East Baton Rouge Parish School System
Regular Meeting
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Meeting Opening
Meeting called to order at 5:00 PM
Invocation by School Board Member Connie Bernard, and Pledge of Allegiance led by Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Song Dam of Broadmoor High School accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel Michael Stewart, Senior Army Instructor.
Roll Call
Members present: Tramelle Howard, Dawn Collins, Evelyn Ware-Jackson, Jill Dyason, Michael Gaudet, Connie Bernard, David Tatman
Mark Bellue and Dadrius Lanus came in after roll call.
Others present were: Mr. Warren Drake, Superintendent; Mr. Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Mr. Adam Smith, Associate Superintendent; Mr. Ben Necaise, Associate Superintendent; Dr. Quentina Timoll, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction; Mrs. Andrea O’Konski, Chief Officer for Accountability and Assessments; Mrs. Stacey Dupre, Chief Officer for Support and Special Projects; Mr. Richard Ellis, Chief Officer for Technology; and Mrs. Taylor Gast, Director of Communications and Public Relations.
Minutes
Meeting Minutes
Approval of the School Board minutes of the September 19, 2019, Regular Board meeting, and the October 3, 2019, Committee of the Whole meeting as published in the Official Journal.
Motion by Connie Bernard, second by Tramelle Howard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Recognitions
Adoption of a Resolution proclaiming October 23-31, 2019, as "Red Ribbon Month."
Motion by David Tatman, second by Tramelle Howard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Information Only
Monthly Financial Report
Personnel Changes
Unfinished Business
Superintendent Search Firm
Motion offered to name a Superintendent search firm a) JG or b) SSA, and allow Board Leadership and General Counsel to negotiate and execute a contract.
Motion by Connie Bernard, second by Mark Bellue.
a) Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
b) None
Ms. Ware-Jackson requested that the ITEP items be taken out of order, if there were no objections from the Board.
No objections.
New Business
ITEP Application-Formosa Plastics Corporation, Louisiana
Approval of the application from Formosa Plastics Corporation, Louisiana (20190225-ITE) for an Industrial Tax Exemption and related matters.
Motion by Jill Dyason, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
ITEP Application-Fabricated Steel Products
Friendly amendment was offered to approve the application from Fabricated Steel Products (20190168-ITE) for an Industrial Tax Exemption contingent upon approval by the Board of Commerce.
Motion by David Tatman, second by Jill Dyason.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Consent Agenda
Consent Vote
The following items were approved as part of the Consent Agenda excluding item I4.
Motion by Evelyn Ware-Jackson, second by David Tatman.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Mark Bellue, Dadrius Lanus, Tramelle Howard, Dawn Collins, Evelyn Ware-Jackson, Jill Dyason, Michael Gaudet, Connie Bernard, David Tatman
Grants
Approval of the following grants:
a) Walmart Community Grant in the amount of $1,000.00 to provide chromebooks for ESL students at Broadmoor Elementary School for the 2019 – 2020 school year. b) Dollar General Literacy Foundation Youth Literacy Grant in the amount of $3,000.00 to provide the Accelerated Reader Library Program for students at Woodlawn Middle School for the 2019 - 2020 school year.
c) Benedict Explorations Sponsorship Grant in the amount of $2,500.00 to provide a Roman Technology “Edventure” for students at Glasgow Middle School for the 2019 – 2020 school year.
Grant/Partnership
Acceptance of a grant/partnership between LSU/East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the U.S. Department of Education’s Education Innovation and Research (EIR) 5 year grant of $1.3M for the project “A Modern Approach to the Integration of Programming and Mathematics”. The project will study the impact of the LSU Computational Thinking curriculum and professional development in East Baton Rouge Parish School System high schools.
Agreement
Approval of a license agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Louisiana Business, Inc. dba 225 Magazine not to exceed $50,000.00 to produce a district magazine. Funding Source: General Fund - Communications Department
LOSFA/GEAR UP AGREEMENT
Approval of a Field Outreach Services Agreement between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the Louisiana Board of Regents in the amount of $954,339.00 to provide financial and programmatic support to assist participating schools addressing school reform needs and building a college-going culture. Funding Source: LA Board of Regents Field Outreach
HVAC Service Provider
Accept the committee recommendation of Bernhard MCC as an HVAC service provider for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System with an offer of a standardized HVAC professional services contract.
Policy Updates
Approval of revisions to the following School Board policies: IDDFA-19-Special Education Advisory Council, IDDFB-19-Service Animals in Schools, EBBB-19-School and Student Safety, JGCF-19-Behavioral Health Service for Students, and EBBC-19-Emergency/Crisis Management.
End of the Consent Agenda
Professional Services Contracts
Approval of the professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following:
a) DiStefano & Associates in the amount of $28,400.00 to provide services to advance the district's Montessori program. Funding Source: Magnet Programs
b) ThirdWay Solutions, LLC (Discipline Revolution Project) in the amount of $90,000.00 to continue engaging with East Baton Rouge Parish Schools. Funding Source: ESSA Grant and Proposition 2
Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Dawn Collins.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet
Abstain: Bernard
Not Present at Vote: Tatman
New Business
Appraisal of Property
Authorize the Superintendent to engage in services related to the appraisal of Wyandotte Center and the property comprising the northern portion of Westdale Heights Elementary School (WHAM) currently leased by the Cerebral Palsy Foundation (McMains Children’s Center).
Motion by Connie Bernard, second by Dawn Collins.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard
Not Present at Vote: Tatman
There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.
_______________________________
Warren Drake, Jr.,
Secretary/Treasurer to the Board