REGULAR MEETING OF THE
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015
5:00 P.M.
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board met at the School Board Office at 1050 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 5:00 p.m. on this the nineteenth day of February 2015, in regular-session convened. The President called the meeting to order with the following members present:, Mr. David Tatman, President; Mrs. Barbara Freiberg, Vice-President; Mr. Mark Bellue; Mrs. Connie Bernard; Ms. Jill C. Dyason; Ms. Vereta T. Lee; Mr. Tarvald A. Smith; and Ms. Evelyn Ware-Jackson. Dr. Kenyetta Nelson-Smith was absent.
Others present were: Dr. Bernard Taylor, Jr., Superintendent; Mr. Michael Haggen, Deputy Superintendent for Innovation and Reform; Mr. Carlos Sam, Associate Superintendent; Dr. Herman Brister, Associate Superintendent for Student Support Services; Ms. Catherine Fletcher, Chief Business Operations Officer; Ms. Millie Williams, Interim Executive Director of Human Resources; Ms. Lizabeth Frischhertz, Chief Officer of Accountability, Assessment and Evaluation; and Mr. Domoine Rutledge, General Counsel.
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School Board Member, Evelyn Ware-Jackson, gave the invocation. Cadet Sergeant Rebecca Morris, Northeast High School, accompanied by Master Sergeant Marlon Green, Senior Army Instructor, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Approval of Minutes of the January 15, 2015, Special Board meeting, February 5, 2015, Special Board meeting, February 5, 2015, Committee of the Whole meeting, January 15, 2015, Regular Board meeting, and the February 11, 2015, Special Board meeting
By Vice-President Freiberg
Resolved, that, the reading of the minutes of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meetings of January 15, 2015, and February 5, 2015, Special Board meeting, February 5, 2015, Committee of the Whole meeting, January 15, 2015, Regular Board meeting, and the February 11, 2015, Special Board meeting, be dispensed with and that they be approved as published in the Official Journal.
Seconded by Ms. Ware-Jackson
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Dr. Nelson-Smith was absent.)
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Item #3.5 was removed from the agenda by Superintendent Taylor.
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Adoption of Resolution Proclaiming the Week of March 1-7, 2015, as “National School Social Work Week”
By Ms. Dyason
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby adopt a resolution proclaiming the week of March 1-7, 2015, as “National School Social Work Week.” (A copy of the Resolution has been marked “Official Copy” and placed in the files of the Board.)
Seconded by Mr. Bellue
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Dr. Nelson-Smith was absent.)
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Adoption of Resolution Proclaiming the Month of March 2015, as “Music in our Schools Month”
By Ms. Ware-Jackson
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby adopt a resolution proclaiming the month of March 2015, as “Music in our Schools Month.” (A copy of the Resolution has been marked “Official Copy” and placed in the files of the Board.)
Seconded by Mr. Smith
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Dr. Nelson-Smith was absent.)
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Approval to Complete Items on the Agenda
By Vice-President Freiberg
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve completing the business items #9 - #18 and returning to item #6.2.
Seconded by Ms. Ware-Jackson
The vote on the motion was as follows:
Yeas: (6) Mr. Bellue, Mrs. Bernard, Ms. Dyason, Vice-President Freiberg, President Tatman, and Ms. Ware-Jackson
Nays: (2) Ms. Lee and Mr. Smith
Abstained: (0) None
Absent: (1) Dr. Nelson-Smith
The motion was declared adopted.
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Approval of Consent Agenda Items, Excluding Items #12, and #13
By Ms. Lee
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Consent Agenda items, excluding items #12, and #13.
Seconded by Mrs. Bernard
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Dr. Nelson-Smith was absent.)
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The following items were approved as part of the Consent Agenda:
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Items approved by the Committee of the Whole for recommendation to the Board:
Authorization to negotiate with AT&T, Dell, and Transformyx, the top three RFP finalists, for the best offer to meet the needs of the district as it relates to providing a wireless system upgrade for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System, and offer a contract upon completing negotiations. The negotiations will fulfill the requirements according to all public procurement procedures for E-rate funding up to 85% (cost of installation).
Approval of the Career & Technical Education’s Proposed 2014-2015 Jump Starting JumpStart grants budget.
Approval of the Adult Education Parish Prison Budget in the amount of $132,610.00, effective January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015.
Approval of an agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the Foundation for East Baton Rouge School System and the National Math and Science Initiative in an amount not to exceed $275,000.00 for teacher training.
Approval of the timber consultant’s recommendation to manage and harvest timber on three Section Sixteen tracts: (a) to authorize the sales of timber on Northeast and Baywood Tracts; (b) to allow the hardwood timber to mature for an additional five (5) years on the Plank Road tract; and (c) to authorize commercial thinning of pulpwood sales of the planted pines on the Northeast and Baywood Tracts.
Approval to advertise and accept the highest bid to re-establish a hunting lease on the Northeast Section Sixteen property as detailed.
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END OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
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Approval to Amend Professional Services Contract
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby give approval to amend the original professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Healing Hands Home Health, Inc. (Cost of original contract - $98,000 and Cost of amended contract - $127,000.00) to provide nursing services to an additional student(s). (Funding Source: IDEA Part B)
Seconded by Mr. Smith
The vote on the motion was as follows:
Yeas: (7) Mr. Bellue, Mrs. Bernard, Vice-President Freiberg, Ms. Lee, Mr. Smith, President Tatman, and Ms. Ware-Jackson
Nays: (0) None
Abstained: (1) Ms. Dyason
Absent: (1) Dr. Nelson-Smith
The motion was declared adopted.
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Approval of Professional Services Contract
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Dr. Kashunda L. Williams (Sundry Behavioral Services) in an amount not to exceed $10,000.00 for applied behavior analysis training and related matters. (Funding Source: IDEA Part B)
Seconded by Ms. Lee
The vote on the motion was as follows:
Yeas: (7) Mr. Bellue, Mrs. Bernard, Vice-President Freiberg, Ms. Lee, Mr. Smith, President Tatman, and Ms. Ware-Jackson
Nays: (0) None
Abstained: (1) Ms. Dyason
Absent: (1) Dr. Nelson-Smith
The motion was declared adopted.
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Approval of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
By Vice-President Freiberg
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby give approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, BREC, and YMCA for a Water Safety Program for children.
Seconded by Mrs. Bernard
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Dr. Nelson-Smith was absent.)
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Approval of Cooperative Endeavor Agreement
By Ms. Lee
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the State of Louisiana, through its Division, represented by the Commissioner of Administration; the Louisiana Department of Education, through the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, represented by the State Superintendent of Education, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, represented by its President.
Seconded by Mrs. Bernard
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Dr. Nelson-Smith was absent.)
There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.
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Dr. Bernard Taylor, Jr.,
Secretary/Treasurer to the Board