REGULAR MEETING OF THE
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

March 16, 2017

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 sixteenth day of March, 2017, and convened in regular session.  The President called the meeting to order with the following members present: Mr. Mark Bellue; Ms. Vereta T. Lee; Dr. Kenyetta Nelson-Smith; Ms. Dawn Chanet Collins; Ms. Evelyn Ware-Jackson, President; Ms. Jill C. Dyason; Mr. Michael Gaudet; and Ms. Connie Bernard, Vice-President. Mr. David Tatman 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 Communications and Public Relations; Ms. Millie Williams, Chief Officer of Human Resources; Mr. Adam Smith, Associate Superintendent of Academics; and Mrs. Andrea O’Konski, Chief of Academic Programs.

School Board Member, Vereta Lee, gave the invocation. Cadet Private First Class Davia Williams, Tara High School and Colonel Fulton Johnson, Senior Army Instructor, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of the School Board minutes of the February 2, 2017, Committee of the Whole, February 16, 2017, (Regular) and March 2, 2017, Committee of the Whole meetings.

By Mr. Gaudet

Resolved, that the reading of the minutes of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board meetings of February 2, 2017, Committee of the Whole, February 16, 2017, (Regular) and March 2, 2017, Committee of the Whole meetings, be dispensed with and that they be approved as published in the Official Journal. 

Seconded By Mr. Bellue

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Mr. Tatman was absent.)

Board Received Personnel Changes for Information Only

Board Received Monthly Financial Report for Information Only

Approval of Consent Agenda Items, Excluding Item # 14

By Dr. Nelson-Smith

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Consent Agenda items, excluding item #14.

Seconded By Vice-President Bernard

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Mr. Tatman was absent.)

The following items were approved as part of the Consent Agenda:

Approval of the following grants:  a) Whole Kids Foundation Grant in the amount of $2,000.00 to support garden/outdoor learning space at Glasgow Middle School. b) Junior League of Baton Rouge - Community Assistance Fund Foundation Grant in the amount of $2,500.00 to support Glasgow Middle School’s Yearbook Class.

Approval of a revised job description:  Education Training Coordinator – Child Nutrition Program. 

Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School System and Criterion Education, LLC, in the amount of $22,420.00 to provide leadership development programs for McKinley and Northeast High Schools.  (Funding Source: The State gave additional Title I dollars through a grant to cover the cost).

Approval to dedicate the McKinley Middle School Auditorium to Lynn Whitfield. 

Approval of the recommendation from Mr. Domoine Rutledge, General Counsel, EBRPSS, in the matter of the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour investigation and related matters.

 END OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS

Approval of a Five-year Charter School Renewal for Mentorship STEAM Academy

             By Vice-President Bernard

             Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the five-year charter school renewal for Mentorship STEAM Academy.

             Seconded By Mr. Bellue

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Mr. Tatman was absent.)

Approval of Naming Istrouma High School

             By Vice-President Bernard

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the recommendation to name Istrouma High School as “Istrouma High School”.

Seconded By Mr. Bellue

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Mr. Tatman was absent.)

Approval to Apply for the Magnet Schools Assistance Program Grant

             By Vice-President Bernard

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby adopt a resolution that qualifies the East Baton Rouge Parish School System to apply for the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) Grant for the upcoming cycle. 

Seconded By Mr. Gaudet

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Mr. Tatman was absent.)

Authorization for Staff to Advertise and Accept Low Bids

             By Dr. Nelson-Smith

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the request for staff to advertise, accept the low bids meeting specifications, and make the award of a contract for construction of the Brookstown Middle School flood repairs, or to reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statute, Title 38; Chapter 10.

Seconded By Ms. Lee

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Mr. Tatman was absent.)

Authorization for Staff to Advertise and Accept Low Bids

By Ms. Lee

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the request for staff to advertise, accept the low bids meeting specifications, and make the award of a contract for the construction of modular buildings at Belfair Elementary School, or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statute, Title 38; Chapter 10. 

Seconded By Dr. Nelson-Smith

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Mr. Tatman was absent.)

There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.

_________________________________

Warren Drake, Jr.,

Secretary/Treasurer to the Board