Poor attendance in elementary school is an early indicator of a high school dropout, said St. Tammany Parish Deputy Superintendent Trey Folse at the regular School Board meeting held Thursday night.

The importance of school attendance was stressed in a resolution passed unanimously by the board. Factors such as lifelong earning potential of high school graduates, the incidence of crime among those who drop out of school and the impact of truancy on a community were all cited as reasons for parents, students and personnel to support efforts to promote daily student attendance in school.

Students not only learn academics, but they also learn important socialization skills, and their earning potential, when compared to those who do not complete their high school education, can be as much as 50 percent higher. The School Board also recognized the school district’s educational access cable television station, Channel 13, for receiving two first-place New Orleans Press Club awards. The station began in 2001 and replays school events such as performances, commencement exercises and even student produced videos.

Melody Swang, director of broadcasting, said the station won first place in the Public Affairs category for its documentary “Teen Focus on Safe Driving: Survivor,” produced by Swang, John Harrison and Trevor Cassidy, and a first place in the Sports Action Photo Category for a video produced by staff member David Williams featuring former Slidell High School football star Matt Forte’.

Competition for the awards were against regular broadcast stations and not educational or public broadcast categories.

The board also said farewell to Director of Public Information Linda Roan, who is retiring at the end of August. Roan was in the position for 17 years and instituted communication improvements for students, parents, employees and the public, such as the Web site, media contact and availability of information after Hurricane Katrina.

The board also approved the following recommendations from the committee as a whole, which met Aug. 7:

• Naming of the agricultural science building at Northshore High School in honor of educator Paul Payne, the beloved teacher who started and built the model agriculture program used at the school;

• The purchase of property at 2346-2348 Ciruti St. in Slidell for future use of Brock Elementary School;

• The acceptance of Pine View Middle parking lot and Madisonville Elementary School drainage as substantially complete, subject to architect’s recommendations, submission of all regulatory requirements and the approval of Superintendent Gayle Sloan;

• A revised board travel policy in which the School Board president must approve any travel arrangement prior to the event in order for the School Board member to be reimbursed;

• Dispersement of a one-time $1,000 salary supplement on Sept. 15 to all full-year non-certified employees. Eligible employees in full-year part-time positions will receive prorated payments. Money for the payments was approved by the state Legislature this summer.

• Acceptance of the low bid of $200,700 for a ProStart chef-training kitchen at Fontainebleau High School;

• Acceptance to revisions in the school bus operator job description for those who are operating leased buses.