East Baton Rouge Parish School Board

Regular Meeting Minutes

Thursday, October 21, 2021

 

 

Notice and Instructions

Notice

 

Meeting Opening

Call to Order, Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance

Meeting called to order at 5:00 PM by School Board President David Tatman.

 

The Invocation was led by School Board Member Evelyn Ware-Jackson, and Pledge of Allegiance led by Cadet Master Sergeant Bryce Hebert of Northeast High accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Shirley Sutton, Senior Army Instructor.

 

Roll Call

Members present were Mark Bellue, Dawn Collins, Evelyn Ware-Jackson, Jill Dyason, Michael Gaudet, Connie Bernard, and David Tatman.

Dadrius Lanus and Tramelle Howard were absent.

 

Others present were Sito Narcisse, Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Caron Smith, Chief of Staff; Michael Robinson, Chief Academic Officer; Frank Chester, Chief Operations Officer; Sharon Williams, Chief of Schools; Alexandra Stubbs, Chief Communication/Public Relations; Andrea O’Konski, Chief Officer for Accountability and Assessments; Amy Jones, Chief Technology Officer; Barbara Lashley, Chief of Literacy, and Stacey Dupre, Chief Officer for Support and Special Projects.

 

Minutes

Meeting Minutes

Approval of the School Board minutes of the September 16, 2021, Regular Board meeting, and the October 7, 2021, Committee of the Whole meeting as published in the Official Journal.

 

Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Connie Bernard.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman

 

Recognitions

Resolution-ICARE

Adoption of the Resolution proclaiming October 2021 as "Red Ribbon Month" and October 23-31, 2021 as "Red Ribbon Week".

 

Motion by Dawn Collins, second by Connie Bernard.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman

 

Information Only

Monthly Financial Report

 

Personnel Changes

 

Receive As Information

Update from Superintendent

 

Redistricting Update and Timeline

 

Unfinished Business

Policy Revision: JBCE-Public School Choice

Approval of the following School Board policy revision and related matters: JBCE-Public School Choice

 

Motion by Connie Bernard, second by Mark Bellue.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman

 

Consent Agenda

Consent Vote

The following items were approved as part of the Consent Agenda excluding items #2- Professional Services Contract and #3-Professional Services Contracts: Fine Arts

 

Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Connie Bernard.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman

 

Risk Management: Third Party Claims Administrator

Approval of Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. as the Third Party Claims Administrator for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System and to authorize the General Counsel and the Superintendent to negotiate and execute a contract. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: Workers' Compensation/Risk Management

 

Policy and Policy Revisions

Approval of the following School Board policies and policy revisions and related matters: BE-School Board Ethics, ID-Curriculum, IDCC-Kindergarten, IDDF-Education of Students With Exceptionalities, JBA-Compulsory School Attendance Ages, JBC-School Admission, JR-Student Privacy and Education Records, GBCA-Protection of Criminal Background Check Information, GBC-Recruitment, JG-Student Welfare.

 

Litigation

Approval of the recommendation from Gwynn Shamlin, General Counsel, EBRPSB, in the matter of: De’Aubrey Young v. Ruth Banks, East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, and Hartford Accident Indemnity Company, No. 669,691, Sec. 26, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, and to provide for related matters.

 

End of The Consent Agenda Items

 

Professional Services Contract

Approval of the professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Experience Management Institute in the amount of $88,948.00 to provide for a compensation and classification study. Strategic Alignment: Employee Development/Funding Source: ESSER III, Action 2

 

Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Michael Gaudet.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Tatman

Nay: Collins

Abstain: Bernard

 

Professional Services Contracts: Fine Arts

Approval of the professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following: a) The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, Inc. in the amount of $89,500.00 for support in the Fine Arts. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III, Action 2

b) Kids' Orchestra in the amount of $45,000.00 to provide after school orchestral instruction program. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund

 

Motion by Evelyn Ware-Jackson, second by Michael Gaudet.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman

Nay: Collins

 

New Business

ITEP Application-International Mezzo Technologies

A friendly amendment to the motion to approve the application from International Mezzo Technologies (20200021-ITE) for an Industrial Tax Exemption and related matters

 

Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Connie Bernard.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman

Nay: Collins

 

ITEP Application-Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Gulf Coast, LLC

Motion to approve the application from Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Gulf Coast, LLC (20210362-ITE) for an Industrial Tax Exemption and related matters.

 

Motion by Connie Bernard, second by Mark Bellue.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

Yea: Bellue, Collins, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman

Not Present at Vote: Ware-Jackson

 

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

 

_______________________________               

Sito J. Narcisse, ED.D

Secretary/Treasurer to the Board