REGULAR MEETING OF THE
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 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 the fifteenth day of October 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: H. Warren Drake, Jr., Superintendent; Dr. Michelle Clayton, Deputy Superintendent; Mr. Domoine Rutledge, General Counsel; Ms. Adonica Pelichet-Duggan, Chief of Communication and Public Relations; Ms. Catherine Fletcher, Chief Business Operations Officer; Ms. Millie Williams, Chief Officer of Human Resources; Mr. Gary Reese, Chief of Student Support Services; and Mr. Adam Smith, Associate Superintendent of Academics.
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School Board Member Connie Bernard gave the invocation. Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Alisha Parker, Tara High School, accompanied by Colonel Fulton Johnson, Senior Army Instructor, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Resolved, that, the reading of the minutes of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meetings of September 17, 2015, and the October 1, 2015, Committee of the Whole meeting, be dispensed with and that they be approved as published in the Official Journal.
Seconded by Mrs. Freiberg
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Dr. Nelson-Smith was absent.)
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Adoption of a Resolution Proclaiming the Month of October 2015, as “Red Ribbon Month”
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby adopt a Resolution proclaiming the month of October 2015, as “Red Ribbon Month.”
Seconded by Mr. Smith
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Dr. Nelson-Smith and President Tatman were absent.)
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Adoption of a Resolution Proclaiming the Week of October 19-23, 2015, as “School Bus Safety Week”
By Mr. Smith
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby adopt a Resolution proclaiming the week of October 19-23, 2015, as “School Bus Safety Week.”
Seconded by Mrs. Bernard
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Dr. Nelson-Smith, Mr. Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval of Consent Agenda Items, Excluding Items #17 and #19
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Consent Agenda items, excluding items #17 and #19.
Seconded by Mr. Smith
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Dr. Nelson-Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Items approved by the Committee of the Whole for recommendation to the Board:
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Approval to renew a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Reliance Communications for its SchoolMessenger services in the amount of $47,250.00. (Funding Source: General Fund, DTS)
Approval to renew a contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the EBR City Parish Government in the amount of $134,110.00 to provide adult education classes for inmates at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison from January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016. (Funding Source: City Parish Grant).
Approval to renew a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Education Foundations, LLC, in the amount of $16,000.00 for equitable services for remediation for the 2015-2016 school year. (Funding Source: Title I – Non-public)
Approval to renew a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and School Leadership Center of Greater New Orleans in the amount of $12,100.00 for coaching, mentoring, and leadership development. (Funding Source: Title II-Non-public)
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Soliant Health in the amount of $12,500.00 for orientation and mobility evaluation and training for visually-impaired students in the district. (Funding Source: IDEA-Part B).
Approval of a consulting contract with DiStefano & Associates, Inc., in the amount of $75,000.00. This consulting contract is to provide training, leadership, support, and professional development for the Montessori Program. (Funding Source: Magnet).
Approval to revise the following job description: Magnet Lead Teacher to Magnet Site Coordinator.
Approval of the following job description: Truancy Officer.
Approval of the Arizona State University Innovation through Design Thinking Program Grant (iDT) for the following schools: (a). Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) and fifty (50) mobile devices from the Verizon Foundation from September 4, 2015, through September 4, 2016, for McKinley High School educators to learn how to teach design-thinking, innovation, entrepreneurship, and STEM skills; and (b). Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) and ten (10) mobile devices from the Verizon Foundation from September 4, 2015, through September 4, 2016, for Scotlandville Magnet High School educators to learn how to teach design-thinking, innovation, entrepreneurship, and STEM skills.
Approval of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the Recovery School District of Louisiana regarding the return of Istrouma High School and related matters.
Approval of the recommendation from Mr. Domoine Rutledge, General Counsel, EBRPSB, in the matter of: Carlton Keller vs. Berkley Ins. Co., EBRPSS, Cynthia M. Anderson and USAA, Suit No.: 629,054; Section: 27; 19th JDC.
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Approval of Contract Extension
By Mr. Smith
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve a contract extension between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and ARAMARK Management Services Limited Partnership to provide management services for custodial and facility maintenance for sixteen (16) months beginning March 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017.
Seconded by Mr. Bellue
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Dr. Nelson-Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval of Cooperative Endeavor Agreement
By Mr. Bellue
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 Recovery School District of Louisiana regarding the return of Istrouma High School and related matters.
Seconded by Mr. Smith
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Dr. Nelson-Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Mr. Smith requested that Item #24 be taken out of order. There was no objection.
Approval to Renew a Contract
By Mr. Smith
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the renewal of the General Counsel’s employment contract.
Seconded by Ms. Lee
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Dr. Nelson-Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Approval of Extension of a Contract
By Ms. Dyason
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the extension of a contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Force Multiplier Solutions to install additional cameras on school buses. This is a renewal of a partnership with City Parish Government and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Department as well. The Board authorizes the Superintendent to execute the extension with these entities.
Seconded by Ms. Lee
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Dr. Nelson-Smith, Mr. Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
Approval of Public School Choice Policy
By Mr. Bellue
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby give approval of a Public School Choice Policy as mandated by Act 853 of the 2014 Legislative Session.
Seconded by Ms. Lee
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Dr. Nelson-Smith, Ms. Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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Defer Approval of a Professional Services Contract
By Ms. Ware-Jackson
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby give approval to defer the following item until the November 5, 2015 Committee of the Whole: request for the Superintendent to evaluate and engage governmental relations consultants, with the concurrence of Board leadership, and to provide for related matters.
Seconded by Mr. Bellue
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Mrs. Bernard, Dr. Nelson-Smith, Ms. Smith, and President Tatman were absent.)
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There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.
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Warren Drake, Jr.,
Secretary/Treasurer to the Board