East Baton Rouge Parish School Board
Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes
Thursday, March 3, 2022
Notice and Instructions
Notice
Meeting Opening
The meeting was called to order at 6:02 PM
Roll Call
Members present were Mark Bellue, Dadrius Lanus, Tramelle Howard, Dawn Collins, Evelyn Ware-Jackson, Jill Dyason, Michael Gaudet, and Connie Bernard.
David Tatman was absent.
Others present were Sito Narcisse, Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Caron Smith, Chief of Staff; Michael Robinson, Chief Academic Officer; Arcelius Brickhouse Jr., Interim 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.
Receive as Information
Update(s) from the Superintendent
CMAR Construction Management at Risk Presentation
Presentation: Facility Master Plan Task Force Update
Items for Consideration
Bid: Freezer-Southeast Middle
Approval to bid for the purchase and installation of a 253 square foot walk-in freezer unit at Southeast Middle School. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: Child Nutrition Program
Motion by Connie Bernard, second by Jill Dyason.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard
Grants: Federal
Approval of the following grants:
a) ESSER II-Incentive, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Grant in the amount of $4,102,672.00 to support learning loss recovery.
b) ESSER II-School Choice, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Grant in the amount of $500,000.00 to fund data driven initiatives to support learning loss.
c) ESSER III-Incentive, American Rescue Plan Grant in the amount of $1,791,092.00 to fund data driven initiatives to support learning loss.
d) Title III Set Aside Grant in the amount of $10,000.00 to provide academic support for English Learners (ELs).
e) Homeless ARP I Grant in the amount of $163,131.00 to implement instructional strategies in the classroom.
f) Homeless ARP II Grant in the amount of $556,117.00 to implement instructional strategies in the classroom.
Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement, Exemplary Customer Service, Operational Excellence, and Employee Development
Motion by Evelyn Ware-Jackson, second by Jill Dyason.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Baton Rouge General Medical Center
Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the Baton Rouge General Medical Center to provide a school health clinic at Claiborne Elementary. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: N/A
Motion by Tramelle Howard, second by Connie Bernard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
Approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center (AHEC) to support COVID-19 testing. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: NA
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Tramelle Howard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard
Professional Services Contracts Renewals
Approval of professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following:
a) Amplify in the amount of $22,000.00 to provide professional development and support to implement state mandated literacy screeners. Strategic Alignment: Academic Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER II, Action 2.
b) ANET in the amount of $115,794.00 to provide benchmark assessments for grades 9-11. Strategic Alignment: Academic Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund
c) ANET in the amount of $390,492.24 to provide benchmark assessments for grades 3-8 and professional development support. Strategic Alignment: Academic Achievement/Funding Source: Federal Funds-Redesign Grant and/or Educational Excellence Fund
d) Illuminate in the amount of $199,018.00 to provide a virtual management tool to house data. Strategic Alignment: Academic Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER II, Action 2
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Mark Bellue, Tramelle Howard, Evelyn Ware-Jackson, Jill Dyason, Michael Gaudet, Connie Bernard
Nay: Dawn Collins
Not Present at Vote: Dadrius Lanus
Professional Services Contract
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and School Leadership Center of Greater New Orleans in the amount of $50,400.00 to provide professional development for the Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Schools. Funding Source Title II Non-Public
Motion by Jill Dyason, second by Connie Bernard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard
Not Present at Vote: Lanus
Professional Services Contract-Compensation Plan Study
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and SSA Consultants in the amount of $88,948.00 to provide for a compensation plan study. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: ESSER III
Motion by Connie Bernard, second by Jill Dyason.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard
2022-2023 School Year Calendar
Amendment to the motion to send, without recommendation, the request for the approval of the 2022-2023 School Year Calendar to the full Board.
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Evelyn Ware-Jackson.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard
RFQ-Architectural Design Consulting Services for Brownfields Elementary
Authorize staff to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to seek proposals to provide architectural design consulting services for the new Brownfields Elementary School. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: Tax Plan-Phase 4
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet
Not Present at Vote: Bernard
RFP-Transportation Software
Consideration of a request for the authorization of the Superintendent and staff to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a comprehensive transportation software package via collaboration between the Transportation Department, the Finance Department, the Human Resources Department, and the Purchasing Department to insure that proposed software provides efficient interfaces with new systemwide software anticipated to be installed in the next two years. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: General Fund: General Fund
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Jill Dyason.
Amendment to authorize of the Superintendent and staff to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a comprehensive transportation software package collaboration between the Transportation Department, the Finance Department, the Human Resources Department, the Purchasing Department, and the Technology Department to insure that proposed software provides efficient interfaces with new system wide software anticipated to be installed in the next two years. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: General Fund: General Fund (Mr. Bell/Ms. Scott-Spaulding/Mr. Chester)
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Jill Dyason.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet
Not Present at Vote: Bernard
Summer Part Time Rate Increase
Amend the Summer 2022 salary schedule to approve a forty percent increase in compensation of specified Summer part-time employees. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement, Exemplary Customer Service, and Operational Excellence/Funding Source: General Fund & Grants
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Michael Gaudet.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet
Not Present at Vote: Bernard
Litigation
Approval of the recommendation from Gwynn Shamlin, General Counsel, EBRPSB, in the matter of: Henry C. Brown Jr. vs. Canithia Thomas and the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, Docket No. 695000, Section 24, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana and to provide for related matters.
Motion by Tramelle Howard, second by Evelyn Ware-Jackson.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet
Not Present at Vote: Bernard
Next Meeting Dates/Announcements
Announcement of Meetings
There being no further business, the Committee of the Whole adjourned by acclamation.
______________________________
Sito J. Narcisse, ED.D
Secretary/Treasurer to the East Baton
Rouge Parish School Board
Committee of the Whole