East Baton Rouge Parish School Board

Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes

Thursday, July 14, 2022

 

 

A. Meeting Opening

1. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 10:15 PM by School Board President David Tatman.

 

2. Roll Call

Members present were Mark Bellue, Dadrius Lanus, Tramelle Howard, Evelyn Ware-Jackson, Jill Dyason, Michael Gaudet, David Tatman

Dawn Collins and Connie Bernard were absent.

 

Others present were Sito Narcisse, Superintendent; Gwynn Shamlin Jr., General Counsel; Caron Smith, Chief of Staff; Arcelius Brickhouse Jr., Interim Chief of Schools; Letrece Griffin, Chief Communication/Public Relations; Andrea O’Konski, Chief Officer for Accountability and Assessments; Amy Jones, Chief Technology Officer; and Stacey Dupre, Chief Officer for Support and Special Projects.

 

B. Receive as Information

1. Update(s) from the Superintendent

 

C. Items for Consideration

1. School Grade Relocation: Buchanan Elementary School

Approval to move Buchanan Elementary School grades 4 and 5 to University Terrace Elementary (housed at Eva Legard Learning Center) for the 2022-2023 school year.

 

Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Mark Bellue.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

2. School Grade Relocation: University Terrace Elementary

Approval to move University Terrace Elementary School grades 2 and 3 to the Buchanan Elementary School site for the 2022-2023 school year.

 

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

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

3. School Relocation: Brownfields Elementary

Approval to relocate and house Brownfields Elementary School at the Whitehills Elementary School site for the 2022-2023 school year.

 

Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Jill Dyason.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

4. 2022-2023 Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook & Discipline Policy

Approval of the Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook and Discipline Policy for the 2022-2023 school year for the East Baton Rouge Parish School System with noted changes.

 

Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Jill Dyason.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

5. Professional Services Contract: Arizona State University Prep Digital (ASU)

Motion to send the consideration of a request for the approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and Arizona State University Prep Digital to the full Board without recommendation. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund

 

Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Dadrius Lanus.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

6. Professional Services Contract-LSU & Agricultural & Mechanical College

Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and LSU & Agricultural & Mechanical College in the amount of $123,891 to provide staff and program support at the Eva Legard Learning Center. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund-Magnet

 

Motion by Michael Gaudet, second by Tramelle Howard.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

7. Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire

Approval of the Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire as required for the 2020-2021 financial audit of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.

 

Motion by Dadrius Lanus, second by Mark Bellue.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

8. Charter Contract Renewal: Helix Mentorship

Approval to renew the charter school agreement with Helix Mentorship and provide for related matters.

 

Motion by Jill Dyason, second by Tramelle Howard.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

9. Litigation

Approval of the recommendation from Gwynn Shamlin, General Counsel, EBRPSS, in the matter of Sofia Hunt v. Kristy L. Woods, East Baton Rouge Parish School System, and Berkley Insurance Company, Docket No. 700231, Section 25, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana and to provide for related matters.

 

Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Dadrius Lanus.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

10. Policy: EFAA

Motion to defer the consideration of the request for the approval of Policy EFAA to a date not certain.

 

Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Jill Dyason.

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

11. Policy: BCB

Consideration of a request for the approval of Policy BCB-School Board Meeting Rules of Procedure.

 

Motion by Tramelle Howard, second by Mark Bellue.

 

Substitute motion to approve of Policy BCB-School Board Meeting Rules of Procedure eliminating # 6 in the memo (In the event more than five members of the community request to speak on an agenda item, the presiding officer will have the option to reduce the time for comment for each individual to be less than three minutes.) and amend #7 (The amendment to the policy maintains the five-minute provision but now specifies the five-minute allotment includes any request by the Board member made to any staff member and the staff responses. Board members will be allowed a five-minute rebuttal.) minus the provision including the staff input in the five minutes.

 

Motion by Evelyn Ware-Jackson,

Jill Dyason offered a second with the revision to only amend #7 of the memo. The maker did not accept.   

 

A second substitute motion was offered to send the consideration of a request for the approval of Policy BCB-School Board Meeting Rules of Procedure to the full Board without recommendation.

 

Motion by Evelyn Ware-Jackon

Second by Jill Dyason

 

The second was withdrawn.

 

Return to the main motion.

 

Final Resolution: Motion Carries

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

 

D. Reports

1. Redistricting Report

 

E. Next Meeting Dates/Announcements

1. 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