved the first reading of multiple policy revisions (FILES: BCBB — Notification of School Board Meetings; DFM — Sale of Surplus Materials, Equipment & Supplies; DJE — Purchasing; EBBC — Emergency/Crisis Management; GBC — Recruitment; GBN — Dismissal of Employees; GBRA — Employee Conduct; JGCF — Behavioral Health Support for Students — and related cross-references). The minutes record the first reading approval; subsequent readings or final adoption steps are not specified in the record.
Superintendent Russ closed with agenda and scheduling notes: schools and offices would be closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, students would have Tuesday off while teachers engage in professional development, and Jan. 20 would mark the 100th day of school. With no further business, the board adjourned; the minutes were signed by John Turner, President, and Joyce M. Russ, Superintendent.
Votes, where recorded in the minutes, are summarized as "motion passed" or "motion carried"; the minutes do not provide roll-call tallies or record individual member votes.
