East Baton Rouge Parish School Board
Regular Meeting Minutes
Thursday, September 15, 2022
A. Meeting Opening
1. Call to Order, Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM by School Board President, David Tatman.
The invocation was led by School Board member Connie Bernard and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Cadet Second Lieutenant Treanya Blue of Scotlandville High accompanied by Army Instructor, Sergeant First Class (Retired) Theodore J. Crockett.
2. Roll Call
Members present were Mark Bellue, Evelyn Ware-Jackson, Michael Gaudet, Connie Bernard, and David Tatman.
Dadrius Lanus, Tramelle Howard, Dawn Collins, and Jill Dyason 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; Monique Scott-Spaulding, Chief Operations Officer; 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; Barbara Lashley, Chief of Literacy, Kelly Lopez, Chief Financial Officer; James Crochet, Chief Business Operations Officer; and Randy Morales II, Chief of Plant Operations.
B. Minutes
1. Meeting Minutes
Approval of the School Board minutes of the August 18, 2022, Regular Board meeting and the September 8, 2022, 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, Ware-Jackson, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
C. Information Only
1. Monthly Financial Report
2. Personnel Changes
3. Public Records Request Monthly Report
D. Receive As Information
1. Update from Superintendent
E. Public Notice
1. Public Notice: Intent to Call Election
Notice is hereby given that at its meeting to be held on Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. at its regular meeting place, the East Parish Rouge Parish School Board Office, 1050 S. Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Parish School Board of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana, plans to consider adopting a resolution ordering and calling an election to be held in Consolidated School District No. 1 of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana to authorize the renewal of ad valorem taxes therein.
F. Reports from Board Appointees to Committees/Agencies
1. Board Appointees
G. Resolutions/Proclamations
1. Resolution: Attendance Awareness
Adoption of a resolution proclaiming September 2022, as "Attendance Awareness" month.
Motion by Evelyn Ware-Jackson, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Tatman
Not Present at Vote: Bernard
H. Unfinished Business
1. Professional Services Contracts: Arbinger Institute
Approval of a professional services contract between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the Arbinger Institute in the amount of $452,366 to facilitate workshops for progress monitoring of the Strategic Plan and professional development for school leaders. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement, Exemplary Customer Service, Operational Excellence, and Employee Development/Funding Source: ESSER II, Action 2 and ESSER III, Action 2
Motion by Mark Bellue, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Nay: Collins, Ware-Jackson
2. Professional Services Contracts: Federal
Approval of professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following: a) LetServe, LLC in the amount of $95,000 to provide an online platform for community service. Funding Source: ESSER III Incentive
b) Empower Schools in the amount of $75,000 to provide support and resources for innovative plans. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III Incentive-Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts.
c) Empower Schools in the amount of $75,000 to provide support and resources for innovative plans. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III Incentive-Baton Rouge Foreign Language Academic Immersion Magnet.
d) Empower Schools in the amount of $75,000 to provide support and resources for innovative plans. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III Incentive-Helix.
e) Empower Schools in the amount of $75,000 to provide support and resources for innovative plans. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: ESSER III Incentive-Capitol High.
f) AllHere in the amount of $99,268.78 to provide a family support platform. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement, Exemplary Customer Services, and Operational Excellence/Funding Source: ESSER III, Action 2
g) American Reading Company in the amount of $56,000 to provide Guidebooks professional development. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: Redesign
h) Novus Insight in the amount of $25,175 to provide a centralized, on-demand application management system. Strategic Alignment: Exemplary Customer Service/Funding Source: MSAP Grant & Magnet
Motion by Connie Bernard, second by Jill Dyason.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Nay: Collins
Abstain: Ware-Jackson
3. School Security Resource Officer Rate
Consideration of a request to amend the School Security Resource Officer hourly rate from $35 to $42 per hour.
Motion by Jill Dyason, second by Mark Bellue.
A friendly amendment to consider a request to amend the part-time deputy hourly rate from $35 to $42 per hour. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: General Fund
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
Nay: Howard, Collins
Abstain: Ware-Jackson
I. Consent Agenda
1. Consent Vote
The following items were approved as part of the Consent Agenda.
Motion by Tramelle Howard, second by Connie Bernard.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
2. Professional Services Contracts: IDEA
Approval of professional services agreements between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following: a) Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College on behalf of its Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in the amount of $52,000 to provide professional development and specialized supports for autism services. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA 611
b) Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College on behalf of its Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in the amount of $65,000 to provide high-quality professional development and specialized support for Exceptional Student Services to employ instructional strategies to address the students with disabilities subgroup. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: IDEA 611
3. Professional Services Contracts: General Fund
Approval of professional services contracts between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the following: a) Hanover Research in the amount of $125,000 to provide a strategy membership program evaluation and research services. Strategic Alignment: Employee Development/Funding Source: General Fund, Proposition #1
b) Corwin Press in the amount of $22,000 to provide professional learning sessions. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement and Employee Development/Funding Source: General Fund, Gifted & Talented
c) Louisiana Business Inc. d/b/a The Leadership Academy in the amount of $147,680 to provide professional development. Strategic Alignment: Employee Development/ Funding Source: General Fund
d) Junior Achievement in the amount of $57,200 to provide support services for students. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: General Fund
4. Grant: 21st Century
Approval of the following: a) LDOE-21st Century Community Learning Center Grant Award in the amount of $3,720,000. b) Professional Services Contract with Simpson Educational Consulting LLC in the amount of $132,000 to serve as the Project Director/Ed Liaison. Strategic Alignment: Student Achievement/Funding Source: 21st Century Grant
5. Eliminated Job Descriptions
Approval to eliminate the obsolete job descriptions as referenced in the document "Eliminated Job Descriptions." Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence
6. Request for Proposals (RFP): Internet/WAN
Authorize staff to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP), for internet and WAN circuit services. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: General Fund and E-Rate
7. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): Louisiana State University/College of Human Sciences & Education, School of Education
Approval of the following Memorandums of Understanding between the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board and the Louisiana State University/College of Human Sciences & Education, School of Education to provide the following: a) mentor teachers b) student teachers.
8. Architectural Selection-Brownfields Elementary
Approval of the Architectural Selection Committee’s recommendation of Domain Architecture, APAC to provide architectural design consulting services for the Brownfields Elementary Project. Funding Source: Tax Plan
9. Request for Qualifications: Brownfields Elementary
Authorize staff to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to seek proposals to provide Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) services for the Brownfields Elementary tax plan project. Strategic Alignment: Operational Excellence/Funding Source: Tax Plan
10. Bid: Broadmoor Middle School Site Abatement
Authorization to advertise, accept, and award the contract for abatement services to the lowest bid meeting the project specifications for the Broadmoor Middle site renovation as per 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. Bids can be rejected for just cause in accordance with the Louisiana Public Bid Law; Louisiana Revised Statute, Title 38; Chapter 10.
End of The Consent Agenda Items
J. New Business
1. Capitol High Return
Approval of the return of Capitol High School to the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board by the Recovery School District subject to stipulations and conditions as proposed by the Louisiana Department of Education.
Motion by Tramelle Howard, second by Dadrius Lanus.
Final Resolution: Motion Carries
Yea: Bellue, Lanus, Howard, Collins, Ware-Jackson, Dyason, Gaudet, Bernard, Tatman
K. Additional Information
1. Louisiana Revised Statute 42:31
2. Board Approved Salary Schedule
L. Updates
1. Redistricting Update
M. Organizational Items
1. Announcement of Meetings
There being no further business, the Board adjourned by acclamation.
_______________________________
Sito J. Narcisse, Ed.D.