The Washington Parish School Board recognized four members of Varnado High School’s state champion team who will compete in the 88th FFA National Convention beginning Oct. 26 in Louisville, Ky.

The squad consists of Destiny Jones, Eli Saba, Marcus Fornea and Kevin Boudreaux. Their instructor is Gilbert Hartzog.

The team will compete in Landscape Nursery competition. Varnado will be one of 50 teams competing in the national competition. The team is scheduled to return on Nov. 1.

“We are very proud of them. They have done an excellent job,” Varnado FFA instructor Gilbert Hartzog said.

School Board members all wished them well and, along with members of the audience, gave them a round of applause.

The Board renewed its liability insurance with Berkley Insurance Co. at a total of $178,947 for Oct. 1, 2015, through Oct. 1, 2016. The local carrier is Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management of Mandeville.

Board members adopted a motion to authorize Superintendent Darrell Fairburn to sign the required Louisiana uninsured/underinsured motorist form that reflects selection or rejection of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Also, the board accepted the lower of two bids for work on a gutter system at Wesley Ray Elementary School. R & R Sheet Metal of Foxworth, Miss., was awarded the contract for its bid of $31,875. Sumrall Construction Co. in Tylertown submitted a bid of $34,950.

Henry Harrison, horticulturalist and county agent based in Franklinton, introduced his staff. Each gave a short presentation of what they do. Beth Blackwell is the 4-H agent, while Keisha Fletcher is parent educator. Jessica Greer is nutrition educator. Dr. Regina Bracey attended the meeting. She is the regional director of the LSU AgCenter and oversees 16 parishes in the southeast part of the state, along with three research centers.

Washington Parish schools started classes on Aug. 9.  Fairburn said was pleased by the smooth beginning.

“We’ve had a good start to school. We’ve really had four good days,” Fairburn said.

Fairburn noted an adjustment in the pickup-zone policies.

“We now let our car riders get picked up earlier instead of waiting on the buses. That sure made the bus drivers happy,” Fairburn said.