REGULAR MEETING OF THE
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD
THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 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 seventeenth day of March 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. Dawn Chanet Collins; Ms. Vereta T. Lee; Dr. Kenyetta Nelson-Smith; and Mr. David Tatman. Ms. Dyason 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.
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School Board Member, Mark Bellue, gave the invocation. Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Williams, Woodlawn High, accompanied by Colonel Eric Keys, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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Point of Information
Newly elected School Board member, Dawn Chanet Collins, was sworn in as representative for School Board District 4.
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Approval of Minutes of the February 18, 2016, School Board Meeting, March 3, 2016, Special Meeting, and the March 3, 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 February 18, 2016, School Board, March 3, 2016, Special Meeting, and the March 3, 2016, Committee of the Whole, be dispensed with and that they be approved as published in the Official Journal.
Seconded by Dr. Nelson-Smith
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Ms. Dyason was absent.)
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Approval of Consent Agenda Items
By Mr. Bellue
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Consent Agenda items.
Seconded by Dr. Nelson-Smith
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Ms. Dyason 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:
Approval to open an EBR Virtual School to include Grades 9-12 with an attendance zone encompassing the entire geographic area of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.
Approval to renew a community partnership agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and YWCA Greater Baton Rouge Early Head Start Program.
Approval of the following grants:
a) Whole Kids Foundation grant and budget for $2,000.00 to purchase a portable greenhouse, a compost tumbler, and fruit trees at Cedarcrest-Southmoor Elementary School.
b) Youth Suicide Prevention grant and budget for $7,353.00 for the development of a district suicide prevention policy, curriculum, and training and professional protocols.
c) Academic Distinction Fund (ADF) MASTER Teachers Math and Science grant and budget for $17,994.00 to eighteen (18) pre-kindergarten teachers at eleven (11) schools for materials and supplies to improve hands-on instructional strategies in their math and science classrooms.
Approval to amend the original contract for professional services between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Soliant Health in the amount of $26,260.00 to provide services to additional visually-impaired students as determined by an IEP. (Funding Source: IDEA Part B).
Approval for non-renewal of a lease with the Town South Shopping Center located at 1919 Staring Lane, and approval to relocate the EBR Readiness program to the Northdale Academy site located at 10755 Cletus Drive.
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END OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
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Authorization for Superintendent and Staff to Seek Quotes and Execute a Contract for Independent Evaluator for Charter School Applications
By Mrs. Bernard
Resolved, that, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby give authorization for the Superintendent and staff to seek quotes and execute a contract for a comprehensive third party evaluator with educational, organizational, legal, and financial expertise to provide an independent evaluation of Charter School Applications for 2017-2018 School Year.
Seconded by Mr. Tatman
Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present. (Ms. Dyason was 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