REGULAR MEETING OF THE
EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

April 20, 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 twentieth day of April, 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; Ms. Connie Bernard, Vice-President; and Mr. David Tatman.

 

Others present were: Warren Drake, 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. James Crochet, Chief Business Operations Officer; Mr. Adam Smith, Associate Superintendent of Academics; and Mrs. Andrea O’Konski, Chief of Academic Programs.

 

Vice-President Connie Bernard gave the invocation. Mr. Tatman led the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Approval of the School Board Minutes for the Regular School Board Meeting of March 16, 2017, and Committee of the Whole Meeting of April 6, 2017

 

By Mr. Tatman

 

Resolved, that the reading of the minutes of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board Regular meeting of March 16, 2017, and Committee of the Whole meeting of April 6, 2017, be dispensed with and that they be approved as published in the Official Journal. 

 

Seconded By Vice-President Bernard

 

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Ms. Lee was absent.)

 

 

Point of Information:

 

Announcement of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board members who have successfully completed annual training for 2016 mandated by Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 17, Section 53 and the total credit hours received:  Mark Bellue (23 hours), Vice-President Connie Bernard (24.5 hours), Dawn Collins (27.5 hours), Jill Dyason (18 hours), Vereta Lee (30.5 hours), Dr. Kenyetta Nelson-Smith (32.5 hours), David Tatman (11.5 hours), and President Evelyn Ware-Jackson (28.5 hours).  Former School Board members: Barbara Freiberg (50.5 hours) and Dr. Jacqueline Mims (8.5 hours).

 

The Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA) has also recognized the following East Baton Rouge Parish School Board members as a Certified School Board Member for 2016 by attaining twenty or more continuing learning units.  They are as follows: Mark Bellue, Vice-President Connie Bernard, Dawn Collins, Vereta Lee, Dr. Kenyetta Nelson-Smith, and President Evelyn Ware-Jackson.  Former School Board member Barbara Freiberg also received this honor. 

 

 

Resolution “Administrative Professionals’ Week”

 

            By Ms. Lee

 

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does herebyadopt a Resolution proclaiming April 24-28, 2017, as “Administrative Professionals’ Week” and April 26, 2017, as “Administrative Professionals’ Day.” 

 

Seconded By Vice-President Bernard

 

Unanimously adopted by a vote of all the members.

 

Board Received Personnel Changes for Information Only

 

Board Received Monthly Financial Report for Information Only

 

Approval of Consent Agenda Items, Excluding Items # 12 and 13

 

By Mr. Gaudet

 

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does herebyapprove the Consent Agenda items, excluding items #12 and 13.

 

Seconded By Mr. Tatman

 

Unanimously adopted by a vote of all the members.

 

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

 

Approval of the following grants:  a) The Big Brown Reaching Back Fund of the Baton Rouge

Area Foundation grant in the amount of $500.00 to be used by ICARE to purchase bullying

prevention materials and used throughout the school district. b) Louisiana Department of

Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana School Garden Cost reimbursement grant in the amount of

$600.00 to be used to support the edible garden space at Wildwood Elementary School.

 

Approval to ratify a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School

Board and Mary W. Blunschi in the amount of $18,400.00 for the third-party evaluation of

charter school applications. 

 

Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between the East Baton Rouge Parish School

Board and the following Pre-K centers: God’s Lil Angels, Kingdom Early Learning Center, Charity

Christian Center, Rhema Christian Learning, South Baton Rouge Charter, and LSU Lab Preschool

to establish a partnership as it relates to the EBR Early Childhood Network

 

Approval of a recommendation from Mr. Domoine Rutledge, General Counsel, EBRPSB, in the

following matter:  Joseph L. Watson v. Alisha A. Grimes and EBRPSB; Suit No.:  635,816;

Section 27; 19th JDC.

 

END OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS

 

Approval of Revised 2016-2017 General Fund Budget

 

By Mr. Tatman

 

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the Revised 2016-2017 General Fund Budget for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.

 

Seconded By Ms. Lee 

 

Unanimously adopted by a vote of all the members.

 

Approval of “Plan for Academic Innovation and Organizational Efficiency”

 

By Mr. Gaudet

 

Consideration of a request for approval of the “Plan for Academic Innovation and Organizational Efficiency” and related matters.  

 

Seconded By Mr. Tatman

The motion was withdrawn.

 

Discussion followed.

 

Substitute Motion to remove items A, B, E

 

By Mr. Tatman

 

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve the “Plan for Academic Innovation and Organizational Efficiency,” excluding items A, B, and E on pages 8 and 9.  

 

Seconded By Ms. Dyason

 

Unanimously adopted by a vote of all the members.

 

Approval of Amendment to Destiny Resource Management Agreement

 

By Mr. Tatman

 

Resolved, that the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board does hereby approve an amendment to the Destiny Resource Management Agreement (Follett School Solutions) for textbook and asset management in the amount of $30,195.00 (annual licensing and maintenance costs).  (Funding Source:  General Fund).

 

Seconded By Mr. Gaudet

 

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Vice-President Bernard was absent.)

 

Approval of Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School

 

            By Mr. Tatman

 

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 Democracy Prep Baton Rouge Charter School, State of Louisiana, Department of Education, and the Recovery School District.

 

Seconded By Mr. Bellue

 

Unanimously adopted by a vote of the members present.  (Vice-President Bernard was absent.)

 

Point of Information

 

Intent to Levy Millages:

Notice is hereby given that the Parish School Board of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, acting as the governing authority of Consolidated School District No. 1 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the “District”), plans to consider and adopt at its meeting on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. at the Parish School Board Office, 1050 South Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Resolution, as required by law for the Office of the Assessor no later than June 1, 2017, for the purpose of levying millages effective on the 2017 Assessment Roll.

 

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

 

_________________________________

Warren Drake,

Secretary/Treasurer to the Board