REGULAR MEETING OF THE
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016
5:00 P.M.
The East Baton Rouge Parish School Board met at the School Board Office at 1022 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 5:00 p.m. on the eighteenth day of February 2016, in regular-session convened. The President called the meeting to order with the following members present: Mrs. Barbara Freiberg, President; Ms. Evelyn Ware-Jackson, Vice-President; Mr. Mark Bellue; Mrs. Connie Bernard; Ms. Jill C. Dyason; Ms. Vereta T. Lee; Dr. Jacqueline Mims; Dr. Kenyetta Nelson-Smith; and Mr. David Tatman.
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.
------
School Board Member, Vereta Lee, gave the invocation. Cadet Second Lieutenant Paris Moore, Northeast High School, accompanied by Master Sergeant Marlon Green, Senior Army Instructor, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
------
Approval of Minutes of the January 21, 2016, Regular Board Meeting, and the February 4, 2016, Committee of the Whole Meeting
By Mr. Tatman
Resolved, that, the reading of the minutes of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meetings of January 21, 2016, Regular Board meeting, and the February 4, 2016, Committee of the Whole, be dispensed with and that they be approved as published in the Official Journal.
Seconded by Mr. Bellue
Unanimously adopted by a vote of all the members.
------
Adoption of Resolution Proclaiming March 6-12, 2016, as “National School Social Worker Week”
By Dr. Nelson-Smith
Resolved, That, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby adopt a resolution proclaiming March 6-12, 2016, as “National School Social Worker Week.” (A copy of the Resolution has been marked “Official Copy” and placed in the files of the Board.)
Seconded by Ms. Lee
Unanimously adopted by a vote of all the members.
------
Approval of Consent Agenda Items, Excluding Item #10
By Dr. Mims
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Consent Agenda items, excluding item #10.
Seconded by Ms. Lee
Unanimously adopted by a vote of all the members.
------
The following items were approved as part of the Consent Agenda:
------
Items approved by the Committee of the Whole for recommendation to the Board:
Approval of the following grants:
(a). Capital Area Human Services District mini-grant application, in collaboration with I CARE, for the Public Service Announcement Project on Underage Alcohol Use, Underage Tobacco Use, Prescription Drug Misuse, Suicide, Bullying, and Violence in the amount of $2,000.00, to be split equally between McKinley High and Scotlandville High Schools.
(b). Target Field Trip grant in the amount of $700.00 for fifth grade students at Claiborne Elementary School to study the history and science of lasers at Laser Tag of Baton Rouge; and
(c). Capitol One grant in the amount of $7,010.00 for three (3) Bernard Terrace Elementary School science teachers to attend the National Conference on Science Education in Nashville, TN and the purchase of STEM materials and supplies for classrooms.
Approval to amend the 2016-2017 school calendar, adding Wednesday, November 23, 2016, as a holiday for all 12-month employees.
Approval of the proposed East Baton Rouge Parish School System Test Security Policy for the 2015-2016 school year.
Approval to proceed with developing an agreement with Cox Louisiana Telecom, L.L.C., for a Voice Over Internet Telephone System for the entire EBRPSS, and authorize the Superintendent to enter into a contract with this vendor.
------
END OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
------
Authorization for Staff to Issue Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby give authorization for staff to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to seek proposals to provide Architectural Design Consulting Services for the Broadmoor Elementary School Replacement Project as specified in the 2008 Tax Plan Continuation.
Seconded by Dr. Mims
The vote on the motion was as follows:
Yeas (8) Mr. Bellue, Mrs. Bernard, Ms. Dyason, Ms. Lee, Dr. Mims, Dr. Nelson-Smith, Mr. Tatman, and Vice-President Ware-Jackson
Nays (1) President Freiberg
Abstain (0) None
Absent (0) None
The motion passed.
------
Review of Superintendent’s Recommendation for Expulsion of a Student
The President asked the Board members to indicate whether or not they had the opportunity to review the case of the student at Baton Rouge Magnet High School. Upon affirmation by the Members, the President inquired as to whether or not any Member wished to request a hearing of the case.
Since there was no motion to schedule a hearing before the Board, the Superintendent’s recommendation regarding the expulsion of the Student at Baton Rouge Magnet High School stands.
------
There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.
________________________
Warren Drake
Secretary/Treasurer to the Board