East Baton Rouge Parish School Board
Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Meeting Opening
The Meeting was called to order at 8:01 p.m. by School Board Vice-President Dawn Collins.
Roll Call
Members present were Mark Bellue, Dawn Collins, Jill Dyason, Michael Gaudet, Connie Bernard, and David Tatman
Dadrius Lanus, Tramelle Howard, and Evelyn Ware-Jackson came in after roll call.
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; 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
Items for Consideration
Facility Management Services
Consideration of a request for the selection and approval of facility management services. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: General Fund
Discussion followed.
Motion to accept the recommendation of the selection committee to approve HES as the facility management services provider.
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by David Tatman.
A substitute motion was offered to approve ABM Industries as the facility management services provider.
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Tramelle Howard.
The substitute motion was withdrawn.
An amendment offered to send the selection and approval of a facility management services company to the full Board without recommendation.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Demolition of Jefferson Terrace Elementary
Authorize staff to advertise, accept the low bids meeting specifications and make the award of contract for demolition of Jefferson Terrace Elementary School as specified in the "A Plan to Improve Facilities/Technology, Discipline, and Compensation in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System" (the "Plan") as revised through February 22, 2018, or reject any and all bids for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statute, Title 38; Chapter 10.
Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Mark Bellue.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Nay: Ware-Jackson
Professional Services Contracts: Exceptional Student Services 2021-2022
Approval of the professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following:
a) Egan Health Care Corporation d/b/a Egan-Ochsner HCBS River Parishes in the amount of $11,000 to provide LPN nursing services to EBR students as directed by the student's IEP. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA Part B
b) Pediatric Services of America d/b/a Aveanna Healthcare (amendment) in the amount of $29,000 to provide additional LPN nursing services. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA Part B
Motion by Connie Bernard, second by Tramelle Howard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Bernard
Abstain: Dyason
Not Present at Vote: Gaudet, Tatman
Professional Services Contracts: Exceptional Student Services 2022-2023
Approval of the professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following:
a) Pediatric Services of America d/b/a Aveanna Healthcare in the amount of $552,000 to provide LPN nursing services as directed by the student's Individual Education Plan(IEP). Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA Part B
b) Chase Healthcare in the amount of $87,000 to provide LPN nursing services as directed by the student's Individual Education Plan(IEP). Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA Part B
c) Turner, LLC in the amount of $621,000 to provide LPN nursing services as directed by the student's Individual Education Plan(IEP). Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA Part B
d) Audio Optical System of Austin, Inc. in the amount of $74,892 to provide a comprehensive, text-to-speech integrated literacy solution that will benefit EBR students that have difficulty independently accessing their curriculum materials. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA Part B
e) Adaptive Solutions and Sherry Hollingsworth in the amount of $20,000 to provide assistive technology assistance services to EBR students that display severe communication deficits. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA Part B
f) Dr. Kashundra L. Williams, LP, BCBA-D, NCSP, Sundry Behavioral Services in the amount of $60,000 to provide applied behavior analysis (ABA) services to EBR students that display severe autistic behavioral issues as well as training for ESS staff and teachers. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA Part B
g) Deaf Resources Center of Greater Baton Rouge, LLC in the amount of $80,000 to provide sign language interpreter services to students with disabilities-hearing impairment. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA Part B
Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Tramelle Howard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason
Not Present at Vote: Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Litigation
Approval of the recommendation from Gwynn Shamlin, General Counsel, EBRPSB, in the matter of: a) Shawynda Spears v. East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, et al., Docket No. 699344, Section 23, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana.
b) Elizabeth Flores v. Berkley Insurance Company, et al., Docket No. 691862,
Section 25, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana.
Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason
Not Present at Vote: Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Maptitude
Motion to recognize the Maptiude expense as an expense that should not have been delegated to the Superintendent.
Motion by Evelyn Ware-Jackson, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Final Resolution: Motion Fails
Yea: Lanus, Ware-Jackson
Nay: Bellue, Dyason
Abstain: Howard, Collins
Not Present at Vote: Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Presentation
Presentation-Redistricting
No presentation was given
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